I believe people who remember these two groups think that either one was invented to cancel out the other. I just see them as two groups who saw that Black performers could do soul and pop. Actually, both groups did what was labeled (folk just love being able to pigeonhole something) as
psychedelic soul, sunshine pop. I mean it was the late 60s-early 70s. Anyhoo, I liked them both and would play their records endlessly (while lip-syncing in front of my mirror with a brush in my hand as a mic.) They both were so, so, so...cool. I adored the clothes. And they passed my mother's sing test. She said that they really knew how to sing because everything wasn't hootin' and hollerin' and gyratin.' LOL. What else would I expect a woman to say who once was in a city opera group? She loved Marilyn McCoo of the 5th Dimension's voice and diction; she also loved Jessica Cleaves' range. I just loved the carefree, bouncy sound and that in their heyday they both ruled the Billboard Hot 100.
Cleaves and Ron Townson are gone but both groups still perform today in various incarnations.
Nothing like the groovy late 60s-early 70s sounds, man. Now where is my fringed vest?
5th Dimension hits? Well, kiddos, too many to list, so here is a link to one of their most famous tunes " Let the Sunshine In" h
ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPK7ZF6jfJE
Friends of Distinction hits? So many also but here is a link to my fav: "Love or Let Me Be Lonely"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqjWWH0mQBQ
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