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View Full Version : Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes "Be For Real: The PIR Recordings 1972-1975" 3CD box


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jack020
06-23-2019, 03:31 AM
Release date aug 23, 2019
Description
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes were one of the very first groups to achieve global success for Philadelphia International Records within its first year as a CBS-distributed label. The 1972 release of two consecutive ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ ballads – ‘I Miss You’ and ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’ – marked the start of a four-year association that yielded some of the most enduring recordings in contemporary soul music, in the process creating – with label founders Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff and a burgeoning coterie of talented songwriters, arrangers and musicians – a handful of timeless dance music classics including ‘The Love I Lost’, ‘Bad Luck’ and ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’.

A Philadelphia-based group [[The Charlemagnes) became ‘The Blue Notes’ after Harold Melvin joined them in the mid-‘50s and after a number of personnel changes, ‘Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ achieved their first US Top R&B hit in 1965 with ‘Get Out [[And Cry)’. Mainstays of the popular lounge circuit, Melvin had hired Theodore Pendergrass as the new drummer for the group’s touring band in 1970 and by the time the quintet joined the fledgling roster at P.I.R., he had emerged as the lead singer; it was Pendergrass’ gospel-honed passion-filled vocals that were front-and-centre of the four gold-certified albums that formed the legacy of treasured recordings included in this glorious 36-track, 3-CD box set.

Disc 1 comprises the 1972 LP, I MISS YOU [[originally released as ‘Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ and retitled after the US Top 10 R&B success of their first P.I.R single) and includes the soulful opus ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’; and the 1973 set, BLACK & BLUE particularly memorable for the group’s anthemic ‘The Love I Lost’ and ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed [[Or Take Your Love Back)’.

Disc 2 features two albums released in 1975: TO BE TRUE which kept the momentum going with ‘Where Are All My Friends’ and ‘Bad Luck’ while also introducing female vocalist Sharon Paige via the US R&B chart-topper, ‘Hope That We Can Be Together Soon’; and WAKE UP EVERYBODY, the title track of which – with its memorably timeless lyrical theme – became the group’s final million-seller with Pendergrass who went on to launch his solo career in 1977.

Disc 3 consists of various bonus tracks: the group’s cover of Nilsson’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’’ from The Philadelphia All-Stars’ 1977 LP, “Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto” LP; two dance mixes by legendary remix pioneer Tom Moulton, “Bad Luck” and an eleven-minute version of ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, originally a track from the group’s final P.I.R. LP – never issued as a U.S. single [[but covered by Motown’s Thelma Houston for whom it became a global smash); and three ‘live’ recordings from the group’s performance at a CBS Records’ 1973 convention.

With artwork by Roger Williams and mastering by Nick Robbins, the box set also includes informative notes by renowned US writer Kevin Goins [[including 2019 quotes from group member Jeremiah Cummings) and personal reflections by reissue producer and SoulMusic.com founder David Nathan.

Tracklist
[CD1: I Miss You / Black & Blue]
I Miss You:
1. I Miss You
2. Ebony Woman
3. Yesterday I Had The Blues
4. If You Don’t Know Me By Now
5. Be For Real
6. Let Me Into Your World
7. Let It Be You
Black & Blue:
8. Cabaret
9. The Love I Lost
10. It All Depends On You
11. Concentrate On Me
12. Satisfaction Guaranteed [[Or Take Your Love Back)
13. Is There A Place For Me?
14. I’m Weak For You
15. I’m Coming Home Tomorrow

[CD2: To Be True / Wake Up Everybody]
To Be True:
1. Where Are All My Friends
2. To Be True
3. Pretty Flower
4. Hope That We Can Be Together Soon – Sharon Paige And Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes
5. Nobody Could Take Your Place
6. Somewhere Down The Line
7. Bad Luck
8. It’s All Because Of A Woman
Wake Up Everybody:
9. Wake Up Everybody
10. Keep On Lovin’ You
11. You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good – Featuring Sharon Paige
12. Don’t Leave Me This Way
13. Tell The World How I Feel About ‘Cha Baby
14. To Be Free To Be Who We Are
15. I’m Searching For A Love – Featuring Sharon Paige

