Sunday, July 6, 2014

Some Sunday Soul...


Some Sunday Soul today from Chicago vocal group, The Chi-Lites, featuring the exquisite vocals of Eugene Record.

Originally called the The Hi-Lites, then Marshall and the Chi-Lites and finally opting for simply The Chi-Lites after the departure of Marshall Thompson, they racked up many hits in the early 70's, most famously "Oh Girl". If you ever want an example of perfect vocal harmonies look no further than "Oh Girl". You could just melt into those harmonies...smooth as a smooth thing can be...

On their early singles the influence of one and only Smokey Robinson shone heavily through their music, but they quickly developed their own sound based around the writing and production of the vastly underappreciated Eugene Record, who gave the band songs that distinguished them from the other silky, smooth vocal groups of the time, ranging from chart topping ballads to funky little numbers that spoke out about the social injustice and race relations that were so prevalent in the States at the time, just like the wonderful track below...

Give More Power To The People

4 comments:

  1. Scott, I'd be surprised if anybody disagreed with you about the quality of 'Oh Girl.' A stand-out example of early '70s soul! I'd never heard 'Give More Power to the People' before - is it an album track or was it released only in the U.K. as a single? Any idea of the year?

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  2. Cheers CC, great Garnet Mimms posting today
    Marie - I believe it was a single both in the States and the UK in the early 70's, round about the time that the likes of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield were also releasing great material highlighting social injustice...

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  3. Dole not Soul...

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