By Nish (216.148.246.134) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 11:56 am:

On the opposite end of the screaming soul performance is the more restrained, nuanced, performance. Let's come up with a list of some of our favorite restrained (for lack of a better term) soul performances. Performances that give PLENTY soul, without the screaming and shouting.

My Girl - Tempts/David Ruffin - this is one of the most obvious. We ALL know David Ruffin could have turned this into a sweaty soul drenched affair, as Dennis Edwards and Ali Woodson have done in live performances, but he kept it sweet, being more of a crooner than a shouter.

Thankful For What I Got - Barbara Lewis. She's the epitome of this whole thing, and she's as soulful as anybody on this record.

I'm In Love - Wilson Pickett. It's about as restrained as this cat has ever performed.

Hypnotized - Linda Jones. This song really sounds like Linda Jones just wants to burst, but she kind of reserves it for the end, just giving a great touching delivery throughout. We would learn in later songs just how much firepower she had.

You Send Me - Sam Cooke
Don't Have To Shop Around - Mad Lads
Most any great Mary Wells tune, especially "Dear Lover."

By 1wicked (64.32.154.94) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 12:16 pm:

All of the lead vocals performed by Ted "The Wizard" Mills of Blue Magic, Russell Thompkins, Jr. of The Stylistics, and Bobby Smith of The Spinners are beautiful and soulful...but never accented by screams, etc.

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 12:33 pm:

IT'S A MAN'S WORLD,JAMES BROWN,POOR MAKE BELIEVER,JOHNNIE TAYLOR,THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT CHA,BOBBY WOMACK,I'LL NEVER DO YOU WRONG,JOE TEX.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.113) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 12:42 pm:

Al Greene's classic
Tired of being alone.
mel.

By TonyRussi (68.18.227.123) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 12:52 pm:

"Ill Always Have Faith In You" by Carla Thomas,"Come On and See Me" Tammi Terrell,"The Doctor" Mary Wells...Most of Smokey Robinsons'soulful ballads.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 01:22 pm:

"I've Been Loving You Too Long" Otis Redding
It keeps trying to turn into a shouter, but just doesn't quite make it....until the "Good Gawd All Mighty" in the fade.

By Eli (151.197.41.76) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 02:24 pm:

Love wont let me wait by Major Harris.
When he recorded the vocals the needle barely moved. In my opinion, although it was my record, it was definitely textbook unrestrained soul at its best.
Also, anything by Roberta Flack.

For all we know by Donnie Hathaway

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.26) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 02:29 pm:

What, no mention of the Iceman himself ...

Mr. Jerry Butler

His work with Gamble and Huff is among the greatest soul ever recorded.

Darrell Banks, his "Don't Know What To do" is
a wonderful track.

By bad bob (166.70.26.214) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 10:38 pm:

how about tyrone davis?

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 07:02 am:

Jackie Wilson's version of "This Guy's In Love With You". Recorded in 1969, but not released as a single until 1971.

By stephanie (206.214.1.77) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 02:30 am:

Hypnotized - Linda Jones. This song really sounds like Linda Jones just wants to burst, but she kind of reserves it for the end, just giving a great touching delivery throughout. We would learn in later songs just how much firepower she had. >>>>

I have to ask George Kerr why he held Linda back on that one..its criminal but well produced.

My Place - Diana Ross
Love Aint Love - Flo Ballard
Jackie Wilson - anything he did on the Brunswick label they watered our man down bigtime although I love Ive Lost You....he was under too much instrumentation on that label
James Brown - Big Payback (I wanted some screaming on that one..LOL)

Steph

By Nish (66.119.34.39) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 02:39 am:

Oh, cool Steph, George Kerr is excellent. Don't get me wrong, I love her restrained delivery on that song, it's beautiful and perfect!

Between Linda Jones and the O'Jays and Barbara Jean English, and the Escorts and all the other acts he produced, George Kerr had a nice little musical groove going that I really get into.

NISH

By cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 05:04 pm:

There are many choices but mine off the top of my head are:

My Guy�Mary Wells
My Girl�The Temptations
I Heard it Through the Grapevine�Marvin Gaye
Touch�The Supremes
Yes I'm Ready�Barbara Mason
Angel�Aretha Franklin
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby�Marvin Gaye
Darling Darling Baby�O'Jays
The Way We Were�Gladys Knight & The Pips
I Guess I'll Miss the Man�The Supremes