Episode 15 | Sweet Sound of Soul

LoveLane Radio

Sweet Sound of Soul

Celebrate the Sweet Sound of Classic Soul with your favorite love songs performed by the stars of Motown, Tamla, Stax and more!

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TRACK LIST

Get Ready The Temptations (00:00:41)

Bring It On Home To Me Sam Cooke (00:03:35)

These Arms of Mine Otis Redding (00:06:46)

I Got You (I Feel Good) James Brown (00:09:32)

I Don’t Know What You Got (But It’s Got Me) Little Richard (00:12:35)

Respect Aretha Franklin (00:17:35)

Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours Stevie Wonder (00:20:24)

(Your Love is Lifting Me) Higher and Higher Jackie Wilson (00:23:12)

Ooh Baby Baby Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (00:26:22)

Soul Man Sam & Dave (00:29:20)

Too Late to Turn Back Now Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose (00:31:55)

Tell It Like It Is Aaron Neville (00:35:05)

Dancing In the Street Martha & The Vandellas (00:37:38)

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) Marvin Gaye (00:40:40)

River Deep-Mountain High Ike & Tina Turner (00:44:01)

Sweet Soul Music Arthur Conley (00:47:35)

When A Man Loves a Woman Percy Sledge (00:49:50)

But It’s Alright J.J. Jackson (00:52:37)

If I Were Your Woman Gladys Knight & The Pips (00:55:40)

Could It Be I’m Falling In Love Spinners (00:58:52)

You Make Me Feel Brand New The Stylistics (01:02:58)

I Can’t Help Myself The Four Tops (01:07:38)

Stand By Me Ben E. King (01:10:14)

Rescue Me Fontella Bass (01:13:07)

Oh Girl The Chi-Lites (01:15:53)

In The Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett (01:19:15)

Walk On By Dionne Warwick (01:22:00)

One Less Bell To Answer The 5^th Dimension (01:24:50)

ABC The Jackson 5 (01:28:32)

Let’s Stay Together Al Green (01:31:26)

I’ll Take You There Staple Singers (01:34:36)

Always and Forever Heatwave (01:38:00)

At Last Etta James (01:41:24)

One In a Million You Larry Graham (01:44:19)

If This World Was Mine Luther Vandross & Cheryl Lynn (01:48:25)

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine Lou Rawls (01:52:25)

For the Love of You Isley Brothers (01:55:46)

Natural High Bloodstone (02:01:18)

If You Don’t Know Me By Now Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (02:05:32)

Me and Mrs. Jones Billy Paul (02:08:48)

Ain’t No Sunshine Bill Withers (02:13:25)

I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know Donny Hathaway (02:15:26)

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Roberta Flack (02:21:00)

O-o-h Child The 5 Stairsteps (02:26:35)

Someday We’ll Be Together Diana Ross & The Supremes (02:29:44)

LoveLane Script

Hello and welcome to LoveLane Radio, where we celebrate life with love, joy and music. I’m your host, Linda Davison. We’re recording in February, and this show was inspired by Black History Month, Motown legend Berry Gordy’s National Medal of Arts, and Aretha Franklin’s announcement that she’s working on her final album with Stevie Wonder. Seems like the perfect time to celebrate the Sweet Sound of Classic Soul. In this Episode, we’ll play your favorite love songs, performed by the stars of Motown, Tamla, Stax and more. Get ready, because here comes a song written by Smokey Robinson and performed by The Temptations….

SONG 1 Get Ready The Temptations

Next is a song by one of two artists referred to as the King of Soul, Sam Cooke. Biographer Bruce Eder wrote that Sam was “the inventor of soul music” and that he possessed “an incredible natural singing voice and a smooth, effortless delivery that has never been surpassed.” In his brief time on earth, Sam was a Civil Rights activist, songwriter, and a role model for Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and more. Here’s Sam with “Bring It On Home To Me”…

SONG 2 Bring It On Home To Me Sam Cooke

The other music legend with the distinction of being referred to as the King of Soul is Otis Redding. Like Sam, his life was cut short, but during his time with us he shared his incredible voice and remarkable songs. Otis was known as the Sound of Stax Records. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” was recorded a few days before his passing, and became Billboard’s first posthumous #1 single. The album of the same name was also Billboard’s first posthumous #1 album. For this show, we’ll feature a classic love song from Otis, “These Arms of Mine”….