[CD3: Various Bonus Tracks]
1. Everybody’s Talkin’
2. Bad Luck [[Tom Moulton Mix)
3. Don’t Leave Me This Way [[Tom Moulton Mix)
4. The Love I Lost [[Live)
5. If You Don’t Know Me By Now [[Live)
6. I Miss You [[Live)
http://www.imwan.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=109599&sid=12fdd761aa3bb0399518b28d70569d4a
15940

Ngroove
06-23-2019, 04:01 AM
Say, shouldn't the title be further titled with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes "Featuring Theodore Pendergrass" to further specify the age of Blue Notes? After all, how much from "the Blue Notes" was really noticed before, and after Theodore Pendergrass?

PeaceNHarmony
06-23-2019, 06:50 AM
Looks like a must-have! Thanks for finding!

Bluebrock
06-23-2019, 08:09 AM
Release date aug 23, 2019
Description
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes were one of the very first groups to achieve global success for Philadelphia International Records within its first year as a CBS-distributed label. The 1972 release of two consecutive ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ ballads – ‘I Miss You’ and ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’ – marked the start of a four-year association that yielded some of the most enduring recordings in contemporary soul music, in the process creating – with label founders Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff and a burgeoning coterie of talented songwriters, arrangers and musicians – a handful of timeless dance music classics including ‘The Love I Lost’, ‘Bad Luck’ and ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’.

A Philadelphia-based group [[The Charlemagnes) became ‘The Blue Notes’ after Harold Melvin joined them in the mid-‘50s and after a number of personnel changes, ‘Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ achieved their first US Top R&B hit in 1965 with ‘Get Out [[And Cry)’. Mainstays of the popular lounge circuit, Melvin had hired Theodore Pendergrass as the new drummer for the group’s touring band in 1970 and by the time the quintet joined the fledgling roster at P.I.R., he had emerged as the lead singer; it was Pendergrass’ gospel-honed passion-filled vocals that were front-and-centre of the four gold-certified albums that formed the legacy of treasured recordings included in this glorious 36-track, 3-CD box set.

Disc 1 comprises the 1972 LP, I MISS YOU [[originally released as ‘Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ and retitled after the US Top 10 R&B success of their first P.I.R single) and includes the soulful opus ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’; and the 1973 set, BLACK & BLUE particularly memorable for the group’s anthemic ‘The Love I Lost’ and ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed [[Or Take Your Love Back)’.

Disc 2 features two albums released in 1975: TO BE TRUE which kept the momentum going with ‘Where Are All My Friends’ and ‘Bad Luck’ while also introducing female vocalist Sharon Paige via the US R&B chart-topper, ‘Hope That We Can Be Together Soon’; and WAKE UP EVERYBODY, the title track of which – with its memorably timeless lyrical theme – became the group’s final million-seller with Pendergrass who went on to launch his solo career in 1977.

Disc 3 consists of various bonus tracks: the group’s cover of Nilsson’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’’ from The Philadelphia All-Stars’ 1977 LP, “Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto” LP; two dance mixes by legendary remix pioneer Tom Moulton, “Bad Luck” and an eleven-minute version of ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, originally a track from the group’s final P.I.R. LP – never issued as a U.S. single [[but covered by Motown’s Thelma Houston for whom it became a global smash); and three ‘live’ recordings from the group’s performance at a CBS Records’ 1973 convention.

With artwork by Roger Williams and mastering by Nick Robbins, the box set also includes informative notes by renowned US writer Kevin Goins [[including 2019 quotes from group member Jeremiah Cummings) and personal reflections by reissue producer and SoulMusic.com founder David Nathan.

