Subject: THE MOMENTS
(aka Ray, Goodman and Brown)
CHAT SESSION WITH RAY GOODMAN AND BROWN
IN THE SOUL-PATROL CHAT ROOM ON 2/52003 AT 10 PM EST
(aka THE MOMENTS)
That's right, we will have
Al Goodman
Billy Brown
Kevin Owens
Right here online with us to help Soul-Patrollers kick off BLACK HISTORY MONTH in style!
We will be listening to their brand new CD 'A Moment With Friends', (online via Soul-Patrol.Net Radio) as they take us to school about the past, present and future of the MOMENTS (oops......I mean Ray, Goodman and Brown)
So join us on 2/5/2003 at 10 pm est in the Soul-Patrol Chat Room and be sure to bring someone you love....
Click here to listen to a Soul-Patrol.Net Radio WORLD PREMIRE. The LEGENDARY MOMENTS (oops I meant to say Ray, Goodman and Brown) singing their interpretations of some of the BADDEST SLOW JAMS of all time! La la Means I Love You, Break Your Promise, Didn't I Blow Your Mind, Side Show, 3 Ring Circus, Spinning Around, I'm So Proud, Ooo Baby Baby.
FROM THEIR NEW CD: A MOMENT WITH FRIENDS
The Moments - one of my all-time favorite slow jam groups, only had one major pop hit with "Love on a Two Way Street", but they had many years of successful singles on the R&B charts and at one point were actually something like James Brown in that you could always hear a Moments song being played on Black radio.
They must have at least 20 singles that scored on the R&B charts. Any of their Greatest hits CD's is VERY STRONG 'road test material".
This is another group that I could build a strong case to say they belong in the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame!
Are the Moments a "one hit wonder"?
HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--Bob Davis
The Moments on CD (A Mixed Bag?)
Listed bellow are two CD compilations that I own by the Moments .
There are several problems with them both…
1. The reason that I own both is because neither is even close to complete. Between the two I have most of the Moments songs that were near and dear to my heart. However NEITHER one has Just Because He Wants To Make Love (Doesn't Mean He Loves You)
2.The sound quality on BOTH CD's is terrible
3. However, despite these issues, what's a funkateer who is in need of some "3 am FUNK" supposed to do?????? (therefore I own them BOTH)
--Bob Davis
The Moments Greatest Hits - The Moments (Sequel Records)
. Lovely Way She Loves
. My Thing
. If I Didn't Care
. Nine Times
. To You With Love
. Girls
. Jack In The Box
. Gotta Find A Way
. All I Have
. Sexy Mama
. Love On A Two-Way Street
. With You
. Life and Breath
. I Do
. Not On The Outside
. Lucky Me
. What's Your Name
. Dolly My Love
. Girls (French Lyrics)
Moments Greatest Hits - Moments (K West Records)
. Dolly My Love
. Rain In My Backyard
. Nine Times
. Girls (Moments & Whatnats)
. Jack In A Box
. Sexy Mama
. I Do
. Sunday
. Look at Me (I'm In Love)
. All I Have
. I Don't Wanna Go
. Somebody Loves You Baby
So Just Who Are Ray, Goodman and Brown?
Let's start with the group name. When the
Moments left the Stang/All Platinum label, they couldn't keep their name because Sylvia Robinson (yes, "Love Is Strange" and "Pillow Talk") and her husband Joe owned the record label.
So when the guys landed their deal with Polydor Records, they simply used
their surnames: Harry (Ray), Al (Goodman) and Billy (Brown).
Moments Bio
Sweet soul ! Ahhhhhh....... The sound of it ! You know, some of that sweet soul sounds were coming right from the heart of Hackensack, NJ in the late 60's.
The sweet mellow sounds of .............The Moments !! The original line up of the Moments were, Mark Greene, Ritchie Horsey, and John Morgan. They were discovered by legendary singer / songwriter Ed Townsend in 1968. Sylvia & Joe Robinson who were married in 1964, formed their own record company in the summer of 1968 entitled, " All Platinum", located in Englewood, NJ. The first artist to be signed on the label was Leslie Valentine who recorded the company's first hit entitled, " I Won't Do Anything" released in August of 1968. Soon a few months later, Sylvia & Joe would form a subsidiary label named " Stang" named after Joe Robinson's 1967 Mustang. Later 2 more subsidiary labels would be added like, " Turbo" after another car that Joe would buy in 1971, and "Vibration" named after the vibration of both cars that Joe owned. The Moments were signed on the newly formed, " Stang" label in 1968.
