YESTERDAY I HAD THE BLUES

HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES
SONGWRITER: HUFF GAMBLE
COUNTRY: U. S. A.
ALBUM: I MISS YOU
LABEL: EPIC RECORDS
GENRE: SOUL
YEAR: 1972
 
       Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American soul and R&B vocal group. One of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s, the group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the middle of the 1950s as The Charlemagnes, the group is most noted for several hits on Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label between 1972 and 1976, although they performed and recorded until Melvin's death in 1997. Despite group founder and original lead singer Harold Melvin's top billing, the Blue Notes' most famous member was Teddy Pendergrass, their lead singer during the successful years at Philadelphia International. The remaining members of the Blue Notes have reunited for Soul Train Cruises in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
         I Miss You (later reissued as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes) is the debut album by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, released on Philadelphia International in August 1972. It was produced by Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff.
          The album title was changed from I Miss You to Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and given a new cover after the success of the single "If You Don't Know Me by Now". The group's roster for this album is Lloyd Parks, Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin, Lawrence Brown and Bernie Wilson. The album was arranged by Bobby Martin, Norman Harris and Thom Bell.
        The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2010 by Big Break Records.
Yesterday, yeah, I had the blues
I couldn't win, all I did was loose
But now I got everything
You made my poor heart sing
Cause I got you baby
Oh yes I do
Yesterday, yesterday, I had to cry
Oh lord, the pain was so bad, I wanted to die
But now it's just a memory
You made my poor heart sing
I'm so glad I got you baby
Oh yes I am
You fill, you fill, you fill my heart
With so much joy
I can tell, I can tell by the way you make, you make me feel
Hey, hey
You said it, I said it, over and over again
That this love we have
Has got to be for real
Yesterday I had the blues
I was a sad and lonely fool
But now I got everything
Made my poor heart sing
I'm so glad I got you baby
You came inside of my heart
And started a spark
Of love burning so hot
You said it, and I said it, over and over again
That this love we have
Has got to be for real
Yesterday I had the blues
Yesterday I had the blues
But those sad days are all over
Yesterday I had the blues
Yesterday I had the blues
But those blues, I don't see no more
Yesterday I had the blues
Yesterday I had the blues.

THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE

ROBERTA FLAKE
SONGWRITER: EWAN MACCOLL
COUNTRY: U. S. A.
ALBUM: FIRST TAKE
LABEL: ATLANTIC RECORDS
GENRE: SOUL
YEAR: 1969
 
          Roberta Cleopatra Flack(born February 10, 1937) is an American singer. She is known for her Nº 1 singles "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", "Feel Like Makin' Love"; and "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You", two of her many duets with Donny Hathaway. Flack is also noted for her influence on the subgenre of contemporary R&B called quiet storm, along with her interpretations of songs by various songwriters, such as Leonard Cohen and members of The Beatles.
             Flack was the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" won in 1973 and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" won in 1974. Only U2 and Billie Eilish have repeated this feat.
          "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who later became his wife. At the time, the couple were lovers, although MacColl was still married to his second wife, Jean Newlove. Seeger sang the song when the duo performed in folk clubs around Britain. During the 1960s, it was recorded by various folk singers and became a major international hit for Roberta Flack in 1972, winning Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Billboard ranked it as the number one Hot 100 single of the year for 1972. 
The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the endless skies, my love
To the dark and the endless skies
 
And the first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hand
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command, my love
 
And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last 'til the end of time my love
And it would last 'til the end of time
 
The first time ever I saw your face
Your face, your face, your face.

COME SEE ABOUT ME

THE SUPREMES
SONGWRITER: HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND
COUNTRY: U. S. A.
ALBUM: WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO
LABEL: MOTOWN
GENRE: POP
YEAR: 1964
 
           The Supremes were an American female singing group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal group, with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity, and it is said that their breakthrough made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Billboard ranked The Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time.
           Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, the original group, were all from the Brewster-Douglass public housing project in Detroit. They formed the Primettes as the sister act to the Primes (with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, who went on to form the Temptations). Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1960, and the group signed with Motown the following year as The Supremes. Martin left the act in early 1962, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio.
      During the mid-1960s, the Supremes achieved mainstream success with Ross as lead singer and Holland-Dozier-Holland as its songwriting and production team. In 1967, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. In 1970, Ross left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Jean Terrell and the group reverted to being The Supremes again. During the mid-1970s, the lineup changed with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene joining until, after 18 years, the group disbanded in 1977.
          The song became third of five consecutively released Supremes songs to top the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States(the others are "Where Did Our Love Go", "Baby Love", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again"). It topped the chart twice, non-consecutively, being toppled by and later replacing the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" in December 1964 and January 1965. The BBC ranked "Come See About Me" at number 94 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all time UK downloads and streams. 
I've been crying
'Cause I'm lonely (for you)
Smiles have all turned to tears
But tears won't wash away the fears
That you're never ever gonna return
To ease the fire that within me burns
 
