It seems that Gloria Jones was living more than just one life. Born in Cinicinnati she moved to California and recorded her first music in the beginning of the 60s. She studied piano and a acquired an advanced classical degree primarily in the works of Bach, performed in several musicals (Hair amongst others), became a songwriter for Motown, supported Bob Marley on his first tour of the UK as a member of the band Gonzalez, and moved to England where she met Marc Bolan. They became a couple and she gave birth to their son Rolan Bolan, while she was singing background vocals for T.Rex, and also drove the car that killed Marc Bolan eventually. In 1995 she moved to Africa and opened a musical school.
Although a songwriter and producer by trade, she didn’t write her biggest hit ‘Tainted Love’ but it is her defining moment as the “Queen of Northern Soul”. In 1980 a young Marc Almond was working as a cloakroom attendant in a Northern Soul club when he heard ‘Tainted Love’ and decided to record a cover version, which became an even bigger hit than the original version.
Admittedly I never liked Soft Cell’s version as a young teenager and was happy to learn that there was an oul version, recorded in 1964. There are still some people walking this planet unaware of the original version – an absolute shame.
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