Drowning in the Sea of Love

Though Joe Simon had only a sporadic presence on the pop charts he was an R&B regular from 1966 to he late 70's. Born in Louisiana, his family moved to Richmond, California, north of Oakland. His early career took him from singing with a gospel group to Vee Jay Records in Chicago. but after a successful start he found his label folding under an avalanche of financial problems. This turned out to be a good break for him because it led him to important Nashville disc jockey John Richbourg who became his manager and producer and a contract with Monument sub label Sound Stage 7. This created his early career, a mixture of R&B and country style singing. His big hit of this period was The Chokin' Kind, written by country legend Harlan Howard (Help Me Make It Through the Night and many more).His second era began when he moved to Polydor Records subsidiary Spring Records where he was put under the up and coming production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the creators of The Sound of Philadelphia. His vocal style remained the same, expressive and plaintive.Simon could express more feeling in a few words than many could in a whole song. But they gave him a whole new background for their initial release together, Drowning In the Sea of Love. This was given the full Gamble and Huff treatment: a dark, minor key opening, prominent bass, horns, guitar, organ and strings which go from sharp to smooth with a chorus counting him out. This was a variation of the new urban sound that was also being forged by Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Isaac Hayes and it gave him a #3 R&B #11 Pop crossover that sold over a million copies and was the 28th biggest song of the year on the Billboard charts.The period from 1971 to '74 was the era of the R&B Renaissance, a time of tremendous creativity and a profusion of great performers and songs. for this reason it's usually better to get the original albums of this time rather than or in addition to a greatest hits collection. (In Joe Simon's case it's good to have both because of his long, fruitful career). These albums were usually conceived of as a whole and are full of the trademark sounds of the times. While not quite in the stratosphere of What's Goin' On, Hot Buttered Soul or Superfly, Drowning In the Sea of Love is still a major album of the era. Most of the songs were written by Gamble and Huff themselves with some help from Bunny Sigler, a songwriter who had his own hit in 1967 with Let the Good Times Roll. Most of the album has fairly light arrangements for the Gamble and Huff team: songs like Something You Can Do Today and Ole Night Owl have simple combo arrangements and are carried by the power of Simon's voice. And talk about power, his wail at the start of The Mirror Don't Lie is positively spine chilling. The full MFSB treatment is given to I Found My Dad and his follow up single Pool of Bad Luck to great effect. There's also an almost unrecognizable version of the Stylistics' You Are Everything very slowed down and several octaves deeper.The sound, by Ace Records of London is fantastic as usual for this label. But for some reason they unusually skimped on the package. The disc offers no bonus tracks, not even a live version or alternate take. The booklet, such as it is, is blank except for mentions of session players. This is totally unlike Ace, but I don't know anything about Fuel, the imprint label; maybe they just paid Ace to master it. We're also well into the MP3 era and packaging doesn't matter so much to many people. Don't let that stop you from getting one of the early 70's great R&B albums.

Oh, that voice! For some unexplained reason, Joe Simon remains one of the more underrated, if even unknown, vocalists from the 1970s. He was best known as a soul singer --- and this albums highlights that side of his talents ---but also could sing VERY credible country and pop material. Versatile, soulful, melodic, passionate; this guy was the complete package.This 1972 studio album was produced by the legendary "Philly Soul" duo of Gamble and Huff. Add some arrangements by Thom Bell and songs penned by another Sound of Philadelphia veteran, Bunny Sigler, and you can pretty much guarantee a fabulous album. Yes indeed, this is soul dynamite multiplied! And did I mention that voice? Man, nobody could wrap their voice around a song like Joe Simon. Why isn't this man considered a legend? By all standards he should rank among the great soul singers of all time. And this album supplies the proof.

Being one from the old school, I really like Joe Simon's music. He is very talented and I prefer the old school music to the stuff they're coming out with now. If you have similiar tastes, you will love this CD.

great oldie he made

Joe Simon's Drowning in the Sea of Love is still a classic to me. I still love that title song and its lazy feel in the groove. Some of the songs sound similar like You Are Everything, I Found My Dad, Pool of Bad Luck, and the message song If. If would be another candidate song to recall the events of 9/11 of 2001, about being a better world for all of us. Some other surprises I love are the dramatic, bluesy, The Mirror Don't Lie, the funky Ole Night Owl and the gorgeous Something You Can Do Today. This is really Joe Simon's best album to me and could rival any of Otis Redding's albums for the male soul singer title. It is addictive, catchy, musical, and wonderfully performed. Simon sings like he's lived it in these songs, as if he wrote the songs himself! One of my all-time favorite albums!

Joe Simon is one of those enigmatic soul artists who, unlike so many great artists of the 60s and 70s, has never had his revivalist comeuppance. In his impressive career, Simon began by crooning honey-touched ballads, went on to help establish the genre of country-soul (and remains one of the few true, great country-soul singers), segued over into R&B, and then saw his career descend too quickly after a groundbreaking (but ill-fated) movement to disco."Drowning in the Sea of Love" was Simon's most cohesive album, though still very eclectic in presentation. The title track was pure Philly sound, an early Gamble-Huff production that paid off with a #3 spot on the Billboard R&B charts. "I Found My Dad" is an interesting deaprture from the rest of the album, and it remains catchy and rousing (even if a bit cheesy). "Pool of Bad Luck" continues the quintessential funky groove, and on "If", Simon's plaintive baritone soars. However, my personal favorite track is Simon's cover of the Stylistics' (smash from the year before) "You Are Everything". Simon's version features a dramatically different arrangement, and what you are left with is the song stripped bare, and Simon's voice, low and contained early on, building to an eruption of longing and passion. The song is imbued with such feeling that I cannot listen to it without getting caught up. And let's just say I've listened to it many, many times...If you want to experience a broader cross-section of Simon's catalogue, I would suggest Rhino's very well compiled "Music In My Bones: The Best of Joe Simon". But if you want to hear an solid album by one of the best (and sadly overlooked) R&B singers while at his peak, pick up "Drowning in the Sea of Love".

I had the joy of purchasing this LP on the UK Mojo label.It is up there with classic O'Jays and Harold Melvin releases of the time, perhaps overlooked as it was (I think) released on Spring in the States, and so hasn't had tracks on the numerous excellent Philadelphia label compilations.Joe is a great singer, the material is strong, and the Philly houseband (MFSB) excel themselves.Joe did a couple of other tracks with the team, which sadly aren't added here, but it remains an excellent purchase, and his other material - the earlier a little more countrified the later rather disco, is well worth a listen.

Southern soul meets Philly Soul. Written and produced by Gamble & Huff alongside the other mainstays of the Philly Sounds. This is just sublime! Buy it!

Excellent, just as good as Mood, Heart and Soul album. Great musician!

Bang Bang