O.V.Wright-God Bless Our Love_When A Man Loves A Woman

King Hannibal - Party Life Aware-LP-1001'73

A monster ballad
King Hannibal – Party Life

Roy Arlington - Everybody Makes A Mistake Sometimes Safice-337 '61

This Eddie Floyd penned great ballad has also been released by Otis Redding (Volt '66) and Mitty Collier (Chess '67).
All these versions are great and it's hard to choose which one is the best. I played all 3 before posting and I can't decide even though I'm an Otis man. They all got something special.

I'll post all 3 versions for you to make up your mind yourself. Let me know your findings.

I'm wondering: Are there more deep soul versions out there ????

3 Versions of Everybody Makes A Mistake Sometimes

Buddy Miles - Down By The River

I just read that Buddy Miles passed away.

Buddy Miles.com

The song was an enormous hit back in Suriname. It was number 1 for a very long time. The best memories I have regarding this song was during my school vacation in september 1971, peddling down the Suriname river in a korjaal ( see picture below) to visit an old plantation called Rorac, and stay for a few days . My best friends family owned the place, right in the middle of nowhere.

boot used by runaway slaves to travel the rivers

Imagine two 17 years old teenagers crossing a tropical river in this korjaal and a battery-radio somewhere in the front, with the volume on max and Buddy Miles singing "Down By The River".

Down By The River – Bubby Miles

Rest In Peace

Little Tommy Brown - Don't Leave Me Groove0321a '59

Video Clip Of Tommy Performing

Tommy Brown aka Little Tommy Brown

Tommy Brown Info

Don’t Leave Me by Little Tommy Brown

Earl Paradise - You're All I Need Atco 6326a '64

An other great performer I could not find any information on.
Probably his only release.
To me something totally different then you'll aspect from a Atco 45 soul ballad, just a sniff of horns and great violins creating a soulish atmosphere combined with the backing, a great ballad and a great performer.

Earl Paradise – You're All I Need_Atco 6326a ‘64

Glen Ricks aka Glen Ricketts - I Found A Love

Glen Ricks aka Ricketts is a Jamaican born.
He moved to Canada with his parents, to come back to Jamaica and return back to Canada later. In the 70's he recorded "I found a love" a Wilson Pickett cover. After he went back to Canada he recorded the song again in 1989 on the Scorpio label.
His latest recordings where done on Jamaica again.

I'll put in both versions, the earlier version can be found on the Reggae Lasting Love Songs Vol 2 CD

Glen Ricks aka Ricketts 2 versions I Found A Love

Fantastic Violinaires (ft Robert Blair) - One Day As I Was Walking Along _Malaco LP 4389 '84

It's Gospel Ballad Time
A self penned song by the lead singer Robert Blair, who passed away in 2001.
The original Violinaires where formed in 1952. Robert Blair joined them in the early 60's.

Check out the Violinaires Biography

Violinaires – One Day I was Walking Along

Little Johnnie Taylor - Please Come Home For Christmas(Galaxy)

A bluesy deep soul ballad. From the above CD "The Galaxy Years"

Hope she'll be home soon, cause you can feel the hurt...........

ReActivated song link Little Johnnie Taylor

James Brown - Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year ( Polydor PLG527988)'95

James Brown talking and screaming about Christmas, like only he could.

Strong background vocals.

James Brown – Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This Year

This CD is a must have, if you ever doubted if James Brown could really sing and only screamed, get it!!!!!!!!

Desmond Dekker & The Aces - Christmas Day (Beverleys)'68

Desmond Dekker (Desmond Adolphus Dacres) is a well known reggae performer and song writer.
He also had some beautiful ballads. Like this deep Christmas ballad, done in a very low pace.
This song is part of a 3cd Box from the Trojan Label.

TROJAN RECORDS SITE

In 1962 Desmond was first rejected by Studio One (Coxsone Dodd) and Treasure Isle (Duke Reid) both did not see much in the singer. But over at Beverley's Records he was signed, but he had to wait until the next year 1963 before he recorded his first song called "Honour Your Father and Mother".
Dekker recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry who became his backing band, The Four Aces, this was somewhere around 1965 possible after his fourth recording. When more members joined the band the name became "The Aces"

Video Clip from a later version of Israelites


In the end of this song Desmond Dekker sends Christmas wishes to all listening on behave of himself and Beverley's Records.

Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Christmas Day

Johnny Nash - (Looks Like) The End Of The World (ABC-Paramount 45-10137b)

• (Looks like) The End Of The World
• Don't Take Away Your Love
• My Dear Little Sweetheart
• A Thousand Miles Away
• Helpless
• I Need Someone To Stand By Me
• I've Got A Lot To Over Darling
• Let's Move And Groove (Together)
• Moment Of Weakness
• Ol' Man River
• The Voice Of Love
• Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye
• Too Proud
• The Wish
• Teardrops In The Rain
• I'm Leaving
• Talk To Me

To name a few

So many great songs, and all everybody (not coming from Suriname) ever talks about when you mention his name are his "reggae songs".

In my humble opinion a greatly underrated singer.

Some of the labels Nash released on are; ABC Paramount, Groove,Epic, MGM, Warner Bros, Argo, Joda, JAD, Cadet.

Information on albums & cd released, just click and see the comments on some releases

Today's song is a sweet ballad.
Nash was enormeously popular back home in Suriname. During the whole of the 60's you could hear his songs on the several radio stations daily. They loved his sweet style and voice.

(LOOKS LIKE) THE END OF THE WORLD – JOHNNY NASH

Hank Mullen - Listen (Audel 362b)

This is a song, which I don't have as an original, it's a real deepie.
Many soul ballads during the 70's where put on boot albums my the Suriname Soul Collectors. These albums where mostly made in Belgium.

