Here Come the Girls, Vol. 9: Slow Fizz (1998)

This is Vol. 9 of the classic Sequel’s Here Come the Girls series, dedicated this time to Northern Soul girl groups courtesy of legendary producer and songwriter Jerry Ross. Ross – a key player on the Philly music scene – was able come up with credible and at the same time commercial productions on a host of acts including Jay & The Techniques, The Festivals, Candy & The Kisses, The Yum Yums, Virgil Henry, The Showstoppers, The Sapphires, Dee Dee Warwick and others. The Yum Yums (later renamed Honey & The Bees) are represented here with the effervescent ‘Gonna Be a Big Thing’, released on American ABC and as good an example of the uptempo girlie group sound as favoured by the Northern scene as you will ever come across. The Sapphires also recorded a version of ‘Gonna Be a Big Thing’ but it didn’t cut the mustard as much as The Yum Yums take. However, The Sapphires had the UK Soul crowd swooning with their glorious ‘Slow Fizz’, that tore the dancefloors apart at clubs like The Catacombs. ‘The 81’, by Candy & The Kisses (who also recorded under the alias of Honey Love & The Love Notes), was a massive hit on the scene too, as was ‘I'm Gonna Pick up My Toys (And Go Home)’, by The Devonnes. The Swans made some waves on the airwaves back in 1963 with ‘You Better Be a Good Girl Now’ and, a year after, with ‘Boy with the Beatle Hair’. Another less known girl group presented here is Devotion, whose only release, as far as I know, is this 1970 Colossus double-sider Dawning of Love / So Glad You're Home. I hope you enjoy this last (but one) volume of which is possibly one of the best series dedicated to girl groups (and specially Brit Girl sound) ever released. Once again, I must thank Lohmax for passing me this.a

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1. Slow Fizz - The Sapphires
2. The 81 - Candy & the Kisses
3. Baby, Baby, You - The Lovenotes
4. Gonna Be a Big Thing - The Yum Yums
5. We Belong Together - Honey Love & The Love Notes
6. You Better Be a Good Girl Now - The Swans
7. I've Got Mine, You Better Get Yours - The Sapphires
8. Two Happy People - Candy & the Kisses
9. Boy with the Beatle Hair - The Swans
10. He's Mine - The Swans
11. Soldier Baby (Of Mine) - Candy & the Kisses
12. Gee I'm Sorry Baby - The Sapphires
13. Let's Break Up for a While - The Sapphires
14. Looky Looky (What I Got) - The Yum Yums
15. Mary Ann - Honey Love & The Love Notes
16. Shakin' Time - Candy & the Kisses
17. Beg Me - The Lovenotes
18. I'm Gonna Pick up My Toys (And Go Home) - The Devonnes
19. Dawning of Love - Devotion
20. So Glad You're Home - Devotion