I've been asked more than once if I could do a soul set but keep saying no since I think I have maybe a half hour's worth at most of soul that I consider danceable.
Any favorite songs? Artists I should go listen to?
Soul Music to Lindy to...
Moderators: Mr Awesomer, JesseMiner, CafeSavoy
You should realize that Soul has a timing issue. A lot of Chicago/electric blues, New Orleans rock n roll and almost anything recorded using the "Lieber & Stoller Kit", was in some form of Latin rhythm. Those are your basic precursors to Soul, so a lot of Soul is in a Latin time of some sort.
Once you get past that, most of the 8 count tempos are either fast or slow, so it is hard to mix it up.
That said, here's a mix of hits and obscures worth hunting down:
James Brown - "I'll Go Crazy"
The Impressions - "I Love You"
The Fabulous Peps - " I Love You"
Aretha Franklin - "Try Matty's"
Bobby Bennett And The Dynamics - "Soul Jerk (Parts 1 & 2)"
Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces - "Go Ahead And Burn"
Johnny "Guitar" Watson - " I Say I Love You"
Mel & Tim - " Backfield In Motion"
a lot of Sam Cooke tunes (or Sam Cooke derivative like The Ovations)
Many Sam & Dave tunes such as " Soothe Me", " A Place Nobody Can Find"
Soul Brothers Six - "Some Kind Of Wonderful"
The Temptations - " Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"
Wilson Pickett - "6345789"
Eddie Floyd - " Knock on Wood"
Many hits by Booker T. & the MG's or,
as an alternative Eddie Bo - "Eddie's Rubber Band"
lots of James Brown workouts, even with the JBs such as Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s - "If You Don't Get It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again"
Marvin Gaye - " You're A Wonderful One"
The Fiestas - " All That's Good"
Here are some tunes that always get a big reaction even though I wouldn't play more than one in a set and most of them I wouldn't partner dance to:
Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto - " In The Basement, Pt. 1"
Spencer Wiggins "Double Lovin"
Maurice & Mac - "You Left The Water Running"
O.V. Wright - " Ace of Spades"
Aretha Franklin - " (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone"
Bill Coday - " When You Find A Fool Bump His Head"
Candi Staton - " Heart On A String"
Chris Harris - " Tell 'Em I Am Who I Am"
Ronnie Love - " Detroit Michigan"
Here are some of my personal faves:
Dee Dee Warwick - " You're No Good"
The Dixie Cups - " I'm Gonna Get You Yet"
Baby Huey - live version of " Mighty Mighty"
Eddie & Ernie - " Bullets Don't Have Eyes "
Lavern Baker And Jimmy Ricks - " You're The Boss"
Eddie Bo And Inez Cheatham - " Lover And A Friend"
Howard Tate - " Look At Granny Run Run"
Joe Jones - " California Sun"
Little Milton - " I Play Dirty"
Otis Redding - " Look at That Girl"
Rufus Thomas - " The Memphis Train"
Solomon Burke - " Stupidity"
Mel & Tim - "I've Got Puredee"
Most of these you can check out on youtube and find wherever.
Once you get past that, most of the 8 count tempos are either fast or slow, so it is hard to mix it up.
That said, here's a mix of hits and obscures worth hunting down:
James Brown - "I'll Go Crazy"
The Impressions - "I Love You"
The Fabulous Peps - " I Love You"
Aretha Franklin - "Try Matty's"
Bobby Bennett And The Dynamics - "Soul Jerk (Parts 1 & 2)"
Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces - "Go Ahead And Burn"
Johnny "Guitar" Watson - " I Say I Love You"
Mel & Tim - " Backfield In Motion"
a lot of Sam Cooke tunes (or Sam Cooke derivative like The Ovations)
Many Sam & Dave tunes such as " Soothe Me", " A Place Nobody Can Find"
Soul Brothers Six - "Some Kind Of Wonderful"
The Temptations - " Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"
Wilson Pickett - "6345789"
Eddie Floyd - " Knock on Wood"
Many hits by Booker T. & the MG's or,
as an alternative Eddie Bo - "Eddie's Rubber Band"
lots of James Brown workouts, even with the JBs such as Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s - "If You Don't Get It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again"
Marvin Gaye - " You're A Wonderful One"
The Fiestas - " All That's Good"
Here are some tunes that always get a big reaction even though I wouldn't play more than one in a set and most of them I wouldn't partner dance to:
Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto - " In The Basement, Pt. 1"
Spencer Wiggins "Double Lovin"
Maurice & Mac - "You Left The Water Running"
O.V. Wright - " Ace of Spades"
Aretha Franklin - " (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone"
Bill Coday - " When You Find A Fool Bump His Head"
Candi Staton - " Heart On A String"
Chris Harris - " Tell 'Em I Am Who I Am"
Ronnie Love - " Detroit Michigan"
Here are some of my personal faves:
Dee Dee Warwick - " You're No Good"
The Dixie Cups - " I'm Gonna Get You Yet"
Baby Huey - live version of " Mighty Mighty"
Eddie & Ernie - " Bullets Don't Have Eyes "
Lavern Baker And Jimmy Ricks - " You're The Boss"
Eddie Bo And Inez Cheatham - " Lover And A Friend"
Howard Tate - " Look At Granny Run Run"
Joe Jones - " California Sun"
Little Milton - " I Play Dirty"
Otis Redding - " Look at That Girl"
Rufus Thomas - " The Memphis Train"
Solomon Burke - " Stupidity"
Mel & Tim - "I've Got Puredee"
Most of these you can check out on youtube and find wherever.
Love your list, Zev!
Some more things to look into:
"Sweet Soul Music", Arthur Conley
"Good Rockin' Tonight", Curley Bridges
"Twistin' the Night Away", Sam Cooke
"The Oogum Boogum Song", Brenton Wood
"I Like It Like That (Part 1)", Chris Kenner
"Do You Love Me", The Contours
"Lovers Who Wander", Dion (O.K., so that's more pop/rock than soul)
"Take My Love with You", Eli 'Paperboy' Reed & the True Loves
"Fine Brown Frame", Lou Rawls
"Chain Gang", Sam Cooke
"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)", The Four Tops
"Reet Petite (the Finest Girl You Ever Want to Meet)", Jackie Wilson
Perhaps less lindy-ish-dance-able, but popular with dancers around here nonetheless:
"I Got You (I Feel Good)", James Brown
"Think", Aretha Franklin
"ABC", The Jackson 5
Some more things to look into:
"Sweet Soul Music", Arthur Conley
"Good Rockin' Tonight", Curley Bridges
"Twistin' the Night Away", Sam Cooke
"The Oogum Boogum Song", Brenton Wood
"I Like It Like That (Part 1)", Chris Kenner
"Do You Love Me", The Contours
"Lovers Who Wander", Dion (O.K., so that's more pop/rock than soul)
"Take My Love with You", Eli 'Paperboy' Reed & the True Loves
"Fine Brown Frame", Lou Rawls
"Chain Gang", Sam Cooke
"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)", The Four Tops
"Reet Petite (the Finest Girl You Ever Want to Meet)", Jackie Wilson
Perhaps less lindy-ish-dance-able, but popular with dancers around here nonetheless:
"I Got You (I Feel Good)", James Brown
"Think", Aretha Franklin
"ABC", The Jackson 5