Customer Reviews

Best Of: Cowboys to Girls

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While not among the best remembered soul groups to emerge from Philadelphia in the '60s and '70s, the Intruders were instrumental in helping define what would become known as Philly Soul. This vocal quartet was the first signing to Gamble & Huff's Excel label (changed soon after to Gamble Records) in 1965. With these records, Gamble & Huff began to develop the production style which would reach its peak in the '70s with the O'Jays, Billy Paul, and Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes.

The Intruders' trademark was the endearingly off-key lead vocals of Sam "Little Sonny" Brown. Brown's shaky voice was a good match for such novelty numbers as "(Love Is Like A) Baseball Game," "Me Tarzan You Jane," "(Win Place Or Show) She's A Winner, and the R & B number one "Cowboys To Girls." He also projected a warm innocence on romantic ballads, including "We'll Be United," "Together" and "When We Get Married."

This 20-track set contains the majority of their R & B hits (including all of the above). Unfortunately omitted were the uptempo charmer "Give Her A Transplant" as well as "I'm Girl Scoutin'," the only Intruders' single not to include Brown (his defection from the group lasted less than six months). This collection also includes most of their 1973 album Save The Children. One of the best Philly Soul albums ever, this concept recording offers uniquely effective covers of Marvin Gaye's title track and Paul Simon's "Mother And Child Reunion," as well as stunning originals like "I Wanna Know Your Name" and their artistic apex, "I'll Always Love My Mama."

After the release of Save The Children, the Intruders only had two more chart entries: "A Nice Girl Like You" and a strong version of the Carpenters' "Rainy Days And Mondays." While the latter recording is not included here, this is still the best Intruders collection available. It is even better than the two-disc, thirty-track Golden Classics which contains a lot of filler and omits "(Win Place Or Show) She's A Winner."

I know I'm not Original here, as the Previous 13 Reviews have awarded the Same 5 Stars to this Release, but I feel the need to Echo the sentiment. The Intruders, led by the Unmistakable Hurting/Cracking, Passionate Voice of Little Sonny Brown, are Grossly Underappreciated, These Songs stand among the Greatest in Soul History, Gems like "Together", "I Wanna Know Your Name", "Love is Like a Baseball Game", "United", and on and on....and the Long Version of "I'll always love My Mama", where Pt. 2 of the song (the second half, if you will, as listed on My Original 45 Copy I bought in 1973) has the Intruders Rapping, Playing the "Dozens", quite interesting to hear still; An Absolute MUST for Your Music Library...I am Pleased to have seen the Intruders Perform at Constitution Hall in D.C. in 1993, reunited with Little Sonny after Many Years away...The Pain in His Voice One Hears in many of these Songs was Real, Little Sonny Jumped from a Bridge near Philadelphia to His Death in 1995......RIP

I had never heard of The Intruders until I heard the title song of this collection on an R&B oldies station last year. After hearing Cowboys to Girls about three times on that station I couldn't get the uniqueness of the lyrics and melody out of my head. I was also moved by the innocence and appealing vulnerability of the lead vocalist Sam "Little Sonny" Brown and decided to buy this greatest hits compilation and needless to say it has not left my cd player since. The addictive blend of
horns, strings and guitar riffs makes a groove that is both slick and gritty at the same time.The songs are almost all written by the legendary Gamble and Huff songwriting team and there seems to be a thread of romantic nostalgia connecting the songs. "I'll Always Love My Mama", "Me Tarzan, You Jane" and "Together" are all seldom played classics. Why this great soul group has been swept aside by the shifting sands of time is beyond me as they were fantastic. This is some of the most feel good soul comfort music out there. Buy this, it'll make you feel good.

With this album you can practically trace the evolution of the "Philly Soul Sound". The first act signed to Philly International was South Philly's own Intruders. The production on these early cuts is rough, rugged and raw but the songwriting is outstanding. Several of these cuts are rightly considered "Classics". The title track, is timeless as is "Together Baby" and a few others. As the disks unwind you can hear Gamble and Huff beginning to hone their crafts, the arrangements get lusher, the production smoother and balanced. But still the voices are what brings you back. The Intruders never got the pub of Harold Melvin and Blue Notes or the Ojays but damn if they were giants in their own right. Get it, you won't regret it.

This is a fantastic CD. It brought back so many memories - good ones. The Intruders - what a great group who created beautiful, romantic music. I already have a few request from friends to order this CD for their collection.

