Philadelphia All Stars - Let's Clean Up The Ghetto (1977)

It's a great song from 1977

Philadelphia International was founded in Philadelphia in 1971 by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. In the beginning, most of the artists in the Philadelphia International roster were coming from the closed Gamble and Neptune labels, but it soon expanded. 1972 was a very good year as the newly founded label struck gold with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' "I Miss You" and "If You Don't Know Me By Now," and Billy Paul's wonderful "Me And Mrs. Jones". Billy Paul had already released two albums on the Gamble and Neptune labels, but Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes were a real "discovery," having previously released only two singles on Landa (as the Blue Notes) in 1964 and Arctic in 1967. Their lead singer was Theodore Pendergrass, who began a successful solo career in 1977 on the same label before switching to Elektra.
Until the mid-'70s, these three artists, along with the occasional albums by the likes of the Intruders and the Three Degrees, provided most of the label output. The Three Degrees had already released singles on Swan, Metromedia, Roulette and Neptune in the '60s and early '70s, as well as a Richard-Barrett- produced album on Roulette, Maybe.
Most of the tracks were recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, with the help of the same session musicians. These included Earl Young (drums), Ronnie Baker (bass), Roland Chambers, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli (guitars), Larry Washington (percussion), Vincent Montana Jr. (vibes), Leon Huff, Ron Kersey and Leonard Pakula (keyboards) and Don Renaldo's strings and horns. These recording sessions were mostly produced by Gamble and Huff, but sometimes production was by in-house arrangers Bobby Martin and John "Kack Faith", songwriter's-arrangers Dexter Wansel and Walter "Bunny" Sigler, or session musicians (and sometimes composers) Norman Harris and Lenny Pakula. This core of musicians also released albums under the co-operative name of MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother) and hit big in 1974 with the instrumental "TSOP", which included backing vocals by the Three Degrees.
Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, along with their musicians and arrangers, did not write and produce solely for the Philadelphia International label, but also for others artists : the Spinners and Blue Magic on Atlantic, First Choice and the Delfonics on Philly Groove, the Persuaders on Atco, Eddie Kendricks on Tamla, the Temptations on Atlantic, the Love Committee on Gold Mind, and others. They also strongly influenced David Bowie for his "Young Americans" album.

Respect the copyrights

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Soul
• funk
• groove
• 70's
• music
• history

[brighton43]

The so called singers of today should listern to this as this is real talent at its best.

[hategrinder]

a classic

[Macdyle]

I love this song

[eber2886]

esto son unas reliquias que buenos musicos!

[MrCROPPO]

Lou Rawls at his best without a doubt

[hyrame1]

such happy memories dancing to this :)

[amazzone982]

bellissimo pezzo!

[stefanaugsburg]

and the great lou rawls with his georgeous voice ..... mr. lady love ....

[Nemkedvesficko]

UUUUhhhaaaa big funk;)

[funkutopia]

very good