This slow-burner, with its smouldering brass decorated by guitar licks, is a classic example of the steamy New Orleans hybrid of blues, soul and jazz. A bittersweet ballad of betrayed love written by Al Reed, Danny White’s emotive vocals perfectly articulate the emotion in the lyrics.

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I first heard The Tonettes on a vast box set anthology of Stax/Volt singles… though they were called The Charmels at that point. This was their first single – and the second to come out on Volt in early 1962.

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I don’t know much about Dee Edwards, who sang this Northern Soul gem. It’s a B-side but I prefer it to the A-side, Tired Of Staying Home.

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Going back to New Orleans, and back to the Neville Brothers, here is Aaron’s brother Art, teaming up with Allen Toussaint.
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Not many people know this but Helen Shapiro, famed for being a child star in the early Sixties, made her live debut with her school friend Mark Feld, later to become Marc Bolan. (more…)