The Essentials by the Spinners

When I hear the Spinners, my mind spins back to my youth. The year was 1973. I was sitting at a table in my high school lunchroom with my buddies Howard and Lindsey. We were chillin' to peanut butter sandwiches, half-pint milk cartons and a groovin' Philly-syncopated R&B jam that poured out of the lunchroom radio speakers.

♫Whenever you call me, I'll be there...I'll be around...♫

Another dude, Mark, came over and sat down next to me. He placed a quarter on some notepaper, traced around it with a pencil, making a circle on the paper. "If you can roll this quarter down your face and make it land in the circle I just drew, I will give you my cup of chocolate pudding." "Really?" I asked.

As we listened to the syncopated strings and horns descend a Motown music staircase, I took the quarter from Mark and rolled it down my face. It dropped off my chin and just missed the circle. "Damn!" I exclaimed. "Just missed that sucker!"

Then a foxy babe named Marie pulled up a chair next to me.

♫Could it be I'm falling in love with ya, baby? Could it be I'm falling in love...♫

As the speakers filled the room with a rhythm section of clean crisp guitars, congas and drums, topped off with a soulful tenor voice, she looked up at me with her big brown eyes and batted her thick eyelashes. "Will you be around seventh period to help me with my Chemistry homework?"

"Uh...uh..sure..." my voice cracked. I was painfully shy. Then something strange happened. She started to giggle uncontrollably. My other friends joined in and laughed hysterically. "What's so damn funny?" I demanded.

She pulled out a makeup mirror and handed it to me. I had pencil marks streaking my face from the quarter that had pencil lead on its edge after Mark traced it. "Very funny!" I scolded, as I desperately wiped my face with a napkin.

That was one of the most embarrassing moments I had in high school, but there was this new group on the radio that made this shy, embarrassed geek feel cool-at least while the music played. They were called the Spinners, but who were they exactly?

According to The Essentials Spinners CD booklet and other sources, the Spinners were at their peak when my buds and I attended high school from 1972 to 1976. Philippe Wynne was the lead singer. He had a high gritty soulful tenor voice that could easily cut through our stale peanut butter sandwiches.

Thom Bell who was a classical pianist, the producer of the Stylistics and Delphonics, was the Spinner's producer, arranger and songwriter. He took the soulful ingredients of syncopated guitars, keyboards, congas, drums, strings and horns, and combined them into a dance-a-licious R&B stew.

Of course, the Motown Philly sound of the Spinners would not be complete without the superb jazz-chord harmonies of backup vocalists Bobbie Smith (who sang lead occasionally), Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, and Pervis Jackson.

On the recommendation of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, the group was signed to Atlantic Records in 1972. Before that, the group members needed day jobs to make a living. The nucleus of the group was formed in 1955. After years of struggling, they finally hit the big time!

Their first Atlantic release was the poignant ballad How Could I Let You Get Away. However, it was I'll Be Around, the flip side of that record, that rocketed to number one on the R&B charts. It was the first gold record for this Philly group of five.

The debut album also achieved gold status, and included Could It Be I'm Falling In Love, One Of A Kind(Love Affair), and Ghetto Child. "Ghetto Child" is my least favorite Spinners song. I really can't say why. It just doesn't grab me. Perhaps it is because it is a slower track and not as dance-a-licious as the other tracks.

The Spinner's second LP Mighty Love went gold with the title track tearing up the pop and R&B charts. As the great Barry White would say: "This is one deep-pocket groove, baby." I'm in full agreement.

In 1974, the group teamed up with Dionne Warwick. The hot, hook-filled hit Then Came You seemed to always fly out of my radio's speaker when school let out-no wonder it reached number one on the pop charts!

Games People Play and The Rubber Band Man were the Spinner's hits from 1975 to 1976, gracing the albums New and Improved and Pick of the Litter. These songs were more of that winning team of electric lead vocals, five-part harmonies, and Thom Bell's brilliant bad-boy arrangements and instrumental backup.

A changing of the guard took place in 1977 when producer Michael Zager replaced Thom Bell, and John Edwards replaced lead singer Philippe Wynne. The Spinners now offered Working My Way Back To You and Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time--two hit singles formerly released by Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons.

Even though the Spinners had a new producer and lead singer, their sound remained consistent, albeit perhaps a little more bubble gum (1950's rock and roll). If you have ever heard Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons, then you know what I'm talking about.

The Essentials Spinners contains the hit songs that I described above. I like most of the tracks, so that makes this CD above average in my mind. I rate it four stars. The Spinners make me spin back through time to my youth and create that much desired nostalgic experience.

I recommend you give this CD a spin and hear for yourself.

Tracks

I'll Be Around
How Could I Let You Get Away
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love
One Of A Kind (Love Affair)
Ghetto Child
Mighty Love
Then Came You
Love Don't Love Nobody
Games People Play
The Rubberband Man
Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl
Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time