By Chancellor of Soul (66.207.40.18) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 03:15 pm:

Ok, we so far have named our favorite jams on
various labels such as Motown & Hot Wax /Invictus
and so forth.
Now,to mention another great label and mind you
my favorite, "Philadelphia International Records",
here some my favorites:

1)You're The Reason Why - The Ebonys
2)It's Forever - The Ebonys
3)Tossin' And Turnin' b/w Picture Us-Bunny Sigler
4)Shake Your Booty- Bunny Sigler
5)Love Train - Bunny Sigler
6)Back Stabbers- The O'Jays
7)Love Train b/w Who I'm I - The O'Jays
8)I Wanna Know Your Name b/w Hang On In There-
The Intruders
9)I Always Love My Mama- The Intruders
10)I Miss You - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
11)If You Don't Know Me By Now b/w Let Me Into
Your World - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
12)Yesterday I Had The Blues- Harold Melvin &
The Blue Notes
13)The Love I Lost - Harold Melvin & The Blue
Notes
14)I'm Weak For You- Harold Melvin & The Blue
Notes
15)Let's Clean Up The Ghetto- Philadelphia All
Stars
16)Me And Mrs Jones- Billy Paul
17)Thanks For Saving My Life- Billy Paul
18)Let's Make A Baby- Billy Paul
19)Hope We Can Be Together Soon- Harold Melvin
& The Blue Notes featuring Sharon Paige
20)Where Are All My Friends- Harold Melvin & The
Blue Notes
21)Let Me Make Love To You b/w Survival -
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
22)Work On Me - O'Jays
23)Stand Up- O'Jays
24)Do You Get Enough Love - Shirley Jones
25)You're Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else-
The Jones Girls
26)All Of Teddy Pendergrass hits
27)I Love Music - O'Jays
28)Livin For The Weekend- O'Jays
29)Message In Our Music-O'Jays
30)Who Can I Turn To- The Jones Girls
31)I Just Love The Man- The Jones Girls
33)If Only You Knew- Patti LeBelle
34)Want And Need And Love You Baby- Patti LeBelle
35)You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good-
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
36)Keep On Lovin You- Harold Melvin & The Blue
Notes ( LP cut)
37)Don't Leave Me This Way & Tell The World How
I Feel - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
38)Am I Black Enough For You - Billy Paul
39)How Good Is Your Game- Billy Paul
40)Let Em In - Billy Paul
41)Do It Any Way You Wanna -People's Choise
(TSOP)
42)Party Is A Groovin' Thing- People's Choise
43)Let's Groove- Archie Bell & The Drells
(TSOP)
44)I Could Dance All Night - Archie Bell & The
Drells (TSOP)
45)Where Do We Go From Here- The Trammps
46)The Yellow Sunshine LP
47)Stradgy-Archie Bell & The Drells
48)Show Me How To Dance- Archie Bell & The Drells
49)Darling Darlin' Baby- The O'Jays
50)How Time Flies- The O'Jays (Lp cut)
51)992 Arguements- The O'Jays
52)Shiftless, Shady Kind Of People- The O'Jays
53)They Call Me Mr Lucky- The O'Jays (Lp cut)

Well that's just a few that I could think of, lol
Now, name some of your favorites.

Peace,
Mike Boone
(Chancellor Of Soul)

By Sue (63.85.105.20) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 03:18 pm:

"The Sound of Philadelphia" -- MFSB

By Chancellor of Soul (63.78.189.114) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 03:24 pm:

You're right, Sue. I also have to include
Love Is The Message (LP and 12 inch club version)
Universal Love LP ( including the single "Sexy")
Summertime LP
MFSB (including Freddie's Dead)
Family Affair b/w Nation Time (or Nation Why)
on North Bay label

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 03:39 pm:

Mike:
Your list basically covers mine.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By John Lester (217.40.201.84) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 04:13 pm:

Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin
From Now On- Lou Rawls
Long Gone Lover - Three Degrees
Cooling Out- Jerry Butler
The Devil Made Me Do It
Together- Intruders
Part 2 of I'll Always Love My Mama

By dvdmike (12.84.103.179) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 05:10 pm:

The first two MFSB albums knock me out as well as most of the O'Jays and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, The Three Degrees, Bunny Sigler, The Ebonys, etc. and even some of the tracks on the albums of Anthony White and Instant Funk. There are too many individual songs to name.

By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 05:24 pm:

Not sure who did it - there was a song called Whe You Get Right Down To It. Loved that for years, and it had one of the greatest instrumental breaks in the middle.

