Namesakes #158: The Emotions

I'm going all emo on you this week.

By the end of this, we'll all be emotional wrecks...

THE EMOTIONS #1

We start in 1958 with the first of many doo wopy Emotions, on Fury Records. They don't sound particularly furious... and I don't think they ever paid their electricity bill either.

The Emotions - Candle Light

THE EMOTIONS #2

Next, some festive Ohio-based doo wop from 1960...

The Emotions - Rock n Roll Santa

THE EMOTIONS #3

Some female-fronted doo wop next, courtesy of Lena Calhoun and her gals, from 1961... Lena was rather camera shy though, so only let her backing singers turn up for the photo shoot.

The Emotions - Been Lookin' Your Way

THE EMOTIONS #4

It will come as no surprise that there was also a Brooklyn-based doo wop group called The Emotions in 1962... a few years later they would release a song commenting on the Beatles invasion, rather tellingly calling themselves The Exterminators.

The Emotions - Come Dance, Baby

THE EMOTIONS #5

A twangy, atmospheric instrumental written by Robert Maxwell, presumably in the days before he started stealing everyone's pensions.

The Emotions - Ebb Tide

THE EMOTIONS #6

An LA soul group who swiftly changed their name to The Lovers after a phone call from the manager of band #4. Originally though, they were called The Emotions.

The Emotions - Do This For Me

THE EMOTIONS #7

All the way from Chippenham in 1965...

The Emotions - Lonely Man

THE EMOTIONS #8

More doo wop, this time from Syracuse. Released on a compilation album in 1976, but I'm guessing it was recorded much earlier...

The Emotions - Zoom

THE EMOTIONS #9

Jamaican band who started out in the mid-60s, featuring future reggae star Max Romeo...

The Emotions - No Use To Cry

THE EMOTIONS #10

Bluesy Ohio garage band from 1966 with an... erm... interesting b-side. Couldn't find its flip-side online, but I'm hoping it was better than this.

The Emotions - Spur Of The Moment

THE EMOTIONS #11

Another one I could only find the b-side for, from a British band who managed to get a record released... in Denmark. Good old Common Market!

The Emotions - My Heart Seems

THE EMOTIONS #12

Chicago sisters, Wanda, Sheila, and Jeanette Hutchinson started out as a gospel group, the Hutchinson Sunbeams, before going more soulful in the late 60s and eventually embracing disco in the 70s. As well as enjoying success with their own songs, they also appeared on Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind & Fire.

The Emotions - Best Of My Love

THE EMOTIONS #13

I'm so pleased I was able to find this Dutch Schlager gem from 1985, translating as "Rosi, I'll Pick You Up With My Tractor". I'm predicting this one might interest our Portugal correspondent.

The Emotions - Rosi, Ik Haal Je Met Mijn Tractor Op

EMOTIONS #14

Self-referencing Italian Euro-disco cheese from the mid 90s...

Emotions - Feeling Emotions

THE EMOTIONS #15

And finally, some Danish pop-rock types from 1997...

Emotions - Hello Day

Which one is Totes Emosh? And which ones just make you sad?