Part 3 – The daddy of all Northern Soul clubs was Wigan Casino, though, as this fine article by Chris Hunt says, it may not have been the coolest or the most innovative. If you wanted to dance, however, it was the place to go.
And when you’d wrung yourself out on an all-nighter, the day was breaking, and it was finally time to go home, the crowd would always be treated to a signature ending from the DJ.. songs that became known as the ‘three before eight’: Jimmy Radcliffe’s Long After Tonight Is All Over, Tobi Legend’s Time Will Pass You By and Dean Parrish’s I’m On My Way.
They’re fine songs. They’re not brilliant songs – vocal lines wobble a bit, those horn charts might not be the sharpest ever written – but because of the indelible association of time and place, once again, they become some of the greatest songs ever made.
Try and put yourself in that place: the Casino, mid 70s. It’s early morning, you’re tired but happy. You’re getting your act together after a long night of dancing with your fellow devotees. You might have found someone special to spend the last few moments with. And then you hear..
Jimmy..
Tobi..
and Dean.
Now, that’s a little piece of magic right there, isn’t it?
Read the final part of this Northern Soul exposition.
8 replies on “Northern Soul – The ‘Three Before Eight’”
What great memories of great times .
Part of my life that will live with me forever
[…] ‘I’m On My Way’ has the honour of being the last of the famous ‘3 before 8‘ records that Russ Winstanley closed his Casino sets with. His career has seen him rub […]
I read this with a tear in my eye, I met my wife 46 years ago at the Monday soul night and the Casino was always part of our lives, we stood crying with hundreds of others as we watched burn to the ground, it was a dump but it was our dump.
I hope I prompted some great memories as well as the bittersweet ones. Cheers.
Absolutely brilliant, great memories, great days, I still have the singles and the Three before Eight compellation single with the picture cover. A massive part of my life back in the mid/late 70’s. Bus from Widnes to Warrington then the train up to Wigan for the Saturday night and the Friday night oldies. What great memories you have just brought back. I have just listened to Dean Parish on Radio 2 on the Zoe Ball breakfast show and that’s how I found this site, great morning set me for the day.
Thanks for the comment, Paul. These tunes do bring back such memories. I wrote a few more things here about Northern Soul – http://www.riverboatcaptain.com/tag/northern-soul/ – and I don’t know if you do Twitter and Spotify, but I’m doing a Northern track a day on there right now – https://twitter.com/RiverboatCapt
Really getting into Northern soul at the age of 66
It’s never too late!