BOOTH ANNOUNCER:
Shady Train...
the hippest trip in America!
Brought to you in part by...
Johnson Products Company
...makers of
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Afro Sheen...
and
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The largest selling products
in the "Natural" world.
And now the host of
Shady Train...
Don Cornelius!
Hi there, you're right on time. Welcome aboard!
We'd like you to come on and groove with us
for the next 60 minutes, and we don't care
about your color or size. You see, we never
scrutinize. If you're black... you know you're
beautiful. If you're brown, yellow or white...
you're still outta sight, so let's get down on it!
And we are super stoked to begin today's ride with three gorgeous and gifted
California bred ladies who gained national fame almost immediately after their
debut single was released, a song that features the voice of the trio's creator
and producer Barry White. As they join us to do their hit on the Uni label
entitled "Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love," a warm welcome
please, gang, for these extraordinary canaries-- Love Unlimited!
"Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love" - Love Unlimited
(May/June 1972, highest chart pos. #6 R&B/#7 Cash Box/#14 Hot 100)
And right now let's welcome back
aboard the big train the gentlemen
responsible for what certainly has
to be one of the biggest records
of the year - a song dedicated
to all you "Back Stabbers."
Let's make some big noise,
gang, for our good friends,
the fabulous-- O'Jays!
"Back Stabbers" - The O'Jays
(Aug./Sept. 1972, highest chart pos.
#1 R&B/#1 Cash Box/#3 Hot 100)
#1 R&B/#1 Cash Box/#3 Hot 100)
And here's a talented group that
performed on the sensational
Norman Whitfield produced
soundtrack from the hit film
Car Wash. As they join us to
do their latest single on the
Whitfield label entitled
"Is It Love You're After,"
a song from the album
Rainbow Connection,
give it up good please,
gang, for-- Rose Royce!
"Is It Love You're After" - Rose Royce
(October 1979, highest chart pos.
#31 R&B/#105 Bubbling Under)
CLICK TO START VIDEO NOW!
(DON'S INTRO IS ON VIDEO)
"Everlasting Love" - Carl Carlton
(Oct./Nov. 1974, highest chart pos. #6 Hot 100/#9 Cash Box/#11 R&B)
And look out now, don't hurt yourself.
It's the Shady Train dancers, the Shady Train gang...
They're comin' down the track and gettin' into a groove that sure nuff
makes you wanna move real smooth. It's the latest from Morris Day,
a little thing called-- the "Color Of Success!"
"Color of Success" - Morris Day
(Jan-Mar. 1986, highest chart pos. #15 R&B)
And here's a sound comin' out of Philly
that's a sho' 'nuff dilly. We are delighted
to welcome back a lovely and talented
singer who exploded onto the music
scene a few years ago with the disco
hit "Shame." Today she's back to do
a song entitled "Get Loose" - her
latest single on the RCA label and
the title track of her new album that's
currently topping the R&B chart.
A big time welcome, if you will,
for the incredible-- Evelyn King!
"Get Loose" - Evelyn King
(Apr. 1983, highest chart pos. #61 R&B/#45 UK)
And our next guests are the talented
trio of Shady Train alumni responsible for the #1 charting hit "Second Time
Around." It is also their second time around appearing on our show. As
they join us to do "Make That Move,"
the latest single from their album
Three For Love on the SOLAR
label, let's hear it, gang,
for-- Shalamar!
"Make That Move" - Shalamar
(May/June 1981, highest chart pos.
#60 Hot 100/#61 C-Box/#6 R&B)
And if that don't do it for
you nothing ever will.
We hope you'll get
into it with us again
next time when we
pop open another
six pack and toss in
an extra cool one
for good measure.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
You can bet your last money, it's all gonna be a stone gas,
honey. I'm Don Cornelius, and as always in parting,
we wish you love... peace... and soul!
"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" - MFSB
(Theme from Soul Train feat. The Three Degrees)
(Mar./Apr. 1974, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box & R&B)
I knew one song today! All the others are new to me. What's funny is the short clip showing all those bell bottoms. May they never come back in style.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteYou're the Early Bird again, good buddy. Thanks for taking a ride on The Shady Train!
Like you, I was never very fond of bell bottoms. I didn't wear them when they were in style, and didn't like seeing them on women. These videos salvaged from the long history of Soul Train give us a glimpse of the constantly changing fashions of the 70s and 80s.
Thanks again for coming by, good buddy Alex!
