Thank you for uploading! This is such an underrated song! I think I hear a bit Motown influence, but it's hard to tell. Songs influenced by the "Motown sound" fall into a genre called "Northern soul", and many of the records in the "Northern soul" genre are rare and hard to come by. Motherlode was a one-hit-wonder with this song back in 1969. The band members at the time included keyboardist William "Smitty" Smith, guitarist Ken Marco, saxophonist Steve Kennedy and drummer Wayne Stone (Kennedy and Stone were also members of another band called "Dr. Music") all of whom shared vocals here, although Smith sang the lead vocals on "When I Die". Also featured on this song was session bassist, Carol Kaye. Thank you again for uploading!
@Kevin Gavigan Great comment and information about Motherlode! I agree that there's definitely some Motown/soul influence on this song. Wish they had done more! 'Northern Soul' refers more to Motown influence in the UK. (You may want to check out the 1991 movie, "The Commitments"... about some working class kids in Dublin that form a 'soul' band. It's a highly underrated movie that's not only hilarious, but has some super Motown music performances.) Thanks so much for watching!
wow, thanks for this....I rrecall this being a hit in rotation, in about 1973 or so (Calgary, Alberta)...always LOVED the song, wished they had done more....Carol kaye on bass?? WOW, it "shows", what a groove!!
Motherlode was a pop rock group formed in 1969 in London, Ontario. The group scored some success in the US with their single, "When I Die", which hit #18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969. The song sold more than 500,000 copies and it climbed to Number 1 in the Canadian charts. The group broke up in January 1970 and their second album, Tapped Out, was released posthumously only in the United States. Steve Kennedy, Ken Marco and Wayne Stone went on to be founding members of Dr. Music in Toronto. The original Motherlode members reunited in 1976, and recorded a song "Happy People" but, because of issues surrounding the name Motherlode, it had to be released as a Kenny Marco solo release.
One of my favourite songs of all time . This band from Canada was so underrated . What a great legacy , it was so long ago ! Since I was a teenager and I'm 64 now . Thank you so much .
I just lost a best friend,and he said he wanted this played at his funeral ⚰️. I’m in shock right now ,but RIP Bill S . Until we all meet again . If you could pray for his wife ,kids ,@ grandkids , he loved dearly. I pray that they , all find peace , and know he was always trying hard. He told me 2 months ago,this is the song ,he wanted played at his funeral,which ,is tomorrow. I’m praying that they can play it . , because I cannot afford to go . I wish I could, God please take care of this wonderful family.
5th grade General Greene. This song has kept me going a lot of years. It could be played @my funeral, or even on my headstone.."...a better man than you though I'd be."
Still remains as one of my all time favorite songs- since first heard it way back when I was in the 9th grade! Still holds up today and could be a hit today!
This was a huge hit in Boston! Even though It didn't make the national R&B chart, it did in fact got R&B airplay on Boston's R&B/Soul station, WILD in the Summer of 1969!
Yes! I would listen on WMEX, WRKO radio in Boston as a 9th grader! Still in my top 10 songs of all times, Immediately brings me right back to that time! Would be a hit today!!
Canadian Band - Motherlode the Song “When I Die” Great Canadian Music Legends... "When I Die" was produced by Doug Riley and Terry Brown did not make any headway on the radio. A reciprocal deal in the US with Buddah Records made the song a Hit The song sold more than 500,000 copies and it eventually climbed to Number 1 in the Canadian charts. RIP Doug Riley ... Love this Tune... Motherlode was a Canadian pop rock group formed in 1969 in London, Ontario. The group scored some success in the US with their single, "When I Die", which hit #1 in Canada and #18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969.
Fantastic song by the Canadian band, Motherlode. I heard it on the radio yesterday and realized that it should have been the first of many for this talented group. Alas, they had their own moment in the sun.
A terrific song! Thanks for the video of Motherlode. I saw them live at teen dance in 1969 in Hamilton, Ontario. They only had a short set list so they started and finished with "When I Die." A splinter group from Grant Smith and The Power featuring saxaphonist/vocalist Steve Kennedy. He would be part of the group Dr. Music.
I was 11 and the summer of 69 was epic, spending time at Douglas and Heather park in Vancouver. Thanks for taking me back to a simpler time in my life!
The great Kenny Marco playing guitar … I’ve been lucky enough to play dozens of gigs with this Canadian hero and learned something about soulfulness every time we got together. Love you Kenny.
A mainstay that gets regular rotation on my MP3 player. That Hammond sounds wonderful and helps paint a picture of times gone by but forever lodged in memory.
.....it's WAY past TIME for there to be a WORTHY acknowledgement of just how VERY much Canadian recording artists contributed MIGHTILY to 20th-century music's evolution.....
