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“(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” – Jackie Wilson
(Words/music: Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner, Carl Smith, available on Higher and Higher, Brunswick 1967)

One genre of music that I’m woefully undereducated about is 60s-70 soul/R&B.  I know a few of the major sign posts (mostly through compilations from Stax and Motown, a few greatest hits albums, and The Commitments) but as with any genre, I know that many of the true gems are beneath the surface.  For example, I stumbled upon this Jackie Wilson song through the Van Morrison song (via Dexy’s Midnight Runners) that namedrops him.  It’s a song I’ve heard on the radio before, but like many others, I hadn’t considered it until I chose to put it on and knew what it was called and who sang it (more on that idea later).

While the instrumentation in “…Higher and Higher” is exceptional, Wilson’s voice is the true star.  From the moment he boldly enters, all focus is on his vocal delivery.  In particular, the moments when Wilson switches into falsetto to hit the highest notes are sublime – unlike other singers who rise up to the highest limits of their register just to show off their abilities, Wilson puts in those high notes almost as an exclamation point to punctuate the levels that his love soars to.

The other noteworthy part of Wilson’s voice is his distinctive phrasing, in particular on the final verse.  It lends the song a certain level of personality and personal connection – rather than singing a technically flawless yet emotionally flat performance (see: American Idol), Wilson makes someone else’s words come out of his mouth in such a naturally charming way that I imagine that he’s exactly the same way in real life.  He provides one of the few instances where he creates an in-song persona without having to play a character; we’re used to words painting a picture in our minds, but it takes the rare singer whose inflection and style creates imagery all on its own.

More on Jackie Wilson: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm