THE DELLS-THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE, BUT WE DID IT!

dereksmusicblog ♦ April 6, 2012 ♦ 2 Comments

THE DELLS-THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE, BUT WE DID IT!

Twenty-five years after The Dells were founded in 1952, they released their sixteenth album, They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It!, which will be rereleased by SoulMusic.Com on 16th April 2012. This was their second album for Mercury, after leaving Cadet in 1975, the label where they recorded many of their greatest songs. Their debut album for Mercury was 1976s No Way Back, which reached number forty-seven in the US R&B Charts. For the follow-up, The Dells headed to the city that had become the musical capital of America during the early, to mid-seventies, Philadelphia. This wouldn’t be the first time The Dells and Philadelphia’s paths would cross. During their time at Chess, The Dells had hoped that Gamble and Huff would produce them, but Leonard Chess didn’t want to spend the money to hire Gamble and Huff. It was a decision that would haunt The Dells, because Kenneth Gamble had material he thought would be perfect for The Dells, but instead, gave it to Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. Now a few years later, The Dells would hook-up with another famous Philly production team The Harris Machine, a collection of Philly based producers, arrangers and musicians that included Norman Harris, Ron Baker and Earl Young, the legendary Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. By then, Baker, Harris and Young had left M.F.S.B. becoming part of the Salsoul Orchestra. Back then, Baker, Harris, Young were going through a hot streak, with Double Exposure’s Ten Per Cent and Eddie Kendricks’ Goin’Up In Smoke two of their Salsoul success stories. They were the perfect team to rejuvenate The Dells’ career, but would this be the case? That’s what I’ll tell you, after telling you about the making of They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! 

Recording of They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It!, would take place at the scene of some of the biggest hits of the Philly Sound era, the Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. For recording of the album, Baker, Harris and Young had assembled a crack team of musicians, including guitarists Bobby Eli and T.J. Tindall, keyboard player and pianist Ron Kersey, conga player Larry “Bongo” Washington and Don Renaldo’s Strings and Horns. Of course, vital to this sound would be Earl Young’s drums and Ron Harris guitar. In total, The Harris Machine had eight songs for The Dells to record. Three were co-written by Norman Harris, while Ronald Tyson cowrote five tracks. These eight tracks had been written specifically for The Bells by members of The Harris Machine. It seemed that The Harris Machine was like a one-stop-shop for music, one where member wrote, played on, arranged and produced some great music. This music was recorded quickly by The Dells, with some of Philly’s finest musicians accompanying them. Recording at Sigma had been an ambition of The Dells, and now they’d achieved this, but would They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! prove to be the album to get The Dells career back on track?

Before the release of They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It!, Betcha Never Been (Loved Like This Before), which reached number twenty-nine in the US R&B Charts. When They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! was released, it reached number 208 in the US Billboard 200 and number forty in the US R&B Charts. Then Our Love was released as a single, reaching number twenty in the US R&B Charts. Overall, two top thirty singles and an album that had fared better than its predecessor and one that had been well received by critics must have pleased The Dells. However, given the quality of music on They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! deserved to have been a much bigger commercial success, as you’ll see when I tell you about the music on the album.

They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! opens with Teaser, a track co-written by Allan Felder, Norman Harris and Ronald Tyson. The track is arranged by Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and sees The Dells give a performance you’d expect to hear on one of Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes early albums. As the track opens, a combination of the rhythm section, keyboards, blazing horns and lush cascading strings gives way to Marvin Junior’s throaty baritone. He’s accompanied by the rest of The Dells, their subtle harmonies blending beautifully with the quick arrangement. This includes a myriad of swirling strings, punchy horns and flourishes of keyboards, plus the tightest rhythm section in soul. Together they provide the perfect accompaniment to Marvin’s powerful, impassioned vamping vocal. By the end of this stunning, hook-laden, catchy track, The Harris Machine have transformed The Dells, introducing them to The Sound of Philadelphia, and in turn, making them honorary Philadelphians.

After such a great opening track, I was wondering whether the rest of the album would be as good. Well, Our Love doesn’t disappoint, with a sound that’s got Philly Sound written all over it. Opening with the rhythm section, bongos, sweeping strings and rasping horns, Marvin’s vocal is just as passionate and powerful, augmented by the other four Dells. As the tempo hits 128 beats per minute, the strings swirl and sweep, while the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section drive the track along, Earl’s drumming providing the heartbeat, while Norman’s guitar playing is unmistakable. Add to this punchy braying horns which punctuate the arrangement, add in Marvin’s raspy vocal, plus some beautiful, tight harmonies and you’ve the recipe for a classic slice of Philly Soul, one Gamble and Huff would be proud of.

On Could It Be, The Dells drop the tempo way down, on a track arranged by Norman Harris. It’s just a slow, thoughtful piano and Thom Bell sounding single horn and then rhythm section that open the track before Marvin’s vocal enters. His vocal mixes beauty, sincerity and passion as Marvin sings of his love for partner. Meanwhile, the other Dells contribute equally beautiful harmonies. Lush strings are added, adding to the romantic, heartfelt sound of this track, while Earl Young’s drums add to the drama and emotion of the track. This track reinforces just how talented a group The Dells were. Even after twenty-five years in the music business, they were still capable of producing a gorgeous sounding track, one that can’t fail to tug on your heartstrings.

