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RATINGS
Overall: **** (First Two are Iffy, But the Second Two Bring on the Brilliance)
Presentation: **** (Charles Waring 24-Page Booklet, Card Slipcase)
Audio: **** to ***** (New 2025 Remasters by Andrew Thompson)
"…Got A Thing Going On…"
What a strange one – all right, very good and then Soul stratosphere. The first two albums from 1970 and 1971 are iffy with sporadic moments of real brilliance (maybe five salvageable tunes out of 18) – but the second two Billy Paul albums from 1972 and 1973 bring on the BP brilliance like he finally realised all that earlier potential.
Philadelphia International Records leading light Billy Paul is of course mostly known for the "Me And Mrs. Jones" infidelity Soul classic from 1972 that topped both Pop and R&B charts in a global moment. As the superb Charles Waring liner notes ruminate – that kind of instant fame could become a Pidgeon-hole too – and it nearly did. But fans like me find other vibes on those deep album cuts. And here as part of their Four Albums On Two Discs Series (see list below) – November 2025 sees England's Beat Goes On Records offer us four US R&B LPs by the behatted Philly singer on 2CDs. Beards and satin neckerchiefs at the ready - here be the City of Love details…
UK released Friday, 7 November 2025 - "Ebony Woman/Going East/360 Degrees Of Billy Paul/War Of The Gods" by BILLY PAUL on Beat Goes On BGOCD1561 (Barcode 5017261215611) is a Compilation that offers Four Albums Remastered On Two Discs (originally released Vinyl LPs on Neptune and Philadelphia International Records in the USA and UK in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 (1974 UK)) that plays out as follows:
CD1 (76:57 minutes, 18 Tracks):
1. Ebony Woman [Side 1]
2. Mrs. Robinson
3. The Windmills Of Your Mind
4. Everyday People
5. Let's Fall In Love All Over [Side 2]
6. Windy
7. Psychedelic Sally
8. Traces
9. Proud Mary
Tracks 1 to 9 are Billy Paul's 2nd album "Ebony Woman" - released July 1970 in the USA on Neptune Records NLPS-201. Neptune was the record label started by the Soul songwriting and producing duo of Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff. The LP received no UK release at this time. However - it was re-issued April 1973 on Philadelphia International Records KZ 32118 in the USA and on Philadelphia International PIR 65931 in the UK - but this time sporting a different front sleeve (also issued on Columbia SBP-234324 in the USA and on Epic S EPC 65456 in the UK sometime in 1973 with the Grace Jones sleeve).
10. East [Side 1]
11. (If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?
12. This Is Your Life
13. Jesus Boy (You Only Look Like A Man)
14. Magic Carpet Ride [Side 2]
15. I Wish It Were Yesterday
16. Compared To What
17. Love Buddies
18. There's A Small Hotel
Tracks 10 to 17 are his third studio album "Going East" - originally released October 1971 in the USA on Philadelphia International Records Z 30580 (no UK issues)
CD2 (83:14 minutes, 14 Tracks):
1. Brown Baby [Side 1]
2. I'm Just A Prisoner
3. It's Too Late
4. Me And Mrs. Jones
5. Am I Black Enough For You? [Side 2]
6. Let's Stay Together
7. Your Song
8. I'm Gonna Make It This Time
Tracks 1 to 8 are his fourth studio album "360 Degrees Of Billy Paul" - originally released November 1972 in the USA on Philadelphia International Records KZ 31793 and Epic Records EPC 65351 in the UK (later re-issued on Philadelphia International S PIR 65930).
9. I See The Light [Side 1]
10. War Of The Gods
11. The Whole Town's Talking
12. I Was Married [Side 2]
13. Thanks For Saving My Life
14. Peace Holy Peace
Tracks 1 to 6 are his fifth studio album "War Of The Gods" - released November 1973 in the USA on Philadelphia International KZ 32409 in a gatefold sleeve with an insert. Stateside it reached Number 12 on the R&B charts and Number 110 on the Pop charts. It was also belatedly issued in the UK on Philadelphia International S PIR 65861 in June 1974
CD1: Just out of the Sixties - the "Ebony Woman" album is full of contemporary hits of the time - Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson", Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People" and Noel Harrison's "Windmills Of Your Mind" (theme from "The Thomas Crown Affair"). The single "Let's Fall In Love Again" was written by Bobby Martin - a friend of Gamble & Huff who would later become a huge thing at Philadelphia International Records and an integral part of The Manhattans vocal group - and the title track "Ebony Woman" harks way back to 1959 when Billy Paul first sang it jazz-style.
