Release Date: 19 January 2024
Label: Robinsongs / Cherry Red
Packaging Type: Clamshell
No of Units: 5
Barcode: 5013929956827
Description
• The first definitive box set of the complete Archie Bell & The Drells albums, plus an additional disc of Bonus Tracks.
• With sleeve notes by journalist Charles Waring contributor to MOJO, Record Collector and uDiscover Music.
Archie Bell was born in 1944 and hailed from Houston Texas, he formed the band The Drells at high school. In the mid-60s they were billed as Archie Bell & The Drells.
At the age of 22 Archie was drafted into the army, but before he was shipped out his roommate and fellow Drell Billy Butler came in the room, put on the radio, and started dancing to music, showing off the moves of the latest dance craze. Remembered Bell: “I said to him, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'I'm doing the Tighten Up.' It cheered me up and made me forget about my problems with Uncle Sam. So we decided to write a song about the Tighten Up.”
The record took off and was picked up by Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records, three months into Archie's two-year stint in the U.S. Army.
In order to capitalise on the single's success, Atlantic wanted an album post-haste, but the group didn't have enough unreleased tracks in the can to fill an album. Luckily, Archie Bell was granted leave to return to the US specifically to record. “I travelled from Germany two times on a weekend pass because we didn't have that much material,” he recalled. “I flew to New York, recorded all day Saturday, got on a plane Sunday, and flew back to Germany before reveille.”
“Tighten Up” went to #1 on the Hot 100 and earned the group a Gold Disc.
But Archie Bell & The Drells were not a flash in the pan, other notable hits for the group were '(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown', 'Dancing To The Music', 'I Can't Stop Dancing' and 'Here I Go Again' all hits on Atlantic Records.
Having worked with legendary producers Gamble & Huff over the years it seemed an obvious move to their Philadelphia International label, where they scored more Hits like 'Let's Groove', 'Soul City Walking' and 'Strategy' to name but a few.
Tracklisting
DISC ONETighten Up1 Tighten Up (Part 1)2 Tighten Up (Part 2)3 I Don’t Wanna Be A Playboy4 You’re Mine5 Knock On Wood6 Give Me Time7 In The Midnight Hour8 When You Left Heartache Began9 A Thousand Wonders10 A Soldier’s Prayer, 1967I Can’t Stop Dancing11 I Can’t Stop Dancing12 (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay13 Do The Choo Choo14 You’re Such A Beautiful Child15 Monkey Time16 Do You Feel It?17 I’ve Been Trying18 Jammin’ In Houston19 Love Will Rain On You20 Sometimes I Wonder
DISC TWOThere’s Gonna Be A Showdown1 I Love My Baby2 Houston Texas3 (There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown4 Giving Up Dancing5 Girl You’re Too Young6 Mama Didn’t Teach Me That Way7 Do The Hand Jive8 My Balloon’s Going Up9 Here I Go Again10 Go For What You Know11 Green Power12 Just A Little CloserDance Your Troubles Away13 Let’s Groove14 I Could Dance All Night15 I Won’t Leave You Honey, Never16 Dance Your Troubles Away17 The Soul City Walk18 Let’s Go Disco19 I Love You, But You Don’t Even Know It
DISC THREEWhere Will You Go When The Party’s Over1 Don’t Let Love Get You Down2 Where Will You Go When The Party’s Over3 Right Here Is Where I Want To Be4 Dancin’ Man5 Everybody Have A Good Time6 I Swear You’re Beautiful7 Nothing Comes Easy8 I Bet I Can Do The Dance You’re Doin’Hard Not To Like It9 Glad You Could Make It10 Disco Showdown11 Disco Fever12 On The Radio13 It’s Hard Not To Like You14 There’s No Other Like You15 Real Good Feeling16 I’ve Been Missing You
DISC FOURStrategy1 Show Me How To Dance2 I Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love3 How Can I4 We’ve Got Something5 Tighten Up At The Disco6 Strategy7 You’re The Only One8 We Got ‘Em Dancin’
DISC FIVEBonus Tracks1 A World Without Music2 Deal With Him3 Dog Eat Dog4 Wrap It Up5 Don’t Let The Music Slip Away6 Get It From The Bottom7 I Wish8 Love At First Sight9 I Just Want To Fall In Love10 Archie’s In Love11 Let The World Know You Got Soul12 I Can’t Face You Baby13 Let’s Groove – 7” Version14 The Soul City Walk – 7” Version15 Dancin’ Man16 Old People (The Philadelphia International All- Stars),
Various Artists
Various Artists
Toyah
Toyah
The Riot Squad
The Fall
The Fall
Nightwing
