By Nosey (66.153.113.238) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 04:43 pm:

Well, the boss is away in Florida and I'm in the office listening to oldies on the radio and doing the Jerk to "She Blew A Good Thing" by the Poets. Weren't they from Detroit and who was the lineup, etc?

By Henke (130.238.5.5) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 05:37 pm:

The booklet to "the Sue records story" says:

Juggy[Murray, owner of Sue records] describes the Poets as 'a group of fellas from Brooklyn' ,the lead singer of which was the Late Ronnie Lewis who had written half of 'She blew a good thing' before Juggy and he finished it off.

Their singles for Sue/Symbol:

Symbol 214 She blew a good thing/out to lunch
Symbol 216 So young(& so innocent)/A sure thing
Symbol 219 I've got two hearts/I'm peculiar

'She blew a good thing' was covered by producer Tommy Smalls with singer Donald Height on Jubilee.

By Robb_K (204.108.65.10) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 06:29 pm:

The Poets were also on Leiber & Stoller's Red Bird/Blue Cat labels out of NY. I never saw any mention of Ronnie Lewis or any of the other members being from, or ever living in Detroit. I never saw anything saying that they even recorded in Detroit. Didn't 3 of their members become "Earth Wind And Fire" or another famous '70s group (I don't know much about '70s artists or songs). Whoever they became, I don't believe they recorded in Detroit in the '70s, either.

By roger (217.35.87.17) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 05:46 am:

Hello Everyone ..

I believe that "She Blew a Good Thing" was issued in the U.K. as by "The American Poets" to avoid confusion with a local group. I've never seen a copy though .. can anyone confirm this?

Robb_K .. Yur comment about some of the group going on to be in another big 70's act has sparked off one of my memory cells .. I think it could have been MAIN INGREDIENT?

Roger

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 06:23 am:

There was a Scottish beat group called the Poets, hence the name change on the UK issue.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 11:16 am:

Folks:
There were two groups of "Poets".

There were the Poets that were signed to Sue/Symbol & had the hit "She Blew A Good Thing".

Besides the singles Henke listed the Sue/Symbol Poets recorded "Wrapped Around Your Finger" for the label.

The Leiber/Stoller-produced Poets later changed their name to the Insiders when they left Red Bird for RCA Victor in 1966. By 1969, they became the Main Ingredient (Tony Silvester, Luther Simmons & the late Donald McPherson).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 11:18 am:

BTW:
Both groups of Poets came from New York City - the Sue/Symbol Poets from Brooklyn & the Red Bird Poets hailed from Harlem.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Robb_K (204.108.65.10) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 11:40 am:

Wasn't Ronnie Lewis with BOTH groups? I thought the Red Bird group was a continuation, with just some member changes.

By RD (68.169.126.238) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 12:34 pm:

They were two different groups that recorded as the Poets from New York as Kevgo posted. Neither had any connection with the other and the one group changed its name three times: Poets,Insiders to Main Ingrediant.

By bill (195.93.34.12) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 03:41 pm:

Roger,

Yep. It was issued in the UK on London.

I've got the 45 somewhere, just can't lay my hands on it right now.

Cheers,

Bill.

By STONEWALL (68.237.93.170) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 05:21 pm:

Oooops! Wrong file! Sorry, this is a very misleading title....

By johneflat (152.163.253.70) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 05:44 pm:

Somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't that the Originals on background vocals? I also heard (or read)somewhere that the tune was originally written for the Tempts. (personally, i'm glad DR did it)

By johneflat (152.163.253.70) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 05:45 pm:

Whoops, wrong thread!