Tracklist
[CD1: I Miss You / Black & Blue]
I Miss You:
1. I Miss You
2. Ebony Woman
3. Yesterday I Had The Blues
4. If You Don’t Know Me By Now
5. Be For Real
6. Let Me Into Your World
7. Let It Be You
Black & Blue:
8. Cabaret
9. The Love I Lost
10. It All Depends On You
11. Concentrate On Me
12. Satisfaction Guaranteed [[Or Take Your Love Back)
13. Is There A Place For Me?
14. I’m Weak For You
15. I’m Coming Home Tomorrow

[CD2: To Be True / Wake Up Everybody]
To Be True:
1. Where Are All My Friends
2. To Be True
3. Pretty Flower
4. Hope That We Can Be Together Soon – Sharon Paige And Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes
5. Nobody Could Take Your Place
6. Somewhere Down The Line
7. Bad Luck
8. It’s All Because Of A Woman
Wake Up Everybody:
9. Wake Up Everybody
10. Keep On Lovin’ You
11. You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good – Featuring Sharon Paige
12. Don’t Leave Me This Way
13. Tell The World How I Feel About ‘Cha Baby
14. To Be Free To Be Who We Are
15. I’m Searching For A Love – Featuring Sharon Paige

[CD3: Various Bonus Tracks]
1. Everybody’s Talkin’
2. Bad Luck [[Tom Moulton Mix)
3. Don’t Leave Me This Way [[Tom Moulton Mix)
4. The Love I Lost [[Live)
5. If You Don’t Know Me By Now [[Live)
6. I Miss You [[Live)
http://www.imwan.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=109599&sid=12fdd761aa3bb0399518b28d70569d4a
15940

Another totally essential release. We are being spoiled with these wonderful compilations. So much for the death of the cd!

milven
06-23-2019, 09:52 AM
Nice compilation. I bought a single by the Bluenotes in the late fifties called "My Hero". I had no idea until recently that this was the ancestor of the beloved Philly International Artists, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes. One of the members on that record was Harold Melvin, although he did not sing lead.

I love Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes Group and Teddy Bear was the heart of that group.

I usually like the original versions, but the Tom Moulton Mixes improved all the PI songs. I am glad that some are included on this compilation.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGWNc1dkOgY

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x_bXHAmb594/hqdefault.jpg

jack020
06-23-2019, 02:04 PM
If you like the TM mixes, get this:
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Philadelphia-Classics/master/163128
Tracklist

–MFSB [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/3452-MFSB)
Love Is The Message [[https://www.discogs.com/track/135b705b-7253-47e4-b730-271696f27dd0)
11:27


–MFSB [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/3452-MFSB)
TSOP [[The Sound Of Philadelphia) [[https://www.discogs.com/track/a05a387b-b5f8-4407-ac57-7106c84b25e0)
5:42


–The Three Degrees [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/36807-The-Three-Degrees)
Dirty Ol' Man [[https://www.discogs.com/track/7b2a10c3-85d0-49a6-8b4a-5d9be828890e)
8:17


–The O'Jays [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/163490-The-OJays)
I Love Music [[https://www.discogs.com/track/c60693b3-1143-4912-8b90-75191bda8606)
9:39


–Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/30144-Harold-Melvin-And-The-Blue-Notes)*
Don't Leave Me This Way [[https://www.discogs.com/track/cecbad33-b770-469d-b766-7428cc8c355a)
11:00


–The O'Jays [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/163490-The-OJays)
Love Train [[https://www.discogs.com/track/ac246196-4630-46ba-8e63-06a8bed536ea)
6:14


–The Intruders [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/54596-The-Intruders)
I'll Always Love My Mama [[https://www.discogs.com/track/49284406-927b-44bf-a130-e1c27a21965d)
9:41


–Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes [[https://www.discogs.com/artist/30144-Harold-Melvin-And-The-Blue-Notes)*
Bad Luck [[https://www.discogs.com/track/18151511-da43-41bd-ba34-821c886dc123)
8:00

DJMoch
06-23-2019, 05:59 PM
There's also the 4CD set "Philadelphia International Classics: Tom Moulton Remixes" which features those tracks, as well as a whole lot more [[both recent and vintage mixes from the 1970s). It's pretty much an essential set for those who love the PIR label.

jack020
06-24-2019, 02:27 AM
15947

This one!

