Top 10 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Songs

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Songs

Our Top 10 Howard Melvin & the Blue Notes songs list takes a look at one of the great Philadelphia soul bands of the 1970s. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes represented the sound of Philadelphia Soul along with bands such as the O’Jays and The Spinners. It was a sound that was much loved in the 1970s by a mass audience. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes had many big-time hits, especially in the early part of the decade. Songs like “The Love I lost,” “Bad Luck,” and “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” were huge hits on the Billboard top 100. Howard Melvin & the Blue Notes also served as the launching pad for the career of legendary singer Teddy Pendergrass. We hope you enjoy our top Howard Melvin & the Blue Notes songs article.

# 10 – Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back)

Now this is the way to open up a top 10 songs list. While this one may not be well known, it doesn’t mean this is not a great one. Opening up our top 10 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes songs list is this incredible track entitled “Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back).” The song was released on the group’s 1973 album Black and Blue. The song served as the follow up single to the band’s incredibly successful single “The Love I Lost.”

# 9 – Reaching For The World

While most of the songs on this top 10 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes songs list feature Teddy Pendergrass on lead vocals, this single “Reaching For The World,” was released after Teddy Pendergrass left for a solo career. Lead vocals on this one were performed by David Ebo. The song “Reaching For The World,”  wasn’t a real big hit as  it only reached number 74 on the US Billboard Hot 100. However, it did break the top 10 on the US Billboard R&B charts peaking at number six.

# 8 – I Miss You

Continuing with our top 10 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes songs list, we turn to their debut album entitled I Miss You. At number eight, we present the song that also served as the title track to the record. “I Miss You,” was also the first single released from the album. The song was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff.

# 7 – Where Are All My Friends

The Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes song “Where Are All My Friends,” was released on the group’s album entitled To Be True. The song was released as the first single from the record. “Where Are All My Friends,” was written by Gene McFadden, John Whitehead and Victor Carstarphen. Fans of Philly soul got to love this. Listen to the horns, strings and of course those vocals. It all hits you right away, defining the sound of one of the best acts ever signed to Philadelphia Records.

# 6 – Don’t Leave Me This Way

At the number six position on our Top 10 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Songs list, we present the grand song ” Don’t Leave Me This Way.” Most music fans in the U.S. will recognize this song from Thelma Houston’s massive hit with the song in 1976. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes recorded the song for their album Wake Up Everybody. However, they never released the song as a single in the United States. They did however release it as a single in the United Kingdom where it was a huge hit peaking at number five on the United Kingdom music charts. If you have never heard the Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes version, we highly recommend that you take a second to listen to this great track below.

# 5 – Hope That We Can Be Together Soon

At the halfway point on our top 10 Howard Melvin & the Blue Notes songs list, we turn to the song, “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon.” The song featured an amazing lead vocal by  Sharon Paige. The song was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon,” was released in the spring of 1975. The song hit number one on the U.S. Billboard rhythm and blues charts. Right in the middle of the song Teddy Pendergrass sings a line that will just send chills down your spine. You will know what we mean if you listen to it. The song was released on the album To Be True. It served as the follow-up single to their smash hit “Bad Luck.”

# 4 – Wake Up Everybody

One of everyone’s favorite Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes songs is the  beautiful song “Wake Up Everybody.” Every rhythm and blues and soul band has their moment in time where they release a song or songs based on social issues. The Temptations did it, so did the Four Tops and so did many others. The song “Wake Up Everybody.” was a social statement made by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in 1975. It was a pretty successful one at that. “Wake Up Everybody.” was a pretty big hit. “Wake Up Everybody.” reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Wake Up Everybody.” was also a top 30 hit in the United Kingdom. The song was written by John Whitehead, Gene McFadden and Victor Carstaphen. “Wake Up Everybody.” was released on the album also titled Wake Up Everybody.

# 3 – Bad Luck

This was one of those songs that you didn’t mind hearing over and over again on the radio because it was just so so good. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes hit single “Bad Luck,” was released in 1975. It was the second single released from their 1975 album To Be True. The single “Bad Luck,” broke the US Billboard top 20 peaking at number 15. The song also hit number four on the US Billboard Hot Soul singles charts. On one of the newer U.S  Billboard charts at the time entitled the US Billboard Disco Action chart, the single “Bad Luck,” hit number one. Listen to that guitar lick at the song’s intro. This is just such a sensational song.

# 2 – If You Don’t Know Me By Now

As we begin to wind down our top 10 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes songs list, we present the Band’s most successful hit single of their career. Now many people would argue that becuse “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” was the group’s most successful hit single of their career, it should be in the number one position. While we won’t really debate that too much, it’s just a matter of opinion that we like the next one little bit more. Nonetheless, there’s no argument over the song “If You Don’t Know Me By Now’s” success. The song would reach higher on the Billboard Hot 100 than any other Howard Melvin & the Blue Note song release. “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” hit number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1972.  “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” also hit number one on the US Billboard rhythm and blues charts.

The song “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” was released on the album I Miss You. The album was issued in 1972. “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” was written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. This is one of the biggest hit singles the label Philadelphia International Records ever had. The song was originally supposed to be recorded by Patti LaBelle but instead it was given to Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Teddy Pendergrass sang the lead vocal on the song.

# 1 – The Love I Lost

We close out our top 10 Harold Melvin & the Blue Note songs list with one of the great song releases of the 1970s. Released in 1973 as a single from their album Black & Blue, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ fabulous single “The Love I Lost,” stands as one of their most successful single releases. “The Love I Lost,” was Harold Melvin & the Blue Note second of their two certified Gold singles. “The Love I Lost,” broke the US Billboard Hot 100 top 10 peaking at number seven making it their second top 10 single of their career.

The song “The Love I Lost,” also hit number one on the US Billboard rhythm and blues charts. “The Love I Lost,” also hit number 21 in the United Kingdom. However, it’s one of those songs that has just lasted the test of time. It’s a classic rhythm and blues soul song that brings back memories. If you were alive during that time, it’s one of those songs you never forget. We haven’t.

Top 10 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021

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