When I went to Manchester to my degree I came a cross a lot of new things, including Tamla Motown… previously I had been into all sorts of music, The Incredible String Band, Al Stewart… all sorts of things, but suddenly I was going clubbing and clubbing meant Tamla! Many of the songs were recorded in the 60’s but Manchester with its northern soul tradition played a lot of the old Tamla numbers in the 70’s clubs (well, the clubs we went to!)
I was lucky to meet people who became very close friends, and so many of these songs have a strong association for me. Jimmy Mack by Martha and the Vandellas was a favourite of a particular friend, who apparently back home in Leeds, was called Jimmy Mack!
While looking for this on youtube, I came across a very sad video of Martha singing this song with Jools Holland, sad because she was really not on the best of form, and it was almost embarrassing to see and hear her. The band had so many great songs, ‘Heat Wave’, “Nowhere to Run’, and ‘Dancing in the Street’, and that’s what I’ll remember!
Anyway… here is a now crisp crystal clear soundtrack…
Lois Elsden 