A classic Vee-Jay side from 1965 that originally sneaked out on the Bay Area Wee label. The original goes for around £100, the second Wee press for £75, while the Vee-Jay version is 50 quid a throw. That said, copies are few and far between these days.
The track features an upbeat, brass-powered Temptations-like harmony with a call and response, a deep sax wail and a piano motif, pushing it forward towards a glorious middle eight that breaks into a Gospel roll out.
Powered by Ric-Tic-like drum rolls; a euphoric soulful classic split into two essential parts.
The Ballads were a four-piece from Oakland, across the bridge from San Francisco, featuring Freddie Hughes, who would later sign to Wand. The band themselves almost made it, charting in 1968 with the Willie Hutch-produced God Bless Our Love but this earlier recording is the business.
Tracklist:
1. I Can't See Your Love (For the Tears in My Eyes), Pt. 1 2. I Can't See Your Love (For the Tears in My Eyes), Pt. 2
