Sam & Dave weren’t the one powerhouse soul duo turning heads within the 1966-67 season. James Purify and his cousin and fellow Florida native Robert Lee Dickey, identified on disc as James & Bobby Purify, made a serious impression on each soul and pop audiences when their debut hit “I’m Your Puppet” made the Prime 10 on each charts within the autumn of 1966.
The spirit of Stax
After a extra modest hit follow-up in “Wish You Didn’t Have To Go,” the duo have been on the rise once more in Could 1967 with “Shake A Tail Feather.” The high-octane single evoked the entire power of Stax Information at its most interesting, however was the newest launch by the Purifys of their authentic incarnation on Bell Information. After they cut up, a later model of the duo had success within the Nineteen Seventies with Ben Moore within the Bobby Purify function, notably within the UK with a remake of “I’m Your Puppet.” There was additional British airplay to be received by the uplifting “Morning Glory.”
The pair’s model of “Shake A Tail Feather” – a tune written by Otha Hayes, Verlie Rice and soul man Andre Williams, who died in March 2019 – was surprisingly seen first by pop audiences and programmers. The tune entered the Sizzling 100 in mid-April, and was already at No.30 pop when it belatedly entered the R&B chart on Could 13.
Shaking it soul and pop
The tune had first been recorded by the 5 Du-Tones in 1963, when it made the US R&B Prime 30, and was lower by Ike & Tina Turner two years later. The Purifys’ “Tail Feather” in the end ranked larger on the soul aspect, going to on attain No.15 on that chart in comparison with No.25 on the Sizzling 100.
The composition impressed so many covers that it’s usually related as a lot with such stars as Ray Charles, who carried out it within the smash hit film The Blues Brothers in 1980. Earlier interpretations included these by the Kingsmen and Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. Co-writer Williams did his personal model as lately as 2012.
