The Main Ingredient is an American soul and R&B group best known for their … Read Full Bio ↴The Main Ingredient is an American soul and R&B group best known for their 1972 hit song "Everybody Plays the Fool".
The group was formed in Harlem, New York City in 1964 as a trio called the Poets, composed of lead singer Donald McPherson, Luther Simmons, Jr., and Panama-born Tony Silvester. They made their first recordings for Leiber & Stoller's Red Bird label, but soon changed their name to the Insiders and signed with RCA Records. In 1968, after a couple of singles, they changed their name once again, this time permanently, to the Main Ingredient. The name came from a Coke bottle.
They then teamed up with record producer/arranger Bert DeCoteaux. Under his direction, the Main Ingredient reached the R&B Top 30 for the first time in 1970 with "You've Been My Inspiration". A cover of The Impressions' "I'm So Proud" broke the Top 20, and "Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love)" went into the Top 10. In 1971, they scored again, with the McPherson-penned black-power anthem "Black Seeds Keep on Growing," but tragedy struck that year. Don McPherson, who had suddenly taken ill with leukemia, died unexpectedly. Stunned, Tony Silvester and Luther Simmons re-grouped with new lead singer Cuba Gooding, Sr., who had served as a backing vocalist on some of their previous recordings and had filled in on tour during McPherson's brief illness.
The Gooding era began auspiciously with the million-selling smash "Everybody Plays the Fool", which hit number two R&B and number three pop to become the group's biggest hit. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in September 1972. The accompanying album, Bitter Sweet, became their first to hit the Top 10 on the R&B album chart; its follow-up, 1973's Afrodisiac, featured several songs written or co-written by Stevie Wonder, although it did not produce any huge successes on the singles charts. They peaked at number eight on the R&B chart in 1974 with "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely", which sold over a million copies,and also reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The track peaked at number twenty-seven in the UK Singles Chart in July 1974, although it was their only chart presence in the UK. In 1975, the group recorded several songs co-written by Leon Ware, including the R&B Top Ten "Rolling Down a Mountainside". By this point, however, Tony Silvester was harboring other ambitions; he released a solo album called Magic Touch that year, and left the group to form a production team with DeCoteaux. The two of them scored a Top 10 Pop and R&B smash with their production of Ben E. King's hit "Supernatural Thing" in 1975.
Silvester was replaced by Carl Tompkins, and Gooding departed for a solo career on Motown in 1977, which produced two albums; Simmons, meanwhile, left the music industry to work as a stockbroker. Gooding, Silvester and Simmons reunited as the Main Ingredient in 1979, and recorded two more albums, 1980's Ready for Love and 1981's I Only Have Eyes for You (the latter featured a minor hit in "Evening of Love"). The trio reunited for a second time in 1986, but their Zakia single "Do Me Right" flopped, and Simmons returned to his day job. He was replaced by Jerome Jackson on the 1989 Polydor album I Just Wanna Love You. In the wake of Aaron Neville's Top Ten revival of "Everybody Plays the Fool", Gooding resumed his solo career and issued his third album in 1993. Silvester and Simmons re-formed the Main Ingredient in 1999 with new lead singer Carlton Blount; this line-up recorded Pure Magic in 2001.
Tony Silvester died after a six-year struggle with multiple myeloma on November 27, 2006, at the age of 65, and original member Luther Simmons retired shortly thereafter. Cuba Gooding Sr. was found dead in his car on April 20, 2017. The current line-up of the group consists of Jerome Jackson, and Stanley Alston.
The group was formed in Harlem, New York City in 1964 as a trio called the Poets, composed of lead singer Donald McPherson, Luther Simmons, Jr., and Panama-born Tony Silvester. They made their first recordings for Leiber & Stoller's Red Bird label, but soon changed their name to the Insiders and signed with RCA Records. In 1968, after a couple of singles, they changed their name once again, this time permanently, to the Main Ingredient. The name came from a Coke bottle.
They then teamed up with record producer/arranger Bert DeCoteaux. Under his direction, the Main Ingredient reached the R&B Top 30 for the first time in 1970 with "You've Been My Inspiration". A cover of The Impressions' "I'm So Proud" broke the Top 20, and "Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love)" went into the Top 10. In 1971, they scored again, with the McPherson-penned black-power anthem "Black Seeds Keep on Growing," but tragedy struck that year. Don McPherson, who had suddenly taken ill with leukemia, died unexpectedly. Stunned, Tony Silvester and Luther Simmons re-grouped with new lead singer Cuba Gooding, Sr., who had served as a backing vocalist on some of their previous recordings and had filled in on tour during McPherson's brief illness.
