Re-discover Philadelphia Soul with 'Love Train

Philadelphia International Records (PIR) Presents 'Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia'. The 4-CD, 71-Song Boxed Set Includes Classics from the Pioneers of Soul. "Motown brought the soul, Stax brought the grit and PIR brought the magic.”

AUDIO: Listen to the classic O'Jays track "For The Love Of Money", from the collection

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Various Artists
Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia
Sony Legacy / PIR / Gamble-Huff Music
Available In Stores & Online on October 21, 2008! Pre-Order on Amazon

Tracklisting:

Disc 1
1. Expressway (To Your Heart) - Soul Survivors
2. La-La---Means I Love You - The Delfonics
3. Cowboys To Girls - The Intruders
4. Hey, Western Union Man - Jerry Butler
5. Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love) - The Delfonics
6. Only The Strong Survive - Jerry Butler
7. Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics
8. Brand New Me - Dusty Springfield
9. Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You - Wilson Pickett
10. You're The Reason Why - The Ebonys
11. Drowning In The Sea of Love - Joe Simon
12. I'm Stone In Love With You - The Stylistics
13. I Miss You - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
14. Back Stabbers - The O'Jays
15. Sunshine - The O'Jays
16. I'll Be Around - The Spinners
17. Slow Motion (Pt. 1) - Johnny Williams
18. Me And Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
19. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
20. Love Is Here - The Futures

Disc 2
1. Love Train - The O'Jays
2. Break Up To Make Up - The Stylistics
3. Family Affair - MFSB
4. It's Forever - The Ebonys
5. Time To Get Down - The O'Jays
6. There's No Me Without You - The Manhattans
7. I'll Always Love My Mama - The Intruders
8. The Love I Lost - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
9. I Wanna Know Your Name - The Intruders
10. Dirty Ol' Man - The Three Degrees
11. Put Your Hands Together - The O'Jays
12. Thanks For Saving My Life - Billy Paul
13. Mighty Love - The Spinners
14. Be Thankful For What You Got (Pt. 1) - William DeVaughn
15. For The Love of Money - The O'Jays
16. Where Do We Go From Here - TheTrammps
17. T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia) - MSFB (Featuring The Three Degrees)

Disc 3
1. Then Came You - The Spinners w/ Dionne Warwick
2. Love Is The Message - MFSB (Featuring The Three Degrees)
3. When Will I See You Again - The Three Degrees
4. Where Are All My Friends - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
5. Picture Us - Bunny Sigler
6. Bad Luck - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
7. Give The People What They Want - The O'Jays
8. Billy's Back Home - Billy Paul
9. Hope That We Can Be Together Soon - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Featuring sharon Paige)
10. Do It Any Way You Wanna - People's Choice
11. The Big Hurt - People's Choice
12. Let Me Make Love To You - The O'Jays
13. Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
14. I Love Music - The O'Jays
15. Don't Leave Me This Way - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
16. Let's Groove - Archie Bell & The Drells
17. Livin' For The Weekend - The O'Jays

Disc 4
1. Kiss And Say Goodbye - The Manhattans
2. I'm Not In Love - Dee Dee Sharp
3. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine - Lou Rawls
4. THE Rubberband Man - The Spinners
5. Enjoy Yourself - The Jacksons
6. Free Love - Jean Carn
7. I Don't Love You Anymore - Teddy Pendergrass
8. See You When I Git There - Lou Rawls
9. Use Ta Be My Girl - The O'Jays
10. Close The Door - Teddy Pendergrass
11. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden & Whitehead
12. You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else - The Jones Girls
13. Hurry Up This Way Again - The Stylistics
14. Love T.K.O. - Teddy Pendergrass
15. I Ain't Jivin', I'm Jammin' - Leon Huff
16. It's Gonna Take A Miracle - Deniece Williams
17. If Only You Knew - Patti Labelle


About Philadelphia International Records:

In 1971, Gamble and Huff founded PIR as the outlet for their creative vision. Building a stable of Philly-based talent, PIR reached the tops of the charts from day one. In one memorable nine month period during 1972-73, they sold over 10 million records as Billy Paul’s Grammy-winning “Me & Mrs. Jones,” the O’Jays’ “Back¬ Stab¬bers” and “Love Train,” Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” and the Intruders “I’ll Always Love My Mama” all charted at the same time.

PIR became the birthplace, incubator and launching pad for the Philly Soul sound, a unique blend of R&B rhythms, sweet soul vocals, deep funk grooves, pulsing horn charts and lush string arrangements with melodic structures combining elements of pop, jazz and world music. A sophisticated sound lovingly crafted by engineer Joe Tarsia at his Sigma Sound studios by some of the 20th century’s most influential producers and production teams – including Thom Bell, Linda Creed, Gene McFadden & John Whitehead, Bunny Sigler, Dexter Wansel, and others, including Gamble & Huff themselves – Philly Soul set the stage for disco, smooth jazz, adult contemporary music, quiet storm, and more.

Gamble & Huff’s PIR songs and productions have truly permeated the musical DNA of contemporary culture. They have been covered or sampled by a vast array of artists including Jay-Z, Babyface, Nelly, OutKast, Angie Stone, Simply Red (whose #1 version of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” in 1989 earned Gamble & Huff the Best R&B Song Grammy), Bette Midler, Mary J. Blige, Michael Bublé, Kanye West, 50 Cent, and T.I., among many others.

When asked by Russell Hall of Performing Songwriter magazine, “What are the characteristics of a great song?” Kenny Gamble replied, “A great story.” To which Leon Huff added, “And a great melody.” And Gamble responded, “Like Duke Ellington said, ‘It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”