By UncleWoody (68.73.7.129) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 09:28 pm:

I'm hoping someone can help me. I have been trying to identify a song for years but can't seem to locate who did it or the actual title. I originally thought it was a Gino song, preceding or as a follow-up to "Gino is a Coward". I apologize but here are the lyrics as I vaguely remember them:

I'm a man who walks with thunder
I catch lightning in my bare hands
And when all the women see me
They say that I'm quite a man

Yea I'm the man
(Mighty mighty mighty mighty rough man)
And if you don't believe what I say is true
Then I'll have to put the hurt on you


I think it was played around 1959-62?

I can even visualize sitting on my front porch in NW Detroit (Schoolcraft and Wyoming) listening to it on the radio with my sisters and friends. The spinner might have been Tom Clay or Lee Allen or one of those jocks, but pre-Walled Lake Casino.

I hope you can help me get the details of this song straight. I hope it was a Gino song. If not, it should have been.

Thanks

By thecount (65.60.201.174) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 09:31 pm:

HEY WOODY,thats THE DYNAMICS backed by the ROYAL PLAYBOYS.
Song was "I'AM THE MAN"/"MISERY"(big top)
"COUNT"

By UncleWoody (68.73.7.129) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 10:18 pm:

Absolutely amazing! This site is the greatest and so are the regular visitors. I have bookmarked it.
Just think of all the hours I wasted trying to remember this song.
Gino Washington should have done it, though.

Now what years was the Motown Revue held at the Fox during the Christmas holidays? I went during 1964 & 1965. There were a lot of people who claim they were there, but when I looked around, there weren't that many, if you know what I mean. There were no greater shows, including any of the Elvis or Beatles shows at the Olympia or Silverdome.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 10:21 pm:

UncleWoody - I'll let you in on a secret (Don't tell anybody.) I tried my best to get someone to go with me to the Olympia to see Elvis. But no one would go. So, I missed it. :o)

By Sue (205.188.209.38) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 10:27 pm:

Oh! I absolutely love "Misery" by the Dynamics. I thought that was the A side? It was certainly played to death around here ...

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 11:19 am:

"Misery" was the A side. It charted. But the B side evidently got a lot of play in the local area too.

By thecount (65.60.201.174) on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 04:58 pm:

HEY WOODY,If your a GINO fan,scroll down till you see,Jeff and The Atlantics thread.I'am going to this reunion 3'15'03.All info is on the flyer.

"COUNT"

By Ken (209.216.172.126) on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 04:38 am:

Is this the same Gino Washington as in "Gino Washington and The Davis Sisters"?

By Mark Speck (64.158.96.70) on Saturday, March 08, 2003 - 12:28 am:

"I'm the Man" by the Dynamics was re-written as "I'm the Face" and recorded by an unknown British band called the High Numbers. Those guys went on to become world-famous as the WHO!

Best,

Mark

By unclewoody (67.38.2.168) on Saturday, March 08, 2003 - 08:57 pm:

I'm the Face was a takeoff on a Slim Harpo blues song, not the Dynamics song. Thanks for the info, though. It made me chase down an old Yardbirds number, "I'm A Man".

By thecount (65.60.201.174) on Saturday, March 08, 2003 - 09:05 pm:

HEY MARK,who did "I'am The Face"
"COUNT"

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, March 08, 2003 - 11:15 pm:

Who is it that released "I'm the one, I'm the one, the one they call the Seventh Son?"

By Lynn Bruce (65.60.202.214) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 08:11 am:

Sis,Mose Allison had the hit,although I don't know if he was the first to record it.

By John Lester (81.132.32.155) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 08:22 am:

SisDetroit - is that line from Hickory Holliers Tramp by O C Smith. I need to play that again - a huge hit in the UK

By MickD (217.44.215.191) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 08:53 am:

SisDetroit,

The track I think you are referring to is Willie Mabon's Seventh Son recorded for Chess around 1955. I also have a version by the late great Willie Dixon on Video somewhere. I believe Dixon wrote the song.

Cheers

MickD

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 09:07 am:

Sis

The line comes from the Blues standard "Seventh Son", which is usually credited to Willie Dixon (and occasionally with Willie Mabon.) I have a suspicion it was actually a very old song, (like for exmple Stack-a-Lee) and Willie Dixon simply tidied it up for recording. The "seventh son of a seventh son" is according to folklore a man of magical powers, and he's celebrated in a number of American Blues and Folk songs.

By Lynn Bruce (65.60.202.214) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 09:20 am:

My grandmother from Dundee,Scotland was the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter and was born with a cauwling(sp.) over her face and she was indeed a psychic.You'd nay be telling her any tales as she'd just look at you and you'd be spilling your guts.A wonderful,kind woman,that always had animals around her.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 10:13 am:

The Gigilos did a great version of Seventh Son on stage.

By thecount (65.60.201.174) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 10:35 am:

HEY RALPH,the GIGOLOS did kick butt on "THE 7eventh SON",but also the "SUN LINERS" did a great job on that song also.I seen at the "GAY HAVEN",JOMNNY RIVERS do it live,along with the "Jammi Coe and The Gigolos".What group recorded it that was voted break-it,on the LEE ALLAN,make it or break it?.Somewhere I have the reel to reel of that particular night,I'll have to find it when I return to the MOTOR-CITY next week.
"COUNT"

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 12:39 pm:

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I've heard Willie Dixon and it is bluesy. I'm thinking, not blues, but more towards a "jazz sound." It may have been O.C.Smith. I remember hearing that song quite often on the radio, and as I think of that time, I also think of another song where it says "..you knew I was a snake when you took me in." :o) It may have been around 1969, 1970.

(I can't believe we're at 2003. What a great life.)

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 01:05 pm:

Sis - that's a favourite record of mine - "The Snake" by Al Wilson. Talking of Johnny Rivers, I believe it was released on his label.

By Lynn Bruce (65.60.202.214) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 01:46 pm:

Sis,Mose Allison,s version is probably the one your thinking of,it's bluesy&jazzy. The seventh son that Ralph & the Count are digging, was sung by the late Vic Olson sax player of the Gigalos.

He did his version the Mose Allison way.

The Count and Ralph are both right,that was my favorite song by the Gigalos

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 01:53 pm:

Lynn - Thanks so much. I'll look for both. Just think, because of the www, I can now find the sounds I've longed to hear for 30 years.

Ritchie - I'm also gonna find Al Wilson also on that song. I think I'm in my second young-adulthood. Reliving the musical days.

Thanks guys, you're the greatest.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 02:11 pm:

I searched and found a Classic Jazz Masters with Mose Allison singing "Seventh Son." I'll bet that's the one.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 02:20 pm:

Searching for those titles (which I didn't know previously), I see Oscar Brown, Jr, released "The Snake", I see it's on "Jazzin Out of the Cool, Vol 6."

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 02:24 pm:

I remember Al Wilson singing "Show & Tell." I hadn't heard from him since. Was that a one hit wonder? Apparently not. I found "The Snake" by him. I'm anxious to hear that by him.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.45) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 02:28 pm:

Sis,Ritchie,
just for the record(pun).
Al Wilson-The Snake/Getting ready for tomorrow/was on the Soul City Label(no.767).

The same Label that he recorded the classic
'Now I know what Love is'/Do what you gotta do(soul city 761).

But I must add the other dancer he did(as well as others)but my fave,just,and the storming,uptempo,Wand Records Recording(no.1135or1136)called 'Help Me'(vocal&inst).

Regards
Mel.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 02:32 pm:

Al Wilson also had a VERY Marvin Gaye -inspired cut called "La La Peace Song" in 1974, obviously having spent a couple of years studying "What's Going On" ;o)

By Mark Speck (65.56.222.23) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 05:00 pm:

Oscar Brown, Jr. wrote "The Snake", so it's not surprising he did a version of it as well.

Al Wilson had previously sang with the Rollers in the early '60s.

Best,

Mark

By Heikki (62.71.79.239) on Monday, March 10, 2003 - 02:45 am:

Hi Sis!
Al Wilson is one of my favourites, too. He's still around. Please go to
http://www.soulsounds.com/aal.html

Best regards
Heikki