EDDIE KENDRICKS-GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE.
EDDIE KENDRICKS-GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE.
For Eddie Kendricks, hooking up with Norman Harris for his seventh album He’s A Friend had rejuvenated his flagging career. Just three years before He’s A Friend, the future looked a lot brighter for Eddie Kendricks. Eddie had made his commercial breakthrough with his third album Eddie Kendricks, released in May 1973. It reached number eighteen in the US Billboard 200 and number five in the US R&B Chart and featured the number one US R&B single Keep On Truckin.’ Critics predicted Eddie would become one of the biggest soul singers of the seventies. Their predictions looked to be coming true when Eddie released his fourth album Boogie Down, his most successful album. Boogie Down reached number thirty in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts. The title-track Boogie Down gave Eddie his most successful single, reaching number three in the US Billboard 100 and number one in the US R&B Charts. Critics hailed Boogie Down Eddie Kendricks’ best album so far. Eddie’s star was definitely in the ascendancy. That wasn’t to be the case.
After Boogie Down, Eddie released For You in December 1974. It failed to match the success of his two previous albums, stalled at number 108 in the US Billboard 200, it reached number eight in the US R&B Charts. At least the single Shoeshine Boy, reached number eighteen in the US Billboard 100 and number one in the US R&B Charts. In July 1975, things got worse for Eddie. His sixth solo album The Hit Man, reached just number sixty-three in the US Billboard 200 and number eight in the US R&B Charts. This was where Norman Harris and some of Philly’s best songwriters, arrangers, producers and musicians came in. Norman and His Philly friends played their part in getting Eddie’s career back on track. He’s A Friend was released in February 1976, reaching number thirty-eight in the US Billboard 200 and number three in the US R&B Charts. That’s not forgetting the four hit singles released from He’s A Friend. So after the success of He’s A Friend, Eddie Kendricks and Philly’s finest joined forces once again, for the recording of Eddie’s eights album Goin’ Up In Smoke. Could they replicate the success of He’s A Friend with Goin’ Up In Smoke?
Buoyed by the commercial success and critical acclaim of He’s A Friend, work began on Goin’ Up In Smoke. Norman Harris and Allan Felder penned five tracks, Goin’ Up In Smoke, The Newness Is Gone, Sweet Tendori, Born Again and Don’t Put Off Till Tomorrow. Bruce Gray cowrote two tracks. With Phil Hurtt he penned Thanks For The Memories and with T.G. Conway Frank Snowdon and Mike Holden, wrote To You From Me. The songwriting team of Reginald Turner, Jerry Akines, Johnny Belmon and Victor Drayton contributed two tracks, Music Man and Skeleton In Your Closet. Brian Evans, Donald Harmon and John Falson wrote the other track, Don’t You Want Light. These ten tracks became Goin’ Up In Smoke, which was recorded and mixed at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, owned by Joe Tarsia.
At Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, many of the same personnel that played on He’s A Friend reconvened. Providing the album’s heartbeat were the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, along with bassist Michael “Sugar Bear” Foreman and drummer Charles Collins, who played supporting roles. Guitarists included Bobby “Electronic” Eli and T.J. Tindall, while Larry Washington played congas and Vince Montana Jr. vibes. Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey, Carlton Ken, T.G. Conway and Bruce Hawkes played keyboards. Strings and horns came courtesy of Don Renaldo. Adding backing vocals along with The Sweethearts of Sigma, Barbara Ingram, Evette Benton and Carla Benson, assisted by Allan Felder, Bruce Gray, Carl Helm and Phil Hurtt. Arrangers included Jack Faith, Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey, T.G. Conway and Norman Harris who produced Goin’ Up In Smoke.
On the release of Goin’ Up In Smoke in September 1976, right at the height of disco’s popularity, the album stalled at number 114 in the US Billboard 200 and number twenty-two in the US R&B Charts. Looking back, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s is no surprise that Goin’ Up In Smoke didn’t replicate the success of He’s A Friend, given disco was now the most possible musical genre. Suddenly, soul albums, regardless of their quality, were no longer as popular. Only the title-track Goin’ Up In Smoke, charted, when released as single, stalling at number eleven in the US Dance Charts. It seemed after the commercial failure of Goin’ Up In Smoke, Eddie Kendrick’s career was at another musical crossroads. However, what does the music on Goin’ Up In Smoke sound like?
