Mom, it’s time for the Hpathy Quiz once again.
Weren’t we just here a month ago?
Mom, I’m afraid we don’t have time right now for your “humor”. We have quite a Death Report to get out; but, I also have announcements to make.
I was afraid of that.
In a rather interesting turn of events, Bernie Taupin, known for writing the songs made famous by Elton John…
Aaaaah!!!!!!!
…has written a memoir. Did you have to scream?
Why does Elton John have to be in every episode of the Hpathy Quiz?
Only on an as-needed basis! Bernie is a famously private person and no one has ever heard his side of the story …
That’s because no one cares!
Well, I’m excited to read it!
OK, Shana. I’ll expect to have your book report on my desk by October 1st!
A book report???? I’ll think about it. And P.S., you don’t have a desk! In other music news, The Rolling Stones…
Oh no, not the Rolling Stones again!
…apparently have a new album coming out next month.
When does it end????
From what I’ve read, it seems to contain the last studio work from drummer Charlie Watts (who died in 2021). According to Keith Richards, Charlie apparently had cancer. Their new drummer is Steve Jordan from the Saturday Night Live and David Letterman Show bands. He’s also a side man who’s done lots of studio work, which includes “Still Waters” (1997) for the Bee Gees and “New Moon Shine” (1991) for James Taylor.
Aaaah! I knew it! I knew it! I was wondering how you would work James Taylor needlessly into this article!
To conclude, The Stones’ former bass player, Bill Wyman, now 86, was also involved. He was with the Stones from the beginning in 1962 to 1993 (a year after I was born), so it’s kind of historical.
If not hysterical. By the way, what are we talking about?
The new Stones album!!! Other musicians of note who provided studio work for the new album were Elton John…
Of course…
…Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.
Now, for my next announcement: My mom has been invited back to lecture at Mary Wunder’s Homeopathy Study Group in Plymouth Meeting for the middle of October.
How do I get into these things?!
Mom, you have to get out more!
I don’t think so! I think the longer I stay in the better!
And besides Mary thinks you have more Homeopathy-related wisdom to share.
She’s wrong.
She’s not wrong!
What am I going to say?
Mom, you can think about that while I start The Death Report! I am sad to announce that Larry Chance of The Earls 
has passed away at 82 of lung cancer. He is best known for the Doo-Wop classic, “Remember Then”.
Oop-shoo shang-a-lang-a chicka bop
Oop-shoo shanga-a-lang-a chicka bop
That’s enough, Mom!
We saw The Earls on one of TJ Lubinsky’s shows after Larry’s bout with throat cancer, that was when The Earls came out and sang
“I Believe”
So sad. RIP, Larry; your great voice will be remembered—then, and always.
In August, Bobby Eli, founding member of MFSB (the studio band for Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records), died at 77.
Oh geez, so young!
A bit of background, as told by Blackpast.org, if you will indulge me:
“The Philadelphia International Records house band, MFSB (“Mother Father Sister Brother”), was a multicultural R&B ensemble based at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios. They played the music and occasionally sang backup with many soloists and groups, including Billy Paul, the O’Jays, The Spinners, and The Stylistics. Founding members were Pianist/composer Leon Huff; Pianist/composer Thom Bell; Guitarist/composer Roland L. Chambers III; Percussionist Karl L. Chambers; Guitarist/composer Bobby Eli; Percussionist Quinton Joseph; Bassist/composer Ron Baker; Guitarist Norman Harris; Guitarist Thomas Joshua Tindall; and Vibist/composer Vincent Montana Jr. These stellar musicians were a vital part of the Gamble and Huff and Thom Bell production team at Philadelphia International Records and were responsible for what would be known as the Philadelphia Sound.”
Apparently his death made the headline of The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Bobby Eli, guitarist, songwriter, and unsung hero of the Sound of Philadelphia, has died
The multi-instrumentalist was a founding member of the house band for Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International Records, and wrote hits for Blue Magic, Major Harris and others.
***
Anything that came out of Philadelphia International Records has Bobby Eli’s stamp all over it, so that would include anything by The O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, anything produced by Thom Bell and therefore, anything by The Spinners, The Trammps…. McFadden and Whitehead’s iconic hit, “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”, “Sideshow” by Blue Magic, which Bobby wrote; “This Time Baby” by Jackie Moore, which he produced….
In fact, let’s play that now, it’s a Disco Classic!