The group's first hit, "Not On The Outside", sold a half million records by the end of 1968 !! Soon afterwards, Ritchie Horsley and Johnny Morgan would be replaced by Al Goodman and Billy Brown.
Billy Brown was from the group the Broadways, who had a classic hit in the summer of 1966 called, "Going, Going, Going" on the MGM label.
In 1969, the group was on a roll with a string of classics such as the lovely, "Sunday", " Lovely The Way She Loves" (with the voice of Sylvia Robinson on the bridge of the song). "I Do", "Somebody Loves You Baby" and " I'm So Lost".
In the spring of 1970, the Moments would release a song that is considered to be the mama and daddy of the blue light soul masterpiece of the early 70's, "Love On A Two Way Street". The song was originally recorded by Leslie Valentine, then later on the Moments . It was suppose to be a album filler for their second LP entitled, " The Other Side Of The Moments ". It's on Side B, last cut on the LP. Sylvia & Joe released the song in the spring of 1970, hit No 1 on the R&B charts for 5 weeks becoming an instant million seller for the group !!! " Love On A Two Way Street", features the great sounds of Willie and The Mighty Magnificents with Willie Feaster on the guitar, Arnold Ramsey on drums, Val Burke on bass. Burt Keyes did the beautiful string arrangements that was overdubbed 3 times, as well as played piano on the session.
The B side was Leslie Valentine's hit, " I Won't Do Anything". In the summer of 1981, Stacy Lattisaw would record a stunning version of the classic, hitting No 2 on the R&B charts on the Cottilion label.
From 1970 to 1973, the Moments would continue to present to the soul world, another string of more classic R&B masterpieces with, "All I Have" and "Lucky Me" written and produced by Sylvia Robinson and the legendary George Kerr, who at the time was producing label mates The Whatnauts.
A wonderful remake of the Ink Spots' 1939 classic, " If I Didn't Care" in which by the way, is Harry Ray's first lead song in the group.
"Gotta Find A Way", another beautiful dreamy masterpiece hit with Harry Ray running though the airport like O.J. Simpson, trying to persuade the girl he loves to come back in his life."
"Just Because He Wants To Make Love" and the up tempo, "My Thang" both released in 1972 are also soul classics.
During the latter part of 1973, the group's musical arrangements began to become to change some. Beginning with their classic hypnotic mind blowing, "Sexy Mama", Harry Ray's echo seductive slick lead trying to lead his lady into loveland, would hit No 3 on the R&B charts during the spring /summer of 1974.
Also doing this period, the Moments (really Harry Ray) would team up with Sylvia Robinson to record, " Sho Nuff Boogie" with a touch of sophisticated arrangements during the early part of the R&B disco era.
More teaming up would take place in the later part of 1974, with the Moments and the Whatnauts on their hit "Girls". The song was a hit the minute the DJ's dropped the needle on the wax. Legend has it that the Whatnauts don't appear vocally on the song, that it's just the Moments singing. Regardless, it's still a smoker, chalked up by the group or groups.
The smooth, "What's Your Name" is one of my many favorites sung by the Moments also released in 1974.
Fast forward to 1975 where in the spring of 75, the group would release the gorgeous, "Look At Me (I'm In Love)". Harry Ray's soft quiet melodic lead with the group's great harmony background, and with it's 12 strings and brass and French horn arrangements, makes you want to fall in love, even if you're not in love !
The arrangements of the song was done by
the late great Sammy Lowe ( who did the string arrangements on James Brown's classic hit of 1966, " It's A Man's Man's Man's World" and many other hits).
"Look At Me" hit No 1 on the R&B charts for one week. Al Goodman composed the tune on his kitchen table in his home in Hackensack, NJ.
The following year of 1976, two more hits would occur. "Nine Times" and another blue light basement smoker, "With You", along with a few disco cuts the group would release on the label.
After 30 single releases and 11 LP classics such as, "Not On The Outside", "Live At New York State Women's Prison", >"The Other Side Of The Moments ", "Those Sexy Moments ", "My Thing", "Moments With You", " On Top", "Sharp", " Look At Me", " Live At The Miss Black America Contest", and, " The Moments Greatest Hits", the group would leave the " All Platinum" label in 1979.
