Mods (originally ‘modernists’) emerged in Britain in the early 1960s: they were mostly smartly turned out young men who loved European fashion, R&B, motor scooters and late nights. They spent most of their wages on clothes, frequenting the new breed of shops sprouting up in London’s Carnaby Street. Though some pop groups of the day, like the Who and the Small Faces, came out of the Mod scene, the music that Mods chose to dance to in the Marquee and mod clubs like the Goldhawk was American soul and R&B. Here’s a fine selection of that music in this two-disc collection of R&B from the late ‘50s and early ‘60s.
Disc 1
1. Have Love Will Travel – Richard Berry
2. I’m A Little Mixed Up – Betty James
3. A Fool In Love – Ike & Tina Turner
4. Seven Day Fool – Etta James
5. Love Me Right – LaVern Baker
6. He Knows The Rules – Jimmy McCracklin
7. It’s Your Voodoo Working – Charles Sheffield
8. That’s A Pretty Good Love – Big Maybelle
9. Thanks Mr Postman – Bobby King
10. Misery – Barrett Strong
11. You Got Me (Where You Want Me) – Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland
12. I’m A Woman (But I Don’t Talk Too Much) – Lula Reed
13. Comin’ Home Baby – Mel Tormé
14. It Hurts Inside – The 5 Royales
15. I’m On My Way – Patience Valentine
16. To Be Loved By You – Marie Knight
17. Let Me Be Your Boy – Wilson Pickett
18. Messin’ With The Man – Muddy Waters
Disc 2
1. Don’t Mess With My Man – Irma Thomas
2. Fortune Teller – Benny Spellman
3. Jinny Mule – Big Maybelle
4. A Help-Each-Other Romance – LaVern Baker & Ben E King
5. If You Don’t Come (You Better Call) – Patience Valentine
6. Cry To Me – Solomon Burke
7. Blues For Me – B.B. King
8. I’m Tore Down – Freddy King
9. First Love Baby – Lena Calhoun
10. Chills And Fever – Ronnie Love
11. Leave My Kitten Alone – Little Willie John
12. Oh Johnny – Baby Jean
13. Pretty Girls Everywhere – Eugene Church
14. It’s Easy Child – Lula Reed & Freddy King
15. Catch That Teardrop The 5 Royales
16. Broke and Lonely Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson
17. You Can’t Sit Down Pt.1 – Philip Upchurch Combo
18. You Can’t Sit Down Pt.2 – Philip Upchurch Combo