HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUENOTES-BLACK AND BLUE.
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUENOTES-BLACK AND BLUE.
One of my favorite labels of all time is the Philadelphia International label, founded by Gamble and Huff in 1971. For many years, Gamble and Huff sprinkled their magic on many artists that went on to become soul legends. These included Billy Paul, The O’Jays, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, The Three Degrees, Archie Bell and The Drells and of course, Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes. Of all the artists on Philadelphia International, one of my favorites has always been Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes. Between 1972 and 1975 they recorded four albums for Philadelphia International. The music they released during that period was among the best they ever recorded, and among some of the best music released on the label.
Their debut album was originally titled I Miss You, but was changed to Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes. It was released in August 1972 reaching number four in the US R&B Charts and number fifty-three in the US Billboard 200. This album featured one of their biggest hit singles If You Don’t Know Me By Now, which reached number three in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles’ charts and gave them their first number one US US R&B single.
Their follow up album, Black and Blue, which this article is about, was released in September 1973, reaching number five in the US R&B Charts and fifty-seven in the US Billboard 200. Again, the album provided the group with a top ten hit, with The Love I Lost (Part 1) reaching number seven in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles’ charts and reached number one in the R&B Charts. Since its release, Black and Blue is recognized as one of the group’s finest albums, although it wasn’t one of their most successful albums.
The group’s third album To Be True, released in February 1975, reached number twenty-six in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts. Hope That We Can Be Together Soon, which featured Sharon Paige, and was the third single released from the album, reached number one in the US R&B Charts. So commercially successful was the album, that it was certified gold. After three albums, the group had become one of Philadelphia International’s most successful albums, giving the group the success their music deserved.
Wake Up Everybody, which I’ve written about before, was released in November 1975. This was both the final album the group released on Philadelphia International and the last album to feature Teddy Pendergrass as lead singer. After this album, the group signed a contract with ABC Records, but never achieved the same success. Teddy Pendergrass however, went from strength to strength, becoming a hugely successful solo artist on Philadelphia International. When Wake Up Everybody was released, it was a huge commercial success, providing the group with their most successful album. It reached number nine n the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts, being certified platinum, selling over one million copies. Once the group left Philadelphia International, there were various changes in personnel, but the five albums they subsequently released failed to achieve the success that their four albums on Philadelphia International did. All of this was still to come, when the group released their second album Black and Blue, which I’ll now tell you about.
Black and Blue opens with Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes singing a short cover version of Cabaret lasting just under two minutes. It’s a strange way to open the album, the group resorting to an almost vaudevillian opening to the album, with the group covering Kender and Ebb’s famous song. The vaudevillian influence extends to an introduction that features the rhythm and brass section combining energetically before the group sing tight vocal harmonies. Although quite different to what you’d expect on an album by Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes, they really make the song swing, injecting energy and happiness into the song. Mind you, when I first heard the album years ago, I couldn’t quite believe what I was hearing. Since then, I’ve wondered about why this track was chosen to open the album. You could say it certainly grabs your attention, making you listen intently, wondering what will happen next. Conversely, you could argue that it spoils the flow of the rest of the album. Personally, every time I hear the track it makes me smile, and is a perfect appetizer for the rest of the album.
After the amuse-bouche of Cabaret, Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes return to what they do best, singing some of the sweetest soul music. Black and Blue moves up a gear with The Love I Lost, a song that was originally meant to be recorded as a ballad. Instead Leon Gamble the cowriter and producer asked the group to speed the song up, sing it with a swagger. This transformed the track into a track full of sadness, sung with a swagger at a quicker tempo, and in the process reached number seven in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles’ charts and number one in the R&B Charts when it was released as a single. Leon Gamble’s decision to transform the track from a ballad was a masterstroke. So was his decision to open the track with keyboards and chiming guitars combining as the track opens, before the drums and luscious strings sweep in. This provides the perfect backdrop for Teddy, as he delivers some hugely sad lyrics about a relationship gone wrong. Meanwhile, the rest of the group compliment his lead vocal with their sweet, tight vocal harmonies. While all of this is taking place, the arrangement is dramatic, strings sweeping, while drums and blazing horns punctuate the sound. MFSB, Philadelphia International’s house band surpass themselves, producing one of the most memorable arrangements ever heard on an album by Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes. Quite simply, this is an absolutely fantastic track, one of the best ever singles released on Philadelphia International.
