Friday, November 6, 2015

60 Years Of Soul Hits - Part 2

We continue our look back at the Biggest Soul Hits of November ... today flashing back to 1970, 1975 and 1980.

1970:
#10 - Ungena Za Ulimwengu - The Temptations
#  9 - Part Time Love - Anne Peebles
#  8 - Stand By Your Man - Candi Staton
#  7 - The Tears Of A Clown - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
#  6 - 5 - 10 - 15 - 20 - 25 - 30 Years Of Love - The Presidents

#  5 - I Am Somebody - Johnnie Taylor
#  4 - Heaven Help Us All - Stevie Wonder

#  3 - Engine # 9 - Wilson Pickett
#  2 - Super Bad - James Brown

#  1 - I'll Be There - The Jackson Five


Four more Motown acts dominate The Top Ten for the month of November, 1970 ... The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, newcomers The Jackson Five and The Miracles (now billing themselves as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles).

"Ungena Za Ulimwengu" barely made a dent on the pop charts ... and check out The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, at #2.


1975:
#10 - I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You - Leon Haywood 

#  9 - To Each His Own - Faith, Hope And Charity
#  8 - Change With The Times - Van McCoy
#  7 - I Love Music - The O'Jays
#  6 - Sweet Sticky Thing - The Ohio Players

#  5 - That's The Way I Like It - KC and the Sunshine Band
#  4 - Same Thing It Took - The Impressions
#  3 - Low Rider - War
#  2 - Let's Do It Again - The Staple Singers

#  1 - Fly, Robin, Fly - The Silver Convention


While there are still quite a few cross-over hits in this month's Top Ten, the sounds are shifting ... disco is in its infancy stage, led by The Silver Convention, KC and the Sunshine Band and The Ohio Players (who also have the #1 Album for this month in 1975, "Honey").

"The Sound Of Young America" (also known as "The Motown / Motor City Sound") is giving way to The Sound Of Philadelphia.  Not a single Motown Act is represented in this month's Top Ten Soul Hits ... but The O'Jays are in at #7 with their big hit "I Love Music".


1980:
#10 - I Need Your Lovin' - Teena Marie
#  9 - Celebration - Kool and the Gang
#  8 - Uptown - Prince
#  7 - Love T.K.O. - Teddy Pendergrass

#  6 - Funkin' For Jamaica - Tom Browne
#  5 - I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross
#  4 - Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

#  3 - More Bounce To The Ounce - Zapp
#  2 - Lovely One - The Jacksons

#  1 - Master Blaster - Stevie Wonder


The Jackson Five (now known as The Jacksons ... and recording for Epic Records) have a big hit in November of 1980 with "Lovely One".  Motown veterans Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross are also well represented in The Top Ten.  And Prince is starting to make a name for himself, too.

But perhaps the biggest surprise is the #4 Record this month ... play that funky music, white boys ... as Queen ... from ENGLAND no less!!! ... have a HUGE cross-over hit (going the OTHER direction) with "Another One Bites The Dust".


We hope you have enjoyed our little look back at The Top Ten Soul Hits for November, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and 1980.  Again, charts are based on data compiled from the weekly Billboard Soul and R&B Charts by Joe Edwards in his book "Top 10's And Trivia of Rock And Roll And Rhythm And Blues, 1950 - 1980".

The book is long out of print, but you can still find copies for sale on Amazon.com ...
http://www.amazon.com/Trivia-Rock-Rhythm-Blues-1950-1980/dp/9992283602/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1446611435&sr=1-5&keywords=joe+edwards+rock+and+roll