General Johnson/The Showmen

I remember "Give Me Just a Little More Time" by Chairmen of the Board. I was five. It is that good a record. Their first single after General Norman Johnson left The Showmen. Whose first single was another awesome record, It Will Stand (1961). A true R'n'R Classic. They were working with Allan Toussaint I believe, which must have helped, but Norman Johnson has a wonderful voice. He went solo after Chairmen, and kind of stepped out of the bustle of the music business into the Carolina Beach Scene, where those old Showmen tracks were still widely played. Especially It Will Stand and our selection for tonight, 39-21-46 (1963). Forty six, everybody goes. Whoah! Yes. Well done the folks at Minit Records. Was it a marketing ploy or were they drunk? You can hear that "39-21-46" doesn't rhyme with "Ooh you got me going Apedy Ape" and apparently it is really "39-21-40 Shape" which is perhaps even more tumultuous for our shattered nerves.

For the completists amongst you , there is The Showmen Discography and the Chairmen Of The Board Discography though my copy of 39 etc is on Imperial 070, another later pressing.

Our next track doesn't seem to have General Johnson on lead and I have no idea whether he is on the record at all, but it is still great. Action from 1968 shows the gang moving effortlessly into Soul Dance heaven.

Don't Walk Away, on the other hand shows The General in fine voice from 1987. The sea air must be doing him some good.

You can get more info and another mp3 over at LivinBlues

39-21-46
Action
Don't Walk Away