California Soul

"California Soul"
Single by The Messengers
A-side	"Window Shopping"
Released	1967 (1967)
Format	45-rpm record
Genre	Funk-soul
Songwriter(s)	Ashford & Simpson

"California Soul" is a funk-soul tune written by Ashford & Simpson, issued originally as the B-side of The Messengers' single, "Window Shopping" in 1967 under the Motown group of labels. It was then issued as a single by American pop quintet The 5th Dimension in late 1968, and also covered by Motown vocal duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and Marlena Shaw the next year. It was Marvin's and Tammi's last single together when released in early 1970.

Both the 5th Dimension's version and the Gaye/Terrell version were modest charted hits. The 5th Dimension's performed better, reaching number twenty-five on the pop singles chart.^[1] Marvin and Tammi's cover was the B-side of The Onion Song. The duo's version of "California Soul" reached number fifty-six pop but never charted on the US R&B chart.^[2] The duet was released after Terrell's death from a brain tumor in March 1970.

In 1969, Marlena Shaw covered the song on the album The Spice of Life. This version has appeared in commercials for Dockers, KFC and Dodge Ram trucks.^[3] A Diplo remix appears on Volume 4 of the Verve Remixed compilation series; this version was used in a late summer 2011 commercial for Target and was featured in the 2011 video game Driver: San Francisco. The original version of Shaw's cover also appears in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V, played by the in-game radio station The Lowdown 91.1.^[4]

The song also appears on the 1970 LP War and Peace by Edwin Starr. The following year, the experimental vocal band The Undisputed Truth released this song on their debut album The Undisputed Truth, produced and arranged by Norman Whitfield.

The song is also featured in The Italian Job (2003). An exclusive remixed version featuring Ya Boy was used in The Lincoln Lawyer (2011).

The song is sampled by Gang Starr in their song "Check the Technique". Also sampled by Stereo MC's in their song "Sofisticated". Also sampled by United Game Artists in their cover of "Fear is the Mindkiller" by Adam Freeland featured in the game Rez.

The Gerald Wilson Orchestra version of the song is sampled by Pete Rock in the A.D.O.R. song "Let it All Hang Out".

The band Jamiroquai covered the song live during their 2011 European tour.

The Miracles covered this song on their 1969 album Four in Blue.

Also in 1969, Swedish pop group Gimmicks released their version of the tune on the album Brazilian Samba.

Credits

The 5th Dimension version

All vocals by The 5th Dimension: Billy Davis, Jr., Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue, Lamonte McLemore, and Ron Townson
Written by Ashford & Simpson
Produced by Bones Howe

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell version

All vocals by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell/Valerie Simpson
Written and produced by Ashford & Simpson
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

References

↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 222.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 225.
↑ 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 Ad - YouTube Video
↑ "Video games: Grand Theft Auto V - the best bits". Evening Times. Retrieved 29 September 2013.

The 5th Dimension
Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis, Jr. Florence LaRue Lamonte McLemore Ronald Townson
Studio albums	Up, Up and Away The Magic Garden Stoned Soul Picnic The Age of Aquarius Portrait Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes Reflections Individually and Collectively Living Together, Growing Together Soul & Inspiration Earthbound
Singles	"Go Where You Wanna Go" "Up, Up and Away" "Stoned Soul Picnic" "Sweet Blindness" "California Soul" "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" "Workin' On a Groovy Thing" "Wedding Bell Blues" "Blowing Away" "A Change Is Gonna Come/People Got to Be Free" "The Girls' Song" "Save the Country" "On the Beach (In the Summertime)" "One Less Bell to Answer" "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes" "Light Sings" "Never My Love (Live)" "Together Let's Find Love" "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All" "If I Could Reach You" "Living Together, Growing Together" "Everything's Been Changed" "Ashes to Ashes" "No Love in the Room" "Love Hangover"
Related topics	The Friends of Distinction Marc Gordon Solid Gold
Book:The 5th Dimension

