In which you help me create the greatest 70s SOUL COMPILATION PLAYLIST the world has ever seen!
September 3, 2010 12:47 PM   Subscribe

In which you help me create the greatest 70s SOUL COMPILATION PLAYLIST the world has ever seen!

Hey kids, remember me?
I amassed The Greatest Sunny 70s AM Radio Playlist The World Has Ever Known and I did it with your help!

So let's narrow our focus but intensify our smooth for this next one.

Let's set our sights on 70s SOUL.

I want smooth. I want The Spinners. I want the OJs. I want Gamble and Huff and Philly Soul and all that.

Put me in a Lincoln Towncar on Lake Shore Drive in the summer of 1975 (tho the tracks can be from any year, this is the vibe I want to create)

If you heard DJ Jazzy Jeff and Mick Boogie's Summertime mix tape, then you have some idea where we're headed here.

So give it up with the soul power and at the end of this you might just get a link to the whole thing ;)
posted by Senor Cardgage to Media & Arts (24 answers total) 28 users marked this as a favorite
 
It doesn't get any smoother than this.
posted by neroli at 12:59 PM on September 3, 2010


William DeVaughn - Be Thankful for What You Got
posted by hydrophonic at 1:01 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


Um, off the top if my head while at work, some of it might be a little too disco?

Are you my woman (beyonce sample) - the chi-lites
We got a good thing going - Jackson 5

Be thankful for what you got - William devaughn
Nassau got soul - the beginning of the end
Let the dollars circulate - Billy Paul
Do it till your satisfied - BT express
I get lifted - KC and the sunshine band
posted by Slimemonster at 1:06 PM on September 3, 2010


Quiet Storm -- Smokey Robinson
Move On Up -- Curtis Mayfield
posted by chrchr at 1:19 PM on September 3, 2010


Ann Peebles - I Can't Stand the Rain
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 1:21 PM on September 3, 2010


Response by poster: Was the Peebles family a media juggernaut at one point or something?
posted by Senor Cardgage at 1:31 PM on September 3, 2010


The smoothest song (any genre) of the 70s to me is War's Summer, used for years by the Publix grocery chain before I found out it was a real song.
posted by kimota at 1:32 PM on September 3, 2010


Response by poster: Im thinkin 'van Peebles'

I am a dumb
posted by Senor Cardgage at 1:34 PM on September 3, 2010


Al Green's Let's Stay Together (1972) is all kinds of smooth.
posted by *s at 1:39 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


Cruisin' - smokey robinson
posted by Slimemonster at 1:53 PM on September 3, 2010


Marvin Gaye, What's Going On (1971).
posted by dersins at 1:54 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


The Politicians - Funky Toes
posted by Thorzdad at 1:58 PM on September 3, 2010


Ease into you mix with Edwin Starr's Easin In. Damn.
posted by googly at 1:59 PM on September 3, 2010


The track listings here ought to have some good suggestions.
posted by MexicanYenta at 2:10 PM on September 3, 2010


The Chilites Have You Seen Her?

The Chilites You Are Everything

The Manhattans Kiss and Say Goodbye

The Delfonics Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time

Billy Paul Me and Mrs. Jones

Gladys Knight Midnight Train to Georgia

The O'Jays Brandy

Otis Redding I've Been Loving You Too Long (Probably more 1960s than 70s but damn it's good.)

The Spinners Could it be I'm Falling Love

The Stylistics Betcha By Golly Wow

The Stylistics Break Up to Make Up

Smokey Robinson Being With You

Anything by Al Green. Anything.
posted by pasici at 2:30 PM on September 3, 2010 [3 favorites]


Seconding "Float On" by the Floaters.
I'd also include Disco Lady by Johnny Taylor.
posted by carlsdad at 3:03 PM on September 3, 2010


Your comp will not be complete without Al Wilson's Show and Tell.
posted by otters walk among us at 4:10 PM on September 3, 2010


Response by poster: Here's the thing about that Al Wilson song (which I love):

Like some of the best late 60s Motown, it has this triumphant, up-the-hill stride in its build that suggests fire and brimstone and majesty and then it gets to the chorus and it just kinda gently rocks back and forth there.

