Eddie Campbell & Ernie Johnson
I’ve been promising to do this for some time and when Christopher CoShea Campbell (Eddie’s son) got in touch, I decided this was the catalyst I needed. Christopher is the son of the late William Edgar Campbell, aka Eddie Campbell, of ‘Eddie & Ernie’ fame and as you may know, Christopher recently featured on a Hook & Sling article (if you missed it… go here!) and then got in touch with me to discuss our shared admiration of Collins, Clinton, etc.. Christopher has kindly agreed to give his personal thoughts on the Eddie & Ernie tunes I have in my collection.
Eddie & Ernie were William Edgar Campbell (23/12/1940 to 10/7/1994) and Ernest Johnson (22/10/1943 to 20/8/2005); prolific songwriters and artists who performed with “The Crusaders”, “The Heavenly Travellers”, “The All Stars” and “Little Worley & The Drops” before setting up as the duo “Eddie & Ernie“. Eddie & Ernie’s discography is much larger than the 9 singles I have in my collection (highlighted in bold below); during their partnership they released the following (I have omitted tunes they release independently or as part of larger groups):
1963:
It’s A Weak Man That Cries / Who’s That Knocking On My Door – Nightingale (5102)
It’s A Weak Man That Cries / Who’s That Knocking At My Door – Checker (1057)
1964:
That’s The Way It Is / Time Wait’s For No One – Tomorrow (5105)
Time Waits For No One / That’s The Way It Is – Eastern (602)
Black label, silver writing. Both songs are credited to C. Derrick & C. Kendrick as well as E. Johnson & E. Campbell (Ernie & Eddie).
Time Waits For No One / That’s The Way It Is – Checker (1086)
1965:
I’m A Young Man / Turn Here – Eastern (603)
The Cat / Turn Here – Eastern (603)
Silver label, black writing. Both songs credited to Eddie & Ernie, plus H. Murrell on “The Cat”.
I’m Goin’ For Myself / The Cat – Eastern (606)
Silver label, black writing. Both songs credited to Eddie & Ernie, plus H. Murrell on “The Cat”.
Outcast / I’m Gonna Always Love You Eastern (608)
Matt silver label, black writing and black lines. Both songs credited to Eddie & Ernie. Outcast is my favourite Eddie & Ernie tune…
1966:
I Can’t Do It (I Just Can’t Leave You) / Lost Friends - Eastern (609)
I Believe She Will / We Try Harder – Shazam (1004)
1967:
I Beleive She Will / We Try Harder – Chess (1984)
White label, DJ copy, black writing, misspelling of “Believe”. “We Try Harder” credited to Eddie only (“I Believe She Will” to Eddie & Ernie).
Doggone It / Falling Tears (Indian Drums) – Columbia (44276)
White label, DJ copy, red writing. Both tracks credited to Eddie & Ernie.
1970:
Woman, What Do You Be Doing / Thanks For Yesterday – Revue (11049)
Orange label, yellow logo, black writing. “Woman, What You Be Doing” credited to H. Murrell & Ernie and “Thanks For Yesterday” to Pete James & Ernie.
1971:
You Give Me Love To Go On / Tell It Like It Is – Revue (11063)
Orange label, yellow logo, black writing. “You Give Me Love To Go On” credited to Eddie & Ernie & Pete James and “Tell It Like It Is” to G. Davis & L. Diamond.
Hiding In Shadows / Standing At The Crossroads – Buddah (250)
Technicolour label, DJ copy, black writing. “Hiding In Shadows” credited to Charles Richard Cason and “Standing At The Crossroads” to Eddie & Ernie and Pete James.
Audibly presenting each the songs I own, here’s Christopher’s comments on each track:
Time Waits For No-One
That's The Way It Is
Christopher: “Time Waits For No One…. It was a major hit in New York City landing the #1 spot on the New York station WWRL. This got them a show at the Apollo Theatre on the bill with The Temptations and Wilson Pickett. I have always dug this song. I can see why it was a hit.
“That’s The Way It Is…. A good song and what I call a cool ”Go Go” type of track. A lively, up tempo cut. Right in line with what was happening in r&b at the time. Good flipside to Time Waits For No One. It shows their versatility as songwriters as well as vocalists.”
Turn Here
The Cat
Christopher: “Turn Here… One thing I always felt about Eddie and Ernie’s material was on certain tracks, they showed they had the ability to add another element to the r&b soul sound of their material. What I phrase as a ‘crossover sensibility’. My father certainly had that in his solo recordings and writings as well.
“The Cat… A fun, novelty song. One of the only instances where Eddie &Ernie actually tapped into a trend that was happening at that time in r&b music. It was popular to have a song with the word “Cat” in the title for some reason since there were several other artists who were including it as well.”
