Northern Soul - Candy and the Kisses - The 81

[smithywick]

absolute class.. wat a fantastic sound.... modern day music cant match this :-)

[Sheven718]

nice to see the ol' cameo parkway label again, great track from back in the day, they had some nice stuff on cameo, bunny sigler, let the good times roll,, doris troy, i'll do anything, chubby checker, at the discotheque, to name a few, many thanks for posting, regards dave

[Bonneville462]

And there still played in Pittsburgh.....

[soulguy10306]

Don't forget- they were from Staten Island, NY even though they recorded in Philly

[billduncan411]

I heard Kenny Gamble (of Gamble & Huff) say that the 81 was their first hit.

[Braveautogroup]

Nice one, Classic Northern, Keep up the Faith

[righttrackkid]

Brillliant brilliant brilliant!

[starbell1999]

i first heard this on siruis radio like the beat has that motown sound.

[sandy51500]

I remember doing the 81. there was a dance you did that went with the song. It was murder on the ankles.

[sandy51500]

I remember doing the dance "the 81". It is rough on your ankles

[TheEaglesnum1]

Cameo records was out of philly as was this group. Became #1 dance hit in Philly until record was pulled cause of berry Gordy suing iver similarity to 'in my lonely room' by Martha and the Vandellas. LOved to dance to this song at Jerry Blavat's record hops. He still plays at his club in Margate,NJ

[z30soulbrother]

@TheEaglesnum1 yes i had "in my lonely room" by martha (1964) They are so similar!

[akikintheteeth]

First heard this on chiltern radio 1988 (the station manager was a huge northern soul/motown fan and the station would go motown on friday afternoons and play a heavy mix of dance music at the weekends - you don't want to hear the station now!) Thanks for posting this cracking tune.

[Bonneville462]

This is still a big hit in Pittsburgh..

[Kabobit2]

this is a Jerry Ross Production out of Philly.

[jrusso9722]

Hi Dick, Many thanks for your message. Yes, not Motown. But as good as Motown was what I wanted to convey. Motown has my respect, but, so does "81". Love it to death. Happy New Year.

[jrusso9722]

Fabulous tune. I think it's alot more original than "In My Lonely Room", which was a very good song. "81" deserves a rare place in doowop history. I don't know why "no contest" was plead..could be alot of reasons. The song has my Gold Medal for lyrics and sound. Motown has my respect, but this tune, like many Motown hits, is a Masterpiece on it's own.

[DickAllen4HOF]

@jrusso9722 This song is not MOTOWN. The 81 is PHiladelphia and a Philadelphia classic at that. The 81 got considerable Philadelphia radio and TV airplay in its day. A day I wish we could re-live.

[psteverific]

Really good song, I'm glad I stumbled upon it.

but I can't help wondering how the Hells Angels feel about it

[art1959lee]

influenced by "in my lonely room", maybe, but not really a copy... this is probably the "proto-MFSB" band playing on this, not the funk brothers. great song, though...

[MusicManKevin]

@art1959lee Leon Huff of Gamble & Huff fame was the pianist.

[entity909]

love this tnx

[dpohunter]

Always liked this song. I once heard some mention of litigation surrounding the premise that "The 81" too closely copied "In My Lonely Room", and that Cameo-Parkway had to pay damages to Motown(?). Is any of this true?

[MusicManKevin]

@dpohunter Motown did sue Kenny Gamble & Jerry Ross over "The 81" due to its striking cop of "In My Lonely Room". Kenny & Jerry plead no contest and the song has since been credited to Kenny Gamble/Jerry Ross/Edward Holland/Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier as well as Jobete Music (Motown's publishing company).

[hookalakah]

Hey dviaries, did The Geater lean on this record like Hy and Joe did? And what about Georgie Woods?

[dvlaries]

@hookalakah Not just this one, but I remember every Philadelphia DJ, white station or black, getting behind everybody on Arctic (Barbara Mason & The Volcanoes, pointedly), Brenda & the Tabulations, the Magnificent Men, the Soul Survivors and Jay & the Techniques. It seemed like it was a great city to have a home-grown record, if you were willing to make the interview rounds and talk to the deejays.

[DickAllen4HOF]

It deosn't get more Philadelphia than this. Philadelphia neighborhoods were not only segrigated by race but by ethnic as well. Soon the civil rights movement would take a nasty turn. Yet songs like the 81 were popular from North to South Philly and every neighborhood in between.

[jivefyve]

Another Gamble and Huff blast from the past.

[233engine]

great song thanks for posting it dave

[paperroute50]

The Vandellas track that this came from is 'In My Lonely Room'.

[TheYorkshiresoulman]

Oh what memories ktf

[andersport]

AWESOME! When I first heard this song I thought it was martha Reeves & The Vandellas. it show the the strong influnence of the Motown Sound. I LOVE IT!! JUST lOVE IT!!

[wedge4hire]

@andersport That's funny, I always thought it was the Orlons. I remember my sisters and I got the 45, and we played it to death!! So great to hear it again.