Good morning Shady! Oh the dance moves, oh the outfits! More glam and glitter than the cosmetic department! Some of the songs I knew and I do laugh because as soon as the toons start...Back Stabbers, Everlasting Love..I can sing all the lyrics with them. Thankfully I'm home with just the dogs who don't seem to mind! Brought back so many memories of the 70's and 80's. I wish I knew more of the artists featured but you always do a good job of bringing them back to life for us to enjoy even if we didn't do it back in the day. I hope your week goes well and you have the same sunny Monday that we do. It's chilly but no snow like out west! Take care and I'm excited that I may be the first commenter..or tormentor? Ha!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteYou narrowly missed (by only 4 minutes) claiming the Early Bird spot, dear friend. That being the case, I hereby declare you the Early Bird Runner-up, which means you take home the coveted silver medal!!! Anyhow, it's great to see you, and I thank you for hopping aboard the big train with Don Cornelius and the gang. It's the 17th volume of my Shady Train series... can you believe it?
I knew you'd key in on the dances and the clothing worn in these vids. I think its great that you can sing along with some of the songs and know all the lyrics. You probably know the words better than Shady because, for the most part, I didn't pay as much attention to lyrics of songs as I did to the overall sound impact of the recording, the studio production mix. I have always been fascinated by the role of the producer and that's why I became one. I'm happy to know Arnie and Lucy heard the songs and sang along with you. I'm also pleased that, in addition to the familiar hits you remember from your youth, you enjoyed learning a few new ones. These were all big hits in my neck of the woods. Morris Day's "Color Of Success" might not have been a big hit (it didn't register on the pop chart), but it certainly was popular and heavily requested by the viewers of the MTV style station where I worked at the time. We played that video so often that I needed to re-dub it several times from the master tape sent to us by the record label.
We are having gorgeous weather down here. The daily highs are a little too warm, but the mornings are delightfully cool and the humidity is still nice and low. That will soon change.
You are one of my favorite commenters and never a tormentor, dear friend YaYa. Thanks again for joining the fun and have a wonderful week up there!
Aways a treat to take a ride on the Shady Train!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I knew there was a group called Love Unlimited. They're nothing like what first came to my mind... The Love Unlimited Orchestra.
Back Stabbers is probably my favorite song by the O'Jays. So good! (and rather appropriate for the Ides of March)
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place, dear friend! I'm happy to see you. I know you always enjoy riding the Shady Train with me.
The female trio Love Unlimited is closely related to the Love Unlimited Orchestra. The girls were backing singers for songwriter, recording artist and producer Barry White on his albums and concert tours. White created The Love Unlimited Orchestra to be the backing band for Love Unlimited. As I'm sure you know, White also had the orchestra record instrumentals and they hit big with "Love's Theme." Regarding the Love Unlimited trio, sadly one of the three ladies you see in that clip, Diane Taylor, died of cancer in 1985 at the too young age of 38.
I'm delighted that you like the "Back Stabbers" song so much. You would be hard pressed to find a more soulful, polished and professional group than The O'Jays.
While I have you here, I want to tell you how much I enjoyed gazing at your Lawn Mower Race puzzle. It's incredibly detailed - so many different sizes and shapes of mowers plus a variety of spectators around the perimeter making refreshments and doing other activities. It must have been challenging yet rewarding for you to work that one!
Thanks again for being here, dear friend Kelly. Give Pat a pat for me and have a terrific week!
I think there were as many white kids as black kids watching Soul Train in the '70's. I know I watched it. WBBM-TV in Chicago ran it all Saturday afternoon... Soul Train got its start in Chicago, as did Don Cornelius. Thanks for reminding me of some great times...
ReplyDeleteHi, John!
DeleteThanks for coming, good buddy! I'm happy you elected to hop aboard The Shady Train on its 17th hip trip across the tracks of your mind into the exciting world of Soul.
You might be right, John. I'm sure a significant part of the Soul Train viewership was made up of white kids. I'll have to search and see if I can find any demographic stats. In the 70s and early 80s, I watched the show where I lived and worked in Lancaster, PA, and continued to watch it when I moved to the Gulf Coast of Florida in 1984. Remember when "Malcolm Winters" from Y&R (Shemar Moore) took over as host from 1999 to 2003 before he started his long-running stint as a regular on Criminal Minds?
I'm always happy to bring back happy memories of great times. Thanks for letting me know this edition of Shady Train resonated with you. Have a super week, good buddy John!
Hey Shady!
ReplyDeleteThe hippest ride in town, you know how much I love Soul Train and Shady Train! I'm not familiar with any of these songs, but I enjoyed grooving all the same. I also loved hearing the Soul Train intro, brings back some lovely memories of watching re-runs with dad on Saturday mornings. :)
Trainings are over dear friend, so I will be getting down again with the hippest train ride in town tomorrow morning as I start my first variance review!