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 05:24 pm:

Hi Mike: #8 & 9 were on Gamble label. I'll check out the rest of the list.

By cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 05:33 pm:

I am a big fan of the Jones Girls. The albums they did on Philadelphia International are wonderful. I bought their Greatest Hits retrospective and practially wore a hole in the CD. Songs such as I Just Love the Man, Nights Over Egypt, Children of the Night (an early gay-themed song), You're Going to Make Me Love Somebody Else, Who Can I Run To (redone and a big hit for Xscape), Dance Turned Into a Romance, are quintessential PIR records with incredible production, engineering and vocals. Those girls could sing and put a group like Destiny's Child to shame.

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 05:36 pm:

Mike: #45 Trammps was on Golden Fleece.

My additions:
Jean Carn "Was that all it was"
O'jays "Forever mine"
Bunny Sigler "That's how long I'll be loving you"

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 05:46 pm:

McFadden & Whitehead "Ain't no stopping us n
Bunny Sigler "Let me love you tonight"
Dick Jensen "Three cheers to love"
Dick Jensen "New York city"
McFadden & Whitehead "Someone to love"

By fayette (152.163.188.68) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 05:49 pm:

being from georgia i don't know who is on philly
international, but i love anything by teddy pend
ergassaand archie bell and the drells.

By 1Wicked (64.32.154.94) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 06:15 pm:

Dave.."When You Get Right Down To It" was done by The Delfonics and Ronnie Dyson.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 07:51 pm:

Archie Bell & the Drells' "Soul City Walk" gets me dancing anytime as does the O'Jays' "I Love Music", "For The Love Of Money" & "Love Train".

My all time PIR favorite will have to be Billy Paul's "Me & Mrs. Jones." Bobby Martin's arrangement was sooooooo jazzy, elegant, soulful and smooth (especially the guitar at the beginning resting on top of the strings). I could listen to it repeatedly and not get tired of it. Great singing from Billy, great arrangement from Bobby and, of course, Gamble/Huff with MFSB at their best (Bobby Eli, do ya' hear me! )
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 11:34 pm:

Futures "In answer to your question"
Anthony White "There'll never be another love"
Teddy P. "Your're my latest, my greatest inspiration"
H. Melvin "Be for real"

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 12:18 am:

Jerry Butler -Don't be an island
Futures - Silhouettes
Harold Melvin - Feel so good
Teddy P. - Don't hurt much anymore
Archie Bell - Right here is where you belong
Archie Bell - There's no other like you
O'jays - Sunshine
O'jays - You've got your hooks in me
O'jays - Stairway to heaven

By Vonnie (152.163.188.68) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 12:37 am:

Soulpuss, thanks for including That's how long I'll be loving you by Bunny Sigler, that is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.

By Mark Speck (64.158.96.81) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 12:49 am:

"Darlin' Darlin' Baby" and "I Just Want to Satisfy" by the O'Jays.

Best,

Mark

By Eli (151.197.38.107) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 01:47 am:

Having read this thread, what truly amazes me is the fact that I played guitar on EVERY last one of them.
It's kind of scary come to think of it.
Reflecting back on a lot of those sessions, never in my wildest dreams could I have visualized communicating in cyberspace with people from around the world who consider these recordings to be "classics".
I am truly blessed to have played a part in the creation of these monumental recordings.

Soulfully yours,

Bobby Eli

By TonyRussi (68.18.34.26) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 08:19 am:

My fave Phil Int'l 45's would be "Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing"Dee Dee Sharp(TSOP)"Just As Long As I Know You'e Mine"Dee Dee Sharp(written by Mary Wells & Cecil Womack) "Free Love"Jean Carn,"Love TKO"Teddy Pendergrass and "Its' Forever"the Ebonys. Yes Bobby Eli you should be very PROUD.

By TonyRussi (68.18.34.26) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 08:21 am:

Oh lord I forgot one of my faves "Slow Motion"by Johnny Williams!Love the ending before the fade "Don't lose it, Don't lose the groove....

By Eli (151.197.5.24) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 10:27 am:

As an addendum to my last post..
I also played that little triangle thing on Love is here by the Futures.
I happened to be rummaging through a percussion box and did it as a lark and Gamble said'hey Eli, go ahead and record that man!"
Picture me standing behind the mike playing a tiny triangle!!!

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 11:00 am:

THE COSMIC FEEL OF {LET ME IN YOUR WORLD}BY THE O'JAYS.

