The Nineteen Sixties have been of their dying days when Little Milton made yet one more entry onto Billboard’s Finest Promoting Soul Singles chart. However the December 27, 1969 version supplied reassurance that the blues singer-writer’s constant success of just about that whole decade wasn’t going to be ending anytime quickly.
The music in query was the foot-tapping, brassy “If Walls Could Talk,” which was to turn out to be not solely the title observe of his 1970 album, however his largest hit for the Chess subsidiary Checker in some three years. Milton had three R&B high tenners to his identify at that time, with the 1965 No.1 “We‘re Gonna Make It,” the follow-up “Who’s Dishonest Who?” and 1967’s “Feel So Bad.”
In a September 1969 article in File Mirror, the much-respected late journalist-broadcaster Charlie Gillett wrote: “Little Milton has for a very long time suffered due to his capacity to sound like different extra well-known singers, in order that it wasn’t clear who he was.
“He was born in Inverness, Mississippi, in 1934, and first recorded for Sun, where Sam Phillips had him sing like B.B. King, Fats Domino and Bobby Bland…in the last couple of years, Little Milton seems to have opened out with his own style – and a recent report from Chicago said that in a ‘Battle of the Blues’ contest he got more enthusiastic response from the audience than B.B. King.”
A spirited, soulful efficiency
Written by Bobby Miller, “If Walls Could Talk” was a rousing observe with a spirited and soulful efficiency by Milton. The music made its chart debut at No.47, in a busy week that additionally featured new entries by the Candy Inspirations, Freda Payne, Little Junior Parker, Ike & Tina Turner, Mary Wells, and James Brown. America’s favourite soul single, for the third of 4 weeks, was the Supremes’ “Someday We’ll Be Together.”
“If Walls Could Talk” – Milton’s 15th soul chart entry over near eight years – went on to achieve No.10, his greatest displaying since “Feel So Bad.” It arrange the arrival of the well-received dad or mum album, which appeared in March 1970, reaching No.23 on the R&B chart and a modest No.197 on Billboard’s important LP itemizing.
Hearken to the Blues Classics playlist.
Milton had one other couple of years of R&B chart singles forward of him on Checker, after which he transferred to Stax, showing within the well-known stay film documentary Wattstax. Then got here spells on the Glades label and MCA, after which he discovered a brand new non secular residence on the unbiased southern soul firm Malaco. He died in 2005 on the age of 70.
Purchase or stream “If Walls Could Talk” on the album of the identical identify.
