Customer Reviews

Philly Golden Classics

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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" 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 30-track, two disc set contains the majority of their R & B hits (including all of the above). Unfortunately omitted were the uptempo charmers "(Win Place or Show) She's A Winner," and "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).

On the plus side, Philly Golden Classics includes the 1973 album Save The Children in its entirety. 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 had only two more chart entries: "A Nice Girl Like You" and a strong version of the Carpenters' "Rainy Days And Mondays." This would have been a good place to end the collection. Instead, we get another half-dozen nonhits from the mid to late '70s. These tracks have little of the charm of the earlier hits and sound more like castoffs from the O'Jays (they probably were). But since the only other collections available on the Intruders were a couple of ten-track duds which both omit "I'll Always Love My Mama" this set was a big improvement. Now, how about a multi-disc set on the O'Jays?!

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 LED 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 ?

No one could ever dispute that The Intruders were the best group to come out of Philadelphia (the city of brotherly love). Groups may come and go, and their songs may come and go, but The Intruders always remain strong. I'm sure the team of Gamble and Huff would agree. If one would need convincing, just take a listen to : "Cowboys To Girls", "Together", "Love Is Like A Baseball Game", "(We'll Be)United", "Slow Drag", "Friends No More". "When We Get Married", "Gonna Be Strong", "I'll Always Love My Mama", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "I Wanna Know Your Name", "To Be Happy Is The Real Thing". Their songs are forever playing on my stereo. But Philadelphia did pump out some other good groups like The Futures, The Ebony's, The O'Jays,& Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, to mention a few !!

My favorite song is, "I will always love my mama". Everytime I hear that song, it really makes me smile. The words are true, this will be played at my son's wedding for the song that my son and I dance to.

Love is like a WHAT YOU SAY??? Three strikes you're out! Track 5 is "misspelled".