50 Years of Philadelphia International Records (My Top 50 P.I.R. Songs)

2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the first release by Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records label.  The first album released in 1971 was by Billy Paul called Going East.  Gamble & Huff were around before PIR launched.  They wrote and produced many hits before PIR.  But it is at PIR that they became legends.  Along with many other songwriters, producers, arrangers, PIR became one of the premiere R&B labels of the 70's/80's. The last PIR album came out in 1998.  

So, here's a list of my 50 favorite PIR songs.  As a child of 70's AM Top 40, my picks tend toward the more obvious.  But I've sprinkled in some lost gems and album cuts as well.  

1.  Billy Paul - Me & Mrs. Jones

2.  Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - If You Don't Know Me By Now

3.  O'Jays - Back Stabbers

4.  Three Degrees - When Will I See You Again

5.  McFadden & Whitehead - Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now

6.  Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Wake Up Everybody

7.  O'Jays - Love Train

8.  Teddy Pendergrass - Close The Door

9.  Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine

10. MFSB & Three Degrees - TSOP

11. Patti LaBelle - If Only You Knew

12. Jacksons - Enjoy Yourself

13. Intruders - I'll Always Love My Mama

14. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Love I Lost

15. Teddy Pendergrass - Love T.K.O.

16. O'Jays - For The Love Of Money

17. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Bad Luck

18. Jacksons - Show You The Way To Go

19. Lou Rawls - Lady Love

20. Dexter Wansel & Jean Carn - Sweetest Pain

21. O'Jays - Use Ta Be My Girl

22. Jones Girls - You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else

23. Phyllis Hyman - Old Friend

24. Teddy Pendergrass & Stephanie Mills - Is It Still Good To Ya?

25. O'Jays - I Love Music

26. Jean Carn - Don't Let It Go To Your Head

27. Patti LaBelle - Love, Need and Want You

28. Teddy Pendergrass - Turn Off The Lights

29. O'Jays - Now That We Found Love

30. People's Choice - Do It Any Way You Wanna

31. Billy Paul - Am I Black Enough For You?

32. Phyllis Hyman - Living All Alone

33. Intruders - I Wanna Know Your Name

34. Shirley Jones - Do You Get Enough Love

35. O'Jays - Stairway to Heaven

36. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - I Miss You

37. Jones Girls - Who Can I Run To

38. Philadelphia International All-Stars - Let's Clean Up The Ghetto

39. O'Jays - Sunshine

40. MFSB - K-Jee

41. Dee Dee Sharp - Nobody Could Ever Take Your Place

42. Teddy Pendergrass - When Somebody Loves You Back

43. O'Jays - Lovin' You

44. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes w/Sharon Paige - Hope That We Can Be Together Soon

45. Ebonys - It's Forever

46. Teddy Pendergrass - I Don't Love You Anymore

47. Jones Girls - Nights Over Egypt

48. Jerry Butler - Cooling Out

49. McFadden & Whitehead - Love Song Number 690

50. MFSB & Three Degrees - Love Is The Message