Top 10 Jackie Moore Songs

Photo: Atlantic Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Jackie Moore was an R&B singer who was born in 1946 in Jacksonville, Florida. Although not much is known about her early life, her career took off when she moved to Philadelphia in the late 1960’s, after being inspired to sing by people like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight. She started her career after being signed to independent label Shout. While there she recorded a number of singles that made her a popular local star. As she gained a bigger reputation, she eventually got signed to Atlantic records, the label that at the time was the R&B hotbed.

She started to have success on this label but unfortunately it was not particularly consistent. As the seventies wore on, Moore did attempt to adapt her sound to the changing musical climate. In 1979, she became a part of the disco era, having a hit with a cover of the O’Jay’s “This Time Baby.” Her career was rather short lived, lasting throughout the seventies and with her fourth and final full-length album being released in 1980. She released a few more singles in the eighties, but for the most part her singing career was now over and she retired from the music business, with very little being heard of her for the rest of her life. She passed away in 2019.

Moore is one of the most overlooked and underrated singers within the rhythm and blues genre. Although she did have success, it was only rather moderate, and she never quite became the big star that she could (and deserved to) have been. Jackie Moore had a brilliant voice that stood out as her own and had a fantastic way of showing her emotion with her often deep and personal lyrics. Here is a list of her ten best cuts.

# 10- Make Me Yours

We open our Jackie Moore songs list with a cover of the 1967 song by Bette Swan which Moore released as a single in 1979. It was not a very successful single, reaching only number seventy-two on the U.S. Billboard R&B charts. This is unfortunate as it is a great version of the song that Moore really puts her own stamp on. Several other soul artists have also covered it.

# 9 – It’s Harder to Leave

Continuing with our top 10 Jackie Moore songs list is a single released in 1976 that peaked at number seventy-four on the Billboard. Here, Moore puts in an immensely powerful and liberating performance as she talks about having the courage to break out of an unhappy relationship. Both the sound of her voice and the passion with which she delivers it make for a very brilliant piece of music.

# 8 – Darling Baby

Up next is an earlier single from 1972 which reached the impressive position of number twenty-two on the Hot Soul Single Charts where it remained for eight weeks but did not manage to make it on to the Hot 100. This is a prime example of a track that, with its great pop hooks, should have made Moore a much bigger star. It was definitely deserving of much higher commercial success.

# 7 – Puttin It Down To The Way I Feel

Next on the list is a single released in 1976 which reached number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. The track is yet another where Moore wears her heart firmly on her sleeve as she sings about her strong feelings for someone she loves. One of the schmaltzy numbers in Moore’s discography, it shows her true range and talent.

# 6 – Disco Baby (Shake It To the East, Shake It To the West)

Here is a single that was released the same year in 1976 previous entry and got to thirty-six on the Billboard Hot Singles Chart. Here we see Moore going in a completely different direction with this much more upbeat funky disco number. Moore almost sounds like a female James Brown here, as she puts in a very energetic performance and sounds like she is having one hell of a good time! So many classic soul and r&b artists such as Earth Wind & Fire, and others jumped on the disc wagon in 1976. So did Jackie Moore.

# 5 – Sweet Charlie Babe

Kicking off the second half of this Jackie Moore songs list is the title track of Moore’s debut album Sweet Charlie Babe released in 1973 which charted at number forty-five on the R&B albums charts. This song that was released as a single reached number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart where it managed to remain for an impressive thirteen weeks. However, it was her final release that managed to enter this chart.

# 4 – Both Ends Against the Middle

Up next, we have the final single from Moore’s debut album which had exactly the same success as the previous entry, peaking at the same position on the same chart and remarkably remaining there for the same number of weeks! However, unlike the previous single it did not get into the mainstream Billboard charts. Nonetheless, this is wonderful sweet sounding pop soul that we just can’t get enough of.

# 3 – This Time Baby

At number three we have a song originally performed by the O’Jays in 1978 that was a big disco hit for Moore the following year. It topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music chart for one week as well as charting in the UK where it reached number forty-nine. It also got to number twenty-four on the Hot Soul singles chart. Singer Lulu produced a remake of the song in 1993.

# 2 – Precious Precious

Just off the top spot of our Jackie Moore songs list, we go back to the early period of Moore’s career with this single released in 1970. This song was a hit, peaking at number thirty on the Billboard Hot 100 and number twelve on the Billboard Hot Soul singles chart where it stayed for fifteen weeks. It sold over a million copies and was certified Gold a year later.

# 1 – Make Me Feel Like a Woman

At the number one spot is the title track from Moore’s sophomore album. Despite the fact that the album completely failed to chart, this single did reach number six on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, making it Moore’s most successful release. In addition to reaching this remarkably high position, it managed to stay there for thirteen weeks.