Come On Train - by Don Thomas

Possibly my personal favourite Northern Soul track, “Come on Train,” by Don Thomas was released in 1973. 

Don Thomas, originally named Charlie Thomas, was a member of the Drifters from 1969 to 1971. His birthplace was Richmond, Virginia, and he changed his name when he joined The Drifters to avoid being mistaken for Charles Thomas, who was already a long-standing member.
 

In 1971, he left the group and subsequently wrote and released "Come on Train," a song that achieved considerable popularity in the UK Northern club scene. 

I love the gospel-esque backing chant that backs the song and the bass line throughout is just superb.

Based in the Bronx, New York, Don is still active in the music industry.

Let’s Wade In the Water - Marlena Shaw

With its jazz and R&B leanings, this energetic, soulful song, initially a B-side, was a favourite in Northern Soul clubs throughout the 1970s.

Marlena Shaw was born Marlina Burgess in New York in September 1939. She was brought on stage at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem by her jazz trumpet-playing uncle at the young age of 13 to sing with his band. Marlena’s mother, however, would not permit her to tour with the band at such a young age, halting her developing career.

She started singing in jazz clubs from the early 1960s and became known for songs such as “Woman of the Ghetto” and Ashford and Simpson’s “California Soul.” With a voice that sits between jazz sophistication and raw soul energy, DJs grew to love her records.

Despite its B-side release and being overshadowed by her more famous songs, "Let's Wade in the Water" became a Northern club hit, with dancers performing acrobatically to Marlena's powerful vocals and the song's strong rhythm.

Marlena passed away in January 2024, at the age of 84.

I Just Can’t Live My Life (Without You Babe) - Linda Jones

The next Northern Soul hit we're featuring is by American R&B singer Linda Jones.

Her tragic tale, sadly, led to a substantially abbreviated career, one that showed immense promise at its peak.

Celebrated for her emotionally charged performances and powerful vocal delivery, Linda Jones was born in New Jersey in 1944. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s with chart-topping hits that made her one of soul music’s most distinctive voices.

Her 1967 single “Hypnotized” reached the U.S. R&B Top 10, establishing her as a formidable presence in the soul scene.

I Just Can’t Live My Life (Without You Babe) became a long-time dance-floor favourite among Northern Soul aficionados. Originally released in 1968 as the flip-side to her single “My Heart (Will Understand),” producer George Kerr wanted a track that he believed would push her voice to emotional extremes.

Her life was cut short tragically in 1972 at the age of 27, stemming from diabetes complications after performing at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. 

Despite her brief career, her work has influenced generations of soul and gospel singers.

Posthumous releases and compilations have sustained her reputation as one of soul music’s great “lost voices,” admired for her vocal power and heartfelt sincerity.

The Snake - Al Wilson

Another club favourite from back in the Northern Soul era was “The Snake,” by Al Wilson.

Originally written and first recorded in 1963 by civil-rights activist Oscar Brown, it became a hit for US singer Al Wilson 5 years later. It relates a story very similar to Aesop’s fable “The Farmer and the Viper.”

The song tells the tale of a kind-hearted woman who rescues a freezing snake and nurses it back to health. When she was later bitten by the snake, she protests, only to be told: “You knew darn well I was a snake before you took me in.”

The song is a parable about betrayal — a warning about trusting someone who shows clear signs of being harmful.

Its success on the Northern Soul scene led to its appearance on over 30 pop and Northern Soul compilation albums and to its use in a Lambrini TV advertisement in the UK. Donald Trump also featured the song at a political rally in Pennysylvania.

Al Wilson, who was also remembered for his later million-seller hit “Show and Tell,” was born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1939. He passed away from Kkidney failure in 2008.

Landslide - Tony Clarke

Another stunning Northern Soul dancefloor filler was “Landslide,” by Tony Clarke.

Tony Clarke's tragic story is about a life brimming with a musical potential that ended far too soon.

Raised in Detroit by his mother after his 1940 New York birth, Tony, whose birth name may have been Ralph Thomas Williams, sang as Tall Tonio and married Joyce at sixteen. He was also a talented songwriter, co-writing hits for Etta James, among others.

Signing with the renowned Chess label, he had several hits and performed at significant Detroit venues.

The late 1960s saw his marriage become shaky, and he subsequently broke into his wife's home before dawn on August 28, 1971. He allegedly attacked her with a tire jack, and she responded by fatally shooting him. The shooting was determined to be an act of self-defense.

His popularity experienced a revival on the UK Northern Soul scene after his passing, with his songs “The Entertainer” and “Landslide” frequently played in clubs.

His records are difficult to find nowadays and can fetch more than $1000.

Out On The Floor - Dobie Gray

Today’s trip down musical memory lane takes us to 1966 and Dobie Gray’s “Out On The Floor.”

A classic dancefloor anthem, considered definitive of Northern Soul, this song was initially released in the US in May 1966. But it wasn't released in the UK until 1975, peaking at number 42 in the UK charts.

Probably best remembered for his 1973 smash hit "Drift Away," Dobie Gray, born Lawrence Darrow Brown* in 1940, was a singer and songwriter whose music spanned several genres, including soul, country, pop, and even musical theatre (he was a cast member of the Hollywood version of Hair in the late 1960s).

*Other sources claim he was born Leonard Victor Ainsworth, which is a name he used on some early recordings.

He recorded under the names of Leonard Ainsworth, Larry Curtis and Larry Dennis until Sonny Bono (of Sonny and Cher fame) directed him towards Stripe Records, who suggested he use the name Dobie Gray.

Dobie passed away in December 2011 from complications resulting from cancer surgery. He left his estate to charity.

More Today Than Yesterday -Spiral Starecase

In the second part of my Northern Soul classics collection, I’m featuring the American band Spiral Starecase and their US hit, “More Today Than Yesterday.”

Hailing from Sacramento, California, the band was renowned for its use of horns and the voice of lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Pat Upton. Originally called the Fydallions, the band's lasting legacy is their single hit song, which continues to be played on the radio globally.

Released in 1969, “More Today Than Yesterday” was a bright, horn-driven song that reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 12. It was also released as a single in the UK, but never reached the charts. However, it became popular in northern clubs.

After releasing a few more singles for Columbia Records, Spiral Starecase disbanded because of financial disputes and a lawsuit, approximately 18 months after "More Today Than Yesterday," which remained their most successful track.