NO. 5 ON THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - HOW ABOUT A LITTLE SOUL SUNDAY - OLD SCHOOL?

LISTENING TO A BAZILLION CHRISTMAS SONGS DURING SHOW PREP - THAT'S WHAT THE RADIO GUYS CALL IT - I AM REMINDED OF THE GREAT MUSIC THAT CAME FROM THE GREAT SOUL SINGERS OF THE SIXTIES AND BEYOND. ALTHOUGH NOT SO MUCH NOW. FROM MOTOWN ARTISTS LIKE THE FOUR TOPS TO THE QUEEN OF SOUL ARETHA FRANKLIN, THEY WERE ON EVERY RADIO STATION YOU TUNED TO. AND I STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE GREAT RECORDS. FORTUNATELY FOR US, THEY LEFT US WITH SOME GREAT CHRISTMAS TUNES THAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS FANTABULOUS - I MEAN, IF YOU NEVER SAW THE FOUR TOPS OR THE TEMPS - WELL IT'S YOUR LOSS.

ONE OF THE GREATEST GROUPS TO EVER COME FROM MOTOWN - THE FOUR TOPS WITH, ARGUABLY, THE GREATEST LEAD SINGER - THE ONE AND ONLY LEVI STUBBS, WHO, NOT ONLY RECORDED MOTOWN STANDARDS LIKE SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH AND IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG, BUT WAS ALSO THE VOICE OF THE MAN EATING PLANT IN LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. FEED ME SEYMOUR!! - MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY BY LEVI STUBBS & THE FOUR TOPS.
 

AND THE OTHER GREAT MOTOWN GROUP THAT GAVE US SUCH CLASSICS AS AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG AND MY GIRL, THE TEMPTATIONS GIVE US A SOULFUL MOTOWN THIS CHRISTMAS.
 

WHEN IT COMES TO SOUL MUSIC, NOBODY EVER DID IT QUITE LIKE THE QUEEN OF SOUL - ARETHA FRANKLIN. WITH A VOICE THAT COULD MAKE YOUR FEET AND YOUR HEART MOVE, THIS ONE OF A KIND SOUL SINGER GAVE US CLASSICS LIKE CHAIN OF FOOLS AND R-E-S-P-E-C-T. MAN COULD SHE SING! ARETHA DOES WINTER WONDER LAND LIKE NO OTHER.
 

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, MACY GRAY IS ONE OF THE FEW CURRENT SINGERS THAT KEEPS THE SOUL FLAME BURNING. WITH A VOICE REMINISCENT OF THE GREAT BILLY HOLIDAY, SHE CAN HOLD HER OWN WITH ALL THE GREATS. FOR THE COUNTDOWN, MARY BRINGS US WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS.
 

d.l.Stafford
thenomadARCHITECT