Day 13: Philly Soul

Major Harris
My Way

Known for its lush, string-heavy and horn-laden arrangements, Philly soul emerged in the 1970s as the smoother and slicker counterpart to the gritty southern soul of the mid 1960s. More than any other figures, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff--two halves of one production team, and arranger/producer Thom Bell were responsible for the development of the Philadephia sound. Among the talents Bell helped cultivate were the Delfonics. One of the first and most important acts in Philly soul history, their "La La Means I Love You" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" were bona fide classics later immortalized by prominent placement in the Quentin Tarantino film Jackie Brown. When one of the Delfonics' founders, Randy Cain, quit the group in 1971, he was replaced by a singer named Major Harris. The cousin of legendary Philly soul Renaissance man Norman Harris, Harris had a journeyman CV that several unsuccessful solo singles and stints with the Charmels, Frankie Lymon's Teenagers, the Jarmels, and Nat Turner's Rebellion. Given his persistence and his family connection, it should come as no surprise that Harris eventually achieved a breakthrough success; that success, however, did not come with the Delfonics, who peaked before he joined the group. It was not until the Delfonics disbanded and Harris once again tried his hand at solo recording that he achieved his artistic and commercial peak, the million-selling ballad "Love Won't Let Me Wait." A classic case-study in seductive soul, "Love Won't Let Me Wait" is a slow-burner replete with a memorable refrain and erotic female moans and pants and My Way, Harris's 1975 debut and the album on which the song first appeared, has become a cult-classic of 70s soul. In 2005, the album was finally reissued on CD as a Japanese import; now thanks to digital downloads, its just a click away in iTunes. Give "Sweet Tomorrow" the 30-second preview. If the strings on this uptempo number don't get you, the addictive hook will.

To hear clips of My Way, visit the iTunes store.