Warm Glow Record Show: 2013

9 November 2013, No. 50, Yellow Sunshine, ‘Tell Me Who Can Say’

No. 50 is from an LP that used to sit on the molding above the big windows that fronted a friend’s porch in Philadelphia, leaning against the arched, leaded glass over the main windows. I always wondered if the sunshine from the window was yellowing his copy. “Tell Me Who Can Say” from Yellow Sunshine.

8 November 2013, No. 49, Fred and the New J.B.’s, ‘(It’s Not the Express) It’s the J.B.’s Monaurail’

No. 49 is not the express. It’s important to keep that in mind. It’s from the JBs, though, and it’s a monaurail. Not that that’s a real thing, but it is a very funky imaginary form of transport. So get down, because “(It’s Not The Express) It’s The J.B.’s Monaurail.”

7 November 2013, No. 48, Honey Cone, ‘Want Ads’

I skipped yesterday, and sometimes I double up to compensate for such a lapse, but the next two tunes each deserve their own day, I think, so just No. 48 today. “Wanted: A young man single and free / Experience in love preferred / but will accept a young trainee.” I bet most people can’t put it quite so succinctly (or with so much soul) on Tinder and the other dating sites. There have been some covers of this tune over the years, but Honey Cone made it famous. Wikipedia tells me it features a young Ray Parker, Jr. (of “Ghostbusters” fame) on rhythm guitar. “Want Ads.” (I’d never seen this video before; great concept. Heh.)

5 November 2013, No. 47, Dee Dee Sharp Gamble, ‘Easy Money’

Dee Dee Sharp Gamble was married to Kenny Gamble of Gamble and Huff fame for a while, and she put out this ill tune on Philadelphia International during that time. I don’t think there was a 12 inch, but No. 47 is a blazing song nonetheless. Everybody wants some “Easy Money.”

4 November 2013, No. 46, Bad Medicine, ‘Trespasser’

No. 46 is another open-drums jawn with an ill bassline, but the real treat is the nice square synth that comes in at 0:30 or so. It goes away, but it comes back again, and it makes me happy. Then, after we’ve heard it twice, the sax solo is a welcome change to a sharper timbre. “Trespasser” from Bad Medicine.

3 November 2013, No. 45, 100% Pure Poison, ‘Holes in My Shoes’

I think it’s No. 45’s bassline that does it for me, ’cause it’s a little too soulful at the expense of funkiness, but the bassline in the verses makes it move. I think “Windy C” is the joint most people know from 100% Pure Poison, and at 110 bpm, it comes later on the list. This one is “Holes in My Shoes.”

2 November 2013, No. 44, Carly Simon, ‘Why’

No. 44 is Carly Simon, of all people. Who knew she had a “big chune?” Larry Levan knew, for one. This reggae-ish Balearic scorcher still does it right. “Why.” Because Chic, basically, if the song title were a question rather than a statement. La di da di da. Get this one stuck in your head. It gets stuck in mine sometimes.

1 November 2013, No. 43, Monk Higgins, ‘Walking in My Sleep’

43 merely follows the answer to life, the universe, and everything, but No. 43 somnambulates along smartly behind No. 42. “Walking in My Sleep” from Monk Higgins goes like this.

31 October 2013, No. 42, Marva Whitney, ‘I Made a Mistake Because It’s Only You (Part 1)’

42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything. No. 42 is a Marva Whitney tune, but not the one whose drums you’ve heard a million times. That one comes much later, as the original is very fast. “I Made a Mistake Because It’s Only You (Part 1)” is fire, though, if slow(ish).

30 October 2013, No. 41,Joe Tex, ‘Papa Was Too’

“I Gotcha” isn’t the only Joe Tex song, notable though it is for having appeared on the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack and for being awesome. It’ll be on the list later. No. 41, though, is “Papa Was Too.”

29 October 2013, No. 40, Fat Larry’s Band, ‘Down on the Avenue’

I’d like No. 40 a whole lot even if it weren’t for the open drums, but they just make it hotter. Nothing’s ever new “Down on the Avenue” when you’re with Fat Larry’s Band. Full of smiles on the first and the fifteenth, though.

28 October 2013, No. 39, Eddie Bo with Inez Cheatem, ‘Lover and a Friend’

And No. 39 makes up for slack yesterday. More big open drums from Eddie Bo, this time with Inez Cheatem, “Lover and a Friend.”

27 October 2013, No. 38, Archie Bell and the Drells, ‘Don’t Let Love Get You Down (Ed Zone Re-Edit)’

No. 38 is Ed Zone’s edit of Archie Bell and the Drells doing “Don’t Let Love Get You Down” from the Philadelphia International re-edits disc. This list will have a number of cuts from that compilation; this one is first because it’s the slowest.

26 October 2013, Nos. 36 and 37, Robert Upchurch, ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’; Sister Sledge, ‘Reach Your Peak (12” Mix)’

Skipped posting for a few days, so I’ll do two today. I’ll also blame the devil for my lapse in activity over the weekend. Why not? Robert Upchurch does in No. 36, “The Devil Made Me Do It.” This “extended mix” is five minutes shorter than the version I’ve got, but you get the picture. [Edit: video down, replaced with even shorter version; sorry.]

