Windy City: Hey it’s (not) over.

First off, I LOVE this record.  A little back story: “Hey, It’s Over” by Windy City is a record that came out in 1974 on local Innovation II records, later issued on Warner Bros.  Produced by Willie “Mr. Brunswick”* Henderson and Arranged by James “The Soul Educator” Mack*, it has a great shuffly, brassy, breezy sound that fits the group’s name perfectly.  And, the jangly guitar and crisp high-hat make me smile.  Not on Windy City’s only album (pictured below [and also recommended]), it’s pretty rare.

I bought the record in an online auction lot with about a hundred other 45s five years ago, spending what wound up to be about a dollar per record.  At the time I was a college student, and for me it was a BIG investment.  The records were not packed very well, and so my b-side (“If by Chance”) has an annoying click on it. 

I went online to see if I could find a replacement and I got quite a shock.  Apparently the record got hot recently (probably in Europe), because today “Hey It’s Over” alone is selling for the price I paid for the whole lot.  One of the few times in which a very rare record is also very well produced.

Antiques Roadshow, here I come!

*Willie Henderson produced dozens of spectacular sides for Brunswick Records; While James Mack not only arranged beautifully himself, he taught a whole generation of the city’s best arrangers (including Tom Tom Washington).