New Collection Honors Past Kid Soul Act Sensations

afterschoole

(June 23, 2016) CHICAGO, Ill. — The formula was simple: marry bubblegum and soul to the absolute sincerity of an enthusiastic child, cross your fingers and pray for airplay. But while the youthful sums of that formula may have grown up and walked away from their illusions of stardom, their permanent records remain.

By 1973, Michael, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Jackie were as hip as kids could get — household names with lunchboxes, coloring books, a Saturday morning cartoon, and an Alpha-Bits cereal commercial pushing the J5 brand onto any kid with television reception.

Their impressive run of four consecutive #1 singles playing on both pop and R&B stations cemented their appeal to both whites and blacks, prompting MGM to launch the Osmonds as the safer (read: white) alternative. And parents? Well, Michael had that wrapped up with his impossible-not-to-love mini-James Brown thing. Even the group’s song selection straddled both sides, with “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “ABC” for kids, and contemporary standards “Standing in the Shadows of Love” and “My Cherie Amour” for the older crowd. This marketing and merchandising juggernaut created the kid soul explosion.

On September 16, 2016, Numero Group will release the compilation Afterschool Special: The 123s of Kid Soul. A decade removed from the label’s acclaimedHome Schooled compilation comes a fresh batch of talent-show titans. With enterprising parents, neighbors, and teachers turning play dates into recording dates, groups like Magical Connection, Little Man and the Inquires, and Five Ounces of Soul emulated the Jacksons, who’d made grade-school stardom appear easy as ABC. Afterschool Special: The 123s of Kid Soul contains 19 tiny tunes ranging from bilingual D.A.R.E. anthem, to James Brown bio, to young love and life beyond the playground.

Track Listing:

1

I’m A Special Kid

Bethlehem Children’s Choir

2

Runnin’ Wild (Ain’t Gonna Help You)

Scott Three

3

Guessing Game

Jimi Hill

4

You Got Me Believing (Dreamin’ ‘Bout You)

Leonard Kaigler

5

I Love You Still

Cash

6

Because I Love You

Brighter Side Of Darkness

7

Everywhere You Go

Next Movement

8

I Want A Little Girl

The Bennetts

9

Simon Says

Future Kind

10

I Am Free No Dope For Me

The Dynamics

11

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Brother’s Rap

12

We Don’t Dig No Busing (The Busing Song)

Greer Brothers

13

Funky Breakdown

Little Man & The Inquires

14

Love Got A Piece Of Your Mind

Five Ounces Of Soul

15

Girl Why Do You Want To Take My Heart

Magical Connection

16

It’s Time For Love

Soul Emotions & Co.

17

Losing My Girl

Brotherly Five

18

The Other Guy

The Mighty Mustangs

19

James Brown

Nancy Dupree

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