A Lonely Man - THE CHI-LITES***

Oh Girl/Living In The Footsteps Of A Lonely Man/Love Is/Being In Love/A Lonely Man/The Man & The Woman/ Ain't Too Much Of Nothin'/Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)/The Coldest Days Of My Life

The Chicago soul group The Chi-Lites achieved the peak of their commercial popularity with A Lonely Man. It includes the US No. 1 hit single Oh Girl. Subsequent releases would achieve only modest chart success. (US:5)

“A Lonely Man stands as the classic Chi-Lites album. Showcasing Eugene Record as chief songwriter, early 1970s soul simply didn't get much better than this. Record and company were in full stride here - three hits, including a number one pop, and at least as many selections that could have been hits had Brunswick taken the time and effort to push them.”

“A beautiful record of some of the most heartfelt emotional and poignant soul ever recorded. Immaculate production, well-crafted arrangements, and full harmonies abound on this album.”

"Oh Girl was a number one hit and with good reason. It is an extremely unique mix of both country and soul which must have been extremely fresh at the time, and still is, and the title track is also brilliant. These guys really sing their hearts out and you can feel the emotion in every note of music. The Coldest Days Of My Life has to be one of the most devastating and downright gorgeously produced songs ever.”

“Eugene Record hits the mark here with his clean production, well-crafted arrangements and plaintive vocals. Fine, melancholy uptown soul, this is very humane, very human, uplifting and affirming stuff.”

“The Chi-Lites were a fantastic soul group with sky high heavenly harmony and a wonderful, make-you-melt falsetto/tenor by Eugene Record. A Lonely Man is the epitome of soft, ballad soul. I love the strings and sweet melody of all the songs here. Each one is a winner, and there are a few here that are among my favourite soul jams. Oh Girl is one of those emotionally charged ballads that will make you tear up, even the hardest of the hard will well up to this one.”

“Eugene Record was not only a great vocalist, but he was an outstanding writer. His lyrics conveyed love and pain in a way many of today's R & B young boys could only hope to imitate. Oh Girl left you wanting to plead on his behalf for his woman to stay and Coldest Days Of My Life has to be one of the saddest songs I have ever heard.”