Opening Goin’ Up In Smoke is the title-track Goin’ Up In Smoke, written by Allan Felder and Norman Harris, who arranged and produced the track. It’s as if producer Norman Harris is determined to lay down his marker with this track. Growling horns, sweeping, swirling strings and a pulsating heartbeat courtesy of the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section set the scene for Eddie’s tender, joyful falsetto. Urgent, soulful harmonies from The Sweethearts of Sigma answer Eddie’s vocal, soaring above the arrangement. Soon, Eddie’s vocal grows in power and emotion. Strings dance, while Earl Young’s drums and Ron Baker’s bass match each other, every step of the way. Bursts of drama from Earl’s drums, cascading strings and funky guitars unite with Eddie. He picks up where he left off on He’s A Friend, with a dramatic, emotive and deeply soulful track.
The Newness Is Gone is another of the Allan Felder and Norman Harris penned tracks. The tempo drops, but the drama remains. Just percussion, subtle plucked strings, wistful horns and a prowling Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section combine. Then when Eddie’s vocal enters, it’s wistful, filled with hurt and sadness. Harmonies sweep in, reflecting the heartache and emotion in Eddie’s vocal. Adding to this are the swathes of strings, melancholy horns. Eddie’s wonders, ponders who things have gone so wrong? Reflecting and heartbroken, he sings: “The Newness Is Gone and the love is gone,” laying bare his soul in the process. Quite simply, heartachingly beautiful.
Sweet Tendori sees a the tempo increase and Eddie deliver a sassy, sensual vocal. Dancing strings, searing, sizzling guitars and Baker, Harris, Young’s thunderous, pounding rhythm section combine. They drive the arrangement along, tempo and temperature rising. Eddie’s sassy, playful and teasing vocal is swept along, above layers of cascading strings, while percussion, vibes and chiming guitars join The Sweethearts of Sigma sweet harmonies. Providing the pulsating heartbeat are the rhythm section. Eddie having recovered from his heartbreak, has found his sass and zest for life again, delivering the vocal with a swing.
Born Again is the last of four consecutive Allan Felder and Norman Harris penned tracks. Norman arranges and produces the track, where there’s no drop in tempo, on a dance-floor friendly track, with made in Philly written all over it. It literally bursts into life, Baker, Harris, Young and Don Renaldo’s dancing strings at the heart of the arrangement. Like a musical juggernaut, with Baker, Harris, Young take turns at the steering wheel. Eddie’s falsetto floats above the arrangement, while The Sweethearts of Sigma reflecting the hope and happiness in Eddie’s vocal.
Don’t You Want Light sees T.G. Conway take over arranging duties, as this as this slice of musical sunshine unfolds. Punchy rasping horns, swirling strings and the rhythm section accompany Eddie’s joyous, soaring vocal. Filled with happiness, harmonies answer Eddie’s cascading, heartfelt falsetto. Meanwhile, Baker, Harris, Young, layers of lush strings, percussion and searing guitars provide the irresistible, uptempo backdrop for Eddie’s vocal, as this slice of musical sunshine closes Side One of Goin’ Up In Smoke.
Side Two of Goin’ Up In Smoke, opens with Music Man, arranged by Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey. At first glance, this is a very different sounding track. It was written by Reginald Turner, Jerry Akines, Johnny Belmon and Victor Drayton. Having said that, it’s infectiously catchy, uptempo track. Driven along by the bass, the arrangement marches and hustles along, strings sweeping and swirling and horns rasping. Spurred on, Eddie’s vocal is filled with joy, The Sweethearts of Sigma adding gospel-tinged backing vocals. Meanwhile, the arrangement takes on a hustle sound, as Eddie vamps his way through this hook laden track.