Rich Man, Poor Man (Peace) is another track from the pen of Allan Felder, Norman Harris and Ronald Tyson, while Norman Harris arranges the track. This is a track with a message, with some powerful lyrics which in the hands of The Dells are delivered with sincerity and passion. Marvin’s vocal is powerful, almost angry, full of passion, as the other Dells add punchy harmonies. It’s sung against a backdrop where punchy, drums add drama, while strings dance around and Norman’s guitar punctuates the arrangement. After three minutes, a prolonged break occurs, where the musicians showcase their talents. The rhythm section provide the heartbeat, as strings swirl and sweep theatrically. You can almost sense the anticipation, as the vocal reenters. When it does, it’s impassioned, almost imploring for change and peace to occur. Truly, you can’t fault Marvin’s sincerity or passion, while The Harris Machine produce a powerful, dramatic arrangement, perfect for a song with a message like this.

The title-track They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! sees T.G. Conway arranging a track co-written by Allan Felder, Norman Harris and Ronald Tyson. Dancing, cascading strings, a jaunty rhythm section and punchy horns give way to the vocal. There’s a tenderness in it, which is a contrast to Marvin’s powerful, throaty baritone that replaces it. Quickly, the vocal again changes hands, with each Dell taking turns singing lead, about a love affair that outlasted everyone’s expectations. Meanwhile, the arrangement features pounding bass, Norman Harris searing guitar, blazing horns and swirling strings all combined with a disco beat. When this is combined with The Dells’ vocal talents, the result is not just a glorious song, but one that tells a story, and one that’s full of passion and emotion.

After hearing Waiting For You, you realize that this is a confessional song in a similar vein to Billy Paul’s Me and Mrs Jones. Co-written by Allan Felder, T.G. Conway and Ronald Tyson, this mid-tempo track tells of marital indiscretions. Sung against an arrangement that’s full of the lushest strings and rasping horns, all that’s needed are some impassioned, heartfelt vocals from The Dells. They don’t disappoint. It’s just piano, strings and punchy drums that give way to subtle, beautiful harmonies and then Marvin’s powerful, impassioned vocal. He pleas and begs, his vocal laden with sincerity and emotion. Earl’s drums and piano add to the songs drama, while horns drift above the arrangement, as this beautiful, emotive and dramatic track reveals its secrets. So powerful and emotive is this track, that it’s one of the album’s highlights.

How do you follow a track with the emotion and passion of Waiting For You? Well, The Dells answer to this is with something very different. Get On Down is an uptempo and uplifting dance track, with a tempo of 128 beats per minute. Bursts of punchy horns, cascading strings and the rhythm section open the track, before Marvin’s powerful vocal joins. The rest of The Dells add tight harmonies, before the vocal changes hands. Later, Norman Harris weaves a guitar solo across the arrangement, while the strings dance, horns rasp and Earl provides the track’s heartbeat. Every so often, you hear what sounds like a party in the Sigma studios, after Marvin encourages to “Get On Down.” By then it’s impossible to resist this tracks charms, resistance is impossible, all you can do is submit to its joyous, uplifting sound and “Get On Down.”

Closing They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! is the first single released from the album Betcha Never Been (Loved Like This Before) arranged by Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey. It’s a quite different track to the previous one, one steeped in the Philly Sound. the tempo is slower, with just drums, tender harmonies, piano and flourishes of harpsichord combining, before on the signal of the drum, The Dells what they do so well, sing tight harmonies. Then, Marvin’s vocal takes centre-stage, and he’s kept one of his best vocals until last. Here, he helps transform the song into something you’d expect to hear on an album by Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. The emotion, sincerity and passion in his voice is almost tangible, as the piano, drums and harmonies accompany him. For nearly five minutes, Marvin delivers a peerless vocal, probably his best on the album, while the rest of The Dells contribute subtle, beautiful harmonies. It seems that The Dells have kept the best to last, with this track easily, the best track on the album.

As someone whose long been a fan of The Dells music, I was really looking forward to reviewing They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It!, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The Harris Machine provided The Dells with eight great tracks to sing, while Norman Harris and his team of arrangers and producers worked their magic. In doing so, The Dells were given a Philly makeover, with swathes of the lushest strings, rasping horns and of course, the tightest rhythm section of the seventies, where Earl Young and Norman Harris worked their magic. Marvin Junior adds his throaty baritone to these arrangements, while Chuck Barksdale, Verne Allison, Mickey McGill and Johnny Carter adding harmonies. However, it wasn’t just Marvin whose lead vocal can be heard. Often, the lead vocal changes hands, with other Dells adding their vocal talents. Together with a team of songwriters, arrangers, musicians and producers, The Dells recorded one of their best albums in many a year. Although They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! wasn’t a huge commercial success, it deserved to do much better than it fared. Thankfully, They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! will be rereleased by SoulMusic.Com on 16th April 2012. This gives everyone the opportunity to rediscover this wonderful album, when The Dells with the help of The Harris Machine, became honorary Philadelphians on They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! Standout Tracks: Teaser, Could It Be, Waiting For You and Betcha Never Been (Loved Like This Before).

THE DELLS-THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE, BUT WE DID IT!