Unfortunately most of these tracks are terribly dated and I'll admit to only having time for three songs on "Ebony Woman" - a Swingin' 60t's cover of Horace Silver's "Psychedelic Sally" (you can see some hippy chick dancing on a podium in a TV studio on this one), a piano-funky take on Creedence Clearwater Revival's classic "Proud Mary" and a truly lovely turn on The Classic IV's "Traces".
Moving further into the early Seventies and Billy Paul seemed (momentarily anyway) to have learned his lesson with the "Going East" album – leave those contemporary hitmakers alone and find something more edgy (but alas hat was truly only on one track). So, ominous winds and chimes ping as Billy talks of no love and no peace and no shoes and riding in that better direction in the Tyrone Brown-penned "East" – a fantastically cool harem-tent groove that starts out slow and doomy only to build on a carry-me-on-the-wind shuffle (arranged by Lenny Pakula). And suddenly (unlike the "Ebony Woman" album) as it slinks past six minutes towards its 6:26 minute finishing time – you feel you are in the presence of a Gil Scott-Heron goody no one talks about. This is great Billy Paul – vibey and hip – and at 1:40 minutes in hitting you with that fantastic shuffling groove. Unfortunately, all that cool-groove goodwill goes promptly out the window with the Broadway false upbeat of the ludicrously titled "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?" It is schlock and feels so wrong after what preceded it. Things get only marginally better with the Jimmy Webb-penned melody "This Is Your Life" -a very Bacharach David ballad given a Soul going over. If this is your bag, the Audio is fantastic – so clear and full.
The trend of Holy Roller message tunes after the huge success of the October 1970 double-album "Jesus Christ Superstar" looms large with the awkwardly titled "Jesus Boy (You Only Look Like A Man)" – another oboes and strings clunker. At last things start to feel like they’re picking up – Billy Paul doing the Steppenwolf feeling-alright classic "Magic Carpet Ride". Flutes and Organs do battle like Jethro Tull meets C.C.S. on his Soul Machine groove – cool but not nearly as great as the original. Bobby Martin of Philly and Manhattans fame provides a pleading ballad for Paul in the Nat King Cole bedroom crooner vibe of "I Wish It Were Yesterday". Strings and lounge-lizard piano and hi-hat shuffles amble on as he talks of how tomorrow will be a bust if his baby is not home for good (come and rescue me). Time to go Ramsey Lewis hip-swaying boogie on the organ – throw in some stop-and-start Ray Charles too on the Eugene McDaniels classic "Compared To What". Again, Tony Williams gives it some breathy Flute while Eddie Green jabs at those wade-in-the-water piano keys and "Compared To What" becomes one of the better album cuts – all 5:20 minutes of it. Gamble and Huff finally show their songwriting faces with the slow and kissy vibe of "Love Buddies" – a kind of embarrassing Teddy Pendergrass lurve song that has great instrumentation but still feels clunky. The patchy "Going East" album ends of an old crooner ballad laden with strings and 2am barfly vibes – the Hart & Rodgers song "There's A Small Chance".
CD2: With the help and helming of the dynamic songwriting duo Gamble & Huff - the "360 Degrees Of Billy Paul" album produced three notable 45-singles, albeit is edited form (the versions on these BGO CDs are all album cuts). His bona fide monster hit "Me And Mrs. Jones" b/w "Your Song" (the Elton John classic) hit the shops October 1972 in the USA on Philadelphia International ZS7 3521 and January 1973 in the UK on Epic EPC 1055. "Me And Mrs. Jones" was a monster and put Billy Paul on the number one spot in droves of countries around the world including the Billboard single and album Soul charts in his own USA. But how nice it is to hear the Full Album Version at 4:46 minutes as opposed to the more commonly used 45-single edit of 3:41 minutes. And it sounds amazing too on BGO twofer.
