Blue Mink (1970) Over the Top - LOST 70s GEMS

Blue Mink's big 1969 hit was Melting Pot, a slightly un PC song about well the usually PC message of racial tolerance and integration. Despite it's use of an epithet it was widely successful and launched the pop soul band, on the accompanying Melting Pot album were songs such as


Gidda Wadda Wobble; a nice little rocker complete with funky rolling bass lines and slashing chords (Don't let the ridiculous title put you off, Alan Price has never sounded more Hendrix esque than here).

Also there is Country Chic; a laidback jazzy soul song with nice elegant harmonies for the verses. A change from the band's big 'in your face' style, though it could use more country vibes in my opinion considering the title. The highlight though is probably the aptly named,

Over the Top with it's funky wah wah bass and soaring guitar overlaying some pretty brooding organ. The track mixes hard rock dominance with cool funky passages that sound a lot like Deep Purple, a band Greenaway and Cook wrote a song for around the same time; the soaring number , Hallelujah, which I can't help feel was made for Blue Mink rather than Deep Purple, I guess they got their colours mixed up.