By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 12:40 pm:

Thanks for the info 1wicked.

By stephanie (207.94.145.199) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 01:29 pm:

Eli!!
I didnt know you played guitar on all of that stuff!!! WOW...
Im SOOOOOOOOO glad You Got Your Hooks in Me by the Ojays was mentioned that is one of my all time favorite songs by them and probably one of their best slow jams..
Stephanie

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.75) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 01:36 pm:

Bobby,
your the man,
I cant get over the rare/northern soul tracks that you played on,Let alone all these other gems.
Your truly one of the most gifted and most nicest guys I have had the great pleasure to correspond with.
Many thanks Bobby.
mel.

By soulboy (213.105.242.198) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 02:27 pm:

Basically all of them, but a few stand out:
now that we've found love - O jays.
Listen to the clock on the wall - O jays.
Me and mrs jones - Billy Paul
The love i lost - Harold melvin & the bluenotes.
Backstabbers - Harold melvin & the bluenotes.
any many more artists which were not on philly international but written & produced by either Gamble and Huff or Thom Bell.

By MotownForever (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 06:17 pm:

Without repeating some titles already listed, here are soome other favs of mine on the P.I. label:

Billy Paul - The Whole Town's Laughing/Love Buddies/Let's Make A Baby/Sooner Or Later/Bring The Family Back

Futures - Stay With Me/Ain't Got Time For Nothin'/Party Time Man

Instant Funk - So Glad I'm The One

3 Degrees - Dirty Ol' Man/Can't You See What You're Doing To Me/Year Of Decision/When Will I See You Again/I Didn't Know

Soul Survivors - City Of Brotherly Love

MFSB - TSOP/Mysteries Of The World/Picnic In The Park

Harold Melvin & Blue Notes - Where Are All My Friends/Satisfaction Guaranteed

Ebonys - Do You Like The Way I Love You/Life In The Country

Bunny Sigler - Things Are Gonna Get Better/Keep Smilin'/Come On & Dance, Dance, Dance

Dee Dee Sharp - Happy 'Bout The Whole Thing/Love Buddies/Touch My Life/Nobody Could Ever Take Your Place/See You Later/Breaking & Entering/I Love You Anyway/I Believe In Love

O'Jays - The Rich Get Richer/Let Me Make Love To You/Cry Together/Put Our Heads Together

Anthony White - Stop & Think It Over/I'll Never Let You Get Away From Me

People's Choice - Do It Anyway You Wanna

Jean Carn - Time Waits For No One/There's A Shortage Of Good Men/Don't Let It Go To Your Head/My Love Don't Come Easy

Dexter Wansel - Life On Mars/Disco Lights/Holdin' On/The Sweetest Pain

Archie Bell & Drells - I Could Dance All Night/Strategy

Teddy Pendergrass - The More I Get, The More I Want/You Can't Hide From Yourself/Now Is The Time To Do It/If You Know Like I Know/Heaven Only Knows

P.I. All Stars - Let's Clean Up The Ghetto

Lou Rawls - See You When I Get There/You'll Never Find Another Love (Like Mine)/Let Me Be Good To You

Jones Girls - Who Can I Run To/This Feeling's Killing Me/Life Goes On/You're Breakin' My Heart/Keep It Comin'/You Can't Have My Love

Stylistics - Hurry Up This Way Again/We Should Be Lovers

Silk - I Can't Stop Turning You On

Patti Labelle - I'm In Love Again/Love Bankrupt

Phyllis Hyman - Living All Alone/When I Give My Love (This Time)/Meet Me On The Moon

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 08:18 am:

A big Philly cut at present with UK soul fans is by the Futures. It's title is "Party Time People" (or something along those lines).
As well as being popular with the 70's soul fans, this cut has now started getting plays at NS nites. As a result it's 'value' has shot up to about $110 a copy.

Luckily I obtained a copy a few weeks ago.

By Aljaydu (68.18.113.198) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 09:07 am:

I'd post something but y'all done named everything !!!! :o)

By John Lester (217.40.194.205) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 09:24 am:

Jean Carne's - There's a Shortage of Good Men.....

My my my, I use to sing that one a lot! Still do too!!

lol

By Sly fan (67.115.75.96) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 06:13 pm:

Being a Philly fanatic I would have to go with every last selection!! Good call Chancellor!! You rock!!

That includes Philly Groove, Gamble Records, North Bay and even SalSoul (to an extent)

ahhhhh.. but how many people know about the Sugar Dap Willie ("Lenny" from Good Times) and the Jean Claude Baptiste spoken word lp or The Monk Montgomery lp?? all released on PIR.

