1.) The Original "The Dynamics"
In 1969 The Dynamics released First Landing, their first album on Cotillion Records. A smooth slice of soul called โIce Cream Songโ garnered substantial airplay on R&B radio stations, but almost as quickly as the band appeared on the scene, they evaporated into the patchouli haze of psychedelic soul that dominated the airwaves towards the end of the โ60s. Though a second album, What a Shame, briefly placed the Dynamics back on the radar of soul music fans in 1973, the legacy of the group was relegated to cult status. Thanks to David Gorman and Michael Nieves at Hacktone, First Landing has been lovingly unearthed so that a contemporary audience can savor a long forgotten entry in the canon of โ60s soul music.
The Dynamics were Zeke Harris, George White, Fred Baker, and Samuel Stevenson: four vocalists from Detroit whose different vocal styles blended into one lustrous whole. Under the management of Ted White, who had escorted his wife Aretha Franklin from Detroit down to Muscle Shoals for her legendary Atlantic recording sessions, The Dynamics were similarly transplanted to American Studios in Memphis to catch some of the magic that catapulted Franklin to โQueen of Soulโ. Shaping the groupโs sound were producers Tommy Cogbill and Chips Moman, a team whose Midas touch spun pop gold on records by Elvis Presley (โSuspicious Mindsโ), Wilson Pickett (โIโm in Loveโ), the Box Tops (โCry Like a Babyโ), and Neil Diamond (โSweet Carolineโ).
Like their Detroit brethren, the Temptations , the Dynamics alternated lead vocalists. The versatile voice of Zeke Harris, who fronts eight of the 12 tracks on First Landing, defined the groupโs sound. He approached his performances with nuance and a keen interpretation for the lyrics. As for the other lead vocalists, George White possessed an Eddie Kendricks-like falsetto and Fred Baker supplied the grease to the Dynamicsโ southern fried Detroit soul.
Pretend for a moment that itโs 1969, when First Landing was only available as a shiny, round platter of vinyl. (Kudos to the folks at Hacktone for the faithful reproduction of the albumโs art.) โSide Oneโ would sport a whole bunch of white rings marking up the grooves; itโs frontloaded with six would-be hits. A groovy little number called โI Donโt Want Nobody to Lead Me Onโ gets things started followed by โAinโt No Love At Allโ, one of the more dramatic tracks on the album that boasts a shimmering unison vocal, reminiscent of the 5th Dimension . โDum-De-Dumโ, which veers close to bubblegum territory based on its title alone, is actually quite a funky workout. Harris, who sings lead on the first five tunes, brings a soulful sweetness to โIce Cream Songโ and gives โAinโt No Sunโ (a Temptations cover) an urgency equaled only by Gene Chrismanโs incessant drumming on the track. Closing side one is โWhat Would I Doโ, which is gently caressed by George Whiteโs angelic tenor and the dreamy notes of Bobby Emmonsโ organ.
โSide twoโ (or tracks seven through 12) is where the album flat-lines just a tad. While the vocalists do their best to imbue the songs with passion, the melodies simply are not as remarkable as those on the flip side. โThe Love That I Needโ proves that Harris mastered the upbeat material a little better than White. Unlike his vocal on โWhat Would I Doโ, White struggles to keep up with the jaunty rhythm section. Zeke Harris brings some tinge of excitement back on โToo Proud to Changeโ and George White redeems himself on โI Want to Thank Youโ with a heaven-bound reading of the line โGod knows that I love youโ. Fred Baker makes his lone lead vocal appearance on โSince I Lost Youโ, channeling โProud Maryโ-era Tina Turner during the spoken word section. โFair Loveโ and โMurder in the First Degreeโ, the last two tracks, seem tacked on to just satisfy an even six-song-per-side album.
2.) The French "The Dynamics"
The Dynamics come correct with their debut album 'Version
Excursions'! Everything from pop, roots, disco, soul & rock is
distilled through their fuzzy hypnotic filters. You should not be
surprised to see Madonna, Curtis Mayfield or the White Stripes on
this tracklisting!
Although virtually unknown one year ago, The Dynamics have created a wave thanks to
their sound and style, washing past the borders of their native (and not so native) France,
to spill the onto the shores of the UK, Europe, North America and Japan. According to vinyl
specialists such as Dusty Groove, Picadilly and Fat City Records, The Dynamics are a
proper phenomenom ! The demand for their 7-inches has prompted reissue after reissue,
selling thousands of copies. And this hunger will be temporarily satisfied with โVersion
Excursionsโ, their first long player which is deeply rooted in Soul!