I'm Going For Myself
The Cat
Christopher: “I’m Going For Myself… A great song. What I dig mostly about this is the strong gospel vocal phrasing as well as my father’s choice of chords and his guitar playing which on this, is straight ‘church’. An underrated track by Eddie & Ernie, I feel.”
Outcast
I'm Gonna Always Love You
Christopher: “Outcast… Here is another example of what I mentioned earlier about Eddie & Ernie’s ability to infuse another type of element into an r&b song. My father, being the musician of the two, wrote all of their original material on the guitar. My father’s playing style and other musical tastes besides r&b would often come out in some of Eddie & Ernie’s material. This being one of them. No accident the British rock band The Animals dug this song and did a cover version of it on their album Animalism a year after Eddie & Ernie’s.
“I’m Gonna Always Love You… The flip side to the Outcast 45 single which again showcased Eddie & Ernie’s versatility as songwriters and vocalists. As always, great vocals by my dad and Ernie. Their vocals were nicely blended on this and it showcases my father’s lower vocal register.”
We Try Harder
I Believe She Will
Christopher: “We Try Harder… Another what I call ‘Go Go’ type of track. It has a great hook too. Again, my dad’s guitar playing keeps it kicking and well executed vocals by Eddie & Ernie. Much like Outcast, this has a mid 60′s rock slant to it. Again, another example of my father’s taste in music that went beyond r&b.
“I Believe She Will… Very nice vocals and I like my father’s guitar playing on this as well. Again, good flip side to the We Try Harder 45.”
Doggone It
Falling Tears (Indian Drums)
Christopher: “Doggone It… This song has always reminded of some of my father’s solo material. Nice horn sounds and very spirited vocals from both Eddie &Ernie.
“Falling Tears (Indian Drums)… Aaaah, one of my favorites by Eddie &Ernie. This is a perfect example of my father’s musical tastes and how he incorporated that into Eddie & Ernie’s original material. This song is certainly NOT your standard r&b soul song. Lyrically or musically. Great chord changes and great arrangement. A VERY underrated song. I remember when I was really young seeing my father playing his guitar and singing this song at home.”
Woman, What Do You Be Doing
Thanks For Yesterday
Christopher: “Woman What Do You Be Doing… A much more ‘boogie’ styled track than other Eddie & Ernie material. Good vocals and horns.
“Thanks For Yesterday… A very nice ballad with yet again, very tasteful guitar playing by my father. The last recording of Eddie and Ernie as a duo.”
You Give Me Love To Go On
Tell It Like It Is
Christopher: “You Give Me Love To Go On… Definitely one of the more funk based cuts Eddie & Ernie recorded as a duo. Even has a slight Sly and the Family Stone vibe to it in spots.
“Tell It Like It Is… A rare time Eddie and Ernie has done a cover. Cool version of it too.”
Hiding In Shadows
Standing At The Crossroads
Christopher: “Hiding In Shadows… One of my favorite songs by my father. This along with the flip side Standing at the Crossroads was a 45 single that was billed incorrectly. This song, along with Standing at the Crossroads was recorded AFTER Eddie and Ernie had disbanded as a duo. These two songs are solo recordings of my father doing all of the vocals, lead and backing, alone. Great production by my father and Ray Jackson. This was intended for my father’s solo album. Underrated song.
“Standing at the Crossroads… Obviously my all time favorite song to be released of my father’s. This along with Hiding In Shadow” as I mentioned, was a solo vocal recording by my father. Prior to this recording, Eddie & Ernie had already broken up and went their separate ways. My father, mother and myself had already moved up here to Hollywood, California specifically for my father’s solo career. Both Standing at the Crossroads and Hiding In Shadows were recorded up here in Los Angeles with Ray Jackson on piano and James Gadson on drums (both who later went on to tour in Bill Wither’s backing band) and were recorded with many other songs that have remained unreleased that were intended for my father’s solo album. James Jamerson, famed Motown bassist and friend of my father’s, is playing bass on Standing at the Crossroads.
“Hadley Murrell, a former dj turned record promoter/producer who was at the time my father’s business asscociate, knowing Standing at the Crossroads and Hiding In Shadows were both great songs, wanted a rush release while the iron was hot. He took them to Neil Bogart’s Buddah Records and because of my father’s most known past releases had been billed as Eddie and Ernie, that’s how it was billed on the Buddah 45.
“Similar scenerio with last year’s release by Daptone Records with my father’s solo recording with Bullets Don’t Have Eyes. Anyway, my father’s recording of Standing at the Crossroads written along with Ernie and Pete James, to me, is one of the great ballads, ever. Fantastic, heart felt vocals, great overdub harmonizing by my father. Again, this as well as Hiding In Shadows are perfect examples of my father’s singing in full flight. This captured by Ray Jackson’s fantastic production with the orchestration on Standing at the Crossroads. A totally underrated masterpiece.”
