O.C. Smith

[TomatoTom123]

Well... when I checked out this guy’s lone Motown album from 1982 I wasn’t expecting much... but then...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMZpsFLWF1M

OH MY, WHAT A TUNE!!!!

I have since delved deeper into O.C.’s music and it’s seems he had a pretty long and successful career — just not with Motown!

Anyone know more about his time at Motown? His Motown album is called Love Changes by the way and it’s excellent. :D

[RanRan79]

OC is probably best remembered for his version of "Little Green Apples". The tune you posted is fantastic. My other two favs from Love Changes is "Girl" and "I'm Glad I Fell In Love With You".

[TomatoTom123]

OC is probably best remembered for his version of "Little Green Apples". The tune you posted is fantastic. My other two favs from Love Changes is "Girl" and "I'm Glad I Fell In Love With You".

Hi RanRan, yes, I checked out that one of his, it’s great.

Oh yep, “I’m Glad I Fell In Love With You” is absolutely fantastic... I also love the almost Latin-tinged “Got To Know”... love “I Betcha” and “That’s One For Love” too... but for some reason I had never really listened to “Girl” but I am now and I like it! Very nice...

But “If You Knew” is definitely my favourite... ;)

[heikki]

Hi!

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

Best regards
Heikki

[Bluebrock]

Well... when I checked out this guy’s lone Motown album from 1982 I wasn’t expecting much... but then...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMZpsFLWF1M

OH MY, WHAT A TUNE!!!!

I have since delved deeper into O.C.’s music and it’s seems he had a pretty long and successful career — just not with Motown!

Anyone know more about his time at Motown? His Motown album is called Love Changes by the way and it’s excellent. :D
Expansion records have plans to reissue this on cd in 2018. It is a good rather than great album in my opinion, but there are indeed a couple of killer tracks on there.
OC was a fine singer and was popular here in the UK. He remains a very underrated talent and he passed way too soon.

[RanRan79]

Hi RanRan, yes, I checked out that one of his, it’s great.

Oh yep, “I’m Glad I Fell In Love With You” is absolutely fantastic... I also love the almost Latin-tinged “Got To Know”... love “I Betcha” and “That’s One For Love” too... but for some reason I had never really listened to “Girl” but I am now and I like it! Very nice...

But “If You Knew” is definitely my favourite... ;)

This album is full of jams back home in the Chicago area we call steppin music. Thanks for bringing OC up Tom!

[TomatoTom123]

Hi!

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

Best regards
Heikki

Thanks heikki. I read that all, and it was great. Love the pictures too. :)

[TomatoTom123]

Expansion records have plans to reissue this on cd in 2018. It is a good rather than great album in my opinion, but there are indeed a couple of killer tracks on there.
OC was a fine singer and was popular here in the UK. He remains a very underrated talent and he passed way too soon.

Oh, wow, that’s so great to hear, Bluebrock!!! Yes the album is good... I love the production in general... but there are a few particularly good tracks as you say... :D

[TomatoTom123]

This album is full of jams back home in the Chicago area we call steppin music. Thanks for bringing OC up Tom!

Steppin’ music... cool... and yo welcome ;)

Apparently O.C. was something of a star on the beach music scene too... which is great to know :)

[TomatoTom123]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipj7fmXZZOc&app=desktop

Wonderful... :D

[RanRan79]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipj7fmXZZOc&app=desktop

Wonderful... :D

My favorite from the album!

[paul_nixon]

Well... when I checked out this guy’s lone Motown album from 1982 I wasn’t expecting much... but then...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMZpsFLWF1M

OH MY, WHAT A TUNE!!!!

I have since delved deeper into O.C.’s music and it’s seems he had a pretty long and successful career — just not with Motown!

Anyone know more about his time at Motown? His Motown album is called Love Changes by the way and it’s excellent. :D

Has a very strong resemblance to George Benson.....

[blkfrost]

Expansion records have plans to reissue this on cd in 2018. It is a good rather than great album in my opinion, but there are indeed a couple of killer tracks on there.
OC was a fine singer and was popular here in the UK. He remains a very underrated talent and he passed way too soon.

This is exciting news. Love this album by OC Smith. There are some wonderful cuts on this album.

[TomatoTom123]

Has a very strong resemblance to George Benson.....

