The Sound of Philadelphia Still Echoes Through Pop Music

Nov 10

Nov 10 The Sound of Philadelphia Still Echoes Through Pop Music

The nu-disco age of pop seems poised to be the soundtrack of the 2020s, as jazz was for the roaring 1920s. This year has seen an influx of disco-inspired hits as popstars like Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Doja Cat and Lady Gaga have all leaned into the genre’s conventions. The bleakness of this year has certainly made an excellent case for a return to the escapism of disco. It’s a genre laced with a certain larger-than-life opulence that pours out of the sweeping nature of the orchestration and the cinematic level of production. These qualities helped shape disco after they were flooded into the mainstream by Philadelphia soul, more commonly known as TSOP (the Sound of Philadelphia).

While cities like Nashville and Detroit have booming music tourism economies honoring their respective places in music history, Philadelphia, as local record store owner Max Ochester succinctly put it, “is the city that sleeps on itself.” Philadelphia’s vast influence on music is often overlooked, with dangerous consequences—the last remaining home of Philly soul, Sigma Studios, is in danger of demolition to make way for the construction of residential properties on the lucrative Center City property. Artists and archivists are pushing for it to be designated a historic site in order to preserve the city’s cultural legacy, and on November 13th the case will go in front of the Philadelphia Historical Commission.

Philly soul served as a crucial cultural bridge between Motown’s gospel-laced R&B and the disco of the late ‘70s. Philly soul smoothed out some of the grit from soul to modernize the genre and pave the way for its slick convergence with pop—think Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall, Earth Wind and Fire, and Chic. Grounded in Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International Records and the songwriting of Thom Bell and Linda Creed, the sound of Philadelphia was founded on lush, orchestra-based soul, unrelenting horns, and funk-inspired rhythms that flowed into the arrangements. For a brief introduction to the magic of TSOP, here are a few essential tracks:

Ready or Not - The Delfonics (1969)

Conventional wisdom says to pick The Delfonics’ Grammy-winning Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind) for a list of this kind, but I threw this one in for the hip-hop heads. This track had an epic comeback in the late ‘90s, as its uniquely bombastic production was sampled to form the basis of three hip-hop classics in three consecutive years—The Fugees’ Ready or Not (1996), Missy Elliott and Da Brat’s Sock it 2 Me (1997), and Dr. Dre and Eminem’s Forgot About Dre (1998).

Back Stabbers - The O’Jays (1972)

One of the most grandiose songs in the history of music, rhythmically and harmonically flawless, Back Stabbers is a verifiable suite. A frantic, paranoid build up of strings and colossal horns climax to the thrumming bass line of a pre-chorus that demands “what they do?!” What the O’Jays did, at least, was make a masterpiece.

Could It Be I’m Falling In Love - The Spinners (1972)

The Spinners’ self-titled third album is emblematic of the distance between Detroit and Philly soul. The group started off at Motown Records but migrated to Atlantic in 1972 and handed the production reins to Philly soul architect Thom Bell. The lead single off of Spinners (1973) was the more popular track I’ll Be Around, but Could It Be I’m Falling In Love is a more notable shift away from the doo-wop and gospel-inspired Motown, leaning into a harmonic and ethereal sound.

Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul (1972)

This track is an absolutely immaculately produced coupling of vocals and instrumentals. There is something so…luxe, perhaps, about this song. It so succinctly encapsulates everything beautiful about this era of music, with equal attention to the romance, the grandeur, the mystery, the drama, the sweetness, and the smoothness. That moment when the trumpets and trombones swell to a bang and then completely cut out, leaving Billy Paul’s jazz-inflected voice to belt out “Me…and… Mrs.! Mrs. Jones” a cappella before the orchestration slinks back in and he sighs “we got a thing… going on”? Truly sublime.

Drowning In The Sea Of Love - Joe Simon (1972)

Joe Simon’s music is quite inexplicably underrated in the 21st century. The production on this track, for one, is nothing short of impeccable. A sense of ominousness floods the classic Gamble & Huff production, creating an atmosphere of trepidation you can practically feel, swelling like a wave preparing to engulf our lovesick protagonist. Walk On By-esque background vocals eerily complete a track full of mystique.

Dirty Ol’ Man - The Three Degrees (1973)

The common Three Degrees pick would be their hit single When Will I See You Again, but this defiant, consent-demanding disco anthem was huge in Europe and Japan and deserves more love than it gets. The pre-chorus is a masterclass in dynamics, the harmonies are insanely sharp, and the duel between the bass line and the violins on the chorus deserves an article of its own.

You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics (1974)

The Stylistics were the more schmaltzy manifestation of Thom Bell’s symphonic soul productions. Led by Russell Thompkins Jr.’s insanely fluid falsetto, the Stylistics tended towards sentimental ballads with rich soundscapes. But it wouldn’t be Philly soul without some genre ambiguity, and this track dips its toes into funk with a sitar line while cushioned in a broad, steady string section.

T.S.O.P. - MFSB (feat. The Three Degrees) (1974)

This instrumental piece is by the Philadelphia International Records’ house band MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother). MFSB can be heard backing most of the tracks on this list, threading the distinct Philly soul sound through the ‘70s. The band also played a crucial part in the emergence of disco—T.S.O.P. is considered the very first disco song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 100. It was also the first TV theme song to do so, as Gamble and Huff wrote it for the Soul Train opening credits. The lack of a canonical legacy for Philadelphia's role in music history is quite unbelievable given it literally soundtracked the definitive cultural institution of soul music.

You’ll Never Find Another Love like Mine - Lou Rawls (1976)

There are certain songs that, in theory, simply should not work—a bass crooner’s voice over a rumba rhythm intersected by a disco chorus? But Gamble & Huff worked their magic to create the best bass-led cinematic soul track this side of Barry White.

When Somebody Loves You Back - Teddy Pendergrass (1978)

Teddy Pendergrass emerged from his role as the drummer (and later lead singer) for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes to become R&B’s preeminent ‘70s sex symbol. He absolutely simmers on this track as horns flutter with insane dynamism around characteristically brash Philly soul strings. Generations later his charisma, style, and impossibly sweet yet brash voice continue to be emulated by R&B heartthrobs.

Ain’t No Stopping Us Now - McFadden and Whitehead (1979)

Philadelphia International Records’ hit-making writer-producer duo McFadden and Whitehead stepped out from behind the scenes with this vivacious disco hit, featuring a booming bass line and throbbing back beat. It’s honestly just sunshine compressed into an audio file.