You Can Ring My Bell

 

You will be glad to know that following my Tuesday post on I Am the Cosmos by Chris Bell I ordered the CD on Discogs and received a copy quickly and efficiently from a chap called Graham in Dundee. And very good it is to.

As I typed in the details onto my spreadsheet I noticed that there were already a few Bells on there. You know what that means don't you? Inspiration for a post  that's what.

Let's do it alphabetically by starting with Texan R&B vocal group Archie Bell & the Drells whose Platinum Collection  adorns the soul shelves.. Here is probably their best known song Tighten Up from 1968.

Chris has slotted in neatly between Archie and another Soul singer Madeline Bell. Although American her career was in the UK .She had a number of solo singles in the 60s prior to joining Blue Mink. She was also a backing singer on the Rolling Stones  classic You Can't Always Get What You Want .I have a retrospective of her solo career called Bell's a Poppin' which includes Picture Me Gone

Following on from Madeline is the  Scottish blues rocker Maggie Bell. She was a member of Stone the Crows along side Alex Harvey's brother Les. Described as the closest UK equivalent to Janis Joplin she also released a number of solo albums. Queen of the Night is on the shelves but I couldn't not feature No Mean City the theme song from Taggart . There's been a murder!

Finally it is back to Soul we go with the mighty William Bell who was name checked yesterday as the writer of You Don't Miss Your Water .He wrote and performed many great songs on the Stax label including the brilliant Born under a Bad Sign.

You didn't think I was going to finish without including Anita, did you?

Archie Bell & the Drells -Tighten Up

Madeline Bell -Picture Me Gone

Maggie Bell - No Mean City

William Bell - Born Under a Bad Sign

Anita Ward - Ring My Bell