September – Earth, Wind and Fire (1978)

CBS Records S CBS 6922

The fusion of Funk, Soul, Disco and Jazz has always been a favourite sound of mine. Earth, Wind and Fire are the top exponents of these genres. The great thing about this group is the amount of members and the types of instruments they play. It’s almost like a full orchestra rather than a group/band. Formed 1969 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, they have in a career of over 45 years picked up 6 Grammy awards out of 20 nominations and 4 American Music Awards (as of 2015). They have a star on the Hollywood walk of Fame and have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame amongst an array of other music business institutions.

The main stays of the group include its founder Maurice White, Vocalist Philip Bailey, Verdine Bailey and Ralph Johnson. Over the years well over 60 musicians have been attributed as part of the group.

During the period 1975 until 1981, Earth, Wind and Fire were at the height of their popularity regarding chart hits, reaching the top ten in both the US and UK including two number one albums and one number one single in the US. During this time they were signed to CBS Records (known as Columbia in the US). ARC set up by Maurice White also co-released their productions. 

“September” with its high falsetto vocals within the chorus, full brass, guitars and drums this was a brand new composition released as part of a Greatest Hits package in 1978, and the prelude to their ninth studio album “I Am” in 1979 which included several hit singles including duet with fellow label stable mates “The Emotions” with “Boogie Wonderland”.

The lyrics describe the first moments of a relationship, of knowing that a day in September defined their love, souls were singing, and stars stole the night as they danced……..true love shared today…..

Pity there wasn’t a picture sleeve. I replaced the original paper sleeve with a cardboard one.

Considering the beautiful art work on all of their albums its disappointing to me that my copy of the single didn’t have a picture sleeve. A 16 week run on the UK chart created their biggest hit, peaking at #3. In the US it reached #8 on billboard pop charts but #1 on the R&B chart. In Europe it reached the top twenty in several places and also had a good run on the chart in New Zealand.

Can’t Hide Love

The B-side however is very much a change of pace but still the famous brass section is in evidence throughout, but the vocals are silky smooth for this ballad. “Can’t Hide Love” as the title suggests is the story of someone not openly admitting to being in love.

I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass – Nick Lowe (1978)

Radar Records ADA 1

With Punk Rock at its height in the UK, this piece of pop magic hit the record stores. As its first release for Radar Records, “I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass” became a radio friendly hit, driven by bass and piano, quickly racing into the top ten in the UK during March 1978 staying in top 40 for 8 weeks. The melodic sounds of Nick Lowe take me back to my teenage years, a time of going out into the work place for the first time, gaining my independence and making new friends.

Nick Lowe was born Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England in 1949. Nick’s career spans almost 50 years as a writer, musician, producer and occasional vocalist.

Picture sleeve for I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass

He started his career in a band called Kippington Lodge before they renamed the band Brinsley Schwartz after his friend and fellow band mate. They recorded for Parlophone records. In 1975 he left to work with Dave Edmunds and the band Rockpile where he played bass. In 1976 Nick released the first track for Stiff Records a British independent label who signed artists such as Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Lene Lovich and The Damned.

After the success of “Breaking Glass”, Nick had another top twenty hit in 1979 with “Cruel to be kind”, which was to be his biggest US hit peaking at #12.

B Side features Nick’s band Rockpile

In subsequent years Nick continued collaborating with Rockpile, and other artists. He spent time touring with his new band “Noise To Go” became a member of a studio project with John Haitt and continued to write and produce.

As recently as 2011 Nick played the Glastonbury festival, and toured in the US.

The B side of this single is called “They Called It Rock” a piece of Bluesy Rock & Roll containing the brilliant lyric “They cut another record, it never was a hit, Someone in the newspaper said it was shit”.

Substitute – Clout (1978)

   Carrere Records EMI 2788

The original version of this song appeared on a Righteous Brothers Album in 1975 called “The son’s of Mrs Righteous” and released as a single without chart success. It was then recorded as an instrumental and included on the album Disco Party by Percy Faith Orchestra in 1975. It was written by Willie Harry Wilson.

In June 1978 South African all girl band Clout released a cover version that entered the UK charts at #64 and reached #2 staying in the charts for 15 weeks. It went on to sell over 500,000 copies alone in the UK. It became a big hit in Europe reaching #1 in Germany, Denmark and Ireland, #2 in Switzerland, The Netherlands and Belgium. It also hit #1 in their native South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. It made #67 in the US.

This Rock Pop track was produced by Grahame Beggs.

The story from the lyrics is about Sam being lonely and waiting for a girl to come home to him. From afar another girl wishes she was with him and really wants him to know she is willing to be a substitute whenever he needs it.

In the Righteous Brothers version the lyric “Sam” was “Girl”. Gloria Gaynor released a version of the song around the same time as Clout in the US but the single was flipped over and the B side “I Will Survive” became a massive international hit instead.

This is one of my favourite singles of all time. It evokes memories of a hot summer but also reminds me of the passing of my Grand Mother, a time when life was changing for me as a 16/17 year old leaving school 12 months before and 6 months into my working life.