Have a great evening, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for taking a ride on the big train, dear friend! I know you and your dad were fans of Soul Train. So was I. I vividly recall watching the show at the TV station where I worked in the 70s and into the 80s and in my apartment in the mid 80s after I moved to Florida.
Yessum, I was pleased to find videos with grade A audio and video to use in this the 17th edition of the Shady Train series. I am also delighted to have found sharp new pics of Don Cornelius, new Soul Train intro clips from the 70s and 80s, that great GIF of the Soul Train line dancers and the Carl Carlton vid with Don's intro embedded. Listen to these songs tomorrow and crank the loudness. They are some of the greatest soul recordings from the glory years of Don's popular and long running series.
Thanks again for reporting in and have a wonderful week, dear friend JM!
Hi dear friend,
DeleteI'm finally getting a chance to dance to Don's sound. It's a rainy day here and the melodies are perfect for such a dreary day.
Have a great Thankful Thursday!
Hi, JM!
DeleteI hope these 8 upbeat offerings brighten up your dreary day, dear friend. Let me know how many of these songs your dad knows.
Happy TT to you!
I'll chat with dad over the weekend about the songs. It'll be a walk down memory lane. :)
DeleteHappy Friday!
AOK, JM. I hope your dad remembers and likes some of the artists and songs!
DeleteWhoever invented phone sex must have gotten the idea from "Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love" (I have a feeling I've used that joke in this comment section before, but I can't remember when or why.)
ReplyDeleteAmong the many cities you see behind The O'Jays is Cleveland. In fact, they're from Canton, a one hour drive south from here, making them somewhat local.
The newscaster in that Rose Royce clip says, "And the cow was returned to his rightful owner." Now THAT sounds familiar, doesn't it, Shady?
Those animated Soul Train beginnings made me curious about the animator, so I did a bit of googling. Because the show ran for 35 years with many different beginnings, several names came up, the most noteworthy being Floyd Norman, who was the first black animator hired by Disney (in fact, by Walt himself a few years before he died.) I don't know if he animated the beginning you show, but it does reveal a surprising connection between the man behind Steamboat Willie and Don Cornelius, the man behind, and in front of, Soul Train.
That's all I got.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for joining us on a hip trip back in time to Soulsville U.S.A. in the 70s and 80s, good buddy!
Your comment contains good info, my friend, and I thank you for putting on your thinking cap and doing research on the side to come up with so many tidbits. As I might have told you before, I always read and listen to the songs in every post immediately after it is published so that I can experience the show as you and other followers will. Yesterday morning, as I listened to the first song, "Walkin' In The Rain," it struck me that the song's lyrics were surprisingly explicit for 1972:
Making love so tenderly
Exploding into ecstasy
Words like those would surely have gotten the record banned if it had been released only five years earlier. I don't remember anybody making a fuss over the song at the time, and cant find any articles about it being banned. Maybe that's because the song is rendered from the POV of a sweet, sincere woman who is clearly in love rather than a guy on a booty call. Indeed most of Barry White's songs were about steamy lovemaking, and in that respect he was ahead of his time, pushing the envelope and bringing romantic songs with sexy lyrics into the mainstream in the early 70s.
Yes, The O'Jays from Ohio had a string of mostly unsuccessful R&B singles in the 60s before hitting paydirt as part of The Sound Of Philadelphia in the 70s. They were a polished, professional and genuinely soulful trio. The Jays appeared on Soul Train several times. Don Cornelius clearly liked them and enjoyed teasing and joking around with them in post-performance interviews. Remarks made during those exchanges led me to believe that the four men knew each other outside the studio and got together socially on occasion. I think Don mentioned them playing basketball together on one of the episodes.
Good ear, Kirk! That Morris Day video was played heavily on the MTV style station where I worked in the 80s. Having been in TV news before moving into entertainment production, I got a kick out of the creative use of an anchorwoman in the vid. The line "and the cow was returned to its rightful owner" stuck me me all these years and I was inspired to borrow it and plant those words in Gary Owens' mouth whenever he wraps up the news and tosses to my SPMM deejays.
Thanks for tracing the roots of the Soul Train animation and making a connection that reminds us "it's a small world after all."