Thanks for posting

[graywayne]

great presentation of a great track thanks vigo ktf -wayne

[64poncho462]

This was a hit here in Pittsburgh on KQV AM. That was when the people owned and ran radio...

[madog20]

possibly the 1st gamble-huff teamup

[dvlaries]

Even though the record only went to No. 51 nationally, AM radio DJs had a hell of a lot more clout in those days, and say-so about what they played. Philadelphia's Joe Niagra & Hy Lit of WIBG made sure every Philly youngster in that time knew this song. And I was one of them. Lit & Niagra were aggressively supportive of acts they knew were hometown based. Both of them returned to station's farewell week in 1977, and both of them made sure this got played again.

[billchew450]

@dvlaries The song may have not been too big nationally, but was huge in selected markets, especially Philly

where it originated. WABC wouldn't play it- a little racial? Let's let Cousin Brucie respond to this one.

[mhertz25]

The song sounds great because it is a 100% total rip-off of the Motown Sound of Martha and The Vandellas. Sure it sounds great - so would a song done by Beatle sound-a-likes that copied their sound and style. So - on one hand it's fun to listen to, but on the other hand, it's very creepy - like they just stole someone else's idea, you know?

[hookalakah]

Love this record but how could you ever be tired of doin' the monkey and the twist?

[babyblob01]

this song makes me just wanna get on mi feet

[keepingthefaith72]

top Northern classic ..always sounds fresh

nice one ..... KTF....

[gayle2020]

NEY NEY NEY NEY - I still have my original. Gee I'm THAT old. time sure did fly!!!!!!

[shillabarquet]

do u know what year is this song from?

[vigo101]

it was 1964 cameo records

[philip0460]

I used to play this song and the "B" side "Two Happy People" when I was very very young. My mom bought me one of those plastic record players and I wore this record out!

[gayle2020]

me too!!!!! I still have but its very WORN

[OB5er]

This is such a cool song! I don't understand why most oldies stations don't play it anymore. Thanks for posting it!

[soulbrother56]

briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii­iiiiiiiiiiliant ktf

[hookalakah]

Sounds like one of those recordings that the Motown houseband, the Funk Brothers, moonlighted on. When Berry found out--and he always did--there was hell (and usually a fine) to pay.

[RitzyTrailer]

I just can NOT Play this song LOUD enough! LOL.. thanks for posting!

[hookalakah]

Sure, Bronxfan--I'll teach it to you any time you want.

[RitzyTrailer]

Oh, Me too! PLEASE! Can SOMEone show us how to do this in a video? PLEASE? I want to do this just ONCE before I'm too old to do it!

[gayle2020]

reply to me when he does cause I want to see it

[Bronxfan]

I have always loved this song.  Does anyone know how to do the "81"?

[soultime54321]

great stuff

[mhomer4]

Great Song! I have the Cameo 45.

[kpitt1204]

This always reminds me of "In My Lonely RooM' by Martha & The Vandellas. Good Philly song!

[57Will]

They used "In My Lonely Room" as the basis for this song, from what I understand.

[dvlaries]

They are VERY similar, especially the jangle-y intros and ain't it great :-) It was originally on Cameo and tough to find on that label now. Motown actually sued earlier and won claiming Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time" (another Cameo single) copied the Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman," and Motown's house publisher, Jobete, ended up owning 'Potato' too. So this was tempting fate some more in 1964, but who cared: it was ALL terrific music. 'Cause it's so fine, do the 81.' :-)

[57Will]

You know, I never realized how similar the opening of "Mashed Potato Time" was to that of "Please Mr. Postman". Some of Cameo's later stuff (particularly Sharp's and the Orlons)did sound more heavily Motown influenced. But who cares? They're both great records, and ultimately, it's all about the greatness of the music anyway.

I have a copy of this on Cameo. Found it in a record store in NYC many years ago.

[MusicManKevin]

The 81 is part of the Cameo-Parkway CD boxed set but yes - good luck finding the original 45!

[57Will]

I was fortunate enough to find an original Cameo 45 of this song many years ago in a Greenwich Village record shop. Still have it in my collection of 45's at home.

[drwhatson]

Actually, it's not that difficult to find the original US 45 in the UK, as it's been imported in quantity since about 1971! - Much harder on UK cameo Parkway though!

[MusicManKevin]

Very true! Producer/co-writer Jerry Ross admitted in a reissue compilation that he & Kenny Gamble were at a teen dance in Philly where they saw kids dance the 81 to Martha's "In My Lonely Room" so they based the tempo and feel for their tune on the Motown classic. BTW - the pianist on "The 81" was Leon Huff!

[57Will]

I did not know Leon Huff was playing the piano on this tune. How exactly did one dance "The 81?" They never really told you how to do the dance in the song.

[MusicManKevin]

I guess one will have to find a clip of American Bandstand or a TV teen dance show where kids are dancing to either this tune or In My Lonely Room. BTW - I met Jerry Ross over ten years ago and he told me himself that Leon was on the record.

[shydi19]

excellent get the talc out  Di

[vigo101]

:) Thanks :D