Saturday Songsuasion

Saturday Songsausion presents The Free Movement on CAAC

Who among us braved Black Friday sales?  This girl stayed home.  I’ve done that a few times over the years and the thrill is long gone.  Hopefully, everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and now relaxing in front of the television watching a little football or doing other fun things when you’re not online like now.  For the second weekend in a row, I have John from The Sound of One Hand Typing for today’s featured artist. Last month he introduced the band, The Free Movement with their song, “I’ve Found Someone of My  Own”.  The group sounded like someone I should’ve heard but it was evident that I hadn’t after listening the below playlist of their Golden Classics.  I really dig their style.  Hit play to enjoy a little background music while you’re messing around the computer.    

Golden Classics playlist: 1. I’ve Found Someone of My Own 2. Land Where I Live 3. Son of the Zulu King 4. If Only You Believe 5. Love the One You’re With 6. The Harder I Try, The Bluer I Get 7. Coming Home 8. I Know I Could Love You Better The Second Time Around 9. Your Love Has Grown Cold 10. Could You Believe in a Dream 11. Where Do We Go From Here 12. Every Step of the Way 13. I Can’t Move No Mountains

Free Movement was a LA based R&B group formed in 1970. I’ve Found Someone of My Own became the groups first and only hit single in 1971 peaking #5.  The following year they signed a record contract with Columbia and managed to score another hit single with The Harder I Try, The Bluer I Get (track #6 on playlist) charting #50 US Pop, #6 US AC, & #49 US R&B.  The last thing they recorded was 1973 I Can’t Move No Mountains (#13 on playlist).  Their Golden Classics was released in 1996 under Collectible Records.   Sadly, Free Movement’s material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire along with hundreds of other artists music according to the New York Times Magazine June 2019 publication.  Free Movement had a very nice vibe.  It makes me wonder about the history of and what became of the band members.

Godoy Colbert and Jospehine Brown were the only two band members with former music backgrounds.  Godoy was formerly with Pilgrim Traveler and The Pharaohs.  He passed in 2002. You can read more about his history at FindAGrave.  Jospehine, formerly with Five Bells of Joy,  learned everything from her gospel singing pops.  Cheryl Conley is still active in the music industry as a jazz singer/songwriter, well up until the pandemic shut everything down.  Jennifer Gates and the Jefferson brothers, Adrian and Claude, I found little or nothing online, except I got a hit on Adrain at AllMusic.  It seems he’s composing pop/rock music.  After listening to the sample available on the site a big ole question mark is left hanging in my head because this is totally not what I was expecting from a 70s artist to create.  I have to wonder is this really the Adrian Jefferson from Free Movement or maybe, it’s a family member? What do you think? Do you have anything to add on today’s featured band?  Have you heard of them? 

 

With the holiday season now underway this will be my last installment of Saturday Songsausion for the year.  I’ll bring the series back January 8, 2022.  

Tomorrow, I’ll be back with Monday’s Music Moves Me on Sunday with your choice song picks and I’m saving a dance for you, so come join me on the dance floor. 😉 Have a songsational Saturday! x💋x💋, Cathy

For those needing to de-stress after Black Friday shopping, pull out your crayons but don’t color on yourself or walls. For more grins and giggles, check out yesterday’s edition of Friday Funnies! 😉

4 Comments

  • Arlee Bird

    I do remember that Free Movement song. I don’t remember the group and I don’t guess I’ve heard this song since the 70’s, but I recognized it when It got to the chorus..

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

  • Thomas Anderson

    Hi, Cathy! Happy Saturday to you, dear friend, I hope your weekend with DH is off to a great start.

    I woke up this morning needing some Songsuasion, and I knew I could find it at CAAC. As soon as I saw the name of your featured artist, my mind started playing the R&B/Funk and Pop Soul group’s only hit “I’ve Found Someone of My Own.” Their signature song was a biggie in my neck of the woods, and there’s a good chance it was played on The Hy Lit Show and Soul Train. However, I never listened to their entire 1972 album until now. I enjoyed their smooth grooves from start to finish. I especially like “Zulu King,” “If Only You Believe,” the latter a song with female lead vocal and glorious female backing harmonies, and the fabulous gospel-tinged arrangement used on the cover of Stephen Stills’ hit “Love the One You’re With.” I also very much like the song with a long and cumbersome title: “I Know I Could Love You Better The Second Time Around.” The group reminds me of The 5th Dimension on that one, and it seems to me it might have been a hit single if released with the abbreviated title “The Second Time Around.” I love the rousing, danceworthy sound of “Your Love Has Grown Cold,” but the sad lyrics don’t seem to fit the arrangement. “Where Do We Go From Here” is another great sounding track, but the song, praising Columbus, is dated and wouldn’t be well received in modern society.

    To sum it up, I am pleasantly surprised by this 1972 album released by The Free Movement. I found that I favor the songs that heavily involve the female members of the group, either on lead vocals, background vocals or both. I actually like several of the album songs even more than their lone hit, and I like them more than the other songs chosen for release as singles with disappointing results. Whoever was guiding their career could have done a better job of it, in my opinion, because some of these other songs I named could have been hits and turned The Free Movement into a much more successful recording act.

    Yessum, that massive fire on the Universal lot was a disaster, destroying countless audio masters, outtakes, alternate takes, films, etc.

    Awww, I want one of those multicolored zebras for my very own! I enjoyed this last Saturday Songsuasion post of the year and look forward to the feature’s return next year. Have a wonderful weekend, dear friend Cathy!

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