It All Depends On You has what can only be decided as a hugely dramatic, almost grandiose introduction, with stirring, rumbling drums, a grand, drama laden piano and horns that gradually sweep in. Their sound promises, then delivers drama. It’s as if MFSB were preparing for the imminent arrival of Teddy Pendergrass and his lead vocal. When it arrives, you wonder whether it’ll live up to the expectation. Thankfully, it does, with Teddy delivering the lyrics with a mixture of passion and pleas, as he testifies, telling his partner that their future depends on her. Like the previous track, the rest of the band produce some beautiful tight vocal harmonies, that are a perfect accompaniment to Teddy’s vocal. Such an emotional and passionate arrangement deserves an equally outstanding arrangement. Again, this is the case, with an arrangement that’s emotionally charged and drenched in drama. Much of this is because of the way Gamble and Huff arranged the drums, piano, horns and strings to maximise both the atmosphere and drama, in such a way that brings out the best in both the lyrics and Teddy’s vocal. As the track ends, you can’t help but be moved by both Teddy’s vocal and the lyrics, made all the better by such an outstanding arrangement.
Gamble and Huff cowrote five of the tracks on Black and Blue, including Concentrate On You a much slower track, which has brief, bursts of drama that punctuate the track, highlighting both the lyrics and a hugely emotional vocal, laden in sadness and regret. When the track opens, a deep, moody bass is accompanied by slow sweeping strings and dramatic bursts of horns and drums before the group sing some sad, vocal harmonies. It’s only then that Teddy’s vocal enters, and straight away, his voice is full of sadness and regret, ruing the bad times, as he hopes his relationship will survive. Throughout the track, the interplay between Teddy and the rest of the band works really well, with the Blue Notes lovely subtle harmonies, the perfect foil for Teddy powerful, passionate, pleas. They’re interrupted by dramatic bursts of drums and horns, which each time, you believe will transform into a brighter, happier sound. This never happens, but the mixture of the sadness and drama of the arrangement and the passionate, pleas of Teddy make this a compelling, dramatic and ultimately beautiful track, one that’s quite moving and absolutely excellent.
Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes inject some bravado and humour into the proceedings on Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back). Here, Teddy transformed into lover man number one, gives a swaggering, boastful vocal full of bravado. Strangely, when the track was released as a single, it only reached number fifty-eight in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number six in the US R&B Charts. Reflecting Teddy’s bravado and swagger is the stirring, drama laden fast paced introduction, a melange of strings, blazing horns, piano and driving horns. Teddy grunts, before the Blue Notes softly sing, before making way for Teddy. He gives of an aura of confidence, self assuredness, as he delivers the lyrics with a confident swagger. Meanwhile, the arrangement is melodic, catchy, with a booming, fast and accurate bass accompanied by grand, sweeping lush horns while piano, horns and drums are responsible for punctuating the track with drama. Quite simply, it’s an irresistible sound, with the quicker tempo, fuller arrangement and of course, Teddy’s vocal, one part bravado, one part levity. This track like The Love I Lost, is easily one of the album’s best tracks.