Buy this CD - trust me you will not regret it.

I just picked this up and all I can say is: WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG! I had forgotten just how good these guys sounded. Seemingly always on the edge of 'losing it' vocally but taking you with them every step of the way. This is the beginning of the 'Philly Sound' and you can hear it develop and grow with each songs. One or two of the earlier tracks (A LOVE THAT'S REAL, [WE'LL BE] UNITED) didn't master/remaster well but it's a small flaw for the joy on this CD.

This collection captures a time when r&b was turning into soul, and Philly was just about to explode. These guys had just the right amount of street corner dirt on their souls. Lil' Sonny sings with a pleading vulnerability, and the harmonies float over the Gamble-Huff arrangements. This collection digs way beneath Cowboys to Girls, try United, Sad Girl, Slow Drag, or the epic Save the Children. If you wanna hear Philly Soul before the Blue Notes, O' Jays, or Spinners, this is the real deal.

THIS IS A GREAT COLLECTION BY ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED SOUL GROUPS OF ALL TIME . I LOVE THE INTRUDERS: THE LATE , GREAT SAM "LITTLE SONNY" BROWN , EUGENE "BIRD " DAUGHTRY (ALSO , SADLY, NO LONGER WITH US) SONGWRITER PHILLIP "PHIL" TERRY,AND ROBERT "BIG SONNY" EDWARDS.THEIR RECORDS WERE ALL FANTASTIC , AND THEY HAD A SOUND QUITE UNLIKE ANY OTHER GROUP, BUT.....LET'S BE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE HERE . THE SONG " I'M GIRL SCOUTIN" WAS N O T THE ONLY INTRUDERS SONG NOT TO FEATURE "LITTLE SONNY" BROWN ON LEAD. ROBERT FERGUSON , BETTER KNOWN AS "BOBBY STARR" DID REPLACE "LITTLE SONNY" AS LEAD SINGER OF THE GROUP FOR A TIME ,{AND LEADS A NEW GROUP OF INTRUDERS TODAY), BUT, IN ADDITION TO SINGING ON THEIR HIT " I'M GIRL SCOUTIN", HE ALSO LEAD ON THE HITS, "I BET HE DON'T LOVE YOU (LIKE I LOVE YOU)", "THIS IS MY LOVE SONG",AND "PRAY FOR ME". TO THIS DATE, NOT A SINGLE INTRUDERS "GREATEST HITS" COLLECTION (ON CD OR VINYL) HAS INCLUDED ANY OF THESE BOBBY STARR- LED SONGS... NOR HAVE THEY INCLUDED THE "LITTLE SONNY"-LED EARLIER HIT "DEVIL WITH AN ANGELS SMILE" FROM THEIR NOW CLASSIC COLLECTORS ITEM 1ST ALBUM " THE INTRUDERS ARE TOGETHER " {WHICH ALSO, BY THE WAY,STILL HAS YET TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY ON CD.}UNTIL THESE SONGS ARE INCLUDED , THERE WILL NEVER BE A DEFINITIVE INTRUDERS "GREATEST HITS" COLLECTION...SO HOW ABOUT ABOUT IT, GAMBLE AND HUFF ?

What can I say? I am the original old school sister! The Chantels, The Chiffons, The Marvellets, The Ronettes, The Temptations, the list goes on. The Intruders? I remember doing blue lights in the basement to I Want to Know Your Name so many years ago. A wonderful love song, I can't even remember who I was slow jammin' with to it. Cowboys to Girls was such a sweet song, I'm sure I had a crush on some boy when that was out. This has to be one of the best of the old school cd's, and if you're very young and want to know what old school is really all about check out this cd by the Intruders.

This collection of music takes listeners back to the late 60s and early 70s and is an interesting mix of classic doo wop and the Philly sound which began to establish its own identity in the R&B/Soul genre. Although the group had just one major hit, the CD is an excellent program with just one or two songs that could be called fillers. The big hitters here are "Cowboys to Girls", "I'll Always Love My Mama", "I Wanna Know Your Name" and "Save the Children". The other songs are just as memorable, especially the group's cover of "United" and "When We Get Married". Although "I Wanna Know Your Name" did not do well on the charts, the song has acquired a devoted following over the years, especially on easy-listening format radio shows. And Sonny's famous line, "just a jazzy, jazzy old babe" is an oft quoted phrase by DJs and fans alike who remember the good old days. Thank you Philadelphia, for giving us the Intruders.