Kicking off the annual Black Music History Month celebration (yes… I know “officially” Black Music Month is June however… this is how we do it!) by remembering Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass.
Most know the story of the soul group searching of a strong voice, similar to Marvin Junior of The Dells, to round out the sound and secure a record deal. That voice was found in drummer Teddy Pendergrass and from then on the group flourished at Philadelphia International Records. With the Philly Sound behind them, they released four great albums during the “Teddy Bear” era. Pendergrass left the group after the release and success of their McFadden & Whitehead produced album, Wake Up Everybody. If you don’t know them by now… well… now, you do… Enjoy!
…the hit that started it all, “I Miss You”…check out TP’s perm… yes… perm… didn’t know if this was real footage at first…
…or did this set if off… “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” …TEN LONG YEARS!!! …peep Teddy’s “Where’s my money?” face in the beginning… also, check out the… uhh… wardrobe… maybe I shouldn’t give the skinny jeans wearers a hard time…
…hit off the Black & Blue album… “The Love I Lost”… could be credited as a resource for deep house music… check out the change around 3:40…
…in 1975, men expressed the Tiger in us all with “To Be True”… in 2010, we bluntly say I wish I could pluck* “Every Girl” in the world… I prefer how they said it back then…
…Sharon Paige comes in and shows Melvin how it’s done on “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon”… then Teddy jumps in the final moments of the track to remind us who’s group it really is…
…“Bad Luck” is the definition of McFadden & Whitehead music (see: “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”)… a message with a groove… it was songs like this that kept disco going strong… it wasn’t until the message was removed from disco that the genre began to die… TAKE A HINT HIP HOP!!!
…song is still current and needs no introduction… “Wake Up Everybody”
…before Thelma Houston topped the charts with it, Brother Teddy put his spin on it… “Don’t Leave Me This Way”…
BONUS CLIP: This may be the realest intro’s since Isaac’s monologue on “By The Time I Get To Phoenix”… it’s not a coincidence the song is called “Be For Real”… I don’t think many knew at the time… that telling women what the hell he wanted them to do… when and how… would become Teddy’s style… TURN EM’ OFF!!!
I hope you’ve enjoyed the music… as much as I have… and do…
Soul you tomorrow,
– dre of onustees.com
