One source of rather dismal inspiration for this feature is the obituary page. This week Dobie Gray died. According to the Times he was both a singer and a songwriter, having written hits for a number of major artists.
I’ve chosen two videos, one from 1965, one from 1974. In a way they illustrate the tremendous changes that took place over the period of just nine years. From black and white to color; from fairly conservative clothes to full on 70s anything goes (and probably shouldn’t have). This first song is the In Crowd, which I believe was Gray’s first hit, which Ramsay Lewis later turned into a jazz classic.
At least the 70s can take credit for losing those background dancers.
I much prefer Drift Away to the In Crowd, which is performed here in a non lip synced version on the BBC.
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