SONG 3 These Arms of Mine Otis Redding

If you were slow-dancing, get ready to speed things up as we move from the Kings of Soul to the energetic Godfather of Soul, James Brown. He’s on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of Greatest Music Artists of all time, and this hit is one of their Greatest Songs of all time. Here’s the Godfather with, “I Got You”….

SONG 4 I Got You (I Feel Good) James Brown

Another soul music pioneer was Little Richard, who was cited by both Otis Redding and Sam Cooke as contributing to the genre’s early development. Otis patterned his music after Little Richard, and Sam also credited him as one of the creators of the sound of soul. Here’s Little Richard singing “I Don’t Know What You Got” with backing from Jimi Hendrix on guitar and Billy Preston on keyboards….

SONG 5 I Don’t Know What You Got (But It’s Got Me) Little Richard

Time to shake things up again with the unmistakable Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. She began singing gospel in her father’s church and lucky for us, went on to share her talents with the world. She is one of the greatest music artists of all time, and our next tune is her signature hit, which is considered one of the greatest songs of all time, a song of the century, and an anthem for civil rights. With great respect to Aretha, here is the Queen of Soul….

SONG 6 Respect Aretha Franklin

Next is the man who will be producing Aretha’s final album, Mr. Stevie Wonder. Blind since shortly after birth, Stevie was a child prodigy and signed with Motown’s Tamla Records when he was 11. He is now one of the most honored music artists in history, for songwriting and performance. Throughout his lifetime, Stevie has been a humanitarian and served as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. This song holds wonderful memories for me…I hope it does for you, too. Here’s Stevie…

SONG 7 Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours Stevie Wonder

Let’s keep the positive energy flowing with another showstopper from Jackie Wilson. Jackie was nicknamed “Mr. Excitement” for his master showmanship, 4-octive vocal range, and dynamic singing style, and his “#1 Hit Higher and Higher” exudes joy. Here’s Jackie….

SONG 8 (Your Love is Lifting Me) Higher and Higher Jackie Wilson

Our next featured artist is someone who helped Berry Gordy build Motown Records from the ground up, Mr. Smokey Robinson. Smokey was lead singer for The Miracles and was also Motown’s premiere songwriter. His legendary career has earned him numerous lifetime achievement awards, the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s highest honor, and he is also a Kennedy Center honoree. Here’s Smokey and the Miracles with, “Ooh Baby Baby”….

SONG 9 Ooh Baby Baby Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Next up are sounds of soul from the legendary Sam and Dave. According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Sam & Dave were the most successful soul duo ever and brought the sounds of black gospel churches to pop music with their call-and-response records. Here are two stars of Stax Records, Sam and Dave…

SONG 10 Soul Man Sam and Dave

Let’s keep the Sweet Sounds of Soul going with more classic hits from the Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, Aaron Neville, and Martha & The Vandellas….

SONG 11 Too Late To Turn Back Now Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose

SONG 12 Tell It Like It Is Aaron Neville

SONG 13 Dancing In the Street Martha & The Vandellas

Our last song, “Dancing In the Street,” was written by Mr. Marvin Gaye, who was known as the Prince of Soul and the Prince of Motown. As a singer, songwriter and producer, Marvin helped shape the sound of Motown. His life was cut short, but when he was with us he earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction to the R&B Hall, the Rock Hall, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Here’s Marvin, with “How Sweet It Is”….

SONG 14 How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) Marvin Gaye

Like Marvin Gaye, our next performer is on Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest music artists of all time. Tina Turner began her career with her first husband Ike and then moved on to a stellar solo career. Our next song, “River Deep-Mountain High” was considered by superstar producer Phil Spector to be his best work, and is regarded by many as Tina’s most incredible performance. From 1966, here is the ever-sexy Tina Turner….

SONG 15 River Deep-Mountain High Ike & Tina Turner

Our Sweet Sound of Soul show continues with Arthur Conley, Percy Sledge and J.J. Jackson….

SONG 16 Sweet Soul Music Arthur Conley

SONG 17 When a Man Loves a Woman Percy Sledge

SONG 18 But It’s Alright J.J. Jackson

Up next is a legendary lady known as the Empress of Soul, Miss Gladys Knight. She formed Gladys Knight and the Pips at a family gathering when she was 8 years old, and as an extraordinary singer-songwriter helped build Motown with hits like “Midnight Train to Georgia,” which incidentally was written as ‘Midnight Plane to Georgia,” but doesn’t Train sound better? Here’s Gladys with her sensual, soulful hit, “If I Were Your Woman”….