With legal matters and hassles pertaining their name which was owned by Sylvia & Joe Robinson, the group renamed themselves after their last names, Ray, Goodman & Brown. They signed with Polydor Records and recorded their first No 1 hit in 5 years!!
"Special Lady" released in the spring of 1980, presented us music lovers with a masterful musical time capsule piece from the great doo-wop era of the 1950's into the early 1980's.
Their next release, "Inside of You" taken from their gold LP "Ray Goodman & Brown" is another blue light 80's smoker !!
Another LP entitled, "Stay" would feature another classic, "Heaven In The Rain" with a great story line opening when a young woman's car becomes sick in the pouring rain, so it's Billy Brown to the rescue, it's love at first sight for the both of them and stay together a year after the incident. Absolute true classic !!
More hits would arrive with " Take It To The Limit" from the LP of the same title, " Ray Goodman & Brown 2", " Mood For Lovin", would also be released during their mid chart run of the 80's.
Their last classic " Our Anniversary" would be released and Harry Ray left by this time to go solo. He was replaced by Kevin Owens who backed up Luther Vandross and is featured on a live LP with Goodman & Brown released in 1991. Sadly, Harry Ray would enter the gates of soul heaven on Oct 1,1992.
The Moments / Ray Goodman & Brown gave us soul fans some of the greatest music ever presented on wax / CD. They are wonderful examples of why we as fans of this music, must fight to keep it alive in everyway possible.
The sweet soul sounds came from the heart and soul of these talented brothers.
So if your in the mood for true love, slip on the Moments / Ray, Goodman & Brown, and I'll guarantee, you'll be in a moment of pleasure.......moment of thoughts............ Moments of love............ and Moments of continuing melodic beautiful eargasms for your ears of listening pleasure...........!!!
With the Moments ...............Listening is easier than breathing...........!!!
Enjoy !!!!!!
Mike Boone
(Chancellor of Soul)
Click here to listen to a Soul-Patrol.Net Radio WORLD PREMIRE. The LEGENDARY MOMENTS (oops I meant to say Ray, Goodman and Brown) singing their interpretations of some of the BADDEST SLOW JAMS of all time! La la Means I Love You, Break Your Promise, Didn't I Blow Your Mind, Side Show, 3 Ring Circus, Spinning Around, I'm So Proud, Ooo Baby Baby.
FROM THEIR NEW CD: A MOMENT WITH FRIENDS
CD Review:
LOOK AT ME/LIVE AT THE NEW YORK WOMEN'S PRISON
(2 perspectives)
Wonder B told us about the availability of this two LP's on one Compact Disc a few weeks ago, so yall KNEW I had to go out and pick up on it.
The Moments are literally the soundtrack of my "misspent youth" and they are one of my all time favorite groups.
However they were NOT an "album group".
The Moments were a group that during my HS and College years seemed to have a 45 out on the R&B charts constantly, nearly as often as James Brown! At any "Blue Light party you could ALWAY depend on hearing a new song by the Moments .
Despite this, their albums usually were not very good and despite a few shining Moments here, I can't recommend this set.
You are MUCH better off buying their compilations (despite their terrible sound quality) if you really want to know what this SUPER GROUP outta New Jersey was all about.
Anyhow, here is my review of this 2 LP set...
LOOK AT ME
-------------------
1. Look At Me (I'm In Love)
This song was a big hit in my neighborhood and was a good one to disappear
into a corner with someone that you had been "gamin on" all night long
2. Got to Get to Know You
3. I Feel So Good Again
4. I've Got the Need
5. Come Away with Me
These songs are a waste of time!
6. Girls (French)
7. Girls
"I'd like to be on and Island, with 5 or 6 of them fine ones
As long as they're good lookin, there the one's who do the best cookin
Gimmie one with a lotta money
Give me two with a lotta honey
Give me 3 that do them FREAKY things
Give me 4 or 5 mamas that like to swing"
--"Girls" - Moments
In ANY language, this joint is the stuff that fill the dreams of young men
in the ghetto from all over!
8. When the Morning Comes
Believe it or not, our boys sound a little bit like the Beach Boys on this
song. Excellent harmonies!
9. Just Having Your Love
Throwaway Disco cut
10. Look At Me (French)
What is it with these guys and this "french stuff"?
(I won't speculate here......lol)
All I remember is grinding with some young lady and whispering the words in
french, in her ear while i was dancing.
Sometimes it worked :)
Sometimes they started laughing.....lol
11. Beautiful Woman
More filler
12. Dolly My Love
Another throwaway Disco cut.
