Hey Old Schoolers. Professor Mikey here with another attempt to bring the past back to where it belongs. In our hearts and minds. If I were building a time machine school bus, I’d make sure it had a great sound system before it had anything else. Especially a search engine. Ha ha.

Old School loves the underground years, but in ‘65 a lot of things were getting figured out. The British Invasion was full on and the USA had surrendered to the long hair, the mersey beat,mini skirts and swinging London.

But they all share something in common besides the paisley pants, and swinging London. All these groups and many more were enchanted and influenced by the stone cold grooves blasting out from Black America. The Stones loved the Muddy Waters of the Chicago Blues. John Paul George and Ringo stopped in the name of love to groove on those Motown harmonies. Eric Burdon lived in the House of the Rising Sun.

So for this show we are going to the songs that were powering American soul trains and soul radio. Putting them together sounds like a street symphony of wisdom and groove, inspired by the restless need to be free and totally expressive through a music that was ascending to new heights.

If you had the opportunity to find a late night soul station in the summer of ‘65 this is some of what you might have heard. Put on your high heel sneakers, don’t be too proud to beg, sugar pie honey bunch. Old School is turning it over for episode 86.

It’s the Soul Summer of ‘65, in the midnight hour, in any hour. As a culture, Papa’s got a brand new bag.

Thanks for reading Professor Mikey's OLD SCHOOL! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Professor Mikey, about to wrap up episode 86 of the Old School, “1965 Summer of Soul.” The obvious problem, this old jukebox has swallowed up all my dimes, and there are still lots of great songs we haven’t heard yet. So lets do this. Lets make this Volume 1, and we will come back at you with a Volume 2 for our next episode. The music is already there, including more Otis Redding, more Supremes, more Marvin Gaye, plus some lesser known artists like Gene Chandler, the Marvelows, Mel Carter, Lee Dorsey, and even a 60s comeback from Little Richard. 1965 Summer of Soul Volume 2, coming soon to Substack or a podcast player near you.

If you like the show, forward it to a friend. Professor Mikey’s Old School is produced for educational purposes, and the chance to get your groove on. The music we hear is either in the public domain, cleared by the podcast providers, encouraged by the artists and their families, or is used within the guidelines of Section 107 of the copyright act of 1976, wherein the definition of “fair use” becomes especially muddy. We prefer Muddy Waters.

A free subscription to my newsletter takes a second and its the fastest, easiest way to get the latest episode, plus roam the stacks of what has come before. Do that at professormikey.substack.com. Come see about me.

Thanks for listening, rock on with your bad self, and keep the music coming. Stay safe, stay cool, and keep it Old School.

And be sure to have a good answer when you they ask you “What were you known for?”

1965 Summer of Soul

Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett

Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag Pt 1, 2, 3 James Brown

The Jerk The Capitols

Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) The Four Tops

Shotgun Jr. Walker and the All-Stars

Boomerang Jr. Walker and the All-Stars

The Clapping Song Shirley Ellis

Iko Iko The Dixie Cups

Do I Love You Billy Stewart

See Saw Don Covay

Uptight (Everything’s Alright) Stevie Wonder

All or Nothing Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles

Yes I’m Ready Barbara Mason

Tonight’s the Night Solomon Burke

I’ve Been Loving You To Long Otis Redding

The Birds and the Bees Jewel Akens

Ain’t That Peculiar Marvin Gaye

Stop! In the Name of Love The Supremes