1960s style R & B: suggest a dozen songs.

Rockin John · Jul 17, 2003

Good morning, guys....

Some opinion, please.

The band is considering a slight change of direction and I've suggested we look towards an electric R & B style, considering songs from roughly the late 60s to early 70s. But that's flexible.

As an example, a band that springs to mind is Dr Feelgood and I quite like their song, Down at the Doctors.

I'd like opinion, please, on a set of (say) a dozen songs.

Although we're a 3 piece (= gtar, bass, drums with me on lead vocals) suggestions from any band line-up would be appreciated.

Thanks.

John

Paul A · Jul 17, 2003

"Back in the night" - Dr Feelgood
"Gimme some lovin" - Spencer Davis
"Summertime Blues" - The Who
"Come on in" - The Blues Band
"Honky Tonk Women" - The Stones
"Jumping Jack Flash" - The Stones
"Lets stick together" - Canned Heat/Roxy Music
"Bad to the bone" - George Thorogood
"Bad case of lovin" - Robert Palmer
"Allright Now" - Free
"Milk and alcohol" - Dr Feelgood
"I can hear the grass grow" - The Move.

Woodchuck · Jul 17, 2003

"Get Ready"

Michael Jewels · Jul 17, 2003

I'm going to suggest a few Motown tunes, because:

1) I like Motown
2) Motown ain't too far from R&B
3) The Standing in the shadows of Motown DVD has taken over my brain.

Okay, here we go:

1) You really got a hold on me.
2) What becomes of the broken hearted?
3) Ain't too proud to beg.
4) Cool Jerk.

#2 may be a little hard for a three piece band, but, I think the other three would go over pretty well during a gig.

C'mon people, let's have some more ideas.

Mike

Rockin John · Jul 18, 2003

Thanks, folks.

We've already done a couple from Paul's list. At one time we did quite a respectable version of Mustang Sally, too, considering the line-up.

Funny, isn't it. 'Never considered Alright Now as R&B. I'd always thought of it as what I've often called, Classic Rock. Which ever way, one of the all time greats, IMHO.

John

BIg O · Jul 18, 2003

Hey John:

Some others that are great tunes and work with a 3-piece are a couple my band does:

Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd (covered by lots)

But It's Alright - JJ Jackson (also covered by Huey Lewis)

Lookin' for a Love - Bobby Womack (also covered by J Geils)

First I Look at the Purse - Smokey Robinson (also covered by J Geils)

Homework - Otis Rush (also covered by J Geils)

Paul A · Jul 18, 2003

Yeah,
When we play "All right now" I just play the main riff on the bass, not the "official" bass line.
It sounds much "beefier".
Dunno about it being "Classic Rock" or "R&B",bit of both really (Especially with the funky bass solo).

Here's another to try:

"Green Onions" Booker T - Play the main melody on bass through an octave pedal - who needs keyboards!

Thor · Jul 18, 2003

Well, here's a few:
Midnite Hour - Wilson Pickett
Can't Turn You Loose - Otis Redding
Shake - Sam Cooke/ Otis Redding
These Arms of Mine - Otis
Been Loving you too Long - Otis
Skinny Legs and All - Joe Tex
Soul Man - Same and Dave
Tramp - Otis R and Carla Thomas
25 miles from Home - Edwin Star
That's How Strong My love IS
Stones/ Otis
Boy From NYC - I forget the 60's artist,Ad-Libs? Manhattan Transfer covered it also.
R E S P E C T - Otis or Aretha

A lot of STAX stuff here, I suppose.
It's your Thing - Isley Bros
SHOUT! - Isley Brothers
Time has Come Today - Chambers Bros
People Get Ready - Curtis MAyfield
Maybelline - Chuck Berry
Slip Away - Clarence Carter ?
Take Me to the River - Al Green
'Don't try to Lay No Boojie-Woojie
on the King of Rock'n'Roll' Long John Baldry
Girl Watcher - the O'Kaysions
Please Mr. Postman - Marvelettes
Just My Imagination - Stones version live Sill Life

That should keep you busy for a while

Thor

Rockin John · Jul 21, 2003

Thanks folks.

All suggestion thus far coppied and pasted and will be presented to the others this week, all being well.

Cheers.

John

cassanova · Jul 21, 2003

Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson

LiquidMidnight · Jul 21, 2003

Well, a lot of this stuff relies heavily on horns and piano/organ but you said to mention it anyways

Express Way To Your Heart - Soul Survivors
It's Your Thing - The Isley Brothers
Dance To The Music - Sly and The Family Stone
My Girl - The Temptations
Turn On Your Love Light - Not sure who orginally did this (Wilson Pickett?) But it's been covered by everybody and their brother so finding it shouldn't be hard.

