BUNKER HILL

I'm really fascinated by the secularisation of Black American gospel music in the 1950s and 60s, which was instrumental in creating what we now call "Soul Music".  If you've ever listened to any black 1950s gospel recordings, you'll be surprised how raw, wild and utterly beautiful it can be.  It was only a matter of time before some clever-dick thought let's take the feeling, the beat and the tunes but sing about "boys and girls" instead.  Ray Charles perhaps was one of the first with "I Got A Woman" in 1954(which was based on a gospel hymn), and Sam Cooke, Solomon Burke and Little Richard(all from Gospel backgrounds) followed, amongst many others.

The fella I bring to your attention today was a gospel singer.  Dave Walker, A.K.A. "Bunker Hill", sang in popular 1960s gospel group The Mighty Clouds Of Joy.  On his nights off from singing to God, he got together with Guitar God Link Wray and recorded three of the wildest singles that Rock n' Roll has ever birthed:  Hide & Go Seek", "Red Riding Hood & The Wolf" and "The Girl Can't Dance"

BUNKER HILL - HIDE AND GO SEEK PARTS 1 & 2 (1962)



BUNKER HILL - RED RIDING HOOD & THE WOLF (1963)


BUNKER HILL - THE GIRL CAN'T DANCE (1963)





Considering that Link Wray was involved, it's strange that the guitar isn't prominent on these records. It's just drums, bass and backing vocals hitting insistent almost trance like rhythms as Bunker screams over the top.    And what a voice Bunker had, he sounds indestructable - as if Wilson Pickett had accidentally knocked back a bottle of sulphuric acid and decided to go on with the show.  A perfect gospel voice, developed over years of training, designed to carry in big churches and to drive the congregations wild, but here, rather than praising god, he's now singing himself stupid over children's games and chasing virgins.   I stop here.

r x

for more info on Bunker Hill, of which there isn't much it seems - check out this ace site.