How could I not have posted Betty Everett yet? Not that I'm all that familiar with more than just a fraction of her output, but still. I'd heard "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" a thousand times when I saw the movie Exposed and that was at least twenty years ago. The film starred Nastassja Kinski and I had it bad for her after seeing Cat People. Big ol' movie star crush. In the film she's alone in her apartment and plays that song, doing a crazy dance that I haven't been able to disassociate with that song ever since. Shit, now that I think about it, I had the song on a Charly Records compilation and used to spin it occasionally when DJing. So, yeah, oversight.
Everett's music was seemingly made for those Northern soul all-nighters. That kind of soul that isn't Aretha, but it's not the Supremes either; it's somewhere in the middle. Sixties soul was like that. Just like all sorts of lesser known surf bands, rockabilly singers, garage bands and punk bands, once the genre was identified, there was just shitloads of lesser known records that weren't exactly copycats, but sure did benefit from the artists that were leading the pack. Check out Everett's version of "Hound Dog". It's apparent that just about any song can be made in a Northern soul vein. As an added bonus, check Merry Clayton's version of "Shoop.." released in 1963, a year earlier. I actually like it more then Everett's. Not quite as slick sounding. And it has a whole lotta cowbell.
Everett's music was seemingly made for those Northern soul all-nighters. That kind of soul that isn't Aretha, but it's not the Supremes either; it's somewhere in the middle. Sixties soul was like that. Just like all sorts of lesser known surf bands, rockabilly singers, garage bands and punk bands, once the genre was identified, there was just shitloads of lesser known records that weren't exactly copycats, but sure did benefit from the artists that were leading the pack. Check out Everett's version of "Hound Dog". It's apparent that just about any song can be made in a Northern soul vein. As an added bonus, check Merry Clayton's version of "Shoop.." released in 1963, a year earlier. I actually like it more then Everett's. Not quite as slick sounding. And it has a whole lotta cowbell.
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Listen:Betty Everett - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) mp3 at Internet Archive
Betty Everett - Hound Dog mp3 at Internet Archive
Betty Everett - Down in the Country mp3 at Internet Archive
Merry Clayton - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) (streaming) at YouTube
2 comments:
Congrats on surviving Xmas (as did we) + Happy New Decade, Tom!
Like (way) more often than not, I agree with you; I prefer the rougher, more focused, Merry Clayton version too. Only thing that rubs me the wrong way is that midway break, where the rhythm suddenly shifts from a swingin trot to a herky-jerky canter for 10 (+) manic seconds. Wonder who's shitty idea that was... cowbell guy?
And while on the subject of cowbell, wouldn't you know; just yesterday I sent a link to the SNL "More Cowbell" sketch to a guy at work (as a follow up to the Will Ferrell flute scene from "Anchorman"). Also reminds me I was gonna comment on that BÖC post you had a while back. Promise I will.
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Happy Holidays and all that stuff back at you. You'll note that "Anchorman" was filmed in San Diego where I live. I was looking for a link of the actual anchorman that Burgundy was based on and as these things happen, I found one posted by a guy I know!
https://youtu.be/Ut6RWOVlexI
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