Harvey Scales

Harvey Scales (September 27, 1940 – February 11, 2019) was an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and producer. Scales had been active in the music industry since the 1960s, and composed songs for groups such as The Dells, The Dramatics, and The O'Jays. He is particularly notable for his co-authorship of the songs "Love-Itis" and "Disco Lady". Once called Milwaukee's "Godfather of Soul" by a local reporter, Scales credited James Brown where he attended Roosevelt Middle School and North Division High School.

Harvey Scales & The 7 Sounds initially recorded for Cuca Records, and later for Magic Touch Records, a Wisconsin-based label owned by Lenny LaCour. The band's one hit was "Get Down", backed with "Love-Itis",

The band signed with Chess Records in 1969, recording for the Cadet Concept Records division, with LaCour continuing as producer. selling over two million copies. It was certified platinum on April 22, 1976. As a result, Scales became -- and will always be -- one of the co-writers of the first platinum single record in America.

Scales is also notable as being the co-writer of "Love-Itis", a 1967 release by Harvey Scales & The 7 Sounds, which later was covered and was a hit for the Canadian band Mandala in 1968, and the J. Geils Band in 1975. The song was also covered by The Sonics, originally recorded in 1967.

Scales also co-wrote, with Bunny Sigler, "Once Is Not Enough", recorded by The O'Jays and, as sole composer, "Be For Real With Me", which was recorded by The Dells.

The success of "Disco Lady" enabled Scales to obtain a recording contract with Casablanca Records. At Casablanca, Scales recorded the first two albums of his career, Confidential Affair (1978) and Hot Foot: A Funque Dizco Opera (1979).

Discography Studio albums Somebody Else’s Somebody (1997) (Four Sight) Hot Foot: A Funque Dizco Opera (1979) (Casablanca) Confidential Affair (1978) (Casablanca)

Singles Cuca J-1132 Harvey (Twistin' Harvey) "The Clock/ Every Step Of The Way" J-1155 Harvey & The Seven Sounds “Glamour Girl/New York City” J-1271 Harvey & The Seven Sounds "Independency/ I Want To Apologize" 1311 Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds "Bootleg/ Monkeytime ‘67" Magic Touch 2007 Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds "Get Down/ Love-Itis" 1967 16001 Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds "Broadway Freeze/ I Can’t Cry No More" 1968 2069 Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds "(It’s Too Good) Too Good To Be True/ Love Is A Gas" 1969 2072 Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds "Don’t You Ever Let It End/ The Sound Of Soul" 1969 2077 Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds "Welcome Home/ Trackdown" 1969 3002 Harvey Scales & the Seven Seas "Bump Your Thing/ Trying To Survive" 7006 Harvey Scales "Groove On Sexy Lady/ Rock The World” 9003 Harvey Scales "Follow The Disco Crowd/ Love Thief” Chess/Cadet Concept Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds "The Funky Yolk" 1970 Earthtone 508014X Harvey Scales "Single Girls/ Spend The Nite Forever" Casablanca 954 Harvey Scales "Shake-A-Matic/?" Soul-Tay-Shus STS CD 6363 Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds "Love-Itis: All the Rare & Unreissued 45's from the Vaults of Magic Touch: 1967-1977" 2009 Mercury 72937 Harvey Scales "Shake Your Power/Sun Won't Come Out.

Awards & Recognition Scales received national recognition for co-writing with Don Davis and Albert Vance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single for Johnnie Taylor, "Disco Lady". "Disco Lady" was the very first platinum single in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America,