Thanks again for visiting and putting together another excellent comment, good buddy Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your week and please join me for my next post on Sunday. The subject is one that I believe will be of particular interest to you!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteAs a kid, I preferred American Bandstand but I did watch Soul Train occasionally. The O'Jay's "Back Stabbers" is the only song in this lineup that I know. Man, were they ever smooth! Barry White I remember quite well but I'm not sure I ever heard Love Unlimited singing without him. They really had a nice sound reminding me a little of the Supremes. The 70s had some fabulous artists and music. It's hard to go wrong with song picks from that decade. Thanks for lifting my soul with Love Unlimited and the rest of your fine picks. Now I've gotta check out more of trio's music on YT. Have a great week, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteWelcome aboard The Shady Train, dear friend! It's the 17th volume of the series, if you can believe that.
I love how The O'Jays seem to be having a ball performing in that clip from Soul Train. They obviously enjoyed getting together with Don Cornelius whom they apparently knew and met with socially outside the show. I'm glad you remember their big hit "Back Stabbers, similar in theme to "Smiling Faces Sometimes," a song about (sez Wiki) << "back-stabbing" friends who do their friends wrong behind their backs. >> That song was first recorded by The Temptations and became a major hit when waxed by another Motown group The Undisputed Truth.
Yessum, similarities can be drawn between Love Unlimited and The Supremes. Wiki sez: << In 1973, when their album titled Under the Influence of... Love Unlimited peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, Love Unlimited became the first female group to have an album reach the top five since Greatest Hits Vol. 3 from Diana Ross and the Supremes in 1970. >>
I'm happy you like these soulful offerings in vol. 17. Thanks again for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend Cathy!
Tom,
DeleteI meant to pop over yesterday but I got wrapped up in one of my sketches for next month's challenge. I'm not doing too good with keeping up with friends.
I visited YT to listen to "Smiling Faces Sometimes" by The Temptations. YT had the full version recording. I skipped through to where the lyrics began and I immediately recognized it. I even listened to The Undisputed Truth's cover which is good. The Motown sound of the 60s is fabulous!
I don't think I'll do any better with keeping up next week as we both have routine doctor appointments but I'll do my best. Have an enjoyable weekend, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for coming back over, dear friend! I'm happy to know that you listened to both versions of "Smiling Faces." The only version I know from my youth is the hit cover by Undisputed Truth.
Dear friend, I hope you read this, because I am having massive tech problems the last couple of days. I have been having great difficulty staying logged in on my blog and on the blogs of others where I am trying to leave comments. PLEASE understand if I need to limp along in the days and possibly weeks ahead until I get these technical issues with Blogger & Google straightened out.
Thank you, dear friend Cathy!
Hi Shady, I'm strolling in late as is sometimes the case with me these days. I am having a hard time getting used to the time change, and Scootie is on Spring Break this week, so every day seems like Sunday!
ReplyDeleteDon's intros are so cool. I applaud whoever designed the musical train, and dynamite colors! I watched Soul Train for a few years, and I also remember the Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen products.
The Soul Train dancers were in great form. I liked the "Color of Success" song and video by Morris Day. I don't know Rose Royce, but the band is good and I enjoyed the song "Is It Love You're After".
Evelyn King kind of has a Debbie Harry style, and it works great for her. She really has some cool dance moves, "Get Loose". I don't know "Walkin In The Rain With The One I Love" and Love Unlimited, but they have a string of beautiful voices and tight harmony. I always enjoyed Barry White's singing and his works. "Make That Move" by Shalamar is one fine dance song! I was very impressed by the group and their fringed costumes, and energy!
I certainly remember the O'Jays and "Backstabbers". This is a cool song, and I get to hear it some on my classic radio station occasionally. "Everlasting Love" is a great song, and I was glad to see the video, as I really didn't know who the artist was.
Well, Shady, I better be moving on. I was here yesterday, and had to leave to take care of groceries and such for the house. Today is St. Paddy's day, and I always try to fix a little something for the occasion. I just like the ambience of the holiday!
Thank you for this fun post, and I must mention how much I have always liked the Sound of Philadelphia's TSOP. Happy St. Patrick's day, Shady! Take care, dear friend!
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteI'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Thanks for riding the Shady Train on its 17th hip trip across the tracks of your mind into the exciting world of Soul. I know you have your hands full with Scootie, and losing an hour of sleep didn't help matters. My body clock is still not adjusted to Daylight Saving Time. Before I forget, happy St. Paddy's Day to you!
Kirk (above) sheds some light on who was responsible for the animated train that became an integral part of the Soul Train experience. In this 17th volume of Shady Train I am proud to unveil the improvements I've made. I put a fresh coat of hi-gloss paint on the series by adding new images of host Don Cornelius, a rotating assortment of GIFs that I found, the 1970s and 1980s opening theme videos featuring the train animation you mentioned, plus that outro video ("TSOP" by MFSB) which shows cool highlights from Soul Train through the years.
