Monday, May 20, 2013

Arm across, down, repeat.



This one has been getting a lot of spins at chez Darcy in recent days. A storming record that really packs a punch, and it’s a B side.

A few years ago I featured two of Syl Johnson’s albums he recorded for Hi (another May post – Syl is like apple blossom it seems!). I am sure when I bought those albums back in the Seventies I wouldn’t have known that Syl Johnson’s recording career had begun in 1959, when he had his first single released on Federal, and that he was far from just another product of the Willie Mitchell Hi stable.

Syl Johnson had been around the musical block at least once by the time Willie Mitchell finally took him to Hi in 1971. That must have been soon after the single here was released on Twinight. In all Syl had 15 singles released on the Chicago based Twinight (initially Twilight) label between 1967 and 1972, the final one being released after his first single had already appeared on Hi.


This track can be found on the magnificent 6 LP box set Complete Mythology issued by the Numero Group, from which these notes on Syl Johnson’s career are, I believe, taken.   

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

He had such a great voice! This is the first time I've heard his Twinight material.

If you missed anything on mine, Darcy, just leave me a comment - I can email it.