Gladys Knight and The Pips......THE HITMAKERS!!!!

[marv2]

Marv, That's my jam there. Indeed, The worst i've heard from Gladys & the Pips was a song that was just OK!

Jboy88, she, they were truly something else and I can never listen to or discuss their music too much!

[roger]

Hmmm...looking at your Buddah entries, I wonder where "Midnight Train To Georgia" and "Best Thing That Ever happened To Me" is. They went to #1.


Well Roger, it depends on how one measures successful. The quality of the Buddah material was much better since they were out from under the Motown thumb. The music was much more varied too.

Hi Soulster ..

I didn't list the Billboard chart positions of the 45s in my original post, only the L.P.s so here goes ..

THE R&B NUMBER ONES [[ IN MY BOOK )

Soul[[Motown) : 3
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - 6 weeks at #1 - [[ #2 Pop )
"If I Were Your Woman" - 1 week at # 1 - [[ #9 Pop )
"Neither One of Us" - 4 weeks at #1 - [[ #2 Pop )

Buddah : 4
"Midnight Train To Georgia" - 4 weeks at #1 - [[ #1 Pop )
"I've Got To Use My Imagination" - 1 week at #1 - [[ #4 Pop )
"Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" - 2 weeks at #1 - [[ #3 Pop )
"I Feel A Song In My Heart" - 2 weeks at #1 - [[ #21 Pop )

And the other R&B Top 10 entries :-
Soul[[Motown) - 9 entries
"Everybody Needs Love" #3 [[ #39 Pop )
"The End Of our Road" #5 [[ #15 Pop )
"It Should Have Been Me" #9 [[ #40 Pop )
"The Nitty Gritty" #2 [[ #19 Pop )
"Friendship Train" #2 [[ #17 Pop )
"You Need Love like I Do" #3 [[ #25 Pop )
"I Don't Want to Do Wrong" #2 [[ #17 Pop )
"Make Me The Woman You Go Home To" #3 [[ #27 Pop )
"Daddy Could Swear I Declare" #2 [[ #19 Pop )

Buddah - 7 additional entries in the R&B top 10.
"Where The Peaceful Waters Flow" #6 [[ #28 Pop )
"On And On" #2 [[ #5 Pop )
"Love Finds Its Own Way" #3 [[ #47 Pop )
"The Way We Were" #6 [[ #11 Pop )
"Money" #4 [[ #50 pop )
"Part Time Love" #4 [[ #22 Pop )
"Baby Don't Change Your Mind" #10 [[ #52 Pop )

The "Quality" of the material is, of course, a personal opinion. As you say, the Buddah material was more varied .. but personally [[ being a Motown "Nut" ) .. I prefer the Motown material.

Just for interest here are the U.K. Pop chart entries. Some of the entries only made the UK chart when rereleased some years after their original issue.

Tamla Motown [[ 1967 - 73 ) - 6 entries.
1967
"Take Me in Your Arms And Love Me" #13
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" #47
1972
"Just Walk in My Shoes" [[ Reissue ) #35
"Help Me Make It Through The Night" #11
1973
"The Look Of Love" [[ issue of old L.P. track ) #21
"Neither One Of Us" #31

Buddah [[ 1975 - 1978 ) - 12 entries
1975
"The Way We Were" #4
"Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" [[ Reissue ) #7
"Part Time Love" #30
1976
"Midnight Train to Georgia" [[ Reissue ) #10
"Make Yours A Happy Home" #35
"So Sad The Song" #20
1977
"Nobody But You" #34
"Baby Don't Change your Mind" #4
"Home Is Where The Heart Is" #35
1978
"The One And Only" #32
"Come Back And Finish What You Started" #15
"Its A Better Than Good Time" #59

So in terms of U.K. "Pop" success Buddah wins hands down.

Roger

[MIKEW-UK]

Wow, I was surprised at the general low opinion of the Life album. I rate it very highly. Sam Dees contributed a number of songs, and he is a truly gifted songwriter. A personal favourite of mine is the title track "Life". Above the the clever rhythm arrangement and that super low bass, Gladys and the Pips contribute in equal measure to a rousing performance of a really thoughtful song, lightened with its witty references to Noah, Samson, and Moses and his top ten! You have to listen to those words...very clever!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYDCzY6WjOE

[MIKEW-UK]

I really like the songs where the Pips are able to really show off their skills as in the "Life performance". Here's the video where Gladys is a Pip and Bubba takes the lead. Again written by Sam Dees, with Ron Kersey of Trammps, MFSB, etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKQIVJtZH6w

And same song by Johnnie Taylor.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlV659K9OoQ

[tomato tom]

Thanks midnightman 4 the correction. Anyway, this thread made me listen to a lot more of Gladys & the boys than I have in eons. All I Need Is Time is on repeat play at the moment. And The Beatles Let It Be, of all things. But then I cannot honestly think of any song I really dislike....Paulo xxxx