I’m putting together a playlist. I need 70s soulful crooners with a romantic spin. It’s a LARP thing with a 1975 or so club vibe.
Low, slow and not raucous.
What do you got, my fellow babies?
“Ecstasy” by Ohio Players
“Strawberry Letter 23” by Brothers Johnson
The following by Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes (lead vocals by Teddy Pendergrass):
Lou Rawls - You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine
It’s a little early, but “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’” by the Righteous Brothers is the first thing I thought of.
Soul blues artist Bobby Bland’s “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” checks all your boxes I think.
Lee Fields - Let’s Talk It Over
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers - Never Gonna Give You Up
Freddi/Henchi and the Soulsetters - Try To Get To Know Me
Average White Band - Got The Love
The Delfonics - Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)
Paul Burton - So Very Hard To Make It Without You
Thomas East - Slipping Around
and of course: Barry White - I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More, Baby
I had to chuck a lot of mid-paced songs because the OP asked for “low, slow and not raucous”; hope those fit the bill.
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Where Is The Love
The Fifth Dimension - One Less Bell To Answer
(Sorry for so many posts but I freaking love soul and R&B and funk… I have an enormous collection of songs in these genres. I’l stop now and give others a chance to post their favorites.)
On that note, I’d also recommend going to YouTube or Spotify and putting “Barry White”, “Marvin Gaye”, and “Al Green” in the search box. You’re guaranteed to find enough songs to fill out your list.
Rainy Night in Georgia by Brook Benton
Walking in Rhythm by The Blackbyrds
Natural High by Bloodstone
September by Earth, Wind & Fire
Let’s Stay Together by Al Green
Shining Star by The Manhattans
You Don’t Have to Be a Star by Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
Love on a Two Way Street by The Moments
Misty Blue by Dorothy Moore
Could It Be I’m Falling in Love by The Spinners
You Make Me Feel Brand New by The Stylistics
Just My Imagination by The Temptations
Dude, you are in a sweet spot.
Get me, these are nerdy, younger types. I’m being brought in as a music guy because I lived through it. And I believe my 70s soul scene is on point. But that don’t mean I know it all - or can remember it - so bring the good stuff, my friend.
And yeah, I’d love to bring some solid funk. But the image I’m given here is ‘1970s movie songs where you know the couple is going back to their apartment to make sweet, sweet love’.
I grew up a suburban white kid loving (among other genres) soul/R&B. I was too naive to know it wasn’t “my” music, but damn is it good.
Plenty of good suggestions already. I’ll just mention the first few groups that came to my mind (in order):
Al Green, first and foremost
Staple Singers
Stylistics
Spinners
mmm
Paul Kelly: You make Me Tremble
Four Tops: (It’s The Way) Nature Planned It
Luther Ingram: If Loving You Is Wrong I Don’t Want to Be Right
Ricky Lee Jones “Chuck E’s in Love” Maybe a little jazzy but i LOVE her voice! Here is another one from her Danny’s All Star Joint She looks just like my second ex-wife, but sings much better.
The Stylistics, Delfonics, Dramatics, and anything else that ends in ICS… Roberta Flack, too.
Catherine Howe - It’s Possible
Pig Pen singing Love Light
Young/Holt Unlimited - Soulful Strut. Yes I know its instrumental but it should fit in quite nicely
Loads of stuff by Lionel Ritchie
Temptations - My Girl
Brenton Woods - I like the way you love me
Moments & Whatnauts - Girls
Billy Paul - Me and Mrs Jones
Tower of Power - You’re still a young man
Heatwave - Always and forever
Manhattans - Kiss and say goodbye
Odyssey - If you’re looking for a way out
Isley Brothers -Who’s that lady
George Macrae - Rock your baby
Andy Kim - Rock me gently
Lou Rawls - You’ll never find
Bill Withers - Lovely Day
Stevie Wonder - As … there are loads of songs you could choose
Marvin Gaye - Distant Lover there are plenty more you could choose from Marv
Rose Royce - Wishin on a star
McFadden & Whitehead - Ain’t no stoppin us now
So Very Hard to Go by Tower of Power
A couple more:
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Aretha Franklin - Until You Come Back to Me
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William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got