Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Sunday, April 12, 2026
The TSOP Orchestra performing TSOP (originally performed by MFSB)
"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" is a 1974 recording by MFSB featuring vocals by The Three Degrees. It was written by Gamble and Huff as the theme for the American musical television program Soul Train, which specialized in African American musical performers. The single was released on the Philadelphia International Records label. It was the first television theme song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
At the 17th Annual Grammy Awards in 1975, the song won the Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental Performance.
The song is an instrumental, featuring a blend of string instruments and a horn section. There are two vocal parts: a passage where The Three Degrees sing "People all over the world" and "Let's get it on. It's time to get down". The words "People all over the world" are not heard in the original version. The version heard on Soul Train, released on a 1975 Three Degrees album, International, had the series title sung over the first four notes of the melody, "Soul Train, Soul Train".
"TSOP" hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1974 and remained there for two weeks, the first television theme song to do so.
Don Cornelius, the creator and host of Soul Train, refused to allow any references to the name of the television series when the single was released, leading Gamble and Huff to adopt the alternate title for the release.
Although it was rerecorded for future versions of the show and different themes were used during the 1970s and 1980s, "TSOP" returned in the 1980s and remained the theme song for Soul Train.
Monday, March 23, 2026
Friday, March 20, 2026
Friday, March 06, 2026
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Sunday, January 05, 2025
Louis Armstrong Performing Live (1933)
Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of jazz.
Armstrong was born in New Orleans and established himself as a world renowned musician and performer. Armstrong moved away from New Orleans at the age of 19 and lived in New York (Queens) for the rest of his life. He didn't want to return to New Orleans to live after seeing the world and experiencing New Orleans' harsh segregation firsthand. He was also disappointed in Louisiana's poor civil rights record. He considered NYC his home. He is buried in Queens, NY (Flushing Cemetery).
Here is the legendary Louis Armstrong and his band performing "Dinah" and "Tiger Rag" (circa 1933).
Monday, November 11, 2024
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