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I love this Philly group. I was just listening to Think About Tomorrow which didn't chart nationally but made it to #5 on the WDAS Philly radio station survey in late 1968. I noticed how the bass line stood out and wondered if Bobby Eli played on the Ethics songs. This version of Think About Tomorrow is extended a bit from the other copy I have and was mixed by Tom Moulton. Anyone else an Ethics fan? My favorite by them is Tell Me.
Oldies
They issued some great 45's, "Under The Street Lamp" & "Standing In The Darkness" my two favourites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj6BMZmr02s
They had 5 releases on Vent & others on Whale, Kent & Golden Fleece
"Sad Sad Story", "Think About Tomorrow", and "Tell Me" rank among my favorite Ethics songs. Underated group, in my opinion.
"Standing In The Darkness" my favorite from Ron Tyson and the group sounding a lot like The Tempts "Girl, Why You Wanna Make Me Blue" on this tune to me
Hi!
This is what Ron Tyson told me about the Ethics a few years ago:
Ron formed his first more widely known group, the Ethics, in 1967. “The Ethics came from school, so that was pretty much the early days in high school. Before the Ethics I was just singing with the guys, who sang in the neighbourhood. It wasn’t really a group.”
Besides Ron, the other members of the Ethics were Carl Enlow, Andrew Collins and Joe Freeman. “Joe is still one of my best friends. He’s a minister now. Carl and Andrew – I haven’t seen or talked to them in probably 30 years, maybe even more. I haven’t talked to them since we actually disbanded.”
A gentleman by the name of Thaddeus Wales became their manager. “He kind of found me. He knew Norman Harris, and we became acquainted through him. That’s when I was getting the Ethics started. We met and we went on to record.” The first single – That’s the Way Love Goes/There’s Still a Sweet Tomorrow, produced by Thaddeus – was released on Wale in 1967. The other group on the label was The Springers.
The next five singles in ’68 and ’69 came out on Vent Records, and of them Farewell [[# 32) and Tell Me [[# 43) became small hits. More importantly the group had a chance to work with such producers and arrangers as Thom Bell, Bobby Martin and Vince Montana at that point. “I was a pioneer back then [[laughing). They were young guys, and everybody in Philly was hungry, so everybody was willing to help each other hoping that somebody would take off, which would pave the path for everybody else. A few acts came along and their breaks happened quicker than mine. We never had that breakout record. I had all the Philly musicians and producers around me, like Norman Harris. He was my best friend. Thom Bell was the first guy to take me, when I was 17, to a lawyer and told him to sign me up as a client, because I was going to be a pretty good songwriter. Thom gave me a lot of advice, and I learned a lot from guys like Bobby Martin. Then Gamble & Huff were friends of mine, and they still are today.”
The Ethics never got to the point of releasing an album in the late 60s or early 70s, but nine years ago a compilation CD titled Best of the Ethics was released. “Some people can take on management and can go no farther than the city they live in. Then you have people that have wordly connections and know how to do the management. Mr. Wales wasn’t one of those people.”
“There were so many groups back in those days, but now the groups have almost disappeared. It’s almost a solo society of singers. There was a lot of competition. There were groups in every city, and you were known for that city - The Temptations from Detroit, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes from Philly, the Chi-Lites from Chicago, the Mad Lads from Memphis... Every city had its groups, but you don’t have that today.”
Best regards
Heikki
Great post, the ethics are one of those nice groups that had too short a run, i had the pleasure of catching them at the[howard theater] back in the day, farewell and sad story are soul classic that will stand the test of time.
I'm a huge fan of theirs. There is a video performance of them doing "Think About Tomorrow", and later when they turned to Love Committee, performed "Law and Order" live.
Does anyone know of Joe Freeman today?
I loved the leads of[ron tyson]in the ethics, and he has been in the temps for over[forty years].
Ron Tyson and Joe Freeman formed Love Committee after the demise of The Ethics and recorded this track, "Darling Come Back Home" released on TSOP. It was formerly released by The Temptations with Eddie singing lead. You can see why Ron was the obvious replacement for Eddie in the Temps......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlr6oVtQqVE
"Darling Come Back Home" was never recorded by The Temptations. The song was originally recorded & released by Eddie Kendricks in 1973 [two years after leaving The Tempts].Quote:
Originally Posted by MIKEW-UK
https://i.discogs.com/6Zs98CChD3bb60...UzLmpwZWc.jpeg
Indeed, it's a fine remake of Eddie Kendricks' "Darling Come Back Home" and Ron Tyson would prove the perfect replacement for Eddie when he joined The Tempts in 1983.Quote:
Originally Posted by MIKEW-UK
Oh dear....I'm slipping up. And the records were right there on my desk when I posted....
Attachment 20939
Here's a very interesting interview with Ron in which he gives you the full life story. The Ethics, Love Committee, The Temptations, everything in his full life of music. He is a very engaging man.
Bremcm asked in an earlier post if anyone knew the whereabouts of Joe Freeman, Ron's best friend and fellow member of The Ethics and Love Committee is. Ron tells us Joe passed away.
https://www.youtube.com/live/jNvGlbBN8f0?feature=share
My faves are "There'll Still Be a Sweet Tomorrow" and "Standing In the Darkness".
Graham--"Under the Street Lamp" is by the EXITS, not the Ethics...unless the Ethics also recorded a version of which I'm not aware.
Best,
Mark
Mark you are correct, my error, as it is by the Exits on Gemini, i picked up the wrong copy. Anyway here is "Standing In The Darkness"
If you are missing any of the Ethics tracks let me know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj6BMZmr02s