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Bobby Womack: Baby, You Oughta Think It Over
From 7″, also on Fly Me to the Moon (Minit, 1969)
Tammi Terrell: Baby Don’tcha Worry
From 7″, b-side of “Come On and See Me” (Motown, 1966). Also on The Essential Collection.
William D. Smith: I Feel So Good With You (Baby)
From A Good Feelin’ (Warner Bros, 1976)
I admit – the “baby” theme was just an excuse to post up some recent songs (and one that’s been waiting in the queue) and I was too lazy to think of something more original. Of course, […]
Continue reading Songs of Obsession: Bobby Womack, Tammi Terrell, William Smith: Oh Baby!
Brothers of Soul: A Lifetime
From 7″ (Boo, 1968). Also on I Guess That Don’t Make Me a Loser.
I don’t use the word “perfect” very often (well, actually, ok, I probably do) but if ever there were a song that should inspire such an honorific – here it is.
I discovered this 45 a few weeks ago, along with my friend Hua – it was some crappy lo-digi-fi copy of the tune but it was still promising enough that we both went out and hunted out the original that evening. Hua […]
Continue reading Songs of Obsession: The Brothers of Soul
Jennifer Holliday: And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going Away
From Dreamgirls (Original Broadway Cast) (Decca, 1982)
Jennifer Hudson: And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going Away
From Dreamgirls (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Sony, 2006)
I’m breaking away from James Brown contemplations to share a small, personal confession: I haven’t cried in years. At most, once or twice in the last 10 years and even then, not since the late ’90s. I’m sure this is something a therapist could get to the bottom to but regardless, it takes a lot to move me to tears.
I share […]
Continue reading JENNIFER HOLLIDAY/HUDSON: YOU’RE GONNA LOVE THIS
Towa Tei: Technova
From Future Listening (Elektra, 1995)
A Tribe Called Quest: Find a Way
From The Love Movement (Jive, 1998)
Bonus Remix – Technova (O-Dubnova Edit)
For the longest time, all I really knew about “Technova” was that it was “that song by the Japanese guy in Deee-lite that ATCQ interpolated for “Find a Way” but I had never actually HEARD the song. (What’s also incredibly embarrassing is that I always thought the female vocals on the original (interpolated into the chorus for Tribe) was Japanese but when I learned it was Bebel Gilberto, […]
Continue reading TOWA TEI: SUPERNOVA
Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators: No One’s Gonna Love You + Soul Investigators Theme
From Keep Reachin’ Up (Timmion, 2005)
You need this album. You just do.
I’d say – “I slept on this” – but in all fairness, even if the album came out in 2005, it’s on a Swedish Finnish label that had limited U.S. distribution and it didn’t hit my radar until Seattle’s Light In the Attic picked it up (note: my radar = not that wide though). If you were already up on this from jump, then […]
Continue reading NICOLE WILLIS & THE SOUL INVESTIGATORS: A PERFECT KIND OF…
 
Willie Colon: La Murga
From Asalto Navideño (Fania, 1971)
Fela Ransome Kuti and Afrika 70: Water No Get Enemy
From Expensive Shit (Editions Makossa, 1975)
At my going-away party in S.F., DJ Matthew Africa dropped a short set that put two songs back to back that I should have been up on…but wasn’t…and both have still been blowing my mind almost two weeks later.
“La Murga (De Panama)” is one of the big hits to come from the partnership of Hector Lavoe and Willie Colon though I find it rather funny that […]
Continue reading SONGS OF OBSESSION: "LA MURGA" + "WATER GET NO ENEMY"
 
Donny Hathaway: What a Woman Really Means
From Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers (Atlantic, 2006)
Laura Lee: What a Man
From Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters (Atlantic, 2006)
These two volumes collect rare and unreleased songs from the Atlantic vaults – a plum job if there was one. There’s such a wealth of material in searching through the catalog of arguably the biggest soul label in history . However, I’ll be candid: I wasn’t a huge fan of either volume…I think there’s definitely stuff on here that hardcore soul collectors will appreciate and it will […]
Continue reading SONGS OF OBSESSION: DONNY HATHAWAY’S "WHAT A WOMAN REALLY KNOWS"
The Dells: I Can Sing a Rainbow/Love Is Blue
From Love Is Blue (Cadet, 1969). Also available on the Ultimate Collection.
V/A: I Can Rhyme In Colors Medley. Features snippets from:
Prince Paul: Open Your Mouth
From Psychoanalysis (Tommy Boy, 1997) Edan: I See Colours
From Beauty & The Beat (Lewis, 2005) Smut Peddlers: Red Light
From “Talk Like Sex Pt. 2″ 12” (Eastern Conference, 1999). Also available on Porn Again (Revisted) Ghostface: Shakey Dog
From Fishscale (Def Jam, 2006) Blu: My World Is…
From Below the Heavens (Sound In Color, 2006 forthcoming) […]
Continue reading SONGS OF OBSESSION: THE DELLS’ "LOVE IS BLUE"
Smith: Baby, It’s You
From A Group Called Smith (Dunhill, 1969)
Still on the road. Just got back from Seattle and Portland – I attended a day and a half of the 5th annual EMP Conference of which I’ve gone every year even though, this year, didn’t present. Some really great papers though and it was very, very good to run into many old friends and colleagues, many of whom I only see once a year. Based on some convos I had there, we might be hearing something […]
Continue reading SONGS OF OBSESSION: SMITH’S "BABY, IT’S YOU"
Darondo: Didn’t I + Let My People Go (snippet)
From Let My People Go (Luv N Haight, 2006)
Darondo: Didn’t I + Make It Right(?)
From Taped Interview with Justin Torres and Dave Gabriner (2005)
The last time I wrote about Darondo (and misspelled his name), people responded strongly to his song, “Didn’t I,” and hey, I can’t blame you: it’s one of the most sublime songs I’ve ever heard.
I recently had the opportunity to write about “Double D” Darondo (when the piece actually runs, I’ll let ya’ll know where it appears) and he’s […]
Continue reading SONGS OF OBSESSION: DARONDO’S "DIDN’T I"
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