Aug 19, 2025
Interesting UK take on the Ray Pollard classic - 1968
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Interesting UK take on the Ray Pollard classic - 1968
Samantha Fish live at The Funky Biscuit (Boca Raton, Florida) April 16 2015
Runaway
Foolin' Me
Lay It Down
Who's Been Talkin'
Go To Hell
Gone For Good
Tennessee Plates
Money To Burn
Kid Around
Jim Lee Blues
That's How I Got To Memphis
Miles To Go
Sucker Born
Wild Horses
Going Down Slow
Black Wind Howlin'
War Pigs
I definitely spend more time in terms of creating mixes that explore the vast contributions that women, particularly Black women, have made to popular music. Every once in a while tho, I feel a bit…
I definitely spend more time in terms of creating mixes that explore the vast contributions that women, particularly Black women, have made to popular music. Every once in a while tho, I feel a bit guilty for ignoring the legacy of the legions of handsome men that worked tirelessly in the studio and stage crafting musical arts. This time I decided to affix on my own romantic ideal. I do have a penchant for male singers that are smooth as silk boxers with their performances. The legion of Baritones, Tenors and Falsettos that set my Mid Century Heart Ablaze always excelled at a mid-tempo jam, or a low and slow number. So as we wind down Summer and think of new teachers to have (in)appropriate crushes on, here's a good cruise through some sophisticated sounds offered by some of the finest voices you know and don't know in 60's soul.
And Then I Cry! OH HOW I CRY! (loud noise)
This is another absolute classic, from Ray Pollard - "The Drifter", one of the great sob-story songs that parcels out details slowly, ratcheting up the tragedy until the end. And Pollard sings it to match - every repetition of "I'm just a Drifter" becomes more intense until he's howling the words. This is of a tradition - you could almost play it as the eventual fate of the protagonists of songs like "Johnny Remember Me" (OF WHICH MORE LATER.)
Meanwhile, the video provides us with a backdrop of mods in their natural habitat.
The Drifter - Ray Pollard (The Drifter / Let Him Go (And Let Me Love You), 1965)
Soulmate? - Ray Pollard (Soulmate? / I Am Now - 1973)
Ray Pollard "Let Him Go (And Let Me Love You)" (United Artists 916-B, 1965) As a Father of modern soul singing, you'd think that Ray Pollard, formerly of The Wanderers would have had more of a long lasting legacy considering his impact. But his 6 solo singles between 1965-66 had little chart impact despite them being well produced and excellently sung. The pretty tragic "The Drifter" was perhaps a bit too dark for AM Top 40 play, but it is surprising that the very convincing "leave the loser cause I'm awesome" B-side didn't get some airplay in compensation. It would be one more outing at United Artists before 2 singles would trickle out of Decca records and put an end to his recording in the 1960s.
The Wanderers "After He Breaks Your Heart" (United Artists 570, 1963) *Happy Belated Birthday Ray Pollard* One of the voices that made the transition from Doo-Wop to Soul as the 1950's turned into the 1960's would have turned 83 yesterday. Although not as well known as the variety of Drifters voices from the same era, Ray Pollard's nearly operatic range showed the way to what Male voices were allowed to do in Soul Music.
The penultimate release with his group has him starting out above the clouds and ascending to the stars on a bed of strings and silky harmonies. Perfect for a rather moralizing song about comeuppance. The lines between judgement in love aren't all that different than moralizing in religion.
