Periodically I have mentioned in this blog how irritated I was that certain black musicians were considered “not black enough” because of their genre. Charlie Pride singing country, or Jimi Hendrix doing rock and roll – and isn’t rock just blues and country mixed together? And I took some heat for listening to it.
Dionne Warwick got grief for being an MOR (middle of the road) artist, singing mostly Burt Bacharach/ Hal David tunes. So I was glad that she briefly got that particular monkey off her back when she teamed up with the legendary Spinners to sing Then Came You.
“Released during a time that Warwick’s chart fortunes were at an ebb after moving to Warner Bros. Records in 1972, the Philadelphia soul single was a rare mid-1970s success for the singer. Sung as a duet with Spinners main lead singer Bobby Smith and the Spinners, who were one of the most popular groups of the decade, the song became Warwick’s first-ever single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and also became her highest-charting R&B record reaching number two on that chart. It was also the first number-one pop hit for the Spinners. Spinners member Phillippe Wynne took over lead duties at the very end of the song.”
Dionne spelled her last name with an E at the end during this period but switched back.
Here are songs by the Spinners, who are NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and, though nominated the last couple of years, not even up for consideration this season:
I’ll Be Around -#3 for two weeks pop, #1 for five weeks soul in 1972, here or here
Could It Be I’m Falling In Love – # 4 pop, #1 soul in 1973 here or here
One of a Kind (Love Affair) #11 pop, #1 for four weeks soul in 1973 here or here
Mighty Love, Part 1 – #20 pop, #1 for two weeks soul in 1974 here or here
Then Came You – #1 pop, #2 soul in 1974 here or here
They Just Can’t Stop It (Games People Play) – #5 pop, #1 soul in 1975 here or here
The Rubberband Man – #2 for three weeks pop, #1 soul in 1976 here or here; long, album version here or here