A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul Review

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A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul ReviewIn 1975, Tony Cummings wrote a book titled 'The Sound Of Philadelphia.' The book has been long out of print and was written well before the demise of TSOP. Ever since I read it, I wondered why no one else had thought to do a follow up book, perhaps one with a new slant. With so many hit records and albums produced it was difficult to understand why only one book had been written on the subject. For years, I was completely baffled and could not understand how in the music business a company could be so big yet fly under the radar. Finally, John Jackson answered the bell. There was so much I didn't know about the whole picture. I had never heard any of the negative stuff nor was I aware that some of the people responsible for the music had passed away.
For me, it started with two singing groups The Intruders ("Cowboys To Girls") and Archie Bell & The Drells ("I Can't Stop Dancing"). The albums put out on both groups were the first I ever purchased as a teenager. They had a totally different sound than what I was hearing on the radio from other groups. I was pleasantly surprised while reading the back of the albums that both groups shared the same writers, producers, arrangers, musicians and recording studio. This was my introduction to the Philly Sound.

Jackson's book is the better of the two because it's focus on the subject is tighter. Cummings book takes in the whole Philadelphia music scene pre and leading up to TSOP. Because the Cummings book was written while the show was still in progress, it adds little insights and information that you won't find in the Jackson book. I caught a mistake in the Cummings book when he says that when Bobby Starr takes over the lead singer role from the Intruders "Little Sonny," that he does one record and then departs to parts unknown. The truth is that Bobby did an entire album titled, "When We Get Married," plus a handful of singles. Jackson's book is a fasinating look at the behind the scene workings that I felt privileged to watch unfold but Jackson doesn't go into details about events such as the death of Little Sonny. I wanted to know the mindset and circumstances that led to him taking his own life.
There is still room to do another book on the "Philly Sound." I would like to hear more from the singers and musicians who were mentioned but not interviewed for one reason or another. I want to hear more from arranger Bobby Martin whom I thought was just as important as the big three. I would like to get his insight on his style of arranging songs. I would also like to know (if it can be explained) how he and Thom Bell came up with those (inner ear) sounds that were common with the Philly sound.The genius of Gamble & Huff was that they had a different sound on each group or individual. Archie Bell didn't sound like the Ojays and the Ojays didn't sound like Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Billy Paul had a sound and Lou Rawls had his own sound. That was one of the big differences between TSOP and Motown.
As the saying goes, "All good things must come to and end." I would add that all man made things come to an end and the Philly sound saw its day in the sun and that same sun setting on them. Bittersweet to say the least. I have read this book multiple times now now and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in music history. The Philly sound rivaled the world wide, well known Motown Sound. If you ask people have they heard of G&H or Thom Bell or TSOP don't be surprised if they say no. The music and the artist are better known than the men who helped create it which to me is rather sad. To my knowledge there aren't any documentary films or videos on the Philly sound. Not even PBS has tackled the subject. I'm still scratching my head on this one but at least after more than two decades, we finally get a second book. I hope the next one comes from someone who was an insider. Regardless, thanks to you Mr. Jackson.A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul Overview

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