Jr. Walker & The All Stars - "These Eyes"

**marv2** · 04-27-2014, 06:36 PM

Oh how good this still sounds after all these years. From Juniors "sweet period" I call it and "These Eyes"!

thomas96 · 04-27-2014, 08:23 PM

I never loved this recording... Just okay to me. I loved this period of his though. Gotta Hold On To That Feeling, Right On Brothers and Sisters, Way Back Home, Walk In The Night, Teach Them to Pray.... I can go on and on.

**marv2** · 04-27-2014, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by thomas96

I never loved this recording... Just okay to me. I loved this period of his though. Gotta Hold On To That Feeling, Right On Brothers and Sisters, Way Back Home, Walk In The Night, Teach Them to Pray.... I can go on and on.

"Walk in the Night" was a JAM, but let's not forget "What Does It Take [[To Win Your Love) " also from this period.

I always found it strange [[in a good way) how music can bring back memories and many times enhance memories. That's what listening to "These Eyes" did for me. It was Fall of the year heading into Winter [[which means there was snow already on the ground in Detroit & Toledo). the end of the decade and just a real good time with my family in those days. "Gotta Hold On to this Feeling" was another good one. Jr. Walker & the Allstars were so very underrated!

**captainjames** · 04-27-2014, 09:48 PM

These Eyes was one of those songs that always fascinated me about Motown. It was totally different.

**jaybs** · 04-28-2014, 05:32 AM

"These Eyes" and the Junior's tracks were always popular when I played them on the radio, and when you saw him perform them live, they were really moving. Just think of some acts who went Disco?

**westgrandboulevard** · 04-28-2014, 05:40 AM

Thank you Marv. I have always loved this track.

It's almost certainly not her, but one of the background ladies sounds to me just like Wanda Rogers......

**soulwally** · 04-28-2014, 07:57 AM

Great choice for Junior to do in his 'sweet' period, and big congrats to Johnny Bristol for making a non-Motown original fit perfectly into the What Does It Take/Walk In The Night/Take me Girl Im Ready run of tunes.
For anybody who doesn't know, it had been a pop hit for The Guess Who, who morphed into Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

**Nothing But Soul** · 04-28-2014, 08:45 AM

Junior covered three hits from the pop charts during his "sweet" period, Guess Who's "These Eyes", Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary" and Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy." I've always preferred Junior's cover of "Proud Mary" to a couple of other soul versions of that song, namely Solomon Burke's and Ike and Tina Turner's.

**roger** · 04-28-2014, 09:35 AM

This is another one from Junior's "Sweet Period" [[love that term Marv2) that is a big favourite of mine .. "Take Me Girl I'm Ready" ..

Funnily, "Take Me Girl I'm Ready" came blasting out of the speakers in the pub I called in last week just prior to me seeing the BRENDA HOLLOWAY and VELVELETTES concert in London. I thought it was quite an appropriate tune for the occasion

Roger

**soulwally** · 04-28-2014, 10:26 AM

You'll hear it in my local too Roger... I do the playlist for the pub and it's one of my recent additions. The playlist is, of course, across the board, so you get George Formby, the Hollies, Sly and the Family Stone and Jackie Moore - and Junior of course [[both of them!!) - rubbing musical shoulders with each other.

**marv2** · 04-28-2014, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by westgrandboulevard

Thank you Marv. I have always loved this track.

It's almost certainly not her, but one of the background ladies sounds to me just like Wanda Rogers......

You are very welcome Westgrandboulevard! You would be surprised really how Motown used everyone for different things if they were available so it just might be Wanda Rogers on the backing vocals. Listening to the Four Top' "Still Water", it has always sounded like the Supremes backing them on that record.