It keeps me crying baby for you
Keeps me sighin' baby for you
So won't you hurry
Come on boy, see about me
(Come see about me)
See about your baby
 
I've given up my friends just for you
My friends are gone
And you have too
No peace shall I find
Until you come back
And be mine
No matter what you do or say
I'm gonna love you anyway
 
Keep on crying baby for you
I'm gonna keep sighin' baby for you
So come on hurry
Come on and see about me
(Come see about me)
See about your baby
 
Sometime's up
Sometime's down
My life's so uncertain
With you not around
From my arms you maybe out of reach
But my heart says you're here to keep
 
Keeps me crying baby for you
Keep on, keep on crying baby for you
So won't you hurry
Come on boy, see about me (come see about me)
See about you baby (come see about me)
You know I'm so lonely (come see about me)
I love you only (come see about me)
See about your baby (come see about me)
Hurry, hurry.

SALLY CAN'T DANCE

LOU REED
SONGWRITER: LOU REED
COUNTRY: U. S. A.
ALBUM: SALLY CAN’T DANCE
LABEL: RCA RECORDS
GENRE: ROCK
YEAR: 1974
 
           Lewis Allan Reed(March 2, 1942– October 27, 2013) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. The Velvet Underground was not a commercial success during its existence, but became regarded as one of the most influential bands in the history of underground and alternative rock music. Reed's distinctive deadpan voice, poetic and transgressive lyrics, and experimental guitar playing were trademarks throughout his long career.
          After leaving the band in 1970, Reed released twenty solo studio albums. His second, Transformer (1972), was produced by David Bowie and arranged by Mick Ronson, and brought him mainstream recognition. The album is considered an influential landmark of the glam rock genre, anchored by Reed's most successful single, "Walk on the Wild Side". After Transformer, the less commercial but critically acclaimed Berlin peaked at Nº 7 on the UK Albums Chart. Rock 'n' Roll Animal(a live album released in 1974) sold strongly, and Sally Can't Dance (1974) peaked at Nº 10 on the Billboard 200; but for a long period after, Reed's work did not translate into sales, leading him deeper into drug addiction and alcoholism. Reed cleaned up in the early 1980s, and gradually returned to prominence with The Blue Mask and New Sensations(1984), reaching a critical and commercial career peak with his 1989 album New York.
        Sally Can't Dance is the fourth solo studio album by American musician Lou Reed, released in August 1974 by RCA Records. Steve Katz and Reed produced the album. It remains Reed's highest-charting album in the United States, having peaked at #10 during a 14-week stay on the Billboard 200 album chart in October 1974. It is also the first solo Lou Reed album not to feature any songs originally recorded by Reed's earlier band, the Velvet Underground, as well as the first of Reed's solo studio albums to be recorded in the United States (Reed's previous three albums were all recorded in the United Kingdom).
Sally dances on the floor
She says that she can't do it anymore
She walks down St. Marks Place
And eats natural food at my place
 
Now Sally can't dance no more
she can't get it off of the floor
Sally can't dance no more
Sally, she can't dance no more
 
Sally is losing her face
She lives on St. Marks Place
In a rent-controlled apartment, eighty dollars a month
She has lots of fun, she has lots of fun
 
But, Sally can't dance no more
Oh Sally she can't dance no more
She went and carried on and can't get off of the floor
Now Sally, oh she can't dance no more
 
She was the first girl in the neighborhood
To wear tied-dyed pants, like she should
She was the first girl that I've ever seen
That had flowers painted on her jeans
Now she wears a sword, like Napoleon
And she kills the boys and acts like a son
 
Sally can't dance no more
Sally can't dance no more
Sally can't dance no more
Sally, hey she can't dance no more
Sally can't dance
Sally can't dance
She knew all the really right people
She went to Les Jardins
She danced with Picasso's illegitimate mistress
and wore Kenneth Lane jewels, really hey, it's trash, but
 
Sally, can't dance no more, yeah
Sally, she can't dance no more, you tell 'em about it
Sally can't get herself off the floor
Hey, Sally, girl, she can't dance no more
Sally can't dance
Sally can't dance.