No. 37 has that Chic action all over it and the ladies from Sister Sledge singing out of a self-help manual. Or that’s kinda what it sounds like, anyway. “Reach Your Peak.”

23 October 2013, No. 35, Idris Muhammad, ‘Express Yourself’

Another cover at No. 35. Got a lot of these on the list, instrumental versions of tunes that are supposed to have vocals. Idris Muhammad covering Charles Wright’s “Express Yourself.”

22 October 2013, No. 34, Rosebud, ‘Money’

No. 34 gets a “novelty” designation in its genre ID3 tag. But that doesn’t mean it’s not an ill tune. And squeezing that weird 7/4 bassline into 4/4 works quite well. Rosebud’s cover of Pink Floyd’s “Money.” Aw yeah.

21 October 2013, Nos. 32 and 33, Freddie Scott, ‘(You) Got What I Need’; Melvin Bliss, ‘Synthetic Substitution’

Slippin’. Had a busy weekend. Sorry! We’ll double post ’em today. At No. 32 we’ve got a tune I know because Biz Markie: Freddie Scott, “(You) Got What I Need.”

No. 33 gets sampled a lot too. “Synthetic Substitution,” Melvin Bliss. “OPP” drums, I think? Yes, yes they are.

17 October 2013, No. 31, The Brothers Johnson, ‘Strawberry Letter 23’

Oh yeah, love this tune. No. 31 is 23. “Strawberry Letter 23,” that is. The Brothers Johnson. This is a cover, but it’s better than the original. Get your daily dose of twinkly synths.

16 October 2013, No. 30, Claudja Barry, ‘Love for the Sake of Love’

No. 30 is not Claudja Barry’s best cut, but it does pretty much kill until it gets stringy. Probably why it got sampled. “Love for the Sake of Love.”

15 October 2013, No. 29, The Meters, ‘Tippi-Toes’

There’s just no getting away from The Meters in this tempo range, and who’d wanna get away anyway? No. 29, “Tippi-Toes.”

14 October 2013, No. 28, Eddie Bo and the Soulfinders, ‘The Rubber Band’

No. 28 is a funky soul jam featuring a harmonica and a driving bassline worth stealing. “The Rubber Band” from Eddie Bo and the Soulfinders.

13 October 2013, No. 27, The Rhythm Machine, ‘The Kick’

The Rhythm Machine’s contribution to the drug war, “The Kick,” is the 27th slowest tune on the list, and the last tune at 89 beats per minute. So quit heroin, already.

12 October 2013, No. 26, The Pointer Sisters, ‘Yes We Can Can’

No. 26, Pointer Sisters, “Yes We Can Can.” Dig the Soul Train dancing in the video.

11 October 2013, No. 25, The Meters, ‘Hand Clapping Song’

The Meters again, and No. 25 is their best joint. Or best-known, anyway. I’m still partial to “Cissy Strut.” No. 25 is “Hand Clapping Song.” Put ’em together.

10 October 2013, No. 24, Pleasure, ‘Bouncy Lady’

When I was a kid, I bit a woman who was trying to get me out of a bounce house at a fair because I wanted to keep bouncing. That’s what No. 24 made me think of just now. Pleasure, “Bouncy Lady.”

8 October 2013, No. 23, Ednah Holt, ‘Serious, Sirius Space Party’

West End Records, Larry Levan, space-synth SFX, lyrics about Star Wars...basically everything is right about No. 23. Ednah Holt, “Serious, Sirius Space Party.”

7 October 2013, Nos. 21 and 22, The Meters, ‘Cissy Strut,’ ‘Look-Ka Py Py’

Doubling up again, nos. 21 and 22 are both rock solid tunes from The Meters. No. 21, “Cissy Strut,” is the better tune, but “Look-Ka Py Py” has its merits. Look-Ka [sic]? Who knows? Count that as Merit 1, I suppose. Leo Nocentelli’s guitar probably had a sticker that said: “This machine kills militant grammarians.” Heh.

6 October 2013, No. 20, Harlem Underground Band, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’

It’s not Bill Withers, but it loses none of the soul. Plus, open drums. No. 20, Harlem Underground Band, “Ain’t No Sunshine.”

5 October 2013, Nos. 17, 18, and 19, Kenny Raw, ‘SEPTA Theme’; Redacted, ‘Redacted’; Kenny Raw, ‘Cochambamba’

No. 17 is another awesome Kenny Raw edit, and since I’ve skipped a few days, I’m also going to skip No. 18, which gives away Ken’s secret, since it’s the source track. And then No. 19 is Ken Raw again with “Cochambamba,” which immediately follows No. 17 on Left Handed Scissors. (Remember, our list is organized by tempo, hence the clumping).

No. 17, Kenny Raw, “SEPTA Theme,” starts at 8:37 on Left Handed Scissors.

No. 18, redacted, sample source for “SEPTA Theme.”

No. 19, Kenny Raw, “Cochambamba,” starts at 11:02 on Left Handed Scissors (right after “SEPTA Theme”).