Skylark - Wildflower

[marv2]

I've heard this great song most of my life but until had never seen the group. Here they are.......Skylark with "Wildflower"

[soulster]

Remember when I thought Clarance Avant was a white guy? Well, I had read that Skylark was a white band with three men.

[Soul Sister]

Eddie Levert's interpetation with The O'Jays both versions will always be my favorites!! Especially, the live version because it reminds me of all the times I've seen them sing it live.

Of course, New Birth did a fabulous job too!!

S.S.
***

[marv2]

Remember when I thought Clarance Avant was a white guy? Well, I had read that Skylark was a band group with three men.

hehehehehehehe.......OK no problem!

[marv2]

Eddie Levert's interpetation with The O'Jays both versions will always be my favorites!! Especially, the live version because it reminds me of all the times I've seen them sing it live.

Of course, New Birth did a fabulous job too!!

S.S.
***

To me, no one is in Eddie Levert's league when it comes to this song and others. New Birth did a truly remarkable job with, but alas, this is the version I heard most often over the years. Did you know that David Foster the producer and VP of
Warner Records was in this band?

[soulster]

hehehehehehehe.......OK no problem!

Eh....I fixed the post so it makes sense.

[jsmith]

The lead singer on this song was Donny Gerrard ......
... here's his big solo outing [[a UK modern soul anthem) .....

[splanky]

Interesting thread...I don't think I'd ever seen Skylark performing that song before and had
completely forgot they were a mixed racial group. I liked the Ojay's version of Wildflower
too a lot but back in the day for my crew, New Birth straight owned that song! Leslie Wilson
jacked that tune the way Aretha did Otis Redding's Respect. Even staying close to the original arrangement. Or maybe I'm just showing my own bias here because for me New Birth was one of the most underated groups of the 70's and Londie Wiggins just peeled my
grape...

[soulster]

I'm just discovering The new Birth. Since I was a kid, I had only heard and owned one song by the band. It's just recently that I had a chance to hear their more wild side. Now I want to seek out some of their mid-70s albums.

[nysister]

Interesting thread...I don't think I'd ever seen Skylark performing that song before and had
completely forgot they were a mixed racial group. I liked the Ojay's version of Wildflower
too a lot but back in the day for my crew, New Birth straight owned that song! Leslie Wilson
jacked that tune the way Aretha did Otis Redding's Respect. Even staying close to the original arrangement. Or maybe I'm just showing my own bias here because for me New Birth was one of the most underated groups of the 70's and Londie Wiggins just peeled my
grape...

I think Wggins also jacked Womack's "I can understand it".....lol!

[jillfoster]

David Foster was a member of the group, big pregnant woman [[Sorry, don't know her name) is his wife. Maybe he was too busy with his Warner VP duties to make TV appearances?? But he certainly appears in the promo video:



So now the mystery, who is the replacement guy? I never even knew the O'jays covered this song, To me, this song always belonged to Skylark, and they were a true one hit wonder.

[jillfoster]

I just listened to both the New Birth and O'jays version. New Birth, not bad... still like Skylark's better, but it's good. O'jays version sucks donkey balls. WAY too slow, and they butchered the melody, which is the song's biggest asset. In the O'Jays version, it's an exercise in "Look at me, I can sing LOUD AND WITH SOUL!!" And the man does not vocally interepret the lyrics of the song, like Donny Gerrard does.

[skooldem1]

I like the Version by Skylark best. The lead singer has a sincerity and soulfulness in his voice that makes this a great record.

[jillfoster]

I like the Version by Skylark best. The lead singer has a sincerity and soulfulness in his voice that makes this a great record.

Exactly... his performance makes you feel the song, while the Ojays version is an ego driven "Look at me sing!" kind of thing. And what an ASSHOLE, to say that he thought Donny Gerrard was a white guy, but found out he was a black guy trying to sing white. I lost all respect for Eddie Levert after hearing that comment, he's the kind of douchebag that would have booed Whitney at the Soul Train awards.

[marv2]

David Foster was a member of the group, big pregnant woman [[Sorry, don't know her name) is his wife. Maybe he was too busy with his Warner VP duties to make TV appearances?? But he certainly appears in the promo video:



So now the mystery, who is the replacement guy? I never even knew the O'jays covered this song, To me, this song always belonged to Skylark, and they were a true one hit wonder.

What a great find Jill ! I have never seen this one before. Thank you.

[dinelle_watson]

I love both this version of the song as well as the version by New Birth. After all, it is my nickname.

[mojoman]

I also had no idea that Skylark were a mixed group. "Wildflower" to me perfectly captured that early '70s vibe.....mellow but intense.