I think that the Moments at this time were trying to emulate Blue Magic, by attempting to extend their sound into the land of up tempo Disco, which their voices were suited for, however they weren't able to duplicate what Blue Magic was able to!
They really should stick with the ...
s-l-o-w j-a-m-s
(where they are MASTERS!!!)
LIVE AT THE NEW YORK WOMEN'S PRISON
-------------------
Doesn't this concept sound GREAT?
Too bad the reality of it doesn't meet (at least my) expectations
13. More Today Than Yesterday
14. Yesterday
15. Wichita Lineman
16. Letter
This medley is a complete waste :(
17. Medley: Here I Go Again/O-O-O baby, baby
Here they decide to "mess with Smokey" and the results aren't bad at all. O-O-O Baby, Baby is worth the price of admission!
I imagine that this must have gone over quite well with their "captive audience"?
LOL
18. Overture
The emcee is telling the audience that the Moments will stay and perform for 15 more minutes
19. I Do
This song is BADDDDDD
One of my favorite cuts by the Moments .
This song is a REAL "push em up against the wall grinder".
Harry Ray drives these women in jail WILD on this song
20. Sunday
21. Not on the Outside
More badd azz "doo wop style" s-l-o-w j-a-m-m-i-n
I love this song, done live it's a classic!
"From the tip of my toes, my love for you steadily grows..."
22. Going in Circles
Nice cover version of the classic hit from the Friends of Distiction, it's got a truly haunting B3 Organ with a really smooth guitar.
I like it :)
Hopefully someone will decide to put together a compilation album on the Moments (with cleaned up sound) similar to the DELLS ANTHOLOGY.
The Moments are a GREAT group that deserves to have their legacy preserved much better than what is currently available on them!
--Bob Davis
Oh, Grand Listmeister:
I gotta disagree with you. I enjoyed the "Look At Me" album, as well as an earlier Moments album, "My Thing." I think "I Feel So Good Again," and "Come Away With Me" are beautiful songs! Matter of fact, I remember having these two songs (along with "Look At Me" and "When The Morning Comes") on a tape I made that also had tunes from Lonnie Liston Smith's "Visions of a New World:" "Love Beams," "Sunset," "Colors of the Rainbow." (It was my "bachelor pad" tape I made when I was "watching" my aunt's apartment for three weeks during the Summer of 1975--Yeah, it worked!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!)
You'll never find it now, but I think "My Thing" may have been their best album as The Moments . It contained "Girl, I'm Gonna Miss You," "Girl, Don't Go," "Baby I'm a Want You," "Gotta Find A Way," the title tune, and "Look What You've Done," a great song that perhaps should've been a single!!!!
The "French thing" that you referred to was simply a "sign of the times." I remember the New York City thing was to appear "tres chic," along with French-cut suits, etc. I was never a part of that "movement"--but it was a large part of New Yorkers' "attitude" in their club hanging at that time.
--Charles Duke
More on the FRENCH THANG
I tried getting the lyrics from the song! I wanted to get them all for you to get some more shivers out of your dancing partner instead of laughs for your next basement party under the black lights! LOL LOL LOL LOL But unfortunately (as you'd guess LOL) they are very hard to get for a frenchman (pronounciation)!!!
I got you most of the chorus though! Use it sparingly to keep the surprise and mosturizing effect to it's maximum LOL LOL
"Vous êtes le soleil
Jolie Girl
Je suis comme un loup
Amoureux de vous
Vous me rendez jaloux.........." Hey Hey Hey!!!!!
It's funny when I think of it, R'nB singers rarely sing in Croatian,
Russian, German or Dutch... LOL Why is that there are so many french words or songs?? Can U remember any?
'Summer Lady' by Narada Walden! or 'My Chérie Amour' by Stevie.
The Three Degrees with 'La Chanson populaire' who was written by the same guy who wrote 'My Way' (althought the english lyrics were later penned by Paul Anka).
Any other suggestions....?
--Wonder B
Click here to listen to a Soul-Patrol.Net Radio WORLD PREMIRE. The LEGENDARY MOMENTS (oops I meant to say Ray, Goodman and Brown) singing their interpretations of some of the BADDEST SLOW JAMS of all time! La la Means I Love You, Break Your Promise, Didn't I Blow Your Mind, Side Show, 3 Ring Circus, Spinning Around, I'm So Proud, Ooo Baby Baby.
