The Vibrations :: “Cause You’re Mine” :: Northern Soul Monday
“I’d give up the world,
before I’d give up you.“
Welcome to this Week’s Installment of Northern Soul Monday, featuring the Best in Northern Soul Music Every Month, Every Week, Every Single Monday.
This Week we bring to you a Steadfast Dance Floor Filler of a Song from The Vibrations called “Cause You’re Mine”.
As this Song builds, so does the energy, as if each note is punctuated by an exclamation mark, and a Beat. This Track is so ready-made for a Northern Soul Dance Floor – Press Play, Turn Up the Volume on this Quintessential Northern Soul Gem, and we’re sure you’ll agree.
The Vibrations were a Soul Vocal Group from Los Angeles, California, active Musically from the mid-1950’s until 1976. Most notable among the group’s Hit Singles were “My Girl Sloopy” (1964), “Love in Them There Hills” (1968), and Today’s Northern Soul Hit, “Cause You’re Mine” (also 1968).
“My Girl Sloopy” :: The Vibrations
The Quintet’s Members included Don Bradley, Carl Fisher, Dave Govan, James Johnason, and Ricky Owens. Ricky was also briefly a Member of The Temptations, where he ahd been the first replacement of original Temptations founding Member Eddie Kendricks. Ricky was soon afterwards replaced by Damon Harris, and returned immediately to The Vibrations.
The Vibrations initially began Recording as The Jay Hawks, and had a Hit in 1956 with “Stranded in the Jungle, which Reached # 18 on the U.S. Singles Chart. Concurrently, they had a Hit under the name The Marathons with “Peanut Butter”, which Reached # 20 on the U.S. Singles Chart.
The Group was also known for Recording a couple of Northern Soul Classics since their initial Hit on Atlantic Records in 19963. A Cover Version of “My Girl Sloopy”, retitled “Hang On, Sloopy” was a Hit for the McCoys in 1965.
“Cause You’re Mine”, Released Originally on Okeh Records, is listed as # 48 in “The Northern Soul Top 500” compiled by Kev Roberts.
Kev Roberts had this to say about “Cause You’re Mine”:
“This track knocks you sideways by the 4th bar and continues to race against time, leaving you collapsed in a heap of delight!”
A later Single, “Surprise Party for Baby” attributed to The Vibrating Vibrations, is listed as # 188 in “The Northern Soul Top 500”, and was practically a New Single when used int he Northern Soul Scene at Blackpool Mecca, in 1971.
Said about the Song at the Mecca:
“The intro and subsequent ‘Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey’ harmony works a treat into dragging you onto the dance floor.”
“Surprise Party for Baby” :: The Vibrating Vibrations
The Vibrations briefly broke-up, in 1971, but reformed not long after. They eventually became a nightclub act in the mid-1970’s, before officially calling it quits as a Group, in 1976.
“Cause You’re Mine”, by The Vibrations, is # 10 of the Northern Soul Monday Installments, thus far. We hope you enjoyed “Cause You’re Mine”, this Week’s Best of Northern Soul Music Song choice.
What were your thoughts on the Song? Did you Press Play more than once?