Bobby Jones – Welcome Back A Foolish Man

Rocafort Records has been reissuing quite a few quality tunes as of late and giving them a new lease on the dance floor and to DJs who might not have been up on them previously.  Their latest in their reissue series has been a heavy spin of mine for years and one that I feel often time falls under the radar but a very worthy spin for any occasion. Bobby Jones “Welcome Back A Foolish Man” b/w “Lovin’ Hard, Livin’ Good” is a deep soul double-sider originally released in 1970 on the amusingly named Kack label, soulman Bobby Jones assures us that there’s nothing but the smell of sweet soul music happening here.

Written and produced by well-known Chicago music veteran, Maurice Lee Simpkins, “Welcome Back A Foolish Man” does everything an early 70s mid-tempo two-stepper should. Urgent, pleading lyrics telling of unspeakable heartache, sweeping strings, twangy guitars, heavenly backing vocals that lift everything towards the Gods. All solidly crowned by the raw, expressive vocal talent of Bobby Jones – a consistantly worthy bluesy/soul singer who never really got the recognition he deserved.

Interesting to note that both “Welcome Back A Foolish Man” and the similarly veined B side, “Lovin’ Hard, Livin’ Good” were sung by soul siren Ruby Andrews a few years prior but with different lyrics, different composers and label. A mystery worth solving for any of you musos out there!