Soul Trax: "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips

This time a Facebook post by rock powerhouse producer ED STASIUM (Ramones, Talking Heads, Smithereens, Living Colour, etc) sent me down the rabbit hole.  Ed casually mentioned that 40 years ago he got his start in the business by engineering and mixing "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips as a wee lad in a basement in New Jersey.  

Um, say what!?

Do you mean the August, 1973 release, the Pips' only #1 Billboard pop hit, the Grammy-award-winning recording that features the bass work of Motown legend Bob Babbit and horns by the Brecker Brothers (among others) that also happened to by my mother's favorite record of all time, a 45-rpm 7" single that I was literally raised on?  That one?  Yep!  Oh, it gets weirder!  

It turns out that the song was originally a 1972 COUNTRY song called "Midnight PLANE to HOUSTON" and was written about future Charlie's Angel, FARRAH FAWCETT, and her then boyfriend Lee "6-Million Dollar Man" Majors by a former Univ. of Miss. quarterback named Jim Weatherly.  

Um, excuse me?  

Furthermore the title was changed to "Midnight TRAIN to GEORGIA" and recorded first by CISSY HOUSTON a year earlier in 1972.  It's all too much to go into!  Here's a detailed and an excellent article about the whole saga:

http://www.goldminemag.com/article/hop-aboard-the-midnight-train-to-georgia-with-gladys-knight-the-pips

On Weatherly's same self-titled 1972 RCA album LP with "Midnight Plane" on it, he also wrote another tune called: "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)." This song was recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips in January 1973, their last Motown recording before moving to Buddah Records.  It peaked at #2 on the Billboard pop chart.  Note: the Pips' version of "Neither One of Us" was 7 months BEFORE their version of "Midnight Train."  Both "Neither One of Us" and "Midnight Train" won Grammys.  Are you still with me?  

Continuing on.  

Weatherly also wrote a tune called "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me," which was originally a #1 COUNTRY hit for (then) aging star RAY PRICE in July, 1973.  It was recorded and released by Gladys Knight and the Pips in February, 1974.

Here are YouTube links to:

Jim Weatherly's original 1972 version of "Midnight Plane to Houston." 

http://youtu.be/LO6fNn-sXAc

Cissy Houston's original 1972 recording of "Midnight Train to Georgia."

http://youtu.be/HYc1BBoL_Lg

Jim Weatherly's original 1972 version of "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)."  I couldn't find a version with out the annoying "for reference only" voice over.  I apologize.

http://youtu.be/eKXsvdn5UD0

Ray Price's original version 1973 of "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me."

http://youtu.be/uZglwt9tPgY

I'm assuming you all have the original Gladys Knight & the Pips recording in your library.  But if you don't, do yourself a favor and listen to it again on YouTube (http://youtu.be/IdfZnWsps34) or something, knowing now what you now know!

Enjoy!

Your pal,
Ivan アイヴァン

www.funkboy.net

THE FALCONS!

Billy Vera just popped "You're So Fine" up on his Facebook page today, which, of course, sent me down the rabbit hole.  I know about The Falcons and was already a big fan of "I Found a Love."  But I didn't have "You're So Fine" in the library yet.  I do now!  And I'm reminded to send it out to you along with "I Found a Love" and just a brief note about the lightning that these young men captured in a bottle.

"You're So Fine" listen HERE.

THE FALCONS were founded in DETROIT in 1955 by EDDIE ("Knock on Wood") FLOYD.  Yes, that Eddie Floyd, along with:

Eddie Floyd (lead tenor, 1955-63), Bob Manardo (lead tenor, 1955-56), Tom Shetler (baritone vocals, 1955-56), Arnett Robinson (second tenor, 1955-56), Willie Schofield (bass vocals, 1955-63), Joe Stubbs (lead tenor, 1956-60, 1963), Lance Finnie (guitar, 1956-63), Mack Rice (baritone vocals, 1956-63), Wilson Pickett (lead tenor, 1960-63), Ben Knight (bass vocals, 1962), Gene "Earl" Martin (lead tenor, 1962).

SIR MACK RICE joined in 1956 and later went on to write a popular ditty called "Mustang Sally."

JOE STUBBS sings lead on "You're So Fine," which is considered by people who consider such things as being the first ever pure "SOUL" record in 1959.  Joe's brother, LEVI STUBBS had a popular combo called THE FOUR TOPS.  The musical direction for this particular side is credited to: SAX KARI, a fascinating character who was one of the actual founders of the African-American concert marketplace known affectionately as "The Chitlin' Circuit."  Here's a blurb about him from Preston Lauterbach's excellent book (which I highly recommend) on that very subject:  CLICK HERE.

In 1960 The Falcons picked up a wicked new lead singer named WILSON PICKETT who screams lead on "I Found a Love."  Yes, that Wilson Pickett.  Additionally, the backing band on this side are THE OHIO UNTOUCHABLES featuring Robert Ward (vocals/guitar), Marshall "Rock" Jones (bass), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (saxophone/guitar), Cornelius Johnson (drums), and Ralph "Pee Wee" Middlebrooks (trumpet/trombone).  After the Untouchables broke up in 1963, Satchell, Middlebrooks, and Jones went on to form a fun combo called the OHIO PLAYERS.  Yes, that Ohio Players.  

"I Found a Love" listen HERE.

So these gentlemen basically invented "soul" in DETROIT, but not for Motown!  Ironically, or perhaps precipitously, three of them (Pickett, Floyd, Rice) went on to huge prominence in MEMPHIS as part of the Stax family.

Enjoy!

Your pal,
Ivan アイヴァン

www.funkboy.net (website)
ivan@funkboy.net (email)