Soul

A revolution without dancing is not a revolution worth having.

Emma Goldman

I have , from a young age, been intrigued by the flamboyant displays of athleticism displayed in the dancing of Northern Soul devotees.

Was this a white working class precursor of breakdancing?

I have read that an influence on the evolution of 'b-boying' was Get on the Goodfoot by James Brown, a record that did not appear until 1972, and in fairness, Northern Soul was such an obscure cult, having very little influence on the culture outside of the dancehalls of Manchester, Wigan and Stoke on Trent, that the likelihood of it having in some way shaped events in New York is beyond the bounds of possibility.

I can only assume that there was some (almost) parallel and yet unconnected development, a reflection of a primal urge in the dance culture of the soul obsessed Mods (and those who followed in their wake) of the north of England and the African American culture of the Bronx.
Here is a selection of 29 soul records which compel you to move, even if like me you are long past your sell by date and the prospect of an all nighter makes your spinal column freeze.

01 - The Charades- Key To My Happiness; 02- Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do); 03 - Velvelettes - He Was Really Saying Something;04- R. Dean Taylor-There's A Ghost In My House; 05 - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles- The Tears Of A Clown;06 - The Flirtations -Nothing But A Heartache; 07- Marlena Shaw- Let's Wade In The Water; 08 – The Dells - It's All Up To You; 09 – The Carstairs - It Really Hurts Me Girl;10 – Earl Jackson - Soul Self Satisfaction; 11- Jackie Wilson- (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher;12 – The Impressions - Can't Satisfy; 13 - The Originals – Suspicion; 14 - Mill Evans - Why, Why, Why; 15 – Willie Hutch- Love Runs Out; 16 – Chris Clark- Love's Gone Bad; 17 – Tony Clarke – Landslide;18 – The Prophets - I Got The Fever;19 - Velvelettes - Needle In A Haystack; 20 - Marvelettes - Too Many Fish In The Sea;21- Gladys Knight & The Pips- No One Could Love You More;22 – Dusty Springfield -Live It Up; 23 –Dobie Gray- Out On The Floor; 24- Gloria Jones - Tainted Love; 25 – Eddie Holman - I Surrender;26- Al Wilson - The Snake; 27 – Jimmy Ruffin- He Who Picks A Rose;28- Geno Washington- Michael (The Lover); 29 – The Barrino Brothers - Trapped In A Love.