By Chancellor of Soul (66.207.40.18) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 06:11 pm:

Hey Bobby,
How did you come up with the concept of
your two other big hits, " Summer Snow", by
Blue Magic and " Just Don't Want To Be Lonely",
by Ronnie Dyson, Blue Magic and the Main Ingredient. God I love those songs !!!!!

Take care,
Mike Boone
(Chancellor of Soul)

By Eli (151.197.37.148) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 11:01 pm:

Wow Mike, Summer Snow!!!

I have always admired Smokey and his use of analogies,and have always used him as a blueprint and template for my lyrical concepts, so I wanted to try an analagous lyric concept as well.
I remembered the phrase "it'll be a cold day in August when......" and I just expounded from there as in "snowflakes faling on a Summers' day
ie.our love will last until the improbable occurs. I have always liked "unusual concepts as in Sideshow and Summer snoe etc..

Just dont want to be lonely just happened one day in early Spring. We wanted to write a "lonely song" but once again from another perspective.
It turned out to be our very first gold record.

By Beebopman (68.73.34.30) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 11:14 pm:

Eli:

Man, I am awestruck. These ae some of my favorite songs. The words seem to match the music naturally. I remember when me and my buddies tried to write songs back then. The lyrics (like your songs) would just resonate and fit so, so perfectly. We would try first to write poems. Then, try to buld some sort of rythum or beat. Then try to create a repeatable tune. ..Never could get it! My hat off to you and your co-horts for creating songs that live on and make us remember, reflect and reminence. ...Now I can't get that song (I just don't want to be lonely) out of my mind. God given talent. What else can we say.

Beebopman

By Eli (151.197.37.148) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 11:29 pm:

Thank you kindly Beebopman!!Comments like that really touch me.
If you wrote songs at one time, by all means give it another shot, and dont give up.
All those "little ideas and thoughts" no matter how trivial can blossom into a monster hit.

You can taks almost any idea at any given time and turn it into a song.
Think about it..you can be getting ready to jump into the showere and Bam!!! it hits you like a ton of bricks.."Shower me with your love"

You can be walking down the street enjoying a Summer morning and Bam!!!it hits you.."Sunny"
Watching the news and Bam!!!"You dropped a bomb on me"

Songs are everywhere, in every breath in every move in every hour of every day, Bam!!!!!!!!

Whoop..there it is, another song.

It happened to us , so it can happen to you to.
Keep writing!!!

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 12:13 am:

Eli - The song "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", can be sung by just about anyone who can sing, and it will be a hit. I love that song. I have it by Ronnie Dyson, and Main Ingredient, but I don't believe I've heard it by Blue Magic.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 12:29 pm:

Sis:
The Blue Magic version of "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" is similar arrangement-wise to Ronnie Dyson's rendition.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Eli (151.197.219.217) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 02:01 pm:

Hi Sis and Kev....

I am so glad that you guys love that song.
It has been dear to me insofar as that it was my very first "hit" as a writer.

There have been some cool versions of the song.
It was done by Marlena Shaw,Etta Jones, Shaggy,
Barry Biggs, Freddy Mc Greggor and a host of Jazz artists as well.

Interestingaly, it was on the flip of Sideshow by Blue Magic so therefore my fourth quarter BMI check was decent at the time(lol)

Words just could not describe the vibe and the chemistry between all of us in the music community
here in Philly at that time.
Just knowing that I was a part of that era, does it for me.
If there was such a thing as a "time machine" I would set the clock for the Spring of 1973-1979 and just have it repeat endlessly!!!

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 02:11 pm:

Bobby:
Your tunes were part of a wonderful "soundtrack" of my life as a kid growing up in Rochester NY just when the city "discovered" soul music and R&B thanks to WDKX-FM (the city's first - and only - R&B station) and hip Top 40 stations that played "Just Don't" and "Sideshow" in heavy rotation (never mind Casey Kasem's American Top 40 where you got to hear these records as they went up & down the charts). I know you are continuing that legacy with Friday's Child Productions so there's no need to set the time machine, my friend (if I did that, I would turn into the geeky scrawny teenager I was at that time ).
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By TonyRussi (68.18.50.144) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 03:50 pm:

I just played "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely"by Ronnie Dyson the other night.It was my fave by Main Ingredient.One of the best soul ballads ever!

