Northern Soul is a music and dance movement that emerged in Northern England in the late 1960s. It is a sub-genre of soul music that is characterised by its upbeat tempo and heavy use of percussion. One of the most iconic songs from this scene is “Do I Love You, Indeed I Do,” which was released in 1965 by Frank Wilson.
Frank Wilson’s “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” is a song that is synonymous with rarity and collectability. The soul singer’s only Motown single, released on the Motown subsidiary label Soul in 1965, has become a prized item among collectors worldwide.
Record History
Back in 1965, approximately 250 demo 45s of the song were pressed and scheduled for release on December 23 of the same year. However, due to a combination of Wilson’s decision to focus on producing and Motown’s Berry Gordy’s lukewarm reception of the vocals, the demos were destroyed, with only a few copies surviving the purge.
Today, only a few copies of the song remain, with one being rumoured to be owned by Berry Gordy himself. In May 2009, one of the surviving copies sold for a staggering £25,742. The scarcity of the song has made it one of the most collectible records, particularly among followers of Northern soul.
Official Releases
Despite being a rarity, the demand for the song continued to grow, especially after it was played at the famous English Northern soul nightclub, Wigan Casino. As a result, it was officially released in the UK on the Tamla-Motown label in 1979, much to the delight of its fans. It was also re-released in 2004, with Chris Clark’s version of the same song on the B-side.
Versions
The mono Frank Wilson version of “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” was issued on The Complete Motown Singles, Volume 5: 1965 (Hip-O Select), while the stereo version appeared on the British compilation This Is Northern Soul: The Motown Sound Volume 1 (Motown). The Chris Clark version, in an alternate mono mix, was issued on the British “A Cellarful of Motown!”, the first volume of four double discs documenting unreleased Motown songs.
In Conclusion
Frank Wilson’s “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” may be a rare and collectible item, but it also remains an important piece of soul music history. Its scarcity has made it even more coveted among collectors, and its impact on the Northern soul scene cannot be overstated.
