Deep Tracks: 15 Gems From Philadelphia International Records You May Not Have Heard
Philadelphia International Records was an influential label from the early ’70s to the late ’80s, instrumental in bringing Philly Soul music (a unique melding of doo-wop, traditional soul, and gospel) to record stores around the world. Among its storied roster were acts like the Intruders, the O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and Lou Rawls. The label’s in-house creative team comprised solely of the legendary songwriting and production team, Gamble & Huff, giving every track a signature sound.
While many are familiar with the big hits, Philadelphia International was also known for stellar album cuts, lost songs, and deep tracks. REBEAT mined the annals of Philadelphia International and its related labels to unearth some of the genre’s finest, yet oft-forgotten, moments.
1) “Who’s In The World,” The Ethics (Golden Fleece, 1972)
“You had me loving you/And now you say we’re through…” Yep, that’s the general idea. But really, has lost love ever sounded this heartbreaking? The ’70s had no shortage of tragic, falsetto-led mini-dramas, and the Ethics’s “Who In the World” is right up there with the best of them. This 3:59 cry for help captures the hopelessness of dashed dreams and offers no consolation. For fans of the genre, that’s what makes “Who in the World” so potent — and a bit eerie. Broken hearts are good for you!
2) “Let Me In Your World,” Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes (Philadelphia International, 1972)
The O’Jays recorded the first version of this track for their 1969 album, The O’Jays In Philadelphia, and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes did it a few years later for their own Philadelphia International debut. During their earliest recording sessions, a lot of the Blue Notes’ work was clearly meant to be more ensemble pieces, and that may have also been the goal for “Let Me Into Your World.”
But Teddy Pendergrass’ larger-than-life persona couldn’t help but shine through, and he came more into his own with every session. In fact, he was so good on songs like this, people thought he was Harold Melvin (that must have made Harold Melvin feel great!). Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes’s version of “Let Me Into Your World” edged out the original O’Jays version due to the updated production values and Pendergrass’s impassioned ad-lib, “Open the door or I’ll bust it in.”
3) “Love Is Here,” The Futures (Gamble, 1972)
“Love Is Here” is one of those songs people loved even though they may have never known who recorded it. This almost unbearably sweet and striking track was recorded by the Futures, a star-crossed group whose career trajectory could almost be a cautionary tale to not get into the music business.
This song, however, is outstanding. In an era full of falsetto singers, the Futures’s Kenny Crews was an unnervingly good one. The lyrics are clear and defined throughout — even the cheesy bit about “lovebirds in a tree.” But it really packs a punch when the group sings, “Ain’t nothing in this world gonna to separate us,” showcasing just how deep and lush the Futures’ trademark harmony could get.
Oddly enough, “Love Is Here” (b/w “Stay With Me”) was the only work the group did with Philadelphia International in the early ’70s. Yet after leaving Philadelphia International’s Gamble label in the mid-’70s, the Futures re-signed with them in the late ’70s and issued a couple of fine and stylish albums.
4) “Something For Nothing,” MFSB (Philadelphia International, 1973)
This is a transitional masterpiece from Philadelphia’s house band and recording entity MFSB partnered with arranger, conductor, and producer Thom Bell. The stately and emotional “Something For Nothing” is reminiscent of the eccentric, melodious work Bell did with the Delfonics. Although Bell would become famous with his styles typified from his work with the Spinners and later Elton John, it’s always a joy to hear the classically trained Bell work in this baroque style.
5) “New York Is Lonely Town,” Dick Jensen (Philadelphia International, 1973)
The Hawaii-born entertainer Dick Jensen didn’t make a big splash in the United States. After a few modest hits stateside, Jensen signed to Philadelphia International in 1973. Although Jensen and Philadelphia International weren’t a perfect match, it’s hard to understand why “New York Is a Lonely Town” wasn’t a bigger hit.
The arrangement is pure, early ’70s Philly soul, a slow grower that becomes more impassioned as Jensen’s vocals become grittier midway through. By 2:08, the song takes on a fever pitch — so intense that the listener just might see Jensen walking the streets and searching for a love that alludes him.
6) “Save the Children,” The Intruders (Gamble, 1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reKynWXzSQ0
The Intruders were Gamble & Huff’s first main group, during the early days when the Gamble label was distributed by Chess Records. “Save the Children” was originally a song from Gil Scott-Heron; in the Intruders version, the production enhanced the song’s inherent poignant message and melody.
Unlike a lot of “perfect” Philadelphia productions, “Save the Children”‘s greatest appeal was its flawless instrumentation, melded with the Intruders’ close and warbling harmonies and Sonny Brown’s patented woozy lead vocals. This version of “Save The Children” might have bested Heron’s original version, adding more sorrow to a plea that seems to be everlasting.
7) “That’s How Long I’ll Be Loving You,” Bunny Sigler (Philadelphia International, 1974)
The talented Bunny Sigler is known as one of music’s great minds — and greater eccentrics. The devotional “That’s How Long” displays Sigler’s skill at crafting an emotional and potent song that didn’t waste a single second. Although he’s primarily known as a writer, he proved to be a powerful vocalist, so much so that the listener might be glad he saved this gem for himself instead of giving it to the O’Jays.
8) “Lonelier Are Fools,” The Three Degrees (Philadelphia International, 1975)
In the mid-’70s, the Three Degrees was Philadelphia International’s premier female group. This track is from their 1975 album International. The sad “Lonelier Are Fools” was written by Bruce Hawes, Joseph Jefferson, and Charles Simmons, a trio responsible for many of the Spinners’ hits and album cuts.
