Darryl Pandy’s 1986 classic “Love Can’t Turn Around” was the first House record to be a chart hit so it’s an epochal and important track. It blew me away back then and is still one of my all-time favourite dance tunes. But I didn’t discover until about 15 years later that it was basically a cover of Isaac Hayes’ 1975 tune “I Can’t Turn Around” but doesn’t give Hayes a credit which is one reason why I didn’t know. I was a bit shocked because it’s the sort of shit I usually know and immediately turned in my Music Trainspotters Club membership badge.
I assume Pandy’s version changed enough of the original to not be technically or legally considered a “cover” because the song is credited to House producers Farley Jackmaster Funk and Vince Lawrence, but Hayes’ song is definitely in there.
This was the last track on Hayes’ album Chocolate Chip where he made the switch from Funk to Disco rhythms, and I guess now you would call this one proto-House.
Download: I Can’t Turn Around – Isaac Hayes (mp3)
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