**marv2** · 04-28-2014, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by soulwally

Great choice for Junior to do in his 'sweet' period, and big congrats to Johnny Bristol for making a non-Motown original fit perfectly into the What Does It Take/Walk In The Night/Take me Girl Im Ready run of tunes.
For anybody who doesn't know, it had been a pop hit for The Guess Who, who morphed into Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

Soulwally it was genius!! Of course, growing up near the Canadian Border, I knew it was a big hit the prior year for the Guess Who [[Loved their version too!) B-T-O were just the best and still so under recognized in the States. Both groups should have long been in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

**marv2** · 04-28-2014, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by roger

This is another one from Junior's "Sweet Period" [[love that term Marv2) that is a big favourite of mine .. "Take Me Girl I'm Ready" ..

Funnily, "Take Me Girl I'm Ready" came blasting out of the speakers in the pub I called in last week just prior to me seeing the BRENDA HOLLOWAY and VELVELETTES concert in London. I thought it was quite an appropriate tune for the occasion

Roger

Roger these are the recordings of Junior's I could listen to all day long at home or..........in a Pub! LOL! The last time I spoke to Cal of the Velvelettes we were reminicing about the last time I saw them with Junior Walker, Marv Johnson and others in Michigan.

**marv2** · 04-28-2014, 10:47 AM

I missed seeing Junior Walker and the Allstars one last time in July 1995 at Pine Knob [[Detroit). He was suppose to perform on the bill with the Four Tops, Mary Wilson, Contours, etc. but he was so ill he had to cancel. I moved to Boston that month and sadly Junior passed that November.

**masterblaster** · 04-28-2014, 10:47 AM

It has been said many times before but why can't we have a CD release on all of Junior Walkers "sweet period" albums. These are some great tracks that have never seen a digital release.

**marv2** · 04-28-2014, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

It has been said many times before but why can't we have a CD release on all of Junior Walkers "sweet period" albums. These are some great tracks that have never seen a digital release.

It is almost criminal that we don't have a new CD release of Juniors work in light of all the releases in the past few years of the same few artists! I also always wanted expanded editions of some of the Four Tops most popular albums, but nooooooooo..........

**Nothing But Soul** · 04-28-2014, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

It has been said many times before but why can't we have a CD release on all of Junior Walkers "sweet period" albums. These are some great tracks that have never seen a digital release.

Only one of Junior's sweet period albums has ever been released on CD, "What Does It Take to Win Your Love" [[aka "Gotta Hold On to This Feeling") and that one has been out of print for twenty years or so. A number of the tracks from these albums have appeared on anthologies, but the albums themselves have been virtually ignored in the CD era.

**arr&bee** · 04-29-2014, 04:58 AM

Hey marv,this is scary...these eyes is my fav from jr.walker.....and if you post that the temps-girl[why you wanna make me blue]is your fav i'm puttin you in my will..hehehehe.

**marv2** · 04-29-2014, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by arr&bee

Hey marv,this is scary...these eyes is my fav from jr.walker.....and if you post that the temps-girl[why you wanna make me blue]is your fav i'm puttin you in my will..hehehehe.

Darn it! I was "this close" to being your will JAI! LOL! "Girl Why You Want to Make Me Blue" was my father's and my Uncle John's favorite cut off of the "Blue" Temptations Greatest Hits album from 1966. They played it all the time!!! It is one of my favorites, but "The Girl's Alright With Me" was the cut I liked the absolute best!

**marv2** · 04-29-2014, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by arr&bee

Hey marv,this is scary...these eyes is my fav from jr.walker.....and if you post that the temps-girl[why you wanna make me blue]is your fav i'm puttin you in my will..hehehehe.

Not scary. We just know GOOD music, hehehehehehehe..........

**marv2** · 04-29-2014, 11:03 AM

As someone else recently said..............."Ominous, foreboding, seductive". "A Walk In the Night"!

thomas96 · 04-29-2014, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

"Walk in the Night" was a JAM, but let's not forget "What Does It Take [[To Win Your Love) " also from this period.

I always found it strange [[in a good way) how music can bring back memories and many times enhance memories. That's what listening to "These Eyes" did for me. It was Fall of the year heading into Winter [[which means there was snow already on the ground in Detroit & Toledo). the end of the decade and just a real good time with my family in those days. "Gotta Hold On to this Feeling" was another good one. Jr. Walker & the Allstars were so very underrated!