@@kennethrussell1158 CKLW ruled AM with songs like this (thanks to CRTC regs on Canadian content). Same age as you, but listening in southern Ontario on a tobacco farm.
@Kevin Gavigan Wrecking Crew bass legend Carol Kaye, also said in an interview, that when she came up from L.A. to do the session, she was so knocked out by the city of Toronto, she seriously thought about moving there. She stayed in Toronto for a few weeks for vacation and actually looked into the school systems for her kids.
I knew Steve way back in the day. I recall he would sit in with Hawkins on Yonge St. for some gigs. Great memories. Girl from Uxbridge enjoying the memories. Tx, Steve
I first heard this tune at our cottage in Leamington Ontario 69-70...must have been 6 or 7...when I heard that tasty little guitar lick, I was like wtf is that...I never forgot it...probably my all time favorite song! Band was from London Ontario, about 2 hours away from us. So many great Canadian (& American) pop tunes from back then cranking out on Windsor Ontario's AM Giant, CKLW. Bass legend Carol Kaye played on this track
I bought this album new in 1969, I was 17. I was a young long haired rock guitarist but this was my favorite record that year. The bass player was incredible and I've tried to follow Carol Kaye's career ever since. The guitarist was very tasteful and advanced for that time. This song is still on my mp3 player.
What a great song by a great Canadian band...I was there in the day however unfortunately never got to see these guys...They are outstanding...Love you Motherlode...from Sudbury Ontario...
Seems more to have a SoCal-type Black/Hispanic vibe, especially from a couple of the keyboard riffs ...thinking more East LA and acts of that day such as El Chicano...perfect song for legendary SoCal radio personality Art Laboe to read off requests and dedications prior to playing it.
The oldies radio station here in Yakima Washington (with a large Hispanic population) plays this song. That's how I discovered it. Such a wonderful song.
I did too! And the Dj talked about how underrated this band and song were. I had forgotten about that song but loved it in the '60s. It made me look up this video!
I love this song, but is anyone aware of the "hook theft" they pulled off? The main vocal line is the same melody and phrasing as Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "Man Oh Man (I Want to Go Back)." It even works the same way structurally in the song; the melodic hook is the first part of the verse lines. I first heard the Impressions' song in the trailers for the film "Dead Presidents" back in the 90s, and I immediately recognized the hook. In the decades since, I've never heard anyone else notice the similarity. Probably because I've yet to meet anyone in person who knows both songs.
just listened to "Man..."..yes, definite copy on that first line ("when I die, I hope to be..the kind..")....as I understand musical copyright law, this example would be pretty close, to where liability is acknowledged, and royalites/rights revisited.....it is based upon a certain number of consecutive notes in a melody....
Absolutely noticed it! Curtis was such a heavy influence on a few people Bob Marley, Hendrix, and Van Morrison...oh yeah and "Maurice and the Radiants" too.
If only groups today could be guided by groups like this...I haven't heard this song since 70...It didn't last long; but in their defense; there were 100,000, at least, utterly amazing bands at the time...:)...This is the early 70's sound...Just a nice groove...:)Thanks so much for the upload
Harry S. Anchan Thanks!! Didn't know I still had the software to get it done right. At first, the video ended totally out of sync. But I figured out how to slow down the audio. Hope no one noticed the song is 1% slower, haha!
Growing up in the 70's I must say that I've never heard this tune. After finding out that the band was one of those one hit wonders from that era, I now no why I never heard it, and they was a Canadian band. I first came across this beautiful song on a bass cover this guy was playing on YT. I had to see the actual band playing the song. Although this is overdubbed it was still a joy watching the artist who recorded it back in the 70's. I think this tune could have been a part of Motown or even the Philly sound from that era. Priceless gem right here. Thanks for sharing the video.
Beautiful song, I remember it well and knew they were Canadian, but only recently discovered they were from London ON, where I currently live. Love the soulful harmonies and I agree with others that it could easily be mistaken for Motown or perhaps Philadelphia. Can someone identify each member shown in the video, and if they are still living? I found the names of some of the original members, but can't match them with their faces.
Marc Carruthers - The trick is to look up the four members and what instruments they played. These are the members you can match, assuming the video is accurate: William "Smitty" Smith (keyboards, vocals), Ken Marco (guitar, vocals), Wayne Stone (drums), and Steve Kennedy (sax, harmonica, vocals).
@@60s70sVintageRock Thank you! With that information, I was able to find out that 3 of these 4 gentlemen are still living. The one who passed away is William (Smitty) Smith. I imagine the rest of them would be in their late 70s by now.
