Another sunny day up here.
Time for some up tempo northern soul, from a woman I reckon is one of the most underrated artists who recorded on the Motown label, Brenda Holloway. She started recording for the label in 1964. Her first single was the absolutely amazing Every Little Bit Hurts. If you are only familiar with the Small Faces version I suggest you seek out the Holloway one, it will blow you away.
Holloway didn't receive the commercial success of some of her colleagues and friends on the label did, however she was a familiar face on the TV, appearing on shows such as Shindig. In 1965 she was asked to bee the supporting act for the Beatles on their US tour and was the opening act when the Beatles played Shea Stadium. She is best known in northern circles for Think It Over (Before You Break My Heart) a.k.a Reconsider, which amazingly was never released back in 1966 and was unearthed some considerable time later by Peter Lowrie.
She retired from performing in 1969, however in 1992 she came out of retirement and started recording and performing again after the death of her friend Mary Wells and is still performing to this day, I think that she has been over here in the last couple of years performing at one of Togetherness gatherings.
Here she is with a classic northern soul track, written by Ashford and Simpson and released in 1967. The track is so upbeat until you listen to the lyrics. An absolute belter and that is a fact.
Brenda Holloway - Starting The Hurt All Over Again
8 comments:
'Just Look What You've Done' has long been one of my very favourite dancefloor songs. She has a wonderful voice and there are some absolutely fantastic tracks by her out there.
I've almost as many tracks by Brenda as I have by Aretha or Diana Ross. She's always popping up on shuffle on the Ipod, and I've always meant to feature some of her stuff.
Top song and voice. Talking about versions of Every Little Bit Hurts, there's a half decent Clash cover, with Mick on vocals and pianer, on the Clash on Broadway boxset.
That upbeat tempo/heartbreak lyric thing is what it's all about - I gotta dance to keep from cryin', as Smokey used to say.
I take it your not watching BGT then Mr H?
I had to come upstairs when that tragic granma came on.
Not watched any of it thank f***.
Drinking Cuba Libre's tonight. L brought me back 3 bottles of Havanna Club back from Cuba a few years ago when she was there with her best mate for their 40ths.
I sort of went off rum and tonight I'm wondering why?
I liked a Bacardi & Coke when I was young & foolish (rather than old and ....); in fact, it would not surprise me in the least if my first ever Duty Free purchase is still in the Aged Ps drinks cupboard. Didn't touch the stuff for years thereafter, but like you had a moment last year when round at my good friend Dr Al's house after a nice night of beers it was all he had to offer - and I rather enjoyed it. It wasn't Bacardi, but something much darker and more pricey - 'Gold' - don't ask me what.
I am behaving myself tonight because the plan is for us to head out early en famille tomorrow to a car boot. You'll know if it's a good one if I blog about it.
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