Mama Can't Buy You Love
Posted on 12/22/2022 7:19:16 PM PST by nickcarraway
Thom Bell, the Jamaican-born producer, arranger, songwriter, and pillar of ’70s Philadelphia soul, has died. The news was confirmed by Philadelphia radio station WDAS-FM. Bell was best known for his work in the “Mighty Three” with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff; together, the trio created what became known as the “Sound Of Philadelphia.” He was 79.
Born in Jamaica in 1941, Bell moved to Philadelphia as a child. He studied classical music, and as a teen sang with Gamble, Huff, and Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates. His first major break in soul music was with Cameo Records, where he worked as a session player and arranger. In the mid-’60s, Bell was introduced to the Delfonics, and he produced two songs for them, “La-La (Means I Love You)” and “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” the second of which was nominated for a Grammy in 1970.
Bell also joined up with Gamble and Huff, who ran the record label Philadelphia International Records. The three men formed a music publishing company, Mighty Three Music, and Bell arranged for acts such as Jerry Butler, Archie Bell & The Drells, the O’Jays, and Dusty Springfield. Bell also joined Gamble and Huff’s production company.
In the ’70s, Bell produced for the Stylistics and teamed up with Philly’s own Linda Creed. Together, they became the area’s premier soul songwriting duo, writing hits such as “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart),” “You Are Everything,” “Betcha By Golly, Wow,” “Break Up To Make Up,” “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” and “I’m Stone In Love With You.”
By 1972, Bell produced former Motown band the Spinners for Atlantic Records; the collaboration was so successful, it lasted for seven years and eight albums. Bell produced hits like “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” “Games People Play,” and “The Rubberband Man.” In 1974, Bell won the Grammy for Best Producer Of The Year.
In 1977, Bell recorded The Thom Bell Sessions with Elton John, though the EP was not released until 1979.
In the mid-’70s, Bell worked with Dionne Warwick (1974’s #1 “Then Came You,” a song Bell commissioned for Warwick and the Spinners), Johnny Mathis, Billy Paul, Ronnie Dyson, and Anthony & The Imperials. In the early ’80s, he produced Deniece Williams’ Top 10 remake of the Royalettes’ “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle.” In 1990, he produced James Ingram’s “I Don’t Have the Heart,” which became his second #1 pop hit. Other artists Bell produced in the ’80s included the Temptations, Phyllis Hyman, and Dee Dee Bridgwater.
More recently, in 2008 Bell announced he would compose a piece for the Philadelphia Orchestra, as past Orchestra members had played in MFSB, the house band featured on numerous Bell productions. Likewise, in 2017, Bell was honored by the Recording Academy at the Grammy Salute to Music Legends.
In February 2022, it was announced that the story of Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell would be chronicled in a new feature documentary, The Sound Of Philadelphia, directed by Sam Pollard.
“When I write, I make sure that my introductions grab you from the first note. I write to grab you; to give you my true feelings,” Bell told Consequence last year. “I don’t want to tell you a love story and only tell you part of a love story. I want to give a complete story. That’s how can always tell one of my arrangements.”
The Spinners - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOLQNv_BfD0 Man, on Midnight Special in 1976
Spinners - I'll Be Around (1973)
The Stylistics - You Make Me Feel Brand New
The Stylistics - Betcha By Golly, Wow
The Delfonics - Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) [Restored]
RIP. Thanks for the links. That’s a lot of great music and memories from growing up in Philadelphia.
Backstabbers is an awesome song
Fantastic stuff. The O’Jays were awesome.
Wow.
What a talent.
I could handle that one.
Disco Duck, OTOH........
1st 45 I ever bought.
Had the album, it was great.
Several great songs above
Good times back then
Some great work. RIP.
Smiling Faces is absolutely a great song too
Several good ones there I’d always listen to
Back when black music was a force for good and positivity.
What the hell happened?
Rap
There were some great musicians.
Especially 60s and 70s.
REAL musicians.
Thanks for those links.
Too bad. A loss.
I have linked or quoted lyrics to the Backstabbers maybe 6 times here over the year or two. Usually about disloyalty to Trump or to voters the RINOs ignore when the mood hits them.
Last was a couple of days ago.
RE: Adding Smiling Faces.
Good one.
The Philadelphia Sound produced smooth work that made it look easy but was actually multi layered. Try listening to bass only or listening to seamless entrance of background singers.
RIP.
They’re dropping like flies :-(
Truly artistic back then
OTOH, they’ll miss World War III
The kazoo voiced bird in Disco Duck became part of a Cultural Classic, just like that piccolo melody in Kung Fu Fighting.
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