I flipped out when I found the 12 inch version of "Love is The Message" and the other 12 inch versions of the classics, Love Train, I always Love My Mama (daamnn I love that song, Vince is too sweet on those vibes). But the "Love is The Message" 12 version is outta control w/Leon Huff on keyboards I still play that in every set when I get a chance. People in Brooklyn or NY go crazy when that record comes on!!

Thank you so much Mr. Eli for what you and the whole PIR movement/camp did for our lives..I am forever greatful, we from the "New School" OWE yall for what you guys brought to the forefront and just being trail blazers.

"Message Is In The Music".

By dvdmike (12.84.120.112) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 06:37 pm:

"Dap Sugar Willie From North Philly" was the only comedy LP that Philadelphia International released. I remember seeing it in a store back around 1976-77.

By Sly fan (67.115.75.96) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 06:47 pm:

wow!! cool dvdmike!! Thats a funny album!!

By Scratcher (65.134.147.137) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 09:34 pm:

That Futures record is "Part time Party Time Man," which has a similar theme as the O'Jays' "Living for the Weekend."

By Eli (151.197.39.233) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 10:41 pm:

A couple of things..
Frank Washington who sings the lead on PTPTM,
is the new lead for the spinners and he is a great guy to boot.
In my opinion, that song bears no resemblence to Living for the weekend as they are two completely different grooves.

Also Dap Sugar willie goes back to the late fifties.
Everytime I would see him at the subway stop for the Uptown theater he would hit me up for fifty cents.

also, some time ago I was up for producing AWB and one of the songs was Hamish Stuart's fave..Hurry Up this Way Agai.

By Sly fan (67.119.53.141) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 10:47 pm:

WOW!! Amazing!!

"Hurry Up This Way Again" is a beautiful song. A really cool groove too.

By Weldon A. Mc Dougal III (68.80.164.254) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 10:48 pm:

I produced "Dap Suger Willie From North Philly" at Philadelphia International Records,
He went to Hollywood, and worked with Red Fox, sorry to say he died a few years back, Dap was my good friend, thanks dvdmike for bring it up.
Weldon Arthur Mc Dougal III

By Scratcher (65.134.147.137) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 10:49 pm:

Eli, I didn't mean PPTM and LFTW had the same groove. I meant their similar in subject matter (the same theme). Both are about a guy who works doing the week and parties on the weekend. One is a hardworking guy who becomes a part time party man on the weekend the other is another hardworking guy who lives for the weekend so he can party. In no way was I implying the melodies or the grooves were the same.

By Sly fan (67.119.53.141) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 11:29 pm:

Wow!! Mr. Mc Dougal!! I am honored to ecounter you on the posts!! I had a chance to learn about you through the book you did about Motown behind the scenes. I really admire your hardwork and dedication in the promotion business in addition to being responible for creating a chapter in musical history that could never be matched and setting a standard. I have worked in the promotion business and after reading your book I have a greater insight on the larger scale of things. I also like the pictures too!! Thank you for the insight on some of the artists that I was curious about such Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers ("Melinda" is my favorite, I have a live version of that too..), Luther Allison and more.

I am really sorry to hear that about Mr. Willie. He had his own unique brand of comedy especially at a time when everybody wanted to sound like Richard Pryor.

Much Respect, it is an honor sir.

By Sly fan (67.119.53.141) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 11:29 pm:

correction: encounter

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 07:04 am:

You're welcome, Weldon. I enjoyed him as Lenny on "Good Times" as well. I used to kid a friend of mine that he looked just like Dap Sugar Willie. Ron White, who used to be an engineer at P.S. Studios here in Chicago had the same hairdo and almost the same facial features and the slim body build. Ron, by the way is the youngest of Maurice White's siblings.

By 1wicked (66.27.31.189) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 06:46 pm:

Weldon...I loved that Dap Sugar Willie album. I played it to death. He, Franklyn Ajaye, Stu Gilliam, and Scoey Mitchell never got the props they deserved.

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 06:56 am:

I recently came across "Potpourri", the album Thad Jones & Mel Lewis released on Philadelphia International back in 1974. Decent album produced by Bobby Martin and arranged by Martin, Thad Jones and Jerry Dodgion. I used to own "Reality" by Monk Montgomery years ago, another Bobby Martin produced LP and "Half And Half" by Ramsey Lewis' bassist Cleveland Eaton, recorded in Chicago, but leased to the Gamble label.