The on-the-money commentary of "Brown Baby" is a very strong socially aware opener – here in its full album cut of 4:36 minutes as opposed to the more commonly played 45-single edit of 3:41 minutes. "Brown Baby" was issued April 1973 in the UK on Epic Records S EPC 1313 with his cover of the Carole King song "It's Too Late" on the flipside. Perhaps because of its subject matter – it was not issued in the States. What was issued Stateside (not in the UK) came in the shape of "Am I Black Enough For You" with "I'm Gonna Make It This Time" on the B-side. Released March 1973, that 45-single on Philadelphia International ZS7 3526 stalled at No.29 R&B – a surprise since the Jones single had hit pole position on both R&B and Pop.
The "360 Degrees Of Billy Paul" LP also gives you three cleverly reworked cover versions - a jazzed-up take on Carole King's "It's Too Late" from her magisterial "Tapestry" album, a completely re-worked fast and funky go at Elton John's "Your Song" (which Elton loved) and a very slowed down love-song angle on Al Green's slinky classic "Let's Stay Together" with lovely Norman Harris arrangements. The album ends of what he admits should have been the follow up to "Jones" - "I'm Gonna Make It This Time" (written by Bunny Sigler and Jean Lang). It's as romantic-Philly as the label gets - all plinking piano, strings and heartache vocals.
But all of that for me is trumped by the magnificent 8-minutes of "I'm Just A Prisoner". Billy Paul's stepfather had done 5 years in prison but emerged to work his way up in business and then mentor the young hopeful in his musical ambitions. Paul never forgot this - so even though label stalwarts Kenneth Gamble, Bunny Sigler and Phillip Hurtt wrote the song - it contains some of Paul's most personal lyrics. The song feels like Marvin Gaye's "Right On" from his 1971 "What's Going On" masterpiece in its hypnotic groove and features brilliantly arranged strings by organist and orchestration maestro Lenny Pakula. There are touches of Donny Hathaway, Herbie Hancock and The Isley Brothers all in there too - and for me it's one of the highlights on this famous LP.
The "War Of The Gods" LP from 1973 was a huge leap forward and accompanied by MFSB as his backing band is remembered by Soul and Funk fans with probably more affection than "360 Degrees Of…" Between the USA and UK there were 4 x 7" singles issued around the album – three official and one rare American promo. Pre-empting the LP release, Philly were probably trying to poke DJs and Jocks by issuing a rarity nowadays – the promo-only Philadelphia International AE7 1080 (issued Nov 1973) breaks down the long LP cut into two parts – Part 1 on Side A etc. Soon after the official singles started – November 1973 in the States gave us "Thanks For Saving My Life" b/w "I Was Married" on Philadelphia International ZS7 3538 which made No. 7 on US Billboard R&B charts. Over in Blighty they changed it up a little by issuing "Thanks For Saving My Life" with "I See The Light" on the flipside - Philadelphia International S PIR 1928 issued in November 1973 making ??. Last was The Whole Town's Talking b/w I Was Married in April 1974 – another UK 7" single, this time on Philadelphia International S SPIR 2225.
The "War Of The Gods" album opens with a fabulous double-track sucker punch - two trippy-soulful cuts called "I See The Light" at 6-minutes and the epic 10-minute album version of "War Of The Gods" - very Isaac Hayes as it lingers and grooves. Combined with "Peace Holy Peace" (the last track on the LP) they give the whole LP a very mellow socially-conscious feel - more Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" than The O'Jays "Backstabbers" if you know what I mean. Both "The Whole Town's Talking" and "I Was Married" are the more poppy Soul side of Philly and sound a little out of place here. But "Thanks For Saving My Life" is an excellent jaunty mid-tempo number. Shame there was no space for the sought-after Promo-Only 7" cut of "War Of The Gods" which edits the epic talking-song down to a more manageable 5:37 minutes. But what you get is more than enough.
