Hits of Early Soul Poll (no Stax, no Motown)

Right now, between Lonely Teardrops and Another Saturday Night. Need time on this one.

Songs I left off due to pseudo 50s R&R/Doo-Wop holdovers, pseudo girl group brill cream, novelties, or wild-card one offs (and not sure how I feel about excluding those, but needed to narrow it down):

(1959) Chubby Checker - The Twist
(1960) Billy Bland - Let The Little Girl Dance
(1960) Chubby Checker - Let's Twist Again
(1960) Gary U.S. Bonds - New Orleans
(1960) Joe Jones - You Talk too Much
(1961) Ben E. King - Stand by Me (damn, I shoulda included this as it's Drifters related)
(1961) Chubby Checker - Limbo Rock
(1961) Ernie K-Doe - Mother-In-Law
(1961) Gary U.S. Bonds - Quarter to Three
(1963) Barbara Lewis & The Dells - Hello Stranger
(1963) Doris Troy - Just One Look
(1963) Jimmy Soul - If You Wanna Be Happy
(1963) Ruby & the Romantics - Our Day Will Come
(1964) The Ad Libs - The Boy from New York City

Maybe Gary US Bonds deserved his spot in this poll...

Also about the 1965 cutoff, British invasion changes the landscape immensely (the mostly White pop audience drops out of the Soul driven fad-dance thing) and along with James Brown, Aretha firmly establishes herself on the charts:

(1965) Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)

yeah, I need more time to think this over. If the only songs I could ever hear again were these, it would still be a wonderful world.

i don't know all these songs, but On Broadway is prob in my top 10 of all times of any style, so I'll have to go with that.

Ruby & The Romantics gets special notice for organage, is that a Sideman on drums?

Sounds like a true rimshot to me, but engineering wonders could prove a sideman.

Funny you mention organ age with this song though, since James Brown covered it billed as "James Brown at the Organ" in 1966 (and of course Dan, Chris Montez also covered it that same year).

this is some sophie's choice shit

This is hard, I think I'm gonna vote "Wonderful World" or "Up on the Roof" but the sensible thing wd be to not vote.

All of the above. Not sure I can narrow it down beyond that.

(1961) Sam Cooke - Cupid

One thing I would say, is that the Impressions and Isley Brothers don't live up to Ray Charles, James Brown, Sam Cooke, and The Drifters. (only in a comparison)

I almost went with "Lonely Teardrops" but it seems so shrill in my memory. It would be great to just take a day and listen to these records and groups, because the production, singing, and emotional impact meant something to me when I was younger.

I miss a proper oldies station where I live.

"Save The Last Dance For Me". Once soul discovered Tin Pan Alley's way of contructing melodies, it got pretty good for a while (until Stax and James Brown came and destroyed it all again).

come ray and come charles - what'd i say OFC

Pretty unfair to include '65 JB, if you ask me. Might do a TS Poll on Pomus-Shuman classix: "This Magic Moment" or "Save the Last Dance For Me".

I'll probably vote "You Send Me," but "Nothing Can Change" is a dark horse.

Nearly went with "Wonderful World", but switched to "I Got A Woman" at the last minute.

Jackie Wilson is such a great great great singer.

Cooke pwns

went with Cupid

Yes. I chanced to hear someone on the radio talking about Cooke's voice being so distinctive that if he were singing "Ave Maria," you'd know it was him before he got to the "-ve."

I was trying to borrow some Jackie Wilson from a friend and he kept just handing me Sam Cooke CDs and I was like, "NO, WILSON!" and it turns out he was just worried about losing Jackie Wilson CDs bcz he was way more worried about losing them (bcz Jackie Wilson is a lot better).

<3 Cooke, too, don't get me wrong

WHOSE music was it that saved the world from an evil Carpathian ghost by making the some pink glop have the statue of liberty walk around? That's right, Jackie Wilson. Without Jackie Wilson, your precious New York City would be dead.

Word. I really love "Doggin' Around" and "A Woman, a Lover, a Friend", but i guess they weren't big crossovers. I could probably vote for any of the following:

Ray Charles - I Got a Woman
Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops
James Brown & The Famous Flames - Please, Please, Please
Ray Charles - What'd I Say
The Drifters - Up On the Roof
James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag

i like lots by Cooke & Isleys & Impressions, but the stuff I like best by them isn't listed here.

yeah why is Papa's Got A Brand New Bag here but A Change Is Gonna Come is not

These are all great, but aren't there hits than these for us to vote for?

I considered A Change is Gonna Come but I really don't remember hearing it on the oldies station much where I grew up and b.) worried it might be a landslide in this poll.

I really regret leaving off Stand By Me though.

And yeah, I'm a stan for Jackie Wilson myself. Detroit wouldn't have become Motown w/o him, and he is THE entertainer of his time.

If I was going to go through the end of 1965, I would've included:

(1965) Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)
(1965) Barbara Lewis - Baby I'm Yours
(1965) Barbara Mason - Yes I'm Ready
(1965) Bobby Hebb - Sunny
(1965) Fontella Bass - Rescue Me
(1965) Jewel Akens - The Birds and the Bees
(1965) Little Anthony & The Imperials - Hurt So Bad
(1965) Mel Carter - Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me

But most of these feel from a different era (and Rescue Me would make this an impossible vote for me).

Voted "What'D I Say" because most likely to make me get off my ass and jam, but would have voted for (wtf at it not being on the main list) "Stand By Me" although that is more like a get off my ass and slow dance with my baby joint. I R conflicted.

Another deleted candidate was Lee Dorsey since Ya Ya hit in 1961.

But a.) he didn't have another crossover hit until 1965 iirc, and b.) I don't remember ever hearing Ya Ya on oldies radio at all; I only know it from the American Graffiti sdtk.

Man oh man, there are some doozies here. Gotta go with Please Please Please, narrowly over What'd I Say.

asking a man to choose between Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson is a gesture of such extreme cruelty that I cannot help but salute you sir

The Drifters are one of my favorite groups so I am leaning toward one of theirs (probably "Save the Last Dance for Me"), but I'm happy there's a lot of time to decide.

Jackie Wilson covered "Chain Gang" in 1968. I just discovered it on a hits record I pulled out. He gave it a modern horn section and switched the melody a little. Nice.

Mighta coulda included

(1959) Ray Charles - Night Time Is the Right Time

I so easily get on a Ray Charles kick. Such as right now.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Just saw Clarence Carter do a nice version of "What'd I Say" live the other night.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

polls polls polls blah blah blah

additional post-vote for
(1962) Jr.Walker & The All Stars - cleo's mood / back

Pitiful turnout for this one.

It's not as if this was a tremendously well-concieved poll.