The Complete Disco Guide to...

Delegation

(Ray Patterson, Ricky Bailey, and Bruce Dunbar)

Other performers on the "Eau de Vie" album:
Alan Jones (bass),
Robert J. Ahwai (guitar, rhythm guitar), Graham Jarvis (drums), Ken Gold (percussion), Lynton Naiff (keyboards, synthesizers), Martin Drover (trumpet), Mike Davies (trumpet), Stan Sulzmann (saxophone), Ray Warleigh (saxophone), Malcolm Griffiths (trombone), Pete Smith (trombone), Chris Payne (trombone), Gavyn Wright (string section leader)

Delegation is a British soul/funk/disco band that has been very popular in Europe but almost unknown in the United States. They have released many singles and albums and have also performed live in concert. Delegation found success in countries like France, Germany, and England.

A Jamaican singer named Ricky Bailey was a co-founder of the band in the 1975. Their first single record, "The Promise of Love", became available in the summer of 1976. The second single, "Where is the Love We Used to Know", became a hit in Britain. The members of the band kept changing over the years, but Bailey was a constant, as was Ken Gold who produced several of their albums. Delegation always had deep roots in the United Kingdom. Its guitarist, Robert Ahwai, and drummer, Graham Jarvis, were both British, and the album "Eau de Vie" was largely recorded at Roundhouse Studios and Sarm Studios, both located in London. In 1979, "Oh Honey" reached #5 on the United States R&B chart. The album "Eau de Vie" was released in 1979 by Ariola Records, one year after the release of their album "The Promise of Love".

Delegation as a group lasted until the early 1990s, then reformed years later. Their mellow disco single "I Surrender" reached number 4 on the UK Soul chart in 2021 and is a high-class production with Chic-style rhythm guitar work. They began working on additional new material in the studio and performing live concerts across Europe. Bailey is still the leader of the group as of 2022.


DISCOGRAPHY

Classic Songs:
1976: The Promise of Love, Where is the Love (We Used to Know)
1977: You've Been Doing Me Wrong, Oh Honey
1978: Honey I'm Rich
1979: Heartache No. 9, Darlin' (I Think About You)
1981: In the Night, I Wantcha' Back
1982: What Took You So Long
1983: It's Your Turn
1993: Wanna Be the Winner
2020: I Surrender

Albums:


The Promise of Love (1978)
TRACKS:   The Promise of Love      You've Been Doing Me Wrong      Mr. Heartbreak      Let Me Take You to the Sun      Back Door Love      Where is the Love      Soul Trippin'      Oh Honey      Someone Oughta Write a Song      Love is Like a Fire

This 10-track album featured the soul classics "You've Been Doing Me Wrong" and "Oh Honey" and the disco tunes "Back Door Love", "Soul Trippin'", "The Promise of Love", and "Where is the Love We Used to Know".


Eau de Vie (1979)
TRACKS:   Heartache No. 9     Sho' Nuff Sold on You     One More Step to Take     Blue Girl     Darlin' (I Think About You)     You and I     Stand Up (Reach for the Sky)     Welcome to My World     Put a Little Love on Me     Remix of Put a Little Love on Me     Remix of You and I

This is an excellent collection of songs with a romantic theme. "Heartache No. 9", "Darlin' (I Think about You)", and "Stand Up (Reach For The Sky)" are great disco dance numbers with great basslines and strings. "Heartache No. 9" is a funny song about eight bad romantic experiences that the lead singer has had in the past, with a warning about the ninth disaster that is about to arrive and will surely do him in. "Darlin'" is a classic love song lasting almost 4 minutes in which the singers exclaim that they want to spend time around their darling girl all the time, and wish to know what she wants. One of the slower songs on the album is "Blue Girl", which is very relaxing. Another soft ballad is "Welcome to My World". The rest of the songs may be classified as general R&B typical of the late 1970s. The songs are upbeat and wonderfully performed. All in all, a high-class effort. "Heartache No. 9" reached #57 on the American Disco chart in the summer of 1980 and reached #66 on the American R&B chart. Best tracks: One More Step to Take, Darlin' (I Think About You), You and I.


Delegation II (1981)
TRACKS:   Feels So Good (Loving You So Bad) 9     Dance, Prance, Boogie      In Love's Time      Singing      12th House      In the Night      Turn On to City Life      Free to be Me      I Wantcha' Back      Gotta Keep My Eyes On You      Singing (12" Special Disco Mix)      12th House (Special Radio Version)      Singing (Special Radio Version)

"In the Night" is a mellow disco song with Lynton Naiff arranging the strings and Jon Plotel playing the bass. "Dance, Prance, Boogie" is funk-dance. "Singing" is a Caribbean jazz-funk song. "12th House" is a ballad. Also includes "I Wantcha' Back" which the CD producer Big Break Records describes as a "low tempo, funky bass line driven" song.


Delegation Compilations:

  • The Best of Delegation - from Ojc
  • The Best of Delegation - from The Saifam Group
  • The Classic Collection
  • Golden Classics Edition - from Collectables Records
  • Delegation: The Best Of - from State Records

    Other Noteworthy Compilations:

  • Royal Funk - includes Delegation's "Darlin'" and "Heartache No. 9" plus a lot of great songs by other artists

    Miscellaneous:

  • Remix-Hits is a Delegation album that came out in August 2001

    Delegation-Influenced Songs:

  • "Tonite" by Phats and Small (1999) - samples and speeds up "Heartache No. 9"
  • "Morning Light" by FM Stroemer (1999) - house song that samples "Stand Up"
  • "Feel the Same" by Triple X (1999) - house song that samples "You and I"
  • "I Rock" by Tom Novy feat. Virginia (1999) - house song that samples "Heartache No. 9"
  • "Now or Never" by Tom Novy feat. Lima (2000) - disco-house song that samples "You and I"
  • "Show Me Love" by Groovejet feat. Clint Grimes (2000) - house song that samples "Heartache No. 9"
  • "Show Me" by Megastore (2001) - house song that samples "Darlin'"
  • "Shining Star" by Andreas Türck (2001) - disco-house song that samples "Put a Little Love on Me"
  • "We Got Love" by Disco Montego (2001) - disco-house song that samples "Heartache No. 9"
  • "The Soul of My Love (Original Mix)" by Lifelike (2002) - house song that samples "You and I"
  • "For My Baby" by Full Flava featuring Ce Ce Peniston (2003) - house song that samples "Heartache No. 9"

    Covers of Delegation Songs:

  • "Stand Up" by Revelation (1981) - remake of "Stand Up (Reach for the Sky)"
    HOW TO ORDER YOUR FAVORITE DELEGATION SONGS

    CD TITLEMerchant 1Merchant 2Merchant 3Merchant 4
    The Promise of Love Amazon.com
    Eau de Vie Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
    Delegation II Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
    Deuces High Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
    Golden Classics Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk

    Related links:

  • Delegation Band - official site
  • S.A.I.F.A.M. Artists: Delegation
  • Deep Groove Encyclopedia: Delegation
  • Disconnected: Delegation
  • Dance70: Delegation
  • MCM.net: Delegation - in French
  • Yoyo's Soul: Review of "Eau De Vie" (5 Stars out of 5) - in Japanese
  • Derek Anderson's Review of Delegation's 1982 Album "Deuces High"
  • Disco Savvy Homepage