Marvin Gaye
Studio albums	The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye (1961) That Stubborn Kinda Fellow (1962) When I'm Alone I Cry (1964) Hello Broadway (1964) How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You (1965) A Tribute to the Great Nat "King" Cole (1965) Moods of Marvin Gaye (1966) In the Groove/I Heard It Through the Grapevine! (1968) M.P.G. (1969) That's the Way Love Is (1970) What's Going On (1971) Trouble Man (1972) Let's Get It On (1973) I Want You (1976) Here, My Dear (1978) In Our Lifetime (1981) Midnight Love (1982)
Posthumous albums	Dream of a Lifetime (1985) Romantically Yours (1986) Vulnerable (1997)
Duet albums	Together (with Mary Wells, 1964) Take Two (with Kim Weston, 1966) United (with Tammi Terrell, 1967) You're All I Need (with Tammi Terrell, 1968) Easy (with Tammi Terrell, 1969) Diana & Marvin (with Diana Ross, 1973)
Compilations	Greatest Hits (1964) Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1967) Marvin Gaye and His Girls (1969) Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Greatest Hits (1970) Super Hits (1970) Anthology (1974) Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits (1976) Motown Remembers Marvin Gaye: Never Before Released Masters (1986) The Marvin Gaye Collection (1990) The Norman Whitfield Sessions (1994) Love Starved Heart: Rare and Unreleased (1994) The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (1994) The Master (1961–1984) (1995) Marvin Gaye: The Love Songs (2000) The Complete Duets (2001) The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (2001)
Live albums	Marvin Gaye Recorded Live on Stage (1963) Marvin Gaye Live! (1974) Live at the London Palladium (1977) Marvin Gaye at the Copa (2005)
Video albums	Greatest Hits Live (Live in Holland 1976) (2000) Live In Montreux 1980 (2003) The Real Thing: In Performance (1964–1981) (2006) Live In Belgium 1981 (2006)
US/UK Top Ten singles	"Pride and Joy" "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" "I'll Be Doggone" "Ain't That Peculiar" "Your Precious Love" "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" "You're All I Need to Get By" "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" "That's the Way Love Is" "Abraham, Martin and John" "The Onion Song" "What's Going On" "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" "Trouble Man" "Let's Get It On" "You Are Everything" "Got to Give It Up" "Sexual Healing"
Family	Marvin Gay Sr. (father) Alberta Gay (mother) Anna Gordy Gaye (first wife) Denise Gordy (son's birth mother) Nona Gaye (daughter) Frankie Gaye (brother) Gordon Banks (brother-in-law)
Related topics	Discography Songs Albums Songs by Marvin Gaye Albums produced by Marvin Gaye Songs in memory Songs produced by Marvin Gaye Personal life Death Tributes Harvey Fuqua Tammi Terrell Leon Ware Marvin's Room Marvin Is 60: A Tribute Album
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Marvin Gaye singles discography
1960s: (Tamla)	1961 "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide" 1962 "Sandman" "Soldier's Plea" "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" "Hitch Hike" 1963 "Pride and Joy" "Can I Get a Witness" 1964 "You're a Wonderful One" "Once Upon a Time" "What's the Matter with You Baby" "Try It Baby" "Baby Don't You Do It" "What Good Am I Without You" "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" 1965 "I'll Be Doggone" "Pretty Little Baby" "Ain't That Peculiar" 1966 "One More Heartache" "Take This Heart of Mine" "Little Darling (I Need You)" "It Takes Two" 1967 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" "Your Unchanging Love" "Your Precious Love" "You" "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"/"If This World Were Mine" 1968 "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" "You're All I Need to Get By" "Chained" "Keep On Lovin' Me Honey" "You Ain't Livin' till You're Lovin'" "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" 1969 "Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By" "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" "That's the Way Love Is" "Abraham, Martin and John" "What You Gave Me" "How Can I Forget"
1970s: (Tamla)	1970 "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" "The Onion Song" "California Soul" "The End of Our Road" 1971 "What's Going On" "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" "Save the Children" 1972 "You're the Man" "Trouble Man" "I Want to Come Home for Christmas" 1973 "Let's Get It On" "You're a Special Part of Me" "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" "Come Get to This" 1974 "You Sure Love to Ball" "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" "Don't Knock My Love" "You Are Everything" "Distant Lover" 1976 "I Want You" "After the Dance" " Since I Had You" 1977 "Got to Give It Up" 1978 "Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father)" 1979 "A Funky Space Reincarnation" "Anger" "Ego Tripping Out"
1980s: (Tamla/ Columbia)	1981 "Praise" "Heavy Love Affair" 1982 "Sexual Healing" 1983 "My Love Is Waiting" "'Til Tomorrow" "Joy"
Posthumous	1985 "Sanctified Lady" "It's Madness" "Just Like" 1986 "The World Is Rated X" 1991 "My Last Chance" 1994 "Lucky, Lucky Me" 1995 "This Love Starved Heart Of Mine(It's Killing Me)" 2001 "Music" 2005 "Let's Get It On (The M.P.G. Groove Remix)" 2015 "Where Are We Going"
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