TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)

"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" is a 1973 hit recording by MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) featuring vocals by The Three Degrees. A classic example of the Philadelphia soul genre, it was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff as the theme for the American musical television program Soul Train, which specialized in African American musical performers. The single was released on the Philadelphia International label. It was the first television theme song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and it is arguably the first disco song to reach that position.

The song is essentially an instrumental piece, featuring a lush blend of strings and horns in the Philadelphia soul style. There are only two vocal parts to the song: a passage close to the beginning during which The Three Degrees sing "People all over the world!"; and the chorus over the fadeout, "Let's get it on/It's time to get down". The words "People all over the world!" are not heard in the original version. The version heard on Soul Train also had the series title sung over the first four notes of the melody, "Soul Train, Soul Train". This particular version was released on a 1975 Three Degrees album, International.

Reza

Reza (Arabic: رضا‎, riḍā) is a name of Arabic origin, widely used as a Persian personal name and within Iranian placenames.

Arabic etymology

The Islamic concept Reza ([ɾeˈzɒː], also transliterated as Raza, Reda, Redha, Rida, Ridha [rɪˈdˤɑ], Rizah, Rıza [ɾɯˈzɑ], is a male given name common among Muslims, and especially Persian-speakers. It comes from Arabic and means contentment.

Rida (Reza) is an Islamic concept rooted in the Qur'an and the practices. This idea of contentment is expressed in two Qur'anic verses which discuss the contentment of Allah with believers and, conversely, of believers with Allah:

Muslims believe that Allah's pleasure with the servant is expressed through His gifts both material and spiritual and the servant's pleasure with Allah is the name of his obedience to Allah's commands and submission to his will. Rida on the part of the human also includes his determination to accept Allah's decree irrespective of whether it is favourable or unfavourable.

Because the Arabic ض sound does not exist in the Persian language, Persian-speakers replace the sound with a z. This pronunciation was also adopted by other languages influenced by Persian, most of all Turkish and Urdu. In the Maghreb region, the name is spelled Reda, due to the French influence during the colonial times.

Reza (album)

Reza is an album released by Terry Gibbs in August, 1966 on Dot DLP 3726 (mono) and DLP 25726 (stereo). It was arranged and produced by Shorty Rodgers.

The album was aimed at the pop and jazz markets. Billboard reviewed the album as "swingin, but not way out."

Track listing

Personnel

References