You know strangely, I was also never THAT into What Does It Take. I liked it a fair amount but it just never got me going that much. Walk In The Night has some of the best percussion arrangements of any song, and Junior blowing away on the horn, oh man. And Gotta Hold On To This Feeling probably my other favorite. Junior did a couple songs which are a tad bit later that I loved, on the Peace & Understanding album. "I Ain't Going Nowhere" and "It's Alright, Do What You Gotta Do." Oh man those two get me every time.

thomas96 · 04-29-2014, 09:06 PM

And I love this video of "I Ain't Going Nowhere"

href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL6SIAh2nqk" target="_blank">

thomas96 · 04-29-2014, 09:10 PM

Ahh and another, "Do You See My Love [[For You Growing)"

thomas96 · 04-29-2014, 11:11 PM

I almost forgot another favorite of mine, not mentioned. "It's Too Late" a cover of Carole King's song. Junior makes that his own amazingly, oh my gosh. Words can't describe it.

**arr&bee** · 04-30-2014, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

darn it! I was "this close" to being your will jai! Lol! "girl why you want to make me blue" was my father's and my uncle john's favorite cut off of the "blue" temptations greatest hits album from 1966. They played it all the time!!! It is one of my favorites, but "the girl's alright with me" was the cut i liked the absolute best!

haaaaaa,hey marv,while we're on the subject[the girl's alright with me]is not only eddie's best lead but the greatest first tenor lead in soul music history,and i know i'm gonna catch alot of flak on that statement but i stand by it,you know how good this song is and for others just listen.

**jaybs** · 04-30-2014, 05:52 AM

It was so sad to see Junior the last time he toured the UK, the radio station I worked for promoted the concert which he featured on, he invited me up to his changing room before he went on stage. The Liverpool Empire being an old theatre has changing rooms on so many levels, the pecking order had the lower ones which were a little more luxurious, Junior was near the top, when I reached there he was just sad on a hard chair close to the door which was open, he just looked so tired and weary, but he was the same gentleman I met many times, never received the dues he fully deserved, perhaps a little more here in the UK he did.

**marv2** · 04-30-2014, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by thomas96

And I love this video of "I Ain't Going Nowhere"

href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL6SIAh2nqk" target="_blank">

Who is that guy hoping around? LOL! I remember seeing this in a movie but can't remember.

**marv2** · 04-30-2014, 06:55 PM

Lookey what I found! Here are some rare and little known facts about Jr. Walker & the Allstars including quotes from Bill Clinton, Al Green, Darryl Buchanan [[ a latter day member of the Allstars), Jerry Butler, Wilson Pickett, etc. Some really interesting stuff here :

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=214315

**marv2** · 04-30-2014, 07:05 PM

You're going to love this, hehehehehehehe!

**marv2** · 04-30-2014, 07:08 PM

more from Junior's "Sweet Period" a superb cover of the Stevie Wonder penned and Aretha Franklin hit, "Until You Come Back to Me". Check it out:

**vcq** · 04-30-2014, 08:26 PM

I have been trying in vain for the last several years to generate interest in a complete Junior Walker box set that includes all his Motown albums [[the majority of which are out of print and were only ever available on vinyl), but never got any response [[I wrote to Bear Family, Hip-O and several other labels....)

**vcq** · 04-30-2014, 08:35 PM

I love Junior's covers of other Motown tunes / artists, including "Why Can't We Be Lovers" from Hot Shot:

**marv2** · 04-30-2014, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by vcq

I have been trying in vain for the last several years to generate interest in a complete Junior Walker box set that includes all his Motown albums [[the majority of which are out of print and were only ever available on vinyl), but never got any response [[I wrote to Bear Family, Hip-O and several other labels....)

Maybe the people from ACE Records will listen. They are releasing new music on the Contours, etc. Junior Walker & the Allstars made some really great music. They were liked across the board , so I don't see why not.