The "original" single is now being sold. If you're interested here's the link:

A 45 for sale of this Hank Mullen song

Listen by Hank Mullen GET IT HERE

Clarence Carter - If I Stay (Venture 141) '81

Clarence Alabama Music Hall Of Fame

Clarence Carter released 2 albums on the "Venture" label. The first earned him the titel "Come Back Artist of The Year" in 1981. "If I Stay" is from this album. A lovely ballad, dripping with emotions, his voice still had it.
Ever since I first heard his voice in my teens it caught me, and it still does especially when he sings ballads like this one.

CC’s Biography

Venture 141b If I Stay - Clarence Carter

Wendy Alleyne - Midnight Blue (Wirl508-1)'76

There's not very much information on this lady. The latest news on Wendy is that she has been selected and has received "The Living Legend Award" on Jan 2007 at the Barbados Music Awards.

Wendy to me is mostly known for her beautiful ballads and her lovely voice. I know she has an album with most of her ballads from the period of this record but I could never find it.Update Oct 13 (I did not feel sure when I wrote down the previous sentence, cause somewhere in the back of my mind it did not seem right, but I could not find the album, it took me a while but I finally found it............... hidden somewhere between the other goodies)

Part of Front Cover

The Dynamics(Part Of Back Cover)

Additional information will be added as soon as I have it.

Wendy Alleyne – Midnight Blue

J.P. Robinson - Only Be True To Me (Alston 45-4570a)

When the voice of this man comes from the speakers of my system I always stop with whatever I'm doing.
What a voice, intense and pouring with emotions.

Check Out The Above CD

I found an article describing how people experienced him during recording. I think that's what I hear in his voice and it always gets to me each time I hear his voice.

>According to Willie Clarke, "J. P. seemed to go berserk at the microphone. He was so caught up in the feel of his songs, at times we thought we would have to hit him with a bat to calm him down. He was electric!" When he was going to do a recording session, people would try to get in on it to watch him work. His sessions were like watching a show.

Willie got the idea to write "Hot Love", in which you can easily hear Robinson's energy in the lyrics. Robinson was an instant sensation with the release of the hit 45 single, "I Got My Thing On A String."<

J.P.Robinson - Only Be True To Me

Springer & the Barons - Oh Babe (Wirl B-358b)'74

An other great Caribbean ballad.
This group is from Barbados but I'm not a 100% sure.
The lead singer is V.Gittens.
Any additional info I can find I'll place on a later date. If you have any please feel free to ad it in the comments for all to see, or send me an email.
I'm interested in sources regarding this beautiful music from the Caribbean and the region so if you have any or know of sites, books etc etc etc feel free to inform me/us.

Download >>>>>>>Springer & the Barons

The Falling Stones - Come Back To Your Lover

The Falling Stones aka The Talk Of The Town where hot from the mid 60's until the early 70's.
They where known in the whole of the Caribbean and gave many concerts abroad. They started as a backup band but when one of the singers from "the Dynamics Stars" suddenly past away they decided to go on and changed there name.
The first members where Glenn Pocorni, Ernie Anches, Henry Cumberbatch, Benny Gelenbracht, Guillaume Braceli and Paul MacNack.
Later when they started to make some waves they where joined by many other great Suriname talents.

Among them was Louis Windzak "The Suriname Otis Redding". Todays song is a composition by him and Glenn Pocorni.
The album with this song was recorded during one of their tours to Trinidad. Al songs where recorded during one session.

Falling Stones Hang Me High(other Own Composition) Soundclip With Slide Show

Most members that where part of The Falling Stones (some 20) are still active today. In 2005 they had a reunion concert in The Netherlands.

Get it here: The Suriname Otis Redding & The Fallingstones

Randy Hobbs - Signs Of Love (APT 25059b)

Today I have a very obscure & rare record. I think so because it took me a very long time to find this 45 again after I let it go and non of the collectors I know knew of the singer or the song.

The singer sounds a bit like the great "Clyde McPhatter".

I found this 45 some 20 years a go on a record fair in Utrecht (the Netherlands).
It was only 50 cents and I thought I'd give it a try, it being on the APT label which had some superb releases I had in my collection. I could not listen to the record so I had to wait till I got home.

When I fist played the song I was amazed by the voice and played it over and over again, it's still one of my favorites and now on the want list of many Suriname collectors.

A year after I found this 45 I made a trade which included this record, I believed at that time I was gonna find it again soon, but I was wrong. I just received the record in the mail yesterday, I've been looking for it for almost 19 years now. Found it once but someone beat me to it.

So enough talking, download it and give it a "spin".

Signs Of Love – Randy Hobbs Download

I could not find any information on the singer, so if any of you have some I'd be glad if you would share it with me.

Alton Ellis & The Flames - Nothing Sweeter (Dutches 1596-1) '66

Alton Ellis is an other Jamaican balladeer. He started singing in the sixties as a duo with Eddie Perkins. They had a huge hit with "Muriel". He also made some recordings with his sister Hortense. There most beautiful ballad to me is "I love you" which was released on the "Treasure Isle" label.


In 1965 after Perkins left for the US, Alton went solo and formed a backing group called "the Flames" consisting of three.
Now a days Alton is mostly known for his reggae releases.

On this song Alton & the Flames are accompanied by the

Oswald "Baba" Brooks &

Lynn Tait's (who is from Barbados) band.

On of the better Jamaican bands of that time.

DOWNLOAD: Alton Ellis & the Flames with the Babba Brooks & Lynn Taitt Band