The Essential Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

The Essential Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Artist: Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes , and Teddy Pendergrass
Label: Sony
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Format: Original recording remastered
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 827969062722
EAN: 0827969062722
ASIN: B0002S94UW


Release Date: 2004-08-31

The Essential Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | R&B | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
Philly Soul Philly Soul
Categories | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Wake Up Everybody
  2. Don't Leave Me This Way
  3. The Love I Lost
  4. You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good
  5. If You Don't Know Me By Now
  6. Bad Luck
  7. Where Are All My Friends
  8. I'm Weak For You
  9. Hope That We Can Be Together Soon
  10. I Miss You
  11. Ebony Woman
  12. Yesterday I Had The Blues
  13. Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back)
  14. Tell The World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby
  15. Keep On Lovin' You

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  4. La La Means I Love You: The Definitive Collection
  5. The Best of the Stylistics

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Seventies soul from Philadelphia.......2004-10-30

Philadelphia is not one of the first cities that usually come to mind when discussing pop music, but during the seventies this was where much of the best soul-pop music came from, with many brilliant singers and groups showing the world what they were capable of. The Three Degrees and the O' Jays were among the most successful, together with Harold Melvin and the Blue notes, whose lead singer during their peak years was actually Teddy Pendergrass.

Singer-pianist Harold Melvin formed the group in 1954 (yes, I was surprised to learn that) and was its lead singer and songwriter for many years, during which time the group remained a local act. John Atkins took over lead vocals in the mid sixties but the group remained local. Eventually, Harold discovered Teddy who then joined the group, initially as a drummer. After John Atkins quit, Teddy was given his chance as lead singer and things happened quickly. The group were signed to a new label and given new songs by top songwriters, resulting in a series of great hits. Perhaps the name should have also been changed as Teddy was by then the star and focal point of the group.

The group had several major international hits including Wake up everybody, The love I lost and If you don't know me by now before Teddy quit the group in 1976, apparently because he resented the group name with Harold's name up front.

In the UK, the group's biggest hit was Don't leave me this way, which they had recorded in 1975 but wasn't released as a single anywhere at the time. Thelma Houston covered the song in 1977 and topped the American charts but Harold Melvin's original version was released as a UK single and made number five with Thelma's version peaking at thirteen. I wonder what might have been if their own version had been released in Britain and America in 1975. Actually, I love both these versions as well as the 1986 cover by the Communards (with Jimmy Somerville as lead singer) that topped the UK charts.

This re-mastered collection contains all the essential tracks from the Teddy Pendergrass years, including all the tracks I've already mentioned. If you enjoy seventies soul music, you'll love this collection.

Music:

  1. Motown Legends: Let It Whip/Joystick ~ Dazz Band
  2. Strip Jointz, Vol. 2: More Hot Songs for Sexy Dancers ~ Various Artists
  3. 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Cameo ~ Cameo
  4. With A Lot O' Soul ~ The Temptations
  5. Dance to the Music ~ Sly & the Family Stone
  6. The Color Purple (1985 Film) ~ Quincy Jones
  7. Soul Alive (Dlx) ~ Solomon Burke
  8. Pure Pleasure ~ Phil Perry
  9. Charmbracelet ~ Mariah Carey
  10. Almost Famous ~ Lumidee

Music

Music

Music CD

Enamorado ~ Los Panchos

Como Conseguir Chicas ~ Charly Garcia

Why Not: Best of Michael Feldman's Whad'ya Know ~ Michael Feldman

Live in New York: 1958 & 1959 ~ Miles Davis & John Coltrane

Fats Waller and His Rhythm ~ Fats Waller

In So Many Words ~ Trine-Lise Vaering

Lo Ultimo En Vivo ~ Los Van Van

Lo Esencial Banda Sinaloense el Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga ~ La Banda Sinaloense el Recodo de Cruz Liz

De La Guardia Vieja ~ Roberto Firpo

Fiebre y Fiesta: Super Hot Hit Remix ~ Various Artists