SONG 19 If I Were Your Woman Gladys Knight & The Pips

Thank you for listening to LoveLane Radio’s Sweet Sounds of Soul show. Your financial support and Reviews on Facebook and iTunes are greatly appreciated. Our show continues with soulful sensations from legendary vocal groups the Spinners, The Sylistics and The Four Tops….

SONG 20 Could It Be I’m Falling In Love Spinners

SONG 21 You Make Me Feel Brand New The Stylistics

SONG 22 I Can’t Help Myself The Four Tops

Ben E. King was another brilliant singer-songwriter who sang lead vocal for many of The Drifters’ hits including “Save the Last Dance For Me.” He was also the co-composer of this next classic, “Stand By Me”….

SONG 23 Stand By Me Ben E. King

Our celebration of soul continues with hits from Fontella Bass, The Chi-Lites and the man of a thousand dances Mr. Wilson Pickett….

SONG 24 Rescue Me Fontella Bass

SONG 25 Oh Girl The Chi-Lites

SONG 26 In The Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett

Miss Dionne Warwick was a muse and partner to the brilliant songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. With 69 singles making the Billboard Hot 100 between 1962 and 1998 she is second only to Aretha Franklin as the most-charted female vocalist of all time. Here’s the lovely Dionne with “Walk On By”…..

SONG 27 Walk On By Dionne Warwick

Our next song is another Bacharach/David composition, performed by the group known for their “Champagne Soul” sound, The 5^th Dimension. Here is, “One Less Bell To Answer”….

SONG 28 One Less Bell To Answer The 5^th Dimension

If you are able, it’s almost impossible not to dance to our next set, a triple treat from some of the best classic soul singers ever….here are songs from a young Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, The Reverend Al Green and the fabulous Staple Singers ….

SONG 29 ABC The Jackson 5

SONG 30 Let’s Stay Together Al Green

SONG 31 I’ll Take You There Staple Singers

Next are some of the most romantic love songs of all time…these classics are still chosen by many newlyweds for their first dance together. Hope you can turn the lights down low and enjoy our next set, from Heatwave, Etta James, Larry Graham, and a Luther Vandross duet with Cheryl Lynn. I’d like to dedicate Luther’s song to newlyweds Lorraine and Rudy…..

SONG 32 Always and Forever Heatwave

SONG 33 At Last Etta James

SONG 34 One In a Million You Larry Graham

SONG 35 If This World Was Mine Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn

Now that is sweet soul! Etta James remains on Rolling Stone’s lists of one of the greatest singers of all time as one of he greatest music artists of all time. The sensational sounds of sweet soul continue with vintage hits from Mr. Lou Rawls, the Isley Brothers and Bloodstone….

SONG 36 You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine Lou Rawls

SONG 37 For the Love of You Isley Brothers

SONG 38 Natural High Bloodstone

If you’re in the mood for a little blues with your soul, here are more classics from Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, the legendary Bill Withers, and the late, great Donny Hathaway…

SONG 39 If You Don’t Know Me By Now Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

SONG 40 Me and Mrs. Jones Billy Paul

SONG 41 Ain’t No Sunshine Bill Withers

SONG 42 I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know Donny Hathaway

The last beautiful song we played was song by an extraordinary singer and songwriter, Donny Hathaway. Donny’s dear friend and frequent duet partner was Roberta Flack. Here’s Roberta, singing one of the most romantic songs of all time….it was written in 1957 by folk singer Ewan MacColl for his wife Peggy Seeger. Roberta’s cover became a breakout hit when it was featured in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film, “Play Misty For Me.” Here is Roberta Flack with, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”…..

SONG 43 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Roberta Flack

As our Sweet Sound of Soul show nears its end, I’d like to thank you for listening and for your support. If you enjoy our shows, please tell your friends, post Reviews, and make a donation if you are able. I welcome all to join our Twitter and Facebook community; we have an enthusiastic group of people who love timeless music.

This is your host Linda Davison signing off for now. To play us out, here are two soulful songs of sweet hope and optimism, “O-o-h Child” by The 5 Stairsteps, and the final single from Diana Ross as a Supreme, “Someday We’ll Be Together.” Until our next Episode, I hope you are living Life in the LoveLane…

SONG 44 O-o-h Child The 5 Stairsteps

SONG 45 Someday We’ll Be Together Diana Ross & The Supremes