There are those who will say that Billy Paul's Philly album-output hasn't weathered well - especially most of the two first platters presented here from 1970 and 1971 - but "360 Degrees Of..." and "War Of The Gods" from 1972 and 1973 - combined with the better cuts on the first CD that contains the earlier two - then that's more than enough - especially in this toppermost Audio. And the presentation is cool too.
Dig in and discover - another cool compilation from BGO...
Soul/Funk/Disco/Fusion and Jazz Titles in the
Beat Goes On (BGO) Records 'Four Albums On Two Discs' Series
UK issued 2CD Compilations in a Card Slipcase with Remasters
1. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS - "Imagination/I Feel A Song/2nd Anniversary/The One And Only…"
Four US Albums originally issued on Buddah Records in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1978
UK released 27 February 2026 on Beat Goes On BGOCD1567 (Barcode 5017261215673)
2. RAMSEY LEWIS - "Funky Serenity/Ramsey Lewis’ Newly Recorded, All-Time, Non-Stop Golden Hits [aka Golden Hits]/Solar Wind/Sun Goddess"
Four US Albums originally issued 1973 (two) and 1974 (two) on Columbia Records
UK released 18 May 2018 on Beat Goes On BGOCD1335 (Barcode 5017261213358)
3. RAMSEY LEWIS - "Legacy/Ramsey/Live At The Savoy/Chance Encounter"
Four US Albums originally issued 1978, 1979 and two in 1982 on Columbia Records
UK released 30 March 2018 on Beat Goes On BGOCD1330 (Barcode 5017261213303)
4. THE MANHATTANS - "There's No Me Without You/That's How Much I Love You/The Manhattans/It Feels So Good"
Four US Albums originally issued on Columbia Records in 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1977
UK released 21 November 2025, Beat Goes On BGOCD1557 (Barcode 5017261215574)
5. HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (featuring Teddy Pendergrass) – "Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Featuring… (aka I Miss You)/Black And Blue/To Be True (Featuring Teddy Pendergrass)/Wake Up Everybody"
Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1972, 1973 and 1975 (Two)
UK released Friday, 8 May 2026, Beat Goes On BGOCD1572 (Barcode 5017261215727)
6. MFSB - "MFSB/TSOP The Sound Of Philadelphia (aka Love Is The Message)/Universal Love/Philadelphia Freedom"
Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1973 (Two), and 1975 (Two) – Philly Backing Band feat Dexter Wansel
UK released Friday, 22 May 2026, Beat Goes On BGOCD1575 (Barcode 5017261215758)
7. BUDDY MILES EXPRESS/BUDDY MILES
"Expressway To Your Skull/Electric Church/Them Changes/We Got To Live Together"
Four US Albums originally issued 1968, 1969 and Two in 1970 on Mercury Records
UK released 7 January 2022 (delayed from November 2021), Beat Goes On BGOCD1468 (Barcode 5017261214683)
8. THE O'JAYS - "Back Stabbers/Ship Ahoy/Survival/Family Reunion"
Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1972, 1973 and 1975
UK released 21 November 2025, Beat Goes On BGOCD1563 (Barcode 5017261215635)
9. BILLY PAUL – "Ebony Woman/Going East/360 Degrees Of Billy Paul/War Of The Gods"
Four US Albums originally issued on Neptune and Philadelphia International Records in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973
UK released 7 November 2025, Beat Goes On BGOCD1561 (Barcode 5017261215611)
10. TEDDY PENDERGRASS - "Teddy Pendergrass/Life Is A Song Worth Singing/Teddy/TP"
Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980 – Former Lead Vocalist in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
UK released Friday, 22 May 2026, Beat Goes On BGOCD1574 (Barcode 5017261215741)
11. LOU RAWLS - "All Things In Time/Unmistakably Lou/When You Hear Lou, You've Heard It All/Let Me Be Good To You"
Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1976, Two in 1977 and One in 1979
UK released 3 October 2025, Beat Goes on BGOCD1560 (Barcode 5017261215604)
12. DEXTER WANSEL - "Life On Mars/What The World Is Coming To/Voyager/Time Is Slipping Away"
Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979
UK released 10 March 2023, BGOCD1490 (Barcode 5017261214904)
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