The Music Blog of the Infonistacrat!

I remember when the Big Chill came out. Well, I sorta remember it. I didn’t actually see it until years later. But I remember people who were the age I am now just going on and on about the movie. Even after I saw it, I never really understood it. A guy overdoses, a bunch of old friends reunite for the funeral, and the spend the night talking and getting high and other assorted things. If I were living that, it would be a great time, bit to see it on the big screen…no big deal.

However, and this is a HUGE however…the movie had a sound track that was out of this world. While the movie was just OK, the sound track exploded into my life, and it instantly became a favorite. For one, it introduced me to Motown, which believe it or not, I had never really heard before. Yeah, it’s a little embarrassing to admit that at the age of 19, I had no clue what Motown was all about. That changed forever with that sound track. Later on, in the Navy, I had a lot of great friends who completed my education into the sweet sounds of Motown, as well as old delta blues and R&B in general.

Anyway, you may notice that I switched things up here and there…first of all, I am starting and ending with Marvin Gaye. You can’t go wrong with that, honestly. Also, I swapped out the Rascals version of In The Midnight Hour for Wilson Pickett’s. Wilson Pickett’s version is just so much better that it only made sense. On balance, I also think there was too much Smokey Robinson on the original soundtrack so I left I Second That Emotion out of my post. Sorry…I love Smokey, but he made up 30% of the original album, and there were just so many other songs I wanted to get in here. So sit back, chill out a little bit, and listen to some seriously wonderful sounds.

1. Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
2. Smokey Robinson - My Girl
3. Young Rascals - Good Lovin
4. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears
5. Three Dog Night - Joy To The World
6. Temptations - Aint Too Proud To Beg
7. Aretha Franklin - Natural Woman
8. Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
9. The Exciters - Tell Him
10. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
11. Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman
12. Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour
13. Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin
14. Beach Boys - Wouldn t It Be Nice
15. Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On