By Eli (68.162.99.73) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 05:56 pm:

Aw shucks, thanks again guys.
Y' know, I knew that the song had something, but I never in a million years though that it would mean so much to so many people.
In all honesty, it is hard to believe that I was actually a co-creator of those songs.
I am truly blessed to have been chosen to have been at the right place at the right time.

Otherwise, I probably have gone to medical school.

By stephanie (64.63.221.236) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 06:00 pm:

Medical School!!!!!!!!! The thought of that is horrid....LOL No you have made your place in history right here..
Stephanie

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 06:02 pm:

Paging Dr. Eli...paging Dr. Eli.....a funk injection is needed in O-R!

Med school? Geez.....

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Eli (151.197.47.219) on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 10:02 pm:

Pray tell my friends, alas that is true. I did have an interest in medicine and in fact,I still do. Also forensic science.
I wish that there was such a thing a a funk injection!!
It would probably be a concoction made with
two parts potliquor, two parts cherry Kool Aid and just a dash of Old English for the extra kick.

At least I would have the wherewithall to finance some decent sessions!!

By Beebopman (67.38.92.63) on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 10:35 pm:

Eli:

Not prying or anything...but as a song writer, if your songs are played on the air (radio, tv,etc) do you get royalties? And if so, how can you be certain you get it for everytime your particular song is played. I've always wondered if there was some sort of "Royalty Police" that audits the airways to guarantee that the writers get their just due. Traveling across the country I've heard your songs played on small stations in the south and in larger metropolitan areas. Who's keeping track of all this air-play?

Beebopman

By Beebopman (67.38.92.63) on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 10:39 pm:

Eli:

Man you have a way with words. Your last post and so many of your others just have that "flava". Potliquor, cherry Kool-Aid, Old English.....this is good.

Beebopman

By Eli (141.151.24.11) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 01:28 am:

Hi Beebopman!!
In answer to your query about royalties for airplay, this is how it works.
As a writer, you must join a performing rights organization such as BMI, ASCAP or SESAC.
Every major country has one . In the UK it is PRS,in France it is SACEM and so forth.
radio stations are supposed to log what they play but a lot of times this is virtually impossible so the orginization uses other methods of calculation sometimes on a random basis.
The royalties in the US are calculated in cents, usually around 4-5 cents a spin.
TV is much higher.
A play on a major prime time show is close to $2000 dollars per play
In the UK the per spin is somewhere around 2 pounds or so because the amount of spins a record gets there is usually much lower than in the US.
When you join a perf. rights org., you will be given a list with the method of payment for each country.
BMI pays quarterly.
There used to be two different statements, one for domestic and onsse for foreign but now it is all broken down on one statment.

I hope that this answers your question.

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 02:16 am:

Bobby,
Another popular John Davies production (in the UK) is "This Man Is Rated X " by Ann Byers.

Is Ann another mystery artist that had to pay for her own sessions ???

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 02:43 am:

Anuva question Bobby (I'm a musical illiterate so don't be too hard on me in your answer).
I only like SOME sweet soul. The Delfonics were great (IMO) but the Stylistics were just 'too sugary'.
They (Stylistics) did however cut some great songs, but I would love to hear alternative versions of many of their songs handled by STRONG voiced singers (Bettye LaVette, Gerald Levert, etc.)

Would these songs need many changes (key ??) to make em suitable for deep soul versions to be cut of them ??

By Eli (141.152.251.108) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 09:43 am:

Ann Byers been recording since 1964.
She had somewhat of a local hit called "Was it worth the price. She recorded for several labels and did not pay for her own sessions up front.

