Love Train:The Sound of Philadelphia [Box set]

Various Artists | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 21, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony Legacy
• ASIN: B001F290GM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,589 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #18 in Music > R&B > Soul > Philly Soul
  • #84 in Music > Dance & DJ > Disco
  • #95 in Music > Pop > By Decade > 1970s

Editorial Reviews

Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia includes 71 songs on 4 CDs. These are the American standards that defined an era, featuring such legendary artists as The Jacksons, The O'Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, The Spinners, The Stylistics, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Wilson Pickett and McFadden & Whitehead. This deluxe package contains some of the most recognized and enduring hits of our time PLUS a lavish booklet with unpublished photos, historical essays and intimate conversations with the architects of the Philly Sound, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Thom Bell and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The New and Improved Philly Soul Box Set, November 11, 2008

By 

John L. Hughes, Jr. "hughes_jr" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Train:The Sound of Philadelphia (Audio CD)

LOVE TRAIN easily trumps Sony Legacy's previously released three-cd Philly box set (1997's excellent THE PHILLY SOUND: KENNY GAMBLE, LEON HUFF & THE STORY OF BROTHERLY LOVE)by offering 23 more songs and expanding the years of the material up to 1983. Unlike the 1997 box set, the works of producer Thom Bell are represented here along with the best of the Gamble and Huff productions. One big surprise entry is Deniece Williams' top-10 remake of the Royaltones "It's Gonna Take A Miracle", which was produced by Thom Bell and recorded in Philly. The set ends perfectly with Patti Labelle's #1 r&b hit "If Only You Knew", the last big hurrah of the Philly sound. It would have been nice to include the 1973 Thom Bell-produced top 30 pop hits "One Man Band" by Ronnie Dyson and "I'm Doing Fine Now" by New York City, however.

Improved song selection, detailed booklet and great remastered sound make this collection a must for Philly soul fans.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TSOP it is!, January 1, 2009

By 

Josh P. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Train:The Sound of Philadelphia (Audio CD)

Philadelphia has always been the City of Brotherly Love and it took two musical geniuses like Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff to compose the songs and arrangements that would reach out to all listening audiences letting them know that that phrase was more than just a phrase. In that classic O'Jays' hit of which this boxed set is named, all the nations of the world from England to Russia, China and Africa are connected as the "Love Train" comes "ridin' on through." The phrase "People all over the world" from the same song is later duplicated in MFSB's chart-topper "TSOP: The Sound of Phildelphia." MFSB, standing for Mother Father Sister Brother further emphasizing the Philadelphia spirit of unity, is the studio band that Gamble & Huff assembled to play behind the artists they wrote for and produced and was the sound they had bumpin'! All around they were one tight outfit. Going further with the subject of the need for positive social awareness, it could be heard in songs like the O'Jays' greasy and funky "For The Love of Money", Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "Wake Up Everybody", "Put Your Hands Together" from the O'Jays again, as well as McFadden & Whitehead's latter-era classic "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now." Yes, indeed: the Love Train was making its impact on American popular music and it was rollin' straight out of no other righteous American city than Philadelphia.

This brand new edition of Gamble and Huff's Philly Soul contributions to R&B music from 1967-1983 is a definitive portrait of their labors of love that started from their first chance meeting inside an elevator. From there to the recording studio and to the music charts, they cranked out one hit after another for various artists signed to their Philadelphia International label. The first half of disc one are the seeds that got the ball rolling with hits from Jerry Butler, the Delfonics, the Stylistics, Joe Simon, Wilson Pickett as well as Dusty Springfield. The second half of disc one and onward is where the Philly sound grew, developed and progressed encompassing the many phases that defined what '70s R&B was all about through funk, smooth soul, quiet storm and ultimately disco. None of these songs are really pure disco although, Philly In'tl played the huge part in contributing to how disco evolved.

All the hits are here and some have extended versions such as "I'll Always Love My Mama" and "I Wanna Know Your Name" from the Intruders, "Livin' For The Weekend" and "I Love Music" from the O'Jays, plus "I Miss You" and "The Love I Lost" from Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes. Those longer cuts are what made Philly In'tl what it was and, as stated before, because of their dancability and or seductiveness if it was a ballad, this lead to disco, the 12" single and to the only majorcomplaint about this set. Because of the lengths of many songs, it leaves little room for other artists to have significant spotlight time. For instance, artists like Lou Rawls, The Jacksons, Dee Dee Sharp, Bunny Sigler and Joe Simon could have had more hits provided as they had their fair share on the label as well. The O'Jays and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes seem to dominate this set, and in a way they were synonomous with Philly In'tl, but the balance could have been a bit better. Then again, the purpose of box sets is to provide as thorough of an overview as possible without turning anything into combine mini-greatest hit collections. If you want to investigate further on an artist, you're welcome to, as their music is readily and separately available. If more songs were provided along with the 71 on here, this could have easily spawned a fifth disc. Two other minor quibbles is that this did not include the collaboration of artists as the Philadelphia International All-Stars' "Let's Clean Up The Ghetto" and the Ebony's "It's Forever" does not have the extended ending, but yet just about everything else does. Hear that one elsewhere in its 7 minute glory.

Other non-Philly label artists include The Spinners (I'll Be Around, The Rubberband Man) and the Manhattans (There's No Me Without You, Kiss and Say Goodbye). Finally, Teddy Pendergrass, Deneice Williams, the Jones Girls, and Patti Labelle round out the set that carries the glossy and glittery quiet storm and dance sounds into the '80s as Philly In'tl leaves behind its glory days.

The songs were as recognizable as their very own sound, and just as Motown and Stax had their own distinct sounds during their heydays, as did Philly In'tl. In fact if any two labels had their heydays during decades it would be Motown and Stax in the '60s and Philly In'tl and Hi for the '70s. With positive messages as well as the down-to-earth heartfelt emotions on life and love in the lyrics, Philadelphia International and their creators Gamble and Huff were the symbols and personifications of Brotherly Love and promotion for unity. Get ready to start and evening full of get-down dancin' and romancin' as you take a ride on the Love Train!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great sounds from the City of Brotherly Love, November 27, 2008

By 

Victoria A. Love (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Love Train:The Sound of Philadelphia (Audio CD)

My parents were teenagers/young adults in Philadelphia during the 60's and early 70's. I grew up with my parents playing this music. It was just part of our environment. My brother and I were babies singing along with this awesome music. I'm in my early 40s now and heard an NPR Fresh Air interview with Gamble and Huff yesterday. Those guys are just so talented. AWHHHHHHHHH, hearing that music again brought me such joy. Learning about the genius of Gamble and Huff and all of the songs that they've written and produced, just made me profoundly proud of them and the city of Philadelphia; a place I left in the 80's. My mom still lives in the City, so there will always be a connection for me. I cannot wait to see her face when I present her with the gift of this compilation for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to the PBS special that will air soon. There music has made an international mark. It's just so impressive and enduring.