From the crystal clear production values to the mournful string arrangement, a listener knew this was Philly from the outset. The harps and brass also made it clear, as no other style and studio (Sigma Sound) could capture this sound so vividly. The song itself is a great one. By this point, a lot of the language used in Philly songs often made little sense grammatically but worked phonetically and emotionally. That’s why a lyric like “…He gave me fragments of my past/Now I’m crying alone…” rings too true.
Sadly, these were the last sessions the Three Degrees did with Philadelphia International, as they suggested the potential for so much more great work to come.
9) “We’re Not Getting Any Younger,” Kaleidoscope (TSOP, 1975)
Arranged by Norman Harris, one of the Philly sound’s best producers, this song has a trademark gritty vibe from production team Baker, Harris, and Young. Like most of Philly tracks, “We’re Not Getting Any Younger” had an interesting and thought-provoking subject matter: two people who met in “kindergarten school,” and the boy fell in love with the girl as she moved on through the years.
“We’re Not Getting Any Younger” has picturesque lyrics, great rhyme schemes, and tough yet poignant production. Lead singer James Perry put the song over the top with his piercing falsetto that sold the song and gave the lyrics a sense of urgency. Songs like “We’re Not Getting Any Younger” makes a listener wish this talented group had released an entire album.
10) “Survival,” The O’Jays (Philadelphia International,1975)
“I’m just about to lose my mind / One step away from the breadline.” That’s a long way from “Love Train.” By the time they released their Back Stabbers album, The O’Jays became the true mouthpiece of Gamble & Huff and often sang their beliefs, their hopes, and their fears.
They continue this trend on the frantic “Survival.” This track is a tough and nearly dystopian view of 1974/1975 America. But given Philadelphia International’s skill at record making, the sense of desperation became entertaining with bit of hyperbole mixed into the raw emotions of the song.
11) “Show You the Way to Go,” The Jacksons (Philadelphia International/Epic, 1976)
In 1976, Philadelphia International got its first established act when it signed the Jackson Five, later rechristened “The Jacksons.” The group swapped Jermaine for Randy, and Gamble & Huff allowed them to grow up when Motown seemed reluctant to let them. In that light, “Show You the Way to Go” was an interesting song choice.
Philadelphia International was very mature, readily identifiable, and Michael Jackson (who was 17 during the recording) was truly adept at picking up on Philly’s rhythms, cadences, and swing. It also helped that Jackson was one of the most mature teenagers in pop history. Gamble & Huff kept a tight reign on the Jacksons’ album, and they also wrote and produced this track.
Although this song was popular on radio stations up until the ’80s, its popularity fell off after that. Regrettably so, since it’s the best representation of the Sound of Philadelphia merging with the sound of the Jacksons.
12) “How Good is Your Game,” Billy Paul (Philadelphia International, 1977)
By 1976, Billy Paul was getting lost in the shuffle. Philadelphia International had signed acts like Lou Rawls and the Jacksons; Billy Paul seemed to be an afterthought. But not so with “How Good is Your Game.” His 1976 Let Em’ In album felt like a second wind for Paul and featured a title track from a very different Paul, a cover of Wings’s “Let Em’ In.”
“How Good Is Your Game” was just as good. This track is hip, urbane, and was one of the sharpest songs Billy Paul ever got a chance to record. If there’s anything that makes his song stand out, it’s the sweeping chorus. Although it was recorded during the peak of the disco era, “How Good Is Your Game” has timeless panache.
13) “Not the Staying Kind,” Lou Rawls (Philadelphia International, 1977)
By the mid-’70s, Rawls’s career was declining. In 1976, he signed to Philadelphia International and the turnaround was immediate. “Not The Staying Kind” shows Rawls’s versatility as a romantic crooner, even though Rawls was more well-known for his decades of singing “the blues.”
This track typifies his early Philadelphia style: breezy, pragmatic, and self-possessed to a fault. If Rawls had one gift, it was living the lyrics and giving voice to a song’s protagonist. On “Not the Staying Kind,” Rawls gives the song a bittersweet tone that makes it believable and emotional. (Though let’s face it, Rawls was no lover-man, so the idea of him leaving might give a lot of women a sense of relief more than anything.)
14) “You’ll Never Know All There Is to Know ’bout My Love,” The O’Jays (TSOP, 1980)
Yep, men have secrets, too. Even the biggest O’Jays fan might have forgotten this tour de force of emotion, vulnerability, and volume. By this point, their guaranteed pop success seemed to be a distant memory, and for better or worse, the O’Jays were relegated to the R&B charts.
But that’s the good news — they became free to emote in classic R&B style. On “You’ll Never Know (All There Is to Know ’bout My Love),” lead singers Eddie Levert and Walter Williams are doing their fair share of moaning, howling, and complaining — and the listener can’t help but love it. This track is a study in pacing, camaraderie, and high drama.
15) “Get as Much Love as You Can,” The Jones Girls (Philadelphia International, 1980)
The Jones Girls represented the last gasp of Philadelphia International as a hit-making, fully functioning entity. Prior to their debut, the Jones Girls were well known as a background group for artists like Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, and Diana Ross. By 1979, they were a successful recording entity in their own right, and they quickly became one of the premier R&B girl groups.
“Get As Much Love As You Can” is a bittersweet song written by Gamble & Huff and produced in the classic Philly ballad style. While the Jones Girls could do songs like this in their sleep, the little things count here, like the guitar repeating a poignant riff and the addition of old-timey piano.
Of course, the Jones Girls put it over the top with their shimmering, three-dimensional harmony. With its sharp singing, sage advice, and bittersweet emotion, no wonder this was one of Luther Vandross’ favorite songs.
Did we miss any miss any Philadelphia International gems? Let us know in the comments.
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Jason Elias
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Kevin Quinn