Today’s classic song of the day is a long-forgotten soul single by Brenda and the Tabulations. The song is “Right on the Tip of My Tongue” and it was released in January of 1971, on Top and Bottom records. It made it all the way to #23 on the Billboard Hot 100, #14 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #10 on the R&B chart.
Brenda and the Tabulations are better known for “Dry Your Eyes,” which went to #20 on the Billboard chart in 1967. The group hailed from Philadelphia and consisted of lead singer Brenda Payton along with backup singers Eddie L. Jackson, Maurice Coates, and Jerry Jones. Their earlier sound had some doo-wop influences, but they’d lost that by the time the 1970s rolled around. Brenda had a truly sweet voice and entrancing performing style; she passed away in 1992 at the young age of 46. (The word “tabulation,” in case you were wondering, refers to the counting or recording of data; it was more common in the 1960s than it is today.)
“Right on the Tip of My Tongue” was written by Van McCoy and Joe Cobb and produced by Mr. McCoy and Gilda Woods. You know Van McCoy from his 1975 disco hit, “The Hustle,” but he also wrote a slew of other songs, including “When You’re Young and In Love” for Ruby & the Romantics and “Baby I’m Yours” for Barbara Lewis. (Joe Cobb was Van’s songwriting partner on many of these songs.) Van also was a big-time producer (“Walk Away from Love” for David Ruffin and “5-10-15-20 (25-30 Years of Love)” for the Presidents) and was responsible for getting Peaches and Herb together. He also left us way too young, suffering a fatal heart attack at the age of 39 in 1979.
“Right on the Tip of My Tongue” has a kind of timeless sound. It wouldn’t have been out of place in the mid- to late-sixties, but also feels right as a 1971 release. It has a little bit of the Philly Soul sound, which is probably Van McCoy’s influence. It’s a good tune and should be better remembered today.
