This disc contains 16 tracks of previously unissued music, alternate takes and original demos. Jimmy Radcliffe began his career in 1954 singing lead with a five man group called The Fascinators and sang solo accompanying himself on guitar. By 1959 he had gained a reputation for his stage performance and acquired some radio play. This led to his signing with Aaron Schroeder, who with United Artists president, Art Talmedge, had just founded Musicor Records-which issued Jim's first record, Twist Calypso. His songs have been recorded by such acts as Aretha Franklin, Pat Lundy, Johnny Mathis, Clyde McPhatter, Walter Jackson, Jackie Wilson, Ray Charles and Etta James to name a few. (Roots & Rhythm)
Where There's Smoke There's Fire - Compiled for the first time are some of Jimmy Radcliffe's best previously unreleased tracks, alternate takes and the original demos of songs that would score a Pop Chart # 1 for Gary Lewis & the Playboys and R&B Chart action for Clyde McPhatter, Walter Jackson and Tommy Hunt.
Jimmy's Northern Soul Anthem "Long After Tonight Is All Over" and soul crushing Big Ballad "My Ship Is Comin' In" are both here in the Alternate take category.
Equally adept with bubblegum pop, soul, jazz, country, folk and standards Jimmy's vocal prowess was such that he earned the nickname the man with the `Pipes And Thunder' for his powerful handling of `Big Ballads' with difficult vocal harmonies. In fact some writers wanting his talents would ask him to hold back, vocally, a bit as not to scare off lesser yet better known singers.
Every professional writing team on the scene at one point or another sought him out to help give their latest work the best presentation possible. Bacharach-David would have him cut songs for Gene Pitney as would Ellie Greenwich. Gloria Shayne, famous for the Christmas song "Do You Hear What I Hear", would enlist his help to get Burl Ives' and Arthur Prysock covers and Al Kooper, Bobby Brass And Irwin Levine tried to get to the Drifters with "This Diamond Ring". Well the Drifters turned it down but Gary Lewis And The Playboys picked it up and took it pop and to the Top! It scored #1 in Febuary 1965.
Another song from the Kooper-Brass-Levine team that had Jimmy's touch was "Where There's Smoke There's Fire". Al Kooper would record the song a couple of years later with the Blues Project Outfit.
Of Radcliffe's own composition represented here are Deep In The Heart Of Harlem,The Complete Man, Sunshine, Hope And Love, The Greater The Love The Deeper The Hurt, I Pretend I'm Loving You, Could Anybody Else and Stand Up.
"Deep In The Heart Of Harlem" is probably one of Jimmy's best known songs. Harlem has been recorded by Johnny Nash, On Groove (1963), Clyde Mcphatter, on Mercury (1963), and Walter Jackson, On Okeh (1967). Clyde McPhatter enjoyed the most amount of success from the composition, albeit the last bit of chart action he would see again. Jimmy's demo done completely with acoustic guitar, with a slight counter samba rhythm drum, that again reveals the strength and warmth of his singing and story telling artistry.
"The Complete Man" also has a sparseness that actually adds to the distinctive emotive qualities of the song. The subject matter will undoubtedly give way to comparisons to Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman", and lets face it there are worse songs to be compared to, but Jimmy if nothing else is a better all around singer than Percy. His voice delivers all the impassioned escalation of love within a freefall down the face of a waterfall of emotions in the absence of a fully orchestrated arrangement.
"Could Anybody Else" is a straight ahead up-tempo soul dancer with a brilliant horn arrangement that has Jimmy working a duet with Barbara Jean English.
"Sunshine Hope And Love" is a beautiful lilting ballad that once again swings with that easy calypso sound, that the `Man' apparently loved, while his triple layer doo wop vocal harmonies add an ethereal lullaby quality to the recording.
"The Greater The Love, The Deeper The Hurt" is another brilliant song from the collaborative efforts of Jimmy and Oramay Diamond. Though this team hit paydirt with the Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters soul cover of their "The Truth Hurts (But Not As Much As Your Lies)" `Greater The Love' seemed destined for a Roy Orbison pitch if Jimmy's vocal octave range on this recording gives any hints.
"I Pretend I'm Loving You" deserves a special mention for it's inclusion in the soundtrack to two major motion pictures, 1997's "Eve's Bayou" and the 2006 romantic comedy "Something New", thus helping to bring the Radcliffe sound back into the mainstream consciousness.
"Sweet Taste Of Lovin'" I was a fan of this song on first listening! What's not to like about this serving of southern soul with it's stutter Rick Danko style bass groove, whiskey juke joint piano and salacious lyric "You Did It So Sweet And Easy, Every Time You kissed Me And Squeezed It"
From top to bottom Jimmy Radcliffe was a consummate artist. "The Singer's Singer", as he was called in a 1965 Norman Joplin, Record Mirror, article.
Jimmy had the voice!, the musicianship, arrangement and conducting chops along with innate good studio sensibilities that made him a highly sought after recording session contractor and contributor. It's unfortunate that he didn't release more sides but what he did record is beyond compare. Ultimately because of all the work he did do as recording artist, session singer - both demo and background, and his considerable vocal work in the Jingle industry he has the distinction of being one of the most recorded singers in New York of that era. As one of his biggest fans I'm truly proud to be able to be a part of any celebration of his songs, his voice, And These Classic Gems From An Era Long Ago!
Now sit back and get blown away by the man with the "Pipes & Thunder"! Jimmy is Smokin', and as they say: "Where There's Smoke There's Fire". (The Soul Detective)
trax:
01 Long After Tonight 02 My Ship Is Coming In 03 What I Want 04 (There Goes) The Forgotten Man 05 Could Anybody Else 06 Where There's Smoke There's Fire 07 Deep In The Heart Of Harlem 08 This Diamond Ring 09 Satisfaction 10 The Complete Man 11 I'm Your Special Fool 12 Sunshine Hope And Love 13 The Greater The Love The Deeper The Hurt 14 Sweet Taste Of Love 15 I Pretend I'm Loving You 16 Stand Up
...Many Thanks to The Northern Madman for the share! served by Gyro1966...
A tremendous little album from Jimmy Ruffin – as "ruff" as the title implies, with a much deeper groove than you might find from other Motown releases at the time! The style here is really wonderful – rich, heartfelt vocals from Jimmy that easily match the best of the Detroit underground of the time – a style that's a bit like Darrell Banks or JJ Barnes, with echoes of the southern sound of the 60s – but produced to perfection with all the best that Motown could muster! Jimmy gets lots of heavy help from Norman Whitfield – who produced about half the tracks on the set, and gives Ruffin a sound that's somewhere between his righteous soul with the Temptations, and the best Motown grooves of his earlier work for the label. Other production is by Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier, William Weatherspoon & James Dean, and Richard Morris – all of whom follow Whitfield's lead nicely – and although the album's got few runaway hits, it's a rock-solid effort throughout – just the kind of album that makes us love the Motown full-length scene even more than the label's singles! Titles include "Lonely Lonely Man Am I", "It's Wonderful (To Be Loved By You)", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "Everybody Needs Love", "Sad & Lonesome Feeling", "Love Gives Love Takes Away", and "Farewell Is A Lonely Sound". ( © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.
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