The album presents covers of tunes that โneed to be coveredโ. It is as quirky and diverse,
as full of clashing influences, as the members themselves. From the villages of Cameroon,
the halls of Harvard, the palaces of Versailles, the boweries of Bristol, to the squares of
Provence, Lyon France's Dynamics create a music that is timeless, both vintage and fresh.
They wield their instruments and machines to build a bed for the innocence and honesty of
this soulful vocal trio. Everything from pop, roots, disco, soul and rock is distilled through
their fuzzy hypnotic filters. The result is a sound that brings you to place, both modern and
nostalgic. You should not be surprised to see Madonna, following Curtis Mayfield or the
White Stripes on this tracklisting.
Band members are:
Mounam (singer, song writer)
Originally from Cameroun, featuring on international projects, Mounam is a main figure on
the Lyon and France music scene, within a 16 years evolution through all the Afro-American styles
(gospel, soul, blues and jazz). Her explosive stage presence pushes the music onto the
edge of control !
Mister Day (singer, song writer, musician)
Known for his solo projects on Rotax, Favorite and his lead singing on Metropolitan Jazz
Affair, Mr Day is indisputedly soul singer number 1 in his native France. With a sweet
golden voice such as his, how can you argue with that title?
Stevie Levi (singer, MC, song writer)
Originally from Bristol UK and largely familiar with British sound sytems, Stevie moved to
Lyon France to join the Dynamics. His style is between Horace Andy, Marvin Gaye and U
Roy, a wide range of influences. On stage, he brings his warmth, passion and a rarely seen
energy to the band.
Patchworks (musician, producer)
Bruno โPatchworksโ, now wears the mantle of theโhardest working man in French show
businessโ. Heโs the man behind Metropolitan Jazz Affair and Mr President, working for
various labels, from Paris to Frankfurt, from Chicago to London. Heโs in charge of music
and production.
Eric โFlab Master Flabโ (musician, dub wizard)
From Boston US, Flab is described as a musical hobo. From working in recording studios
for the last 10 years, he has twisted enough knobs to create a unique effect technique !! On
stage, his vintage toys feed the โDynamic soundโ with a proper timeless dub quality.
Their best field of expression is definitely live. Their performances receive such a great
response that they truely merit their name !
3) The South African "The Dynamics"
The South African group "The Dynamics" was founded in 1983 in Johannesburg. Members included Jimmy Florence, Steve Howells, Winston Nyaunda and Harvey Roberts. They later reformed briefly twice in the 1990's with a different line up .
4) A British "The Dynamics"
The Dynamics were formed in Headingley, Yorkshire in June 2010. The band consists of Kieran Bowker, Chris Robinson, Mike Boyd and Stuart Mitchell.
5) There is also an Irish band called "The Dynamics"
6) There was also The Dynamics from Seattle, Washington, USA, who were around from 1959 to 1966, after which they evolved into the band known as Springfield Rifle.
Ice Cream Song
The Dynamics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I could be the ice cream man
If loving you was a whole lot of money
I'd be the richest man in all the land
If a bee made honey
They way that I need you
They wouldn't only make it
They'd make it in the winter too
Cause I love you (I love you)
I love you (I love you)
I love you (I love you)
Good God almighty
If loving you was water
My well would never run dry
If loving you was happiness
My eyes would never, never cry
If my love was a light
(Shining on and on and on)
The dawn would never
Have come around
Well my love would
Shine on and on and on
And the sun would never go round
Angel, I love you (I love you)
I just love you (I love you)
I love you (I love you)
Good God almighty
I love you (I love you)
I just love you (I love you)
I love you (I love you)
Good God almighty
If loving you was time
A second could never slip away
(Slip away, yeah)
If loving you was
A whole lot of power
Girl, I'd rule the world
In just one day
And if hurting you was living
My life wouldn't be worth a dime
I'd die in a day
And I couldn't wait till tomorrow
I do declare, I ain't lying
Oh, angel, I love you (I love you)
I just love you (I love you)
I love you (I love you)
Good God almighty
I love you (I love you)
I just love you (I love you)
I love you (I love you)
Good God almighty
I just love you, love you
Love you, love you, love you...
