The Pointer Sisters were musical chameleons; able to tackle throwback pop, dance music, middle of the road yacht rock, hard rock, jazz and even country with relative ease. Every couple of albums, they sounded like a completely different group. 1975’s “How Long” finds the Oakland-bred quartet (at least that’s what they were at the time)… Read More “How Long (Bet’cha Got A Chick On The Side)” by The Pointer Sisters (1975)
“Housequake” isn’t so much a song as it is a groove. And what a groove it is. Prince’s appreciation for the music of James Brown was never a secret (and it certainly isn’t now, as revelations of hours-long rehearsals with The Revolution where they just grooved on JB’s “Bodyheat” have come to light), and “Housequake”… Read More “Housequake” by Prince (1987)
Sometimes, the “keep it simple, stupid” theory works. It’s a theory George Clinton learned well as the Seventies progressed and his Parliament/Funkadelic machine began to gain more and more commercial traction. “Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)” became the outfit’s first top five R&B single, largely based on the fact that… Read More “Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)” by Parliament (1976)
Players can be vulnerable, so sings Morris Day on The Time’s 1982 track “Gigolos Get Lonely Too”. Released as the second single from the funk band’s sophomore album, “Gigolos” slowed the pace down from their previous three hits, “Get It Up”, “Cool” and “777-9311”. It offered Morris the chance to do something resembling actual crooning,… Read More “Gigolos Get Lonely Too” by The Time (1982)
“Ghetto Life” was a standout track on Rick James’ best-selling 1981 album Street Songs (an album that will boast four songs on this list when all is said and done). Rick described his lower-class Buffalo upbringing in a way that still feels very real to me, although you will definitely have to read his memoir… Read More “Ghetto Life” by Rick James (1981)
James Brown had a way of making magic with just a slogan. That was at least partially due to the ability of his various bands to lock into a stone groove (and speaks highly to JB’s considerable skills as a bandleader). “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved” is sort of a political call to… Read More “Get Up Offa That Thing” by James Brown (1976)/”Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved” by James Brown (1970)
Parliament/Funkadelic hit their height around 1976 and stayed there until 1979 or so. Doesn’t seem like a long time, but then consider both iterations of the band released an album or so annually, there was a ton of touring, and if George Clinton’s biography is any indication, there were a lot of drugs. Parliament was… Read More “Flash Light” by Parliament (1977)
Sly & The Family Stone’s “Family Affair” has to be one of the weirdest number one singles ever. First off, it marked an early experiment with the Rhythm King drum machine, a device that produced an incredibly unique sound. I’m sure it sounded futuristic in 1971. It sounds delightfully primitive (in an endearing way) these… Read More “Family Affair” by Sly & The Family Stone (1971)
Two very different songs from two generations (although the latter song reaches back to the sounds of the generation that made the former song a hit) with one thing in common: if you play them loudly, your ass will start wiggling. You may think Yarbrough & Peoples were a one-hit wonder, but they had a… Read More “Don’t Stop The Music” (Yarbrough & Peoples, 1980)/”Don’t Stop The Music” (Rihanna, 2007)
Hey you guys, I haven’t abandoned this project. About three weeks ago, I got put in an email chain by a friend looking for research materials and I ended up getting a link to the entire Cashbox Magazine archives. I realize most of you are probably not as music-nerdy as I am, so let me… Read More “D.M.S.R.” by Prince (1982)
Five Star Jamz 