Bruce Gray and Phil Hurtt cowrote Thanks For The Memories, an uptempo Philly Soul track. Pizzicato strings give way to searing guitars, dancing strings and the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. They ensure the arrangement explodes into life. Eddie’s vocal is quick, tender and thankful. The Sweethearts of Sigma’s sweeping harmonies are the perfect foil, joyous and thankful. Chugging, funky guitars give the arrangement a hustle sound, while blazing horns, cascading strings and funk-drenched bass combine. By then the drama has grown. Now Eddie and The Sweethearts of Sigma drive each other to greater heights of drama, emotion and soulfulness, against a pulsating, sultry backdrop, as funk and Philly Soul unite.
Jack Faith arranged To You From Me, where the tempo drops. The arrangement has a real Jack Faith, Philly Soul sound. He combines swathes of strings, rasping horns and the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section with Vince Montana Jr’s vibes. Eddie’s impassioned, heartfelt vocal is accompanied by The Sweethearts of Sigma’s cooing harmonies, a wistful, floaty flute and bursts of growling horns. Bobby “Electronic” Eli adds chugging guitars, as Earl Young’s drums provides bursts of drama and Eddie delivers a tender, impassioned and deeply soulful vocal.
Don’t Put Off Till Tomorrow was written the fifth and final track written by Norman Harris and Allan Felder. Keyboard player Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey arranged the track. It’s a mid-tempo track, where Baker, Harris, Young join with cascading strings and blazing horns to accompany Eddie. His falsetto soars above the arrangement, with deep harmonies providing a contrast to his airy falsetto. Then when the harmonies drop out, the strings sweep the arrangement along, and it floats hopefully and joyfully to the close.
Closing Goin’ Up In Smoke is Skeleton In Your Closet arranged by Norman Harris and Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey. This is quite an apt way to close the album, given the track’s Philly Soul sound. Key to this are layers of lush strings, Baker, Harris, Young who provide the track’s heartbeat. The Sweethearts of Sigma add some of their sweetest and soulful harmonies, as Eddie’s vocal is tender, heartfelt and sincere. Providing contrasts are the guitars. Norman Harris’ guitar is jazz-tinged, while Bobby “Electronic” Eli’s chukka chukka guitar, is funkier. However, it’s Eddie’s vocal and The Sweethearts of Sigma’s harmonies that make this track such a soulful way to close Goin’ Up In Smoke.
While Eddie Kendricks’ eighth album Goin’ Up In Smoke failed to replicate the success of He’s A Friend, this wasn’t so much to do with the music, but changes in musical tastes. When He’s A Friend had been released in February 1976, disco was popular, but by September 1976, disco was now the most popular musical genre. After that, soul artists, including Eddie Kendricks, were no longer as popular. The only alternative was climb onboard the disco bandwagon, or get left behind. Although some soul artists made a successful transition from soul to disco, some either couldn’t or wouldn’t. Not being willing or able to do so, meant their careers were often in jeopardy. For some artists, disco meant at least a temporary halt to their career. Worse still, their careers were over.
For many artists, including Eddie Kendricks, they released many great albums, including Goin’ Up In Smoke, during the disco era. Sadly, many of these albums often went unnoticed. It’s only now, that many of these albums, including Goin’ Up In Smoke, are receiving the recognition they so richly deserve. in the case of Goin’ Up In Smoke, Norman Harris and his team of Philly songwriters, arrangers, musicians and backing vocalists helped produce one of Eddie’s most underrated albums, Goin’ Up In Smoke. Indeed, Goin’ Up In Smoke with its combination of heartfelt, soul-baring ballads and uptempo, hook-laden, dance-floor friendly tracks is a glittering, hidden gem in Eddie Kendricks’ back-catalogue. Now thirty-seven years after the release of Eddie Kendricks eighth album, Goin’ Up In Smoke, maybe it’ll get the recognition and critical acclaim it truly deserves. Standout Tracks: Goin’ Up In Smoke, The Newness Is Gone, Born Again and To You From Me.
EDDIE KENDRICKS-GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE.
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