Also, if you guys have tight harmonies, you could do so light Du-wop stuff.

Thor, excellent mention on the Manhattan Transfer. I haven't listened to that group in ages.

Rockin John · Jul 22, 2003

There's some really interesting songs coming up here, and that's because of how I though of R&B from that era.

I'd got that style as your typical British, electric band, very much along the lines of Paul A's suggestions. However, in the main, guys from across the pond have kindly offered songs from a genre that I always thought of as Soul music.

Now, that's NOT a critism. It's my realising that the style called R&B is much wider than I ever imagined. And that, in turn, has led to a really wide selection of suggestions.

I remember many years ago seeing 3 piece "rock" band do Knock on Wood. It was great and shows how, with a bit of thought, "soul" numbers can be done with such line-ups.

Anyway, fantastic suggestions.

Thanks.

John

PS. LiquidM: thanks, but I'm the only singer, and I'm not really sure how far I can call myself a singer!!

Thor · Jul 22, 2003

Originally posted by Rockin John

However, in the main, guys from across the pond have kindly offered songs from a genre that I always thought of as Soul music.

Now, that's NOT a critism. It's my realising that the style called R&B is much wider than I ever imagined. And that, in turn, has led to a really wide selection of suggestions.

Click to expand...

That's an interesting point. I don't know that I ever developed a separate definition of R+B and Soul per se.

My perception of R+B goes back to the 60's growing up in a segregated society in America.
I listened to AM radios stations targeted towards white people. Billboard and others maintained chart ratings for those Top 40 stations. They also charted R+B stations, stations targeted at the black community with black artists.

It was for a while not uncommon that a hit for a black R+B band on a R+B station would be released
for Top 40 recut with a white band. An example would be 'Please Mr. Postman' Marvelettes/Beatles
or 'Baby I need your loving' 4 Tops/Johnny Rivers.

Motown really seemed to be the first organization to break the color barrier on AM Radio in '64 or so, and the strongest penetration was the Supremes, who also appeared on Ed Sullivan show, etc. I might be off on the timing but in principle thats how I recall it.With the advent of FM radio's popularity and the more independent formats, within a few years the radio color barrier disappeared under the radar. Suddenly DJ's were playing Albert King's 'Blues Power' or Mississippi Fred McDowell's '61 Highway' on the radio.

But I still feel the Stax/Volt Memphis sound embodied the R+B sound of that time. And Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, Sam and Dave, Eddie Bell, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. and the MG's with Steve Cropper, the Barkays, and the fabulous horn sound of the Markays were the hallmark of that sound.

Not to take anything away from Berry Gordy, whose story is well known. But when prospecting good, underutilized material, Stax/Volt is a great source.

Liquid Midnight
The Manhattan Transfer is a great vocal group, well worth revisiting, with lush orchestrations and incomparable harmonic arrangements.

My wife grew up on the same street in Brooklyn NY as Janice Segal, and knew her as a child, though they do not keep in touch. Which is how I got introduced to their music in the first place.
So close to Stardom, yet so far ...

Thor

Rockin John · Jul 23, 2003

Thor, I guess it's all down to culture, and that sort of thing.

It's almost impossible to put a definition into a few sentences. But here's my impressions.

At that time, over here, we never had the race thing. It just didn't exist. So virtually all the music here was made by white people. Black American music - and you named some artists - was widely available on record. For whatever reason it became known by the catch-all name, Soul: of course, it was also called Tamala Motown and then just, Motown.

British R&B is played by what might be described as a 'rock band': guitar(s), bass, drums + perhaps vocalist who might also do harmonica. It was strongly influenced by the blues: Eric Clapton might well epitomise that kind of playing. It was overdriven valve amps and hairy blokes...you get the picture. Soul, on the other hand, was glamour, polished, glitz, good looking, well dressed people doing tight harmony, etc.

So us Brits had R&B, and you guys had Soul and they were two quite distinct things. Hence, I guess, the difference between Paul A's list (which was also my way of thinking) and the lists provided by our friends from over the water.

Cheers.

John

bornaginbassist · Jul 23, 2003

Hi - In view of your line-up what about some Cream type things?
eg.
Crossroads
Born Under A Bad Sign
Sitting On Top Of The World.

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1960s style R & B: suggest a dozen songs.

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1960s style R & B: suggest a dozen songs.

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