The Gooding era began auspiciously with the million-selling smash "Everybody Plays the Fool", which hit number two R&B and number three pop to become the group's biggest hit. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in September 1972. The accompanying album, Bitter Sweet, became their first to hit the Top 10 on the R&B album chart; its follow-up, 1973's Afrodisiac, featured several songs written or co-written by Stevie Wonder, although it did not produce any huge successes on the singles charts. They peaked at number eight on the R&B chart in 1974 with "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely", which sold over a million copies,and also reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The track peaked at number twenty-seven in the UK Singles Chart in July 1974, although it was their only chart presence in the UK. In 1975, the group recorded several songs co-written by Leon Ware, including the R&B Top Ten "Rolling Down a Mountainside". By this point, however, Tony Silvester was harboring other ambitions; he released a solo album called Magic Touch that year, and left the group to form a production team with DeCoteaux. The two of them scored a Top 10 Pop and R&B smash with their production of Ben E. King's hit "Supernatural Thing" in 1975.
Silvester was replaced by Carl Tompkins, and Gooding departed for a solo career on Motown in 1977, which produced two albums; Simmons, meanwhile, left the music industry to work as a stockbroker. Gooding, Silvester and Simmons reunited as the Main Ingredient in 1979, and recorded two more albums, 1980's Ready for Love and 1981's I Only Have Eyes for You (the latter featured a minor hit in "Evening of Love"). The trio reunited for a second time in 1986, but their Zakia single "Do Me Right" flopped, and Simmons returned to his day job. He was replaced by Jerome Jackson on the 1989 Polydor album I Just Wanna Love You. In the wake of Aaron Neville's Top Ten revival of "Everybody Plays the Fool", Gooding resumed his solo career and issued his third album in 1993. Silvester and Simmons re-formed the Main Ingredient in 1999 with new lead singer Carlton Blount; this line-up recorded Pure Magic in 2001.
Tony Silvester died after a six-year struggle with multiple myeloma on November 27, 2006, at the age of 65, and original member Luther Simmons retired shortly thereafter. Cuba Gooding Sr. was found dead in his car on April 20, 2017. The current line-up of the group consists of Jerome Jackson, and Stanley Alston.
I Need Her Love
The Main Ingredient Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Main Ingredient:
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing Everybody's got a thing But some don't know how to…
Euphrates Yesterday, I was born here And tomorrow, I′ll be gone They s…
Evening of Love Now that the hurt is gone Our love has been reborn…
Everybody Plays the Fool Okay, so your heart is broken You sit around mopin' Cryin' a…
Everybody Plays The Fool (Re-Recorded / Remastered) Okay, so you're heart broken You sit around mopin' Crying an…
Everybody Plays the Fool (Re-Recorded) Everybody plays the fool sometime There's no exception to th…
Girl Blue Hello, morning Good, good morning To the one I love Crystal …
Good Old Days Hello boy, it′s been a while Guess you'll be glad to…
Happiness Is Just Around The Bend Say girl, you look a little restless. Well you ought to…
i only have eyes for you My love must be a kind of blind love I can't…
i won Wait a minute This is where I draw the line Tell me…
I Won't Let You Do That to Me Wait a minute This is where I draw the line Tell me…
Just Don I don't mind when you say that you're going away I…
Just Don't Want to Be Lonely - Remastered I don't mind when you say that you're goin' away I…
Let Me Prove My Love to You I bet you don't know how much I love you…
Magic Shoes Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba …
only My love must be a kind of blind love I can't…
Rolling Down a Mountainside Losers and winners Everyone must play fair All you beginners…
Something 'Bout Love Something ′bout love That makes me crazy (crazy) Your love i…
Spinning Around I see your face cloud over like a little girl′s And…
Summer Breeze See the curtains hanging In the window In the evening of a…
Superwoman Mary wants to be a superwoman, but is that really in…
That Wait a minute This is where I draw the line Tell me…
Where Are You Mary wants to be a superwoman But is that really in…
Where Were You When I Needed You Mary wants to be a superwoman But is that really in…
Work to Do I can't wait to get home to you I got so…
You & Me Wait a minute This is where I draw the line Tell me…
You've Been My Inspiration Prettier than all the world And I'm so proud (I'm so…
You've Got To Take It Hey baby, Come over here and sit down and let me?…
Youve Been My Inspiration Prettier than all the world And I'm so proud (I'm so…
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lovebeingamum40
I swear I could listen to this song CONTINUOUSLY...that intro and ending...HARMONIES...OMGoodness!!!
Bang Shishigami
goes to show how tasteful Murs and 9th wonder is... Putting this on their track is an outstanding move :)
C C McMillian
this is one of my all time favorite songs - I especially love the cut that came right after this song on the "Tasteful Soul LP - it would be great if you could post that one too
Al Fastguy
Wonderful! I Just have one request: Is it possible to post their song That´s What Fate Will Do ? IT is really tremendous. Thank you!
mostlynoble
9th Wonder is a genius....HIm and little brother need to get back together and make the magic...
ZITRONIXX
faaaaaaactz!!!
Hrorvendel
An excellent choice!
gary.nelson
My girlfriend and I would put this album ('Tasteful Soul') on some nights and just kiss continually for hours ( We were virgins ). Some other things possibly occurred, but I won't go into that :-D. I'm talkin' 1969 and 1970 and 1971.
Divine Zeal
its not old if music never ages
ud867
Aw damn, thanks! I *was* looking for it after hearing Murs' song.