G.C. Cameron (born September 21, 1945) – Topics (1973)

The former Spinners lead singer co-wrote and produced this ultra-funky, powerful message song that broke down what was wrong with the world.

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G.C. Cameron is the former Spinners lead singer best known for singing lead on their classic 1970 hit “It’s A Shame,” and his own song “It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” which appeared on the soundtrack to Cooley High in 1975.

Born in Mississippi, George Curtis Cameron served with the Marines in Vietnam. In 1970 he joined the Spinners, who were then signed to Motown, and became one of their two lead singers alongside Bobby Smith. Cameron sang both lead parts on their breakthrough hit “It’s A Shame,” co-written and produced by Stevie Wonder and released on June 11, 1970. It went to #3 R&B and reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the Spinners’ biggest hit in a decade.

Soon afterwards, Cameron began having an affair with Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Motown founder Berry Gordy’s sister and producer Harvey Fuqua’s wife. When the Spinners left Motown for Atlantic Records in 1972, Cameron stayed behind as a solo artist. The group hired Cameron’s cousin Philippé Wynne as his replacement.

The following year in 1973, he and Gwen along with songwriter Gwendolyn Fuller co-wrote the superb, ultra-funky message song “Topics.” Its socially conscious lyrics broke down what was wrong with the world and sadly remains all-too relevant today.

Cameron produced the track, which was arranged by Mark Davis, and released as the B-side to “If You Don’t Love Me,” which was written, arranged, and produced by Stevie Wonder.

“If You Don’t Love Me” became the opening cut to Cameron’s debut solo LP on Motown, Love Songs & Other Tragedies, released in 1974, although “Topics” remained a non-LP track. One of its highlights was the superb upbeat jam “Come Get This Thang,” written and arranged by Willie Hutch, who co-produced it with Cameron, with “musical assistance” provided by Norman Whitfield.

In 1975, Cameron cracked the R&B top-40 with his song “It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday” which was co-written for the soundtrack to the classic coming of age film Cooley High by Motown producer Freddie Perren and his wife, Christine Yarian. It was featured in the film’s powerful cemetery closing scene, hit #38 R&B, and over the years has come to be remembered as one of Cameron’s finest moments.

#soul #funk #Motown #GCCameron