Bluebrock
06-24-2019, 03:12 AM
15947

This one!
This is a great compilation. I must dig out my copy.

milven
06-24-2019, 06:21 AM
yes, I have this remix. I love them so much that I replaced the original versions on my favlrites playlist with the tom Moulton extended enhanced remixes. What he does is maintain the integrity of the original and enhances and extend the program;
there is another compilation that was supposed to released in the UK a few years ago, but it never saw the light of day

mr_june
06-24-2019, 09:56 AM
I will be getting this. Is Let Me Into Your World [[on disc 1) a remake of the Ojay's song found on the album The Ojay's In Philadelphia? Also, too bad "After You Love Me, Whey Do You Leave Me didn't make the cut as a bonus. Sharon Paige had some very nice songs with the group. I'd like a set that included all the songs that she sang as well as the song Praying.

jboy88
06-24-2019, 10:42 AM
I will be getting this. Is Let Me Into Your World [[on disc 1) a remake of the Ojay's song found on the album The Ojay's In Philadelphia? Also, too bad "After You Love Me, Whey Do You Leave Me didn't make the cut as a bonus. Sharon Paige had some very nice songs with the group. I'd like a set that included all the songs that she sang as well as the song Praying.

It sure is, same backing track too. Maybe if this one sells enough, they’ll be a follow up with the ABC/MCA recordings as well! With Sharon’s solo recordings as bonus tracks!

Bluebrock
06-24-2019, 03:49 PM
yes, I have this remix. I love them so much that I replaced the original versions on my favlrites playlist with the tom Moulton extended enhanced remixes. What he does is maintain the integrity of the original and enhances and extend the program;
there is another compilation that was supposed to released in the UK a few years ago, but it never saw the light of day
I recall that release being withdrawn. I think it was down to copyright issues which have sadly yet to be resolved.

JimBagley
06-25-2019, 01:30 PM
I would love a two CD set of the four David Ebo-led Blue Notes albums on ABC/MCA. At the least, a track packed [[79 + minutes) single disc retrospective. The single version of Tonight’s The Night is more than enough. 🤪

jboy88
06-25-2019, 10:00 PM
I would love a two CD set of the four David Ebo-led Blue Notes albums on ABC/MCA. At the least, a track packed [[79 + minutes) single disc retrospective. The single version of Tonight’s The Night is more than enough. 浪

The one downside to that is they're ABC masters were likely involved in the Universal fire of '08. while they can still go to the vinyl records for source material, we wouldn't get any vaulted tracks. Which is sad because Harold was supposed to have cut a solo album that was never issued.

mr_june
06-26-2019, 12:21 PM
Wow! That fire topic will pop up relentlessly when it comes to vaulted material. So sad. Has anyone heard anything from record companies, artist, producers, distributors and others regarding their losses?

milven
06-27-2019, 08:55 AM
I'm reading an article now about some new found stuff. I didn't finish reading it yet and will do that now, but there is some interesting info in it.

A reel from David Bowie's recording sessions at the studio while getting together his 1974 "Young Americans" album; tracks from Teddy Pendergrass, Sly Stone, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder are some of the tapes found.

Link is here https://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-ent-philly-sound-studio-discovers-lost-funk-20190627-ly3jsl6xh5bhbogdxptduit24u-story.html

jboy88
06-27-2019, 04:27 PM
Well, that’s a glimmer of hope. However, only the first two post-Teddy albums were cut at sigma. But it’s possible those masters are there and not in LA.