Leave It To Luck - Topper Headon

The first track of former Clash drummer Topper Headon's solo 1986 solo album Waking Up. Recorded during Headon's heroin addiction, which many of the songs deal with, the album is a curious mix of soul, jazz, funk and R&B. Headon gets excellent help from old Clash buddy and Blockheads member Mickey Gallagher on keyboards, Bobby Trench on lead guitar and Jimmy Helms supplying the vocals.
I don't know if the album is available anywhere at all these days, but if you see it, I'd say it's definitely worth a few bucks. Nothing particulary exciting, but certainly enjoyable and professional work.
The album was dedicated to the memory of late Pretenders guitarist Pete Farndon, whom Headon was planning to start a group with after his dismissal from The Clash.
This particular song a poppy funker with nice vocal work and organ work, even the lyrics are subpar to the rest of the album.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Topper
• Headon
• The
• Clash
• Mick
• Gallagher
• Bob
• Trench
• Jimmy
• Helms
• Mercury
• 1986
• R&B
• Funk
• Jazz
• Soul
• Jeremy
• Green

[whitedwarf13]

Topper looks like my maths teacher.

[therealsoulproduct]

Surprisingly, this song actually holds up well, even today.

[calboy64]

topper would kick your balls 

[guathay]

Mannn!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW I love this song requires a yet to be invented language!

[Magicpuffle]

@mimiouac just pop across the channel. xx

[mimiouac]

topper headon is definitely my hero , i'm sixteen years old and i love this album!

i begun drums just because of him , my dream is one day to meet him (even if i live in france)

[faustobe]

Topper papa's got a brand new bag...

[gh9448]

@whitedwarf13 Well, if he was your English teacher, he'd certainly correct you on your spelling.

[Gordy1201998]

The singer is Jimmy Helms, who had a huge solo hit, but also sang on several hits from Paul Young, en who was the leading voice of London Beat. Maybe the best black mail soul singer from the last 35 years. The female voices, ... DC Lee and Jaki Graham are excellent.

Powerful song, but ofcourse not very well known.

[davymgaunt]

@wirebead Before Topper joined The Clash he earned his living as a Jazz and Soul drummer....as proved here, he was and still is pretty good!

[TailsPunk]

Toppie Topper XD