The Stylistics records were a product of Thom and Lindas masterful writing and the records sounded like that because it was the way Thom produced them. Thom is a very meticulous producer aand everything has to be "just so".
if you listen to Youre a big girl now, it is pre Thom Bell and somewhat "raw" sounding.

The group did not sing their own backing vocals in the studio as was the case with most of the Philly hits.with the exception of the Spinners although the Sweeties accompanied them .

The Delfonics,on the other hand did sing their own parts and that is why they are abit "rougher hewn" sounding so to speak.

I hope that answers your question.

By Byron Woods (205.188.209.16) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 07:42 pm:

Eli, Do you have anything that you produced by Blue Magic that are in the vaults? Man, "SideShow" and "Summer Snow", also "Three Ring Circus" were my all time favorite Jams. I have a four member singing group called Vocalpoynt and in our show we do a tribute to some of the philly artists, Blue Magic,"Welcome To The Club" and The Stylistics, "Payback Is A dog". I just recorded "Payback" for my new CD entitled, "In The Land Of Smooth".I like for your ears to check it out.Have you checked out the PBS special with Billy Paul, Freda Payne, Jerry Butler, Barbara Mason, The late great Edwin Starr,Blue Magic and others? One of the ladies in my group VP Dianne Madison is singing background for most of the artists on that show. She said she had a great time working with these artists.
Peace,
Byron Woods
byronwoods@aol.com
Peace,
Byron Woods
Vocalpoynt

By Eli (64.12.97.7) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 11:54 pm:

Byron,
Thanks a bunch.
I sent you an e mail with my info.

By Eli (64.12.97.7) on Sunday, April 20, 2003 - 12:50 pm:

Byron, there are several but not many unreleased Blue magic songs.
One, entitled Wizard of Love, I am looking to put on a British comp.

By Aba21 (208.191.122.205) on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 01:00 pm:

Eli:

Two of my favorite songs of all time are Summer Snow and Something About Love. Did you write that one also? There is a note held in that song that's to die for! What a song!

By Eli (151.197.124.23) on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 05:57 pm:

Something about love was written by the late Keith Barrow who was an artist of mine who succumbed to aids in '83.
You should hear the original.
Keith would have been a superstar, had he lived.

By Aba21 (208.191.122.205) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 11:12 am:

Eli:
Thank you for that info. Keith Barrow, why do I feel like I have something on vinyl by him? Am I thinking of the same Keith Barrow? And how can I get the original of SOmething about Love?

By Eli (151.197.125.160) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 11:22 am:

Its the same Keith Barrow. His first album "Keith Barrow" is difficult to find but it is out there somewhere.
Keith was quite a talent and a dynamic stage prescence.

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 11:25 am:

HEY ELI,SUMMER SNOW IS ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS THAT BLUE MAGIC EVER DID.

By Eli (151.197.41.171) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 12:36 pm:

Muchas Gracias, senor R&B!!!!
Est mui caliente!!

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 02:07 am:

Bobby,
What can you remember about the group COURTSHIP. 3 unissued tracks from them were included on a UK CD on DEEPBEATS 'Old School Harmony Vol.2' (+ 2 issued cuts). All cut (I think) in 72.
Unissued track titles; "Friends Just Friends", "Caught In The Act (of Lovin You)", "For The Chance of Lovin You".
+ issued cuts "Love Aint Love" (a bit B.Stewart-ish) & "Oops It Just Slipped Out"
I know you played on some of these Jerry Ross Group productions (actually mostly produced by G Knight & G Allen I believe).
Who were & what other outfits did G Knight & G Allen produce ???
My fave Courtship cut was leased to Motown "It's The Same Old Love" (discussed on here before) -- now this is a great Billy Stewart sounding cut.
Can you remember the names of group members, other work they did (solo or in tuva groups ??)

By Aba21 (208.191.122.205) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 12:27 pm:

Ok Eli....I found that lp in my collection. Wow you learn somethin everyday around here. Thanks.

By Eli (151.197.120.253) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 01:39 am:

Kool Aba . Let me know what you think.