The Dynamicsโ song โIce Cream Songโ is a love song that uses food, water, time, and power as metaphors to describe the intensity of the singerโs devotion to their love interest. The chorus โIf loving you wasโฆ,โ sets up different scenarios that outline the extent to which the singer is willing to go in the name of love. For instance, if loving their partner was ice cream, theyโd become an ice cream man, if it was water, their well would never run dry, if it was time, not even a second would slip away, and if it was power, they would rule the world. The verses in between the chorus reinforce the depth of their love, with the mention of bees making honey all year round, the power of love as a light that would shine on and on, and the value of their partner which makes the singerโs life worth living.
The song is an ode to unconditional and everlasting love, and the choice of metaphors reflects the simple pleasures in life as well as the ultimate desire for control and influence. The singer wants to be everything to their partner and in doing so, they assert their dominance in a mutually beneficial way. However, the use of metaphors can also be interpreted as a means of disguising the complexities and challenges of a real-life relationship. The song prioritizes the positive outcomes of love, and undermines the possible struggles, sacrifices, and compromises that often accompany it.
Line by Line Meaning
If loving you was ice cream
If expressing my affection for you was as sweet and delightful as eating ice cream
Oh, I could be the ice cream man
I could be the bearer of this sweet affection, the one who brings joy to your life
If loving you was a whole lot of money
If conveying my love was worth a fortune
I'd be the richest man in all the land
I would have all the wealth, be the most prosperous and contented man alive
If a bee made honey
If nature would produce sweetness for me, like honey from bees
They way that I need you
As much as I long for you so affectionately
They wouldn't only make it
They would produce it
In the summertime
Only in the summer season
They'd make it in the winter too
Even in the cold, monotonous times, which otherwise would be devoid of any joy
Cause I love you (I love you)
My intense love for you
Good God almighty
It's an exclamation of strong, positive emotion
If loving you was water
If my expression of love was vital, like water, indispensable for life
My well would never run dry
I would never run out of love for you, it'll pour ceaselessly
If loving you was happiness
If my affection brought immense happiness
My eyes would never, never cry
I'd never ever be sad or heartbroken
If my love was a light
If my passion was like a shining light
(Shining on and on and on)
That would continue to shine forever and forever
The dawn would never
The daybreak would not come
Have come around
Until my love was shining and thriving in your life
Well my love would
Back to expressing how my love is the light that shines bright like the sun
Shine on and on and on
It's eternal, never ending, and unstoppable
And the sun would never go round
As it shines so exclusively and ceaselessly, it would make the sun look pale and mundane by comparison.
Angel, I love you (I love you)
Conveying loving admiration for a special one is akin to heavenly intervention
If loving you was time
If my love was as all-embracing, resolute and infinite as time itself
A second could never slip away
Time would no longer be an obstacle to our love
(Slip away, yeah)
It's emphasizing the point again
If loving you was
If expression of love for you was like having
A whole lot of power
It would be overwhelming, all-encompassing
Girl, I'd rule the world
With this power, he could be invincible and control everything, even the world.
In just one day
This is how sure he is of the strength of his love. It's only a matter of time.
And if hurting you was living
If the only way he can survive is by hurting her
My life wouldn't be worth a dime
It would render his life worthless and meaningless.
I'd die in a day
Without her, he would lose the will to exist.
And I couldn't wait till tomorrow
The future would be unbearable.
I do declare, I ain't lying
To say this is how strong his feelings are; he is sincere, honest and truthful
I just love you, love you
I want to emphasize once again how much I love you. It's a heartfelt repetition.
Love you, love you, love you...
He wants it to be known how immeasurable and unrestrained his affection is for her.
Contributed by Liam I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gwendolynthomas3500
I love this song. I play it all the time. I still have the 45 record. My very first love song.
@walterknight8097
i just love the voices of dynamics they are great ice cream song
@arabionjames9290
The dynamics and the dynamic superiors were very under rated
@reinaldogreen2079
If bees needed honey the way I needed you they wouldn't only make it in summer they'd make it in winter too. Great lyrics from 1969.
@Peacebestill2
That's some kind of love. Love it!
@wesleywhite227
1 of my all Time Favorites Thank God for You Tube it is like a Time Machine!!!!
@ruthiemedley6029
I ran away from my husband to California , he told me to get back home or he would come after me. I flew back home and on my return he sang this song to me using a broom as a microphone.
@shirleyking2722
Love it
@sharonshirley1338
My first 45 record I purchase 50 years ago. (1969)
@elnoraabston6083
GURRLLL THAT'S SOME LOVE