Hi Paul, that’s an interesting point... one I hadn’t thought about. Sort of uptempo jazzy feel to it. :)

[TomatoTom123]

Lovely...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYeNzTG51ug&app=desktop

[TomatoTom123]

Fantastic


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrsjf9dMzNY&app=desktop

[Ozmo]

Has a very strong resemblance to George Benson.....

I also think that his sound was very similar to that of Lou Rawls, especially during Lou's Philadelphia International period.

O.C Smith had a big hit in Australia in the late 60s with his single 'Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp'. I think that he may have been on the Columbia label at that time.

[Bluebrock]

I also think that his sound was very similar to that of Lou Rawls, especially during Lou's Philadelphia International period.

O.C Smith had a big hit in Australia in the late 60s with his single 'Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp'. I think that he may have been on the Columbia label at that time.
I think it was also a big hit in the UK too Ozmo, and i recall him on Top of the Pops performing the lovely "together" in the late 70's. Also love "la la la peace song" on columbia..
I also hear similarities to Lou Rawls. Fine fine singer.

[soulwally]

And here's how most of us over-60s first heard of OC Smith, his UK Number 2 hit from 1968. I liked it then, I remember the really high production values on the single release, and I still like it now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FvkJAS4rI8

[snakepit]

His big Northern/rare soul track..Easy Street.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GF6IWHxpfHQ

[Ozmo]

And here's how most of us over-60s first heard of OC Smith, his UK Number 2 hit from 1968. I liked it then, I remember the really high production values on the single release, and I still like it now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FvkJAS4rI8

Soulwally thanks so much for posting this. I haven't heard it in years but it still sounds great and brings back so many memories.

As well as being a big hit in the UK, it also reached number 3 on the charts here in Australia. Oddly it didn't do much in the U.S.A, O.C Smith's home country.

[Boogiedown]

It'd be a shame to do an O.C. Smith thread without including this :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGT2cRfObqE

Saturated with that vibrant Johnny Bristol sound [[isn't that him joining in throughout?)

Timely even to this day-
I'll tell you why, its not safe to fly,
You might get hijacked to an unknown land


How does a song seem so helpless and so hopeful at the same time!?:confused: Amazes me every time .

[heikki]

Hi Boogiedown!

There's a short description about the battle netween Al Wilson and O.C. Smith on "La La Piece Song" in my article above [[post # 4).

Best regards
Heikki

[TomatoTom123]

It'd be a shame to do an O.C. Smith thread without including this :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGT2cRfObqE

Saturated with that vibrant Johnny Bristol sound [[isn't that him joining in throughout?)

Timely even to this day-
I'll tell you why, its not safe to fly,
You might get hijacked to an unknown land


How does a song seem so helpless and so hopeful at the same time!?:confused: Amazes me every time .

Love that one Boogie, and very apt description of it too... helpless yet hopeful. And I think that is Johnny doing the background vocals as was his trademark! :)

[mysterysinger]

He originally recorded under his real name Ocie Smith and as far back as 1957 had a UK single released on the London American label called "Lighthouse". His biggest UK hit, "The Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp", reached number 2 in 1968. His next UK hit was in 1977 called "Together" reaching number 25. Worth noting that in 1970 he released a version of "Baby I Need Your Loving" which did nothing.

Here is "Together".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg-RLquMp8I

[heikki]

Hi!

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

Best regards
Heikki

[McMotown]

Sorry coming into this late, but great thread Tom and thanks everyone for posting those tunes been really enjoying them especially since O.C. is new to me :)

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Lovely...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYeNzTG51ug&app=desktop

Tom: I'm not surprised that you like "Love Changes". That's always been my favorite track from O.C.'s Motown-distributed LP, too!

And,

Bluebrock: I'm really glad to hear that the "Love Changes" LP will be released on CD next year. I can finally ditch my vinyl-to-CD version!

[TomatoTom123]

Tom: I'm not surprised that you like "Love Changes". That's always been my favorite track from O.C.'s Motown-distributed LP, too!

Hi Gary! Sorry, I can’t quite work out what you mean... what is your favourite track from the album? “If You Knew” or “Love Changes”...? Both are brilliant of course so I couldn’t even guess! :)

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Hey Tom, I was saying that my favorite track from the "Love Changes" LP is the song "Love Changes". That's why I responded directly to your YouTube video of the song "Love Changes" [[above).

[TomatoTom123]

Hey Tom, I was saying that my favorite track from the "Love Changes" LP is the song "Love Changes". That's why I responded directly to your YouTube video of the song "Love Changes" [[above).

Ahh, ok, good choice Gary :)