Phillip Mitchell - the songwriter

[heikki]

Hi!

The second part of the Prince Phillip Mitchell story concentrates on his songwriting, with samples. There are also comments from Jimmy Johnson, a Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section player at

http://www.soulexpress.net/princephillipmitchell_part2.htm

Best regards
Heikki

[MIKEW-UK]

Hi Heikki,

Thanks for the superb write ups of Prince Phillip Mitchell. In my opinion, his songwriting and vocal mastery put him right up there with Lamont Dozier, George Jackson and Al Johnson, all of whom made enormous contributions to soul music and command total respect. Mike

[heikki]

Thank you, Mike.

Most of Phillip's singing career and his recorded material will be looked into in the final part of the story.

Best regards
Heikki

[phil]

Great stuff as usual, thanks Heikki !!!

[heikki]

Thank you, Phil!

I was interested in getting Phillip's comments on some of the fellow artists that recorded his songs. I was quite surprised at Joe Simon, though.

Best regards
Heikki

[phil]

I was quite surprised at Joe Simon, though.

Me too Heikki !

" One more song that Joe Simon recorded in 1973 was a beautiful ballad named Love Never Hurt Nobody. “Joe Simon and Roy Rifkind of Spring Records flew me to New York City to write the lyrics to a track that Joe Simon had recorded. I spent the night at Joe Simon’s apartment and stayed up the whole night writing lyrics to I Need You, You Need Me, while Simon slept. The next morning when I awoke, Joe Simon was gone and so was the lyrics that I had spent the night writing. I caught a cab over to Spring Records that morning and asked Roy Rifkind where was Joe Simon and was told he had taken an early flight out to New Orleans, and I have never seen nor heard from Joe Simon since. When the record finally came out, there were several writers’ names credited but mine was not one of them. Consequently he and the Rifkinds literally stole my song.” I Need You, You Need Me was released on Spring in late 1975, it hit # 5 on Billboard’s “Hot Soul Singles” charts and was credited to Joe Simon, Raeford Gerald and Billy Kennedy."

[motony]

I heard a similar tale about Joe Simon from someone very close to Gamble/Huff.