Another episode, another guest mix. This time by the Great Mark Francis. I remember meeting Mark years ago at a record show he used to run down in Jamaica Plan, MA. So many dope records and the show was always a good time. Nowadays he holds it down on his "Lost and Found" show on WMBR 88.1 FM. For This episode Mark make a special all 45's mix for us. Here's Mark talking about it in his own word. This was an easy idea for a mix since for as long as I’ve been buying soul 45s the ones that sang about social issues instead of romance have always really appealed to me and I seek them out and have a nice stash of them at this point. It’s always striking to me how songs singing about problems in society from 50 years ago are still so relevant today. It’s sad, really, that a song like “That Ain’t Water That’s Pollution” from 1970 could have been written a week ago about Flint, Michigan. That’s where the title Modern Problems comes from, the irony that decades later from these songs being made we as a society stuff suffer from the same issues we were all those years ago. And back then popular artists were singing about these things in a very direct and proactive manner, which I find admirable. And sometimes just damn funky. Thanks, Mark
Track Listing
We Gotta Make a Change - Net Wt. 14 Karat Black - Luna ‘72
Laugh To Keep From Crying - Nat Turner Rebellion - Soulville ‘71
We Need More Love - The Spurrlows - Yas ‘69
That Ain’t Water That’s Pollution - The Infinity - Mercury ‘70
Not By Bread Alone - Kim Tamango - Firebird ‘69
Welcome To the World (Pt. 1) - Great Expectations - Phil L.A. of Soul ‘73
Depression - True Movement - Miystic Insight ‘74
We’ve Got To Make It Better (Pt. 1) - Jake and John - Parral ‘74
Ridin’ High - The New Establishment - United World ‘7?
Escape - Shirley Vaughn - Columbia ‘69
We’re In the Middle - L. J. Reynolds and the Relations - Monique ‘71
Do You Know Me - Jimmy Ruffin - Chess ‘74
I Am People - The Family Affair - Authentic ‘72