Thanks for singling out "The Color Of Success." It's a great example of the fine editing work YouTube producers and mix artists are doing in recent years. It juxtaposes video footage of the Soul Train gang dancing down the tracks with the official music video created by the record label to promote that Morris Day single.
I'm sure you recall Rose Rose's huge hit "Car Wash." Turns out that was only the tip of the iceberg for the talented group led by singer Gwen Dickey. In addition to "Car Wash," Rose Royce placed five other singles in the top 5 on the R&B chart including the big crossover ballad "I Wanna Get Next To You." I think the reason their single "Is It Love You're After" wasn't a big hit is because it is a disco song and by late 1979 when the record was released disco was fading fast.
I've stated this before and I will say it again. Evelyn King is my #1 favorite R&B artist. For decades I hardly gave her a thought and didn't know she had any hits beyond the disco smash "Shame." Boy was I wrong! Apart from "Shame," Evelyn scored seven top 10 R&B hits. Her problem was poor performance on the pop chart, but to me, that's a good thing. I don't respect artists who make records with "crossover" as their primary goal. Evelyn King is the real deal. She performs genuine, authentic post-disco R&B, one of my favorite genres. As Evelyn sings "Get Loose" on Soul Train, you get some good glimpses of the studio dancers in 1983.
I'm quite surprised you don't remember Love Unlimited and their major crossover hit "Walkin' In The Rain." That single brushed the top 5 on Cash Box. It was huge in my neck of the woods. I'm a sucker for recordings with hooks, and the sound of Barry White speaking to his sweetie on the telephone was a gimmick that worked for me.
I'm thrilled that you like that Shalamar performance. The trio you see in that video represents the classic lineup of Shalamar which consisted of Howard Hewett and two former Soul Train dancers - Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel. In that clip you can see how skillful Jody and Jeff were as dancers. I remember dancing to "Make That Move" in clubs during my second stint as a bachelor.
The two songs I think most people know best are "Back Stabbers" and "Everlasting Love," the latter originally a hit in 1967 for Robert Knight. Carl Carlton's version is the most successful to date. The O'Jays always struck me as a group of nice guys who deserved the success they achieved.
Whatever you're cooking up for St. Paddy's Day, I know it will be delicious and Scootie will appreciate it. I hope the aroma of your dish is carried on the wind to my nostrils here in Central Florida.
Thanks again for coming to the party, dear friend Suzanne. If you can, drop in Sunday for my next post and take another Brain Buster Quiz. Until then enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi friend Shady :) I finally made it to your blog :) Winter is slowly leaving us, then returning, then leaving, then returning and so on. I'm already dreaming of putting in my garden ... hopefully by middle of June :) I hope every one in your family is doing well so far? I'm not here very often anymore, but that does not mean that I have forgotten about you. Thank you for posting. Now that I am retired, I find myself busier than ever with family, in laws and out laws ... https://youtu.be/FtC-UM23go8 ... Sending love, my friend Shady. cat. PS: Theo Thunderbutt is sleeping a lot last couple of weeks. Since I do not know how young/ old he is, am watching, cuddling, loving him closely. The thought of losing him is almost unbearable.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteI'm very happy to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming down to ride the big train with Don and Shady.
I'm pleased to learn that winter's on the run in your part of the world, even though it makes numerous encores to trip you up. I know you look forward to getting outdoors and enjoying your garden. You can spend these early weeks of spring planning it.
Yessum we're all AOK. Mrs. Shady and I both had two shots of Moderna vaccine with no major side FX. It's good to know you remember friend Shady even when you are busy with activities outside of the blog world. I certainly won't forget about you and Theo. Mrs. Shady recently retired and finds herself much busier now than when she was working.
Thanks for the link. I enjoyed that 1986 live performance by Phil Collins and Genesis doing "Land Of Confusion."
Yessum, keep an eye on TT. I know you love him and take good care of him. It hits us hard when beloved pets grow old, take ill and die. For ten years we have been caring for a beautiful stray black cat with white booties and white vest. He has two names - Boots and Tuxedo. A few years ago the poor thing tested FIV positive and lately he has been sneezing and having difficulty breathing. We are using a nebulizer and dosed Benadryl in an effort to help him, but he seems to be struggling worse every day now. It's sad because he has an even temperament and has been a great pet.
All my best to you, dear friend cat. Thanks again for dropping in. Take care of yourself and Theo and come see me again soon!
LUBBINS LUBBINS LUBBINS!