It's an ace track but it feels like it blows its chance to really soar in the chorus.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 4:14 PM on September 3, 2010


Here's anything from Al Green: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, which I was turned on to watching that sorta dumb Book of Eli movie. (Written by the Bee Gees, whattaya know.)

(And hey, I'm still waiting for my linkage to that Sunny 70's thang)
posted by Bron at 5:53 PM on September 3, 2010


Anything Stevie Wonder (Innervisions, Songs in the Key of Life), e.g. Superstition, Isn't She Lovely?, Joy in My Tears, Sir Duke, If You Really Loved Me, As, it goes on and on

Bill Withers
The Main Ingredient (Everybody Plays the Fool, Just Don't Want to Be Lonely)
The Spinners (Iʻll Be Around)
Earth, Wind and Fire (all of it)
The Commodores
Heatwave: Boogie Nights, The Grooveline, Always and Forever
Brothers Johnson (Strawberry Letter 23, Stomp!)
Teddy Pendergrass
Billy Paul
Bobby Womack
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
High Inergy (You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)
Evelyn Champagne King (Shame)
Kool and the Gang
Con Funk Shun
Angela Bofill (This Time I'll Be Sweeter)
A Taste of Honey (Boogie Oogie Oogie)
Peaches and Herb (Reunited)
Gloria Gaynor
Aretha Franklin (Something He Can Feel, Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
The Emotions
I know Gladys Knight is already on the list, but don't forget about the "Claudine" Soundtrack (On and On) or If I was Your Woman
Oh my god! Rose Royce! Love Don't Live Here Anymore, Car Wash, I Wanna Get Next to You, I'm Going Down, Wishing on a Star
Minnie Riperton (Lovinʻ You)
LTD (Concentrate on You, Holding On, Back in Love Again, Share My Love, April Love, Where Did We Go Wrong)
Peabo Bryson (Iʻm So Into You, Feel the Fire)
Roberta Flack (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face)
Donny Hathaway with Roberta Flack (Where is the Love?, The Closer Get to You)
Natalie Cole (This Will Be, Iʻve Got Love on My Mind, Our Love)
Isaac Hayes, (Soundtrack, Theme from Shaft)
Barry White (You're the First, the Last, My Everything, It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me)
Curtis Mayfield (Superfly Soundtrack)
Love Unlimited (Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love)
posted by elle.jeezy at 7:13 PM on September 3, 2010 [3 favorites]




Try here: http://thebrobots.com

Not a ton of "smooth" but lots of great.

(yes, this is my blog. yes, i know self-linking is weak. i am deeply ashamed of myself)
posted by MeatLightning at 7:25 PM on September 3, 2010


Timmy Thomas - Why Can't We Live Together
Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23
The Dramatics - Watcha See is Watcha Get
The Four Mints - You're My Desire
The Five Stairsteps - O-o-h Child
Otis Gayle - I'll Be Around
Fred Williams & The Jewels Band - Tell Her
posted by hydrophonic at 10:32 PM on September 3, 2010


Pardon me (if I'm short on following links already provided), but what it seems this thread is lacking in terms of historical accuracy may be a little blue eyed soul of the requested era... Like, um...

Tom Jones She's A Lady
Doobie Brothers Toulouse Street
Allman Brothers Band Midnight Rider
The Righteous Brothers Rock and Roll Heaven
Hall & Oates Sara Smile
Boz Scaggs Lowdown
Joe Cocker Jamaica Say You Will
Van Morrison Brown Eyed Girl

But, you know, the '70s era request really leaves out a lot of '60s era blue eyed soul musicians like Tommy James and the Shondells, and Eric Bourdon and the Animals, who were writing arrangements, and also (sometimes) covering tunes that black soul singers were putting out to limited release. That time, the late '60s and early '70s, musically, was a lot less about racial divide (artistically), than it was, still, about some dream of Aquarius, in a way that carried over the freedom of late '40s and early '50s bebop, jazz, and blues, in simple search of record sales.

A lot of us, then, and perhaps even now, still hoped anyone could get rich, singing a good tune (regardless of its genesis/history), with their all...
posted by paulsc at 1:00 AM on September 4, 2010


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