Song of the Week: We The People - In The Past

I first came to this song by way of The Chocolate Watchband's ethereal cover. Then I heard this, the original version. Wow. I mean, just...wow! 

We The People hailed from Orlando, Florida and put out a series of amazing and unique singles between 1966 and 1968. In The Past was the band's 4th single and was released on Challenge Records in December, 1966. The song was written by guitarist, Wayne Proctor, and features a unique instrument they called an Octachord, an eight string mandolin of sorts. Tommy Talton, David Duff, Randy Boyte and Lee Ferguson rounded out the rest of the band.

In an effort to avoid the Vietnam War draft, Wayne Proctor, left the band in '67 to enroll full time in college. So it was, like many other bands of the era, it was over. Just like that. 

Click here to listen to another of We The People's records, You Burn Me Up And Down.

Original Song Project - Morgan Young -- Nothing Left To Lose

A quiet whimper offered for your use about a dirty little town of stray dogs, lust and hate. I hope you enjoy.

Photograph (C) Morgan Young, 2011

Song of the Week: Bobby Freeman - C'mon and Swim

Bobby Freeman was a San Francisco soul singer who scored a hit right out of the gate in 1958 with his oft-covered Do You Want To Dance? Freeman jumped around on various labels and worked the San Francisco club circuits as he settled into a standing residency at San Francisco's The Condor Night Club where he performed in support of the infamous topless dancer, Carol Doda, known affectionately as "The Twin Peaks of San Francisco."

In 1963 some well played publicity by Doda brought new clients into The Condor Night Club. That also brought Bobby Freeman a plethora of new fans as patrons took notice of the guy that sang the songs to which Ms. Doda would dance. One of those new admirers was a young musician and producer whom had recently been tasked to help start a local record label. That label was the brief lived Autumn Records and the producer was a 20 year old kid named Sylvester Stewart. He would eventually change his name to Sly Stone and, well, you know the rest.

Bobby Freeman became both Sly Stone's and Autumn's first recording artist. Today we spin the June 1964 release from Bobby Freeman, the regional hit, C'mon And Swim. It was Autumn's second release and it features Sly Stone as composer, producer and, on this single release version, grooving it on organ.

Song of the Week: ? and the Mysterians - Make You Mine/I Love You Baby

Make You Mine

I Love You Baby

? and The Mysterians (pronounced Question Mark and the Mysterians) were certified hep-cats. That's for sure. Cool name. Cool look. Cool sound. The Saginaw, Michigan all latino quintet struck gold with their original composition, the 1966 garage classic, 96 Tears. Two solid albums and a handful of follow-up singles were released in the next two years, but nothing much came of those records. Catching lightning in a bottle twice proved to be difficult. 

In 1968 singer Rudy Martinez (aka Question Mark), Eddie Serrato, Frank Lugo, 14-year old Frank Rodriguez on organ and Bobby Balderrama left Cameo-Parkway Records and did a one-off single with Capitol Records. Both sides, Make You Mine and I Love You Baby were composed by frontman, Rudy Martinez. This doesn't sound much like 1968 to me. No heavy guitars, no growling vocals, no extended jam. Nope. This is more like 1965. "Say Man, how's the party and where's my baby?" Its downright quaint. 

Song of the Week: Baby Washington - There He Is and That's How Heartaches Are Made

There He Is

That's How Heartaches Are Made

Baby Washington not only had a cool name, she also had one hell of a voice. Baby grew up in Harlem and bounced around many labels before she hit her groove for Sue Records. She scored only one hit, That's How Heartaches Are Made in 1963. (We already spun a blue-eyed soul cover of that with Welsh singer, Tawny Reed. Click here to hear that version).

Today we spin Baby Washinton's 1965 double sided gem on Sue Records, There He Is and the heavily orchestrated That's How Heartaches Are Made. In this flipster's opinion, There He Is, the A-Side, is the superior number, but both are great. There He Is was produced by Bert Berns, the cat who wrote Here Comes The Night (click here to hear Lulu's version) and Piece Of My Heart for Erma Franklin (click here to hear that original). 

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!