The Soul Children

The Soul Children was an American singing group consisting of two women and two men . Stylistically, the quartet moved in the areas of R&B , soul , disco and gospel . During its ten-year existence until 1978, seven studio albums were released .

Band history

The group was formed in 1968 in Memphis , Tennessee by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. It consisted of Anita Louis, John Colbert, Norman West and Shelbra Bennett. Her songs often dealt with adultery.

In the first year of their existence, the band signed a contract with Stax Records . With the singles Give 'Em Love , I'll Understand and Tighten Up My Thang , the first releases already reached middle positions in the R&B charts. The first big hit came with The Sweeter He Is , which reached number 7 on the R&B charts in September 1969 and brought the band to first place in the pop charts , where the song reached number 52.

Another success in the Pocharts followed in 1972 with Hearsay , which reached number 44 there and rose to number 5 in the R&B charts. Don't Take My Kindness for Weakness and It Ain't Always What You Do (It's Who You Let See You Do It) entered the top 20 of the R&B charts a short time later. The Soul Children's biggest hit came out in November 1973: the single I'll Be the Other Woman made it to number 36 in the Pocharts and number 3 in the R&B charts.

After Stax Records was closed in late 1975 due to financial problems, the band switched to Epic Records . The two albums that were released there and their extracts could not repeat the success of their predecessors. When the Stax label was reactivated by Fantasy Records in 1977 , the band returned and took a. performed some up- tempo dance numbers. With Can't Give Up a Good Thing from the Soul Children’s last studio album for the time being, it entered the R&B charts for the last time in 1978, where the song made it into the top 20. The group separated at the end of the year.

Almost thirty years later, the musicians came together for a comeback and in 2008 released the album Still Standing on JEA Right Now Records.

occupation

• Anita Louis (born November 24, 1949 in Memphis , Tennessee ) - vocals
• John Colbert aka J. Blackfoot (born November 20, 1946 in Greenville, Tennessee, † November 30, 2011) - vocals
• Norman Richard West, Jr. (born October 30, 1940 in Lake Providence , Louisiana ) - vocals
• Shelbra Bennett aka Shelbra Deane (born February 12, 1947 in Memphis, Tennessee; † May 31, 2013) - vocals

Discography

Studio albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
		US	R&B
1969	Soul Children Stax 2018	US154 (6 weeks) US	R&B9 (16 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1969 Producers: Isaac Hayes , David Porter
1971	Best of Two Worlds Stax 2043	-	R&B20 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1971 Producers: Ronnie Williams, David Porter
1972	Genesis Stax 3003	US159 (6 weeks) US	R&B36 (18 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1972 Producers: Al Jackson, Jr. , Jim Stewart , Carl Hampton, Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson
1974	Friction Stax 5507	-	R&B38 (14 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1974 Producer: Carl Hampton, Homer Banks
1976	Finders Keepers Epic 33902	-	R&B54 (2 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1976 Producer: Don Davis

More studio albums

• 1977: Where Is Your Woman Tonight? (Epic 34455)
• 1978: Open Door Policy (Stax 4105)
• 2008: Still Standing (JEA Right Now; release: June 17th)

Compilations

• 1979: Chronicle (Stax 4120)
• 1997: Hold On, I'm Coming (Stax 88034)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
		US	R&B
1968	Give 'Em Love Soul Children	-	R&B40 (3 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1968 Authors: Isaac Hayes , David Porter
1969	I'll Understand Soul Children	-	R&B29 (7 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1968 Authors: Isaac Hayes, David Porter
	Tighten Up My Thang Soul Children	-	R&B49 (2 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1969 Authors: Isaac Hayes, David Porter
	The Sweeter He Is Soul Children	US52 (7 weeks) US	R&B7 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1969 Authors: Isaac Hayes, David Porter
1970	Hold on, I'm coming	-	R&B48 (2 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1970 Authors: Isaac Hayes, David Porter
1972	Hearsay Genesis	US44 (11 weeks) US	R&B5 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1972 Authors: John Colbert, Norman West
	Don't Take My Kindness for Weakness	-	R&B14 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1972 Authors: Eddie Marion, Henderson Thigpen, James Banks
1973	It Ain't Always What You Do (It's Who You Let See You Do It)	-	R&B11 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1973 Authors: Carl Hampton, Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson
	Love is a hurtin 'thing	-	R&B59 (7 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1973 Authors: Dave Linden, Ben Raleigh Original: Lou Rawls , 1966
	I'll Be the Other Woman Friction	US36 (9 weeks) US	R&B3 (19 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1973 Authors: Carl Hampton, Homer Banks
1974	Love Makes It Right Friction	-	R&B47 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1974 Authors: Carl Hampton, Homer Banks
1976	Finders Keepers Finders Keepers	-	R&B49 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1975 Authors: John Colbert, Norman West
	If You Move I'll Fall Finders Keepers	-	R&B99 (2 weeks) R&B	First publication: June 1976 Authors: James Dean, William L. Wooten, III
1977	Where Is Your Woman Tonight? Where Is Your Woman Tonight?	-	R&B96 (3 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1977 Authors: Bettye Crutcher, David Porter
1978	Can't Give Up a Good Thing Open Door Policy	-	R&B19 (14 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1978 Author: Joe Shamwell

More singles

• 1971: Let's Make a Thing Sweeter (release: January)
• 1971: Got to Get Away from It All (release: August)
• 1974: What's Happening Baby (release: November)
• 1977: You Don't Need a Ring (released June)
• 1977: Head on Collision
• 1978: Summer in the Shade (release: August)
• 1978: Who You Used to Be (release: November)
• 1978: Stir Up the Boogie, Part II

swell

1. ↑ ^{a b} Chart sources: US
2. ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
3. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .

Web links

• The Soul Children at Allmusic (English)
• The Soul Children at Discogs (English)