A funk laden bass, metronomic drums and sweeping, stirring strings combine before chiming, shimmering guitars accompany braying horns as Is There A Place For Me begins. It’s only then that a pessimistic Teddy, reflects on how he got himself into the mess he’s in. The answer is in the lyrics, four time married, imagine the alimony! His voice is still powerful, but full of regret and sadness, while the rest of the group sing loud, repetitive backing vocals which almost plead. This works well, as does the fulsome arrangement. By now, it’s settled down somewhat, sweeping along, with the rhythm section and those chiming guitars, accompanied by dramatic strings, an atmospheric Hammond organ and interjections from the horn sections. As if this isn’t enough, a pleading, sorrowful Teddy, is accompanied by keyboards, a soaring, screaming, muted guitar, which all adds even more atmosphere and drama. Between the rueful, down at heart Teddy, and a rich, complex and sweeping arrangement, courtesy Gamble and Huff, this is a melodramatic and magnificent track, truly unmistakably Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes.
There’s a change in style and tempo on I’m Weak For You, which was the third single released from the album. Again, mysteriously, the single wasn’t successful, failing to chart in the US Billboard Hot 100 and only reaching number eighty-seven in the US R&B Charts. This puzzles me, because although it’s quite different from other tracks on the album, both the vocal and arrangement are excellent. The track has an old fashioned jazz influenced sound, with keyboards, rhythm section, guitars and horns gently playing, as the track opens. As if signaling that something special is about to unfold, the horns interject, before the group sing some melodic, sweet vocals, before giving way to Teddy’s lead vocal. His vocal veers from a softer, considered and thoughtful to a louder, passionate and pleading style. Together, he and the Blue Notes combine brilliantly, singing the track in a style that brings to mind smoke filled jazz clubs, late at night, where mixture of excitement and danger mingles in the air. When combined with the horn drenched arrangement, that’s punctuated by drama courtesy of horns and drums, you’ve the recipe for a great track, one that’s laden in atmosphere, emotion and drama.
Black and Blue closes with I’m Coming Home Tomorrow, a track which had a poignancy for the soldiers who were returning from Vietnam. There they’d fought in yet another pointless war, where lives were lost needlessly on both sides. This track spoke to them, and the slow, moody and sad introduction seems even more poignant. It’s a combination of slow, dark bass, keyboards, strings bathed in sadness and slow, thoughtful drums that open the track. After that the group sing tight, thoughtful vocal harmonies, before the track unfolds to present a much more joyful sound, with both Teddy and the Blue Notes, singing about the happiness of returning home, never to leave again. Similarly, the arrangement combines joy and drama, strings sweeping lushly, the rhythm and horns combining perfectly to produce a sound that’s dramatic, giving way to a joyfulness. Later, Teddy slows things way down, half-speaking, half-singing the vocal, injecting a mixture or relief, joy and passion into the lyrics, increasing the sense of drama and atmosphere. By the end of this really moving and beautiful song, that’s a mixture of sadness and joy, I’ve always felt that this was quite a poignant way to end the album, given what was happening in the US then.
Black and Blue is one of my favorite albums by Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. It features some wonderful music, with the group at their very best. From the opening bars of Cabaret, to the last not of I’m Coming Home Tomorrow, it’s constant quality. There’s no let up, just one great song after another. From the vaudevillian, amuse-bouche of Cabaret, to the sadness and swagger of The Love I Lost, to the bravado and humor of Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back), it’s just one great song after the other. That’s neither forgetting the pessimism and ruefulness of Is There A Place For Me nor the poignancy of I’m Coming Home Tomorrow. In the space of just eight tracks, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes will have you laughing, singing and crying with some hugely emotional and joyful music. Strangely, this album didn’t do as well as the next two albums Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes released. To Be True reached twenty-six in the US Billboard 200, while Wake Up Everybody reached number nine in the US Billboard 200. These albums were certified gold and platinum respectively. Regardless of that, Black and Blue is as good as these two albums, and is an album that anyone who loves soul music will enjoy. The best description of the music on Philadelphia International Records came from Fred Wesley, the trombone played in James Brown’s band. He called the music “funk with a bow-tie,” a fitting description of Black and Blue, a brilliant album from Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. Standout Tracks: The Love I Lost, It All Depends On You, Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back) and Is There A Place For Me.
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUENOTES-BLACK AND BLUE.
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