“Ain’t Nothin’ But a House Party” (1967) – The Showstoppers * Written by Del Sharah and Joseph Thomas * 45: “Ain’t Nothin’ But a House Party” / “What Can a Man Do” * Produced by Bruce Charles * Label: Showtime
Soul single from Philadelphia featuring “what’s happenin’ Brother?” party patter in the intro. Became a #11 hit in Britain in 1968 and a “Northern soul” classic, but only made it to #118 in the US. As a rule, cover versions of the song (such as one by the J. Geils Band) treat the chord progression strictly as I – VIIb – IV – I all the way through, leaving out the more emotionally nuanced I – III/I – IV – I sequences one hears in the original. Although it first appeared on the Showtime label with production credited to Bruce Charles, a 1968 reissue on Jerry Ross’s Heritage label lists it as “D. Sharah in assoc. with Jerry Ross Prod.”