B-side Beauties: Isley Bros./THERE'S NO LOVE [1966]; Edwin Starr/IF MY HEART [1968]

[Methuselah2]

The Isley Bros./THERE'S NO LOVE LEFT [1966]

Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland & James Dean--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T_6ZwcJsa4

Edwin Starr/IF MY HEART COULD TELL THE STORY [1968]

Written by: James Dean & William Weatherspoon--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypHKjLew9t0

[theboyfromxtown]

What about this version of the former...with Lawrence singing.

[Methuselah2]

It's not bad, Tbfxt. I'm glad you identified Lawrence as being on lead 'cause I wasn't sure who it was. It clearly wasn't Levi but I only got as far as narrowing it down to Valerie before I gave up. But I love the Isleys' version--that's the one that really hits home for me. Ronald's great voice, to my ear, is one of the few that's on a par with that of the late, great Levi. Certainly, they're not the same but the force and beauty of each of their own rawness has always enthralled me. And I must make special, honorable mention of Levi's voice as "Audrey II" in the remake of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS [[1986)--an astounding performance even without Levi appearing on screen. He couldn't have been more there as it was. A stellar vocalization if ever there was one.

[keith_h]

Methuselah, I agree with those two great sides. The Isleys are my all time fave group, Ronnies' voice has so much SOUL, and that side is full of Pathos. As Irma Thomas sang, Anyone who knows what love is, will understand.

There are so many great Motown B-sides, but try this one, which would be in my all-time top 10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdXDRh_ASnc
Around 2m 5s she stretches the word 'So' over several seconds, and it sends chills up my spine.

[Methuselah2]

Keith - I was about to go back to sleep but I had to check out your link first. Bad move--Now I'll be up another hour, re-playing it! It's too good; it just is!

"It hurt me so-o-o-o-o."

Actually, it only hurt . . . when the video was over!

Brenda. Brenda. Brenda. She's just spectacular; she just is.
Thanks so much, Keith, for the terrific link. I'm heading back for more. Sleep will just have to wait.

[keith_h]

Methuselah - Glad you liked the Brenda Holloway. Here's another couple of B-sides from the wonderful Isley Brothers. I think that one of the secrets of the Isleys vocals is that they really were brothers and had sung together all of their lives, so their voices meshed together perfectly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97TlaVzWMDI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cJMhvtopfQ

[Methuselah2]

Keith - Both of those were extremely good. Thanks very much for the links. HEARTACHE and QUESTION are both intricate songs, layered in ways like BEHIND A PAINTED SMILE is. Everything HDH that the Isleys did--including their Supremes things--probably remain what I favor most by them. But both HEARTACHE and QUESTION are high up there, as well. Thanks again for pointing them out to me.

[keith_h]

Methuselah - I don't know what your view on post - Motown Isleys' is; I didn't like their material so much, but recently these two from their '3+3' album have rather grown on me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VX1Y6K06ak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-KtG6CGOgI


This one blows me away, a duet by Bobby Womack and Ron Isley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DNztjQJqTI

[jaybs]

Edwin Starr IF MY HEART COULD TELL THE STORY what an Absolute Classic! the emotion in Edwin's voice could project a song like no other and what a Complete True Gentleman! no wonder here in the UK we adopted him.

The whole Northern Soul Box set the Edwin & Isley's tracks come from is great love The Temptations with just Jamieson's bass backing as well.

Good that The Edwin Starr Band still tours in the UK and is so well respected, never did I hear a band that was so together! the young drummer said to me one night that Edwin converted them like a Preacher! Amen!

[Methuselah2]

Methuselah - I don't know what your view on post - Motown Isleys' is; I didn't like their material so much, but recently these two from their '3+3' album have rather grown on me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VX1Y6K06ak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-KtG6CGOgI


This one blows me away, a duet by Bobby Womack and Ron Isley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DNztjQJqTI

I didn't keep up with them either, Keith, except for WHO'S THAT LADY. I enjoyed WALK and TRYIN' but I especially liked IF, maybe because it reminded me a lot of their great version of MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE [[FOREVER). Something about the Motown productions always came out ahead for me.

[Methuselah2]

Edwin Starr IF MY HEART COULD TELL THE STORY what an Absolute Classic! the emotion in Edwin's voice could project a song like no other and what a Complete True Gentleman! no wonder here in the UK we adopted him.

The whole Northern Soul Box set the Edwin & Isley's tracks come from is great love The Temptations with just Jamieson's bass backing as well.

Good that The Edwin Starr Band still tours in the UK and is so well respected, never did I hear a band that was so together! the young drummer said to me one night that Edwin converted them like a Preacher! Amen!

Jaybs - I completely agree with you about Edwin's voice. A great voice with so much to it. And yet it never seemed to get the full acclaim that it so richly deserved--simply because his voice was so rich. And IF MY HEART really shows it. Every time I hear people talk about him, it's always remarked that he was just the nicest guy they'd ever met, that there was simply no one else quite like him. Great voice, great person--that's a legacy any singer wouldn't object to. And it's Edwin's.

[MIKEW-UK]

THIS THREAD LIGHTS ME UP! I was thrilled to see it.....

I have 4 top top Motown records since I started collecting in early sixties. I think they changed my life in terms of igniting my love of music, and I have remained steadfast........ they are on my Ipod and played constantly.

[[1) Isley Brothers / Four Tops There's No Love Left------ Love them equally, and love Lawrence gets the chance to shine.

[[2) This Old Heart of Mine Isley Brothers

[[3) One Too Many Heartaches Isley Brothers

[[4) My Love is Growing Stronger David Ruffin



As I have just stepped off of a flight, I'm not going to look up the producers / composers of these tracks right now. So over to you. Do they have common composers/ producers? I think if ever I explain the Motown Sound to an innocent, I would give these 4 examples. If they don't feel it, I won't push it, they will never grasp/ feel the Motown Sound - and their loss.....

Please listen to the intricacy/ complexity of the drummer in "One Too many Heartaches "and "My Love Is Growing Stronger". THESE ARE WALTZES!!!! and it works fabulously. Surely the same drummer....... anyway, Mosotogam can you give me instrumentals? I really believe the fundamental issue today is the lack of the creative drummer punctuating the tracks - drum machines simply don't have it, and yes, I have heard all the talk about how a programmed drum machine replicates the sound of live drums, and it doesn't work for me. The drum is the fundamental basic human response to music - remove it and it starts to diminish the core human response....... it's the deft touches and the sheer inventiveness/ creativity which enlivens these tracks and many, many more...... the Funk Brothers understood this, and matched peerless bass players with the drummers....

Mike

[Methuselah2]

Mike - That David tune is such a beauty! First time I'm hearing it. Many, many thanks.

Loved what you had to say about drumming. I've just gotta quote you to start a new thread. It's too good--and too true.

[MIKEW-UK]

The drumming is everything..... it's the emphasis you hook onto.... if it doesn't puctuate, the track does not work.... Methuselah, keep up the good work!
And here are the Isleys with" One Too Many Heartaches:

Surely the same drummer in waltz time........

[vcq]

For me my ultimate Isley Brothers Motown track [[besides This Old Heart of Mine) is .

[vcq]

And I'm generally not a huge fan of post-Motown Isley Brothers, but strongly reminds me of their Motown sides.

[rovereab]

I think this b-side showcases Diana's vocal skills a treat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plh1kKbl9Io