So, here’s my Bobby Eli story. Rick and I were walking down 18th Street near Chestnut one day when Rick stopped to talk to someone and he looked exactly like this, he even was wearing the same blue hat!
And Rick says, “Elaine, this is Bobby Eli.”
And I said, “You know Bobby Eli???!!!!” And then I probably said something stupid like, “You’re great!!”
Now, of all the pictures of Bobby Eli I could have picked out, do you know why I picked this one? Because that’s my neighborhood!!!! I’m not kidding!!!!
Yeah, you’re right; those are the apartments! I wonder if that’s where he lived! Oh, and by the way, Mom, it turns out Jackie Moore (and that’s not Jackie Moore in the picture, by the way) died in November of 2019 at 73, but I can’t remember if we mentioned it.
No, we didn’t.
Maybe we should play her hit from 1968, “Dear John”. This might be the only video of Jackie Moore in existence!
I love this song! This is what we call a “lost 45”, it’s just fallen off the radar screen for some reason that makes no sense; but, thanks to Philly DJ, Hy Lit, we have this video.
Another well known song in the Sound of Philadelphia category is, of course, “Disco Inferno” by the Trammps which famously appeared on the soundtrack of “Saturday Night Fever”
and Bobby Eli plays guitar on the record and the song was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, where all these songs were recorded. Of course I had no clue about this for some reason, but “Sigma Sound Studios” is now in the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places where it rightly belongs. Apparently, the building itself closed in 2014 and in 2015 a historic marker was placed there. You know those blue signs around the city that look like this?
From l to r, Earl Young of The Trammps and Joe Tarsia, who engineered all the songs recorded at Sigma Sound.
Another Sound of Philadelphia contribution that must be acknowledged is “Sideshow” by Blue Magic. You see how the historical marker mentions The Stylistics? Blue Magic was a Stylistics sound-alike group that recorded in the same studio. Bobby Eli wrote “Sideshow” and it was produced by Trammps member, Norman Harris. One of Blue Magic’s members, Keith “Duke” Beaton (tenor and founding member), actually died this year in January at age 72. The bass singer, Richard Pratt (aged 69), died last year as well. Also, while reading about the group I learned a new thing. Blue Magic sang background vocals on a Rolling Stones
Aaaaah!!!!!
song called “If You Really Want to Be My Friend” (album track from 1974’s “It’s Only Rock N Roll” ), I thought was worth mentioning because we know the Stones were “closet R&B”. And while we’re on the topic of Blue Magic, they’re the ones who did “Look Me Up”! That’s the song you keep complaining that Benny Mardones lifted for his song “Into The Night”!
He didn’t fool me!
“Look Me Up” was written by Norman Harris.
And speaking of Blue Magic, shouldn’t we play “Let The Sideshow Begin”, written by Bobby Eli?
Mom, it’s just “Sideshow”!
You know, we could be here all day and still not adequately give Bobby Eli all the credit he is due!
Hear, hear!
We should probably start the Quiz.
Who’s in the Quiz this month?
Quiche L’Oraine.
Who?
Quiche L’Oraine!
Isn’t that a French dish made with eggs, cream and bacon as a pie?
Shana, you’re thinking of Quiche Lorraine! This is Quiche L’Oraine!
Oh, sure it is! Well excuuuuse me!!!!! What is wrong with her?
She ate at Panera’s. When will people learn to stay at home and cook dinner from scratch?
I don’t know, Mom; but, isn’t that what you should be doing right now?
I’m getting to that! And now, presenting…. The one and only….
Mom, just get on with it….
Quiche L’Oraine!!!!!
Good grief.
***
Elaine…..
I’m in severe stomach pain. I’m pretty sure this is food poisoning. I have diarrhea…. sharp pains in my stomach…. help!!!!
Hi Quiche, sorry to hear you’re so ill; the remedy is _________.
Thank you, Elaine!! I’ve taken it twice and it seems to be helping. Everything I looked up online failed to mention _________. 😩😤
I’m so thankful for you! I never want this to happen ever again.
I had soup and a sandwich from Panera.
Never again!!!!!
______________________
Who knows what the remedy is? Write to me at [email protected] and tell me. The answer will be in the October ezine! Bye, see you then!
______________________
Elaine Lewis, DHom, CHom
Elaine takes online cases. Write to her at [email protected]
Visit her website: https://ElaineLewis.hpathy.com