FROM THEIR NEW CD: A MOMENT WITH FRIENDS
The Late Mr. Harry Ray
The Moments AKA: Harry Ray, Al Goodman & Billy Brown made records until the untimely death from a stroke of Harry Ray On October 1, 1992 he was 45.
Harry Ray, Jr.-he passed away about 7 years ago, but this former lead singer for The Moments is definitely in the Hall of Fame! His falsetto style was smoother than silk and lighter than a feather. For those not familiar with his lead vocals, here they are: "Sexy Mama", "Girls", "Happy Anniversary" and "Look At Me (I'm In Love)". F.Y.I., for his own wedding in the early 80's, Mr. Ray sang "Look At Me" to his bride and I believe Rev. Jesse Jackson officiated
The Moments after Harry's passing tried to regroup with such artists like Wade Eilliot that I think my still be with them & Kevin Owens in his own right one of the best falsetto voice next to Harry's, I have the Luther Vandross Live from Wembley concert on lazer disk and the background singers do a medley of songs which Kevin does a few lines of the Moments soulful hit "Love on a two way street) It brings down the house and always gets me every time I hear it!
The last LP they recorded as a Group I think but I am not sure was Ray ,Goodman & Brown's STAY 1981 Polygram Records please correct me if I am wrong on any of the info I gave you :-).
PS. The Moments aka: Ray , Goodman & Brown CD LP and tapes without being a Greatest hit type project like so many of the old school artists music, is hard to find esp in good condition, but I have had a lot of luck at rummage sales collectables type Vinyl stores in finding there music ,but most of all thank God that I was a D.J. that kept his Vinyl and did not chuck my collection out the back door in thinking that I would one day be able to get all my music back on CD.
If your looking for a nice collection of there music on CD you should check out The Best Of The Moments (Love On A Two Way Street) On Rhino Records, most big and many mom and pop type record stores should have this collection of there hits.
Mr. Sammy Lowe
It is the same man. I wasn't aware that he had passed.
A really great (and funny!!!!) man, and a former neighbor in the Riverton Apartments until he, his wife, and son moved to Teaneck, NJ around 1968-69. Mr. Lowe (as noted) also worked with my uncle Jimmy Mitchell (tenor sax, vocals) in the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra as the arranger and pianist.
Before they moved, I remember speaking to Mr. Lowe about The Moments (you'll notice his name as an arranger on a lot of their earlier singles and albums). He was really excited about their prospects, and envisioned them going the route they eventually went as Ray, Goodman, and Brown--playing Vegas, doing a lot of upper-crust night clubs (Copacabanna, etc.--there was no "Atlantic City" as we know it today, then).
Now to vision that back then was to REALLY know something; I think to that point, The Moments were primarily a "Black radio singles" group, and they hadn't done their biggest crossover hit, "Love On a Two-Way Street," at that point. (A further inspection of their albums of the period would reveal that they DID do songs like The Ink Spots' "If I Didn't Care," and other standards of an earlier generation).
Sammy, Jr. (his son) and his wife were also great people. Matter of fact, Mrs. Lowe knew more about baseball than any other woman I knew (except for one of my aunts), as we would always discuss the Mets and their opponents (she always had a particular fear when the SF Giants came to town--hated to see Mays and McCovey come to the plate--especially against that horrible Met pitching of the early-mid 60s--LOL!!!!!)
--Charles Duke
#1 Sexy Mama - The Moments
"When the subject of slow jams comes up, no one ever mentions the cut that I chose #1 by the Moments . That's (My Opinion) the most underrated slow Jam of all time."
TETC-US4@webtv.net
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Do it to me now, baby
C'mon sexy mama
Just lay back and let me soothe you
Take it easy baby, and let me do what I wanna do to you,
I wanna open up the love gates to my heaven...
This afternoon I know you like me...By tonight you're gonna love me
I think in just a moment there's gonna be a little explosion
Go ahead and let your jones get really funky, ooh..."
Click here to listen to a Soul-Patrol.Net Radio WORLD PREMIRE. The LEGENDARY MOMENTS (oops I meant to say Ray, Goodman and Brown) singing their interpretations of some of the BADDEST SLOW JAMS of all time! La la Means I Love You, Break Your Promise, Didn't I Blow Your Mind, Side Show, 3 Ring Circus, Spinning Around, I'm So Proud, Ooo Baby Baby.
FROM THEIR NEW CD: A MOMENT WITH FRIENDS
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