Saturday, September 16, 2006

Number 819 - Temptations


Number 819

Temptations

"Aint Too Proud To Beg"

(1966)
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Genre:R&B
The Big Chill soundtrack once again re-introduced the public of the world to the R&B music of the 60's. I wonder now after all these years, was the movie the most memorable or was it the music off the soundtrack?
Anyway im off to the attic with me tennis racket, got some bats that need chasing.
"In 1966, the Tempts recorded another Robinson hit, "Get Ready," before forgoing his smooth popcraft for the harder-edged soul of producers Norman Whitfield and Brian Holland. After spotlighting Kendricks on the smash "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," the group allowed Ruffin to take control over a string of hits including "Beauty's Only Skin Deep" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You." Beginning around 1967, Whitfield assumed full production control, and their records became ever rougher and more muscular, as typified by the 1968 success "I Wish It Would Rain." After Ruffin failed to appear at a 1968 live performance, the other four Tempts fired him; he was replaced by ex-Contour Dennis Edwards, whose less polished voice adapted perfectly to the psychedelic-influenced soul period the group entered following the success of the single "Cloud Nine." As the times changed, so did the group, and as the 1960s drew to a close, the Temptations' music became overtly political; in the wake of "Cloud Nine" -- its title a thinly veiled drug allegory -- came records like "Run Away Child, Running Wild," "Psychedelic Shack," and "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)."
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Not this song but 2 others made R.S Top 500) and the Album ranked at Number (Only Temptations Anthology made the Top 500 Albums)
This song has a crowbarred rating of 62.9 out of 108
Search Artist here:1-2-3-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

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posted by crowbarred at 10:51 am 2 comments

Friday, September 11, 2009

Number 371 - Smokey Robinson


Number 371

Smokey Robinson

"Cruisin'"

(1979)
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................Genre: R&B...............
pic by unknown
Picture on the right [was/is/will it ever be?] my childhood dream. Ever since i can remember this is all i ever wanted to do before i got old ..... to cruise down '66 in a car from coast to coast.
So, [kaff] i got old. I never did get to do it. And to be honest .... i do not know any more if i want to. Quite a few people have written to me asking if i am still alive, I have answered back yes ... but I'm not so sure i am. My life is changing in so many ways [Yes, I know Neil Young sang that in the song "A Man Needs a Maid'] but in all seriousness it has changed for things that matter for the worse and the scary part is i don't know who i am anymore. I never really ever belonged anywhere from day 1 in life and to lose what i called my ever first home ... well, you could say its full circle. I will be away for a little while and i hope to be back to finish this project called "Definitive" ~ crowbarred
Baby lets leave.....
This album was a considerable return to form, Smokey Robinson's most commercially successful solo LP up to this point (and highest-charting record in 11 years), entirely due to the single "Cruisin'" (number four pop and R&B), his biggest pop hit since "The Tears of a Clown." Motown doesn't seem to have recognized that track's potency, leading off with the flop "Get Ready" (a disco treatment of the old Temptations hit) before turning to "Cruisin'" as a second single several months after the LP's release. Where There's Smoke... then took off and peaked at number 17, more than six months after first appearing. Although the LP is divided into "Smoke" and "Fire" sides, both sides start out with rhythmic songs and gradually slow down to near-ballad speed, with the sensuous "Cruisin'" the final "Fire" track. In retrospect, the album may be uneven and a touch too disco-ish in places, but in 1979-1980, Where's There's Smoke... brought Smokey Robinson back into the limelight. ~ [William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide]
For more Smokey see #565
For Neil Young see #391, #417, #479, #677, #938
For The Temptations see #601, #819
What does Trolling Bone think of Smokey?
Soon after his debut with the Miracles, Smokey Robinson became known as one of the premier songwriter/singers in pop music. Bob Dylan called him "America's greatest living poet," and in 1987 ABC's Martin Fry sang that "Everything's good in the world tonight/When Smokey sings," and few would disagree with either. As a writer of love songs, Smokey Robinson is peerless: From the straightforward, timeless "My Girl" to the elaborately constructed, metaphor-driven "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game," "Let Me Be the Time (on the Clock of Your Heart)," and "The Way You Do the Things You Do," he explored every aspect of romantic love. Whether making an elegant declaration of passion ("More Love"), pleading forgiveness ("Ooh Baby Baby"), or musing at love's paradoxical nature ("Ain't That Peculiar," "Choosey Beggar"), Robinson's best songs showed a rare mastery of the pop form. His delicate yet emotionally powerful falsetto is among the most romantic in pop. ~ [Source: Rolling Stone]
For Bob Dylan see Number 491, #841, #929
Rolling Stone magazine deemed their '371st Song of all Time' was "I Can't Explain" by The Who. The Who has appeared in The Definitive 1000 of All Time @ #429 & #556
Other songs with reference to the Smokey Robinson ~ #489, #495, #563, #595, #611, #824, #971
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (We only like his old stuff) and the Album ranked at (Just one & it ain't this shit)
This song has a Definitive rating of 80.1 out of 108
Search Artist here:1-2-3-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

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posted by crowbarred at 4:03 pm 2 comments

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Number 427 - Johnny Nash


Number 427

Johnny Nash

"I Can See Clearly Now"

(1972)
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Genre: R&B
When i first heard this song, i thought it was sung by a woman ..... Do not get me wrong and nor am i being disrespectful to Johnny Nash (always did think it was a funny name for a girl ... however) for a young boy in 1972, well the voice did not sound masculine! So why is this song not recognised by the music historians? For example, Rolling Stone make no mention of this classic song and more to the point have no view on Johnny Nash ... whatsoever! So there is only one thing i can do .... and that is ask them directly. Phone (212) 484-1616 [ringing sound]
CB: " Hello, its crowbarred from crowbarred.com" ....
RS: [long pause]"Oh you again" [even longer pause]
CB: " Right, anyway, I was just wondering what Rolling Stone's view is on Johnny Nash and why ....
RS: "You mean Johnny Cash?"
CB: "No ... Nash, like in ...."
RS: "Oh you mean Graham Nash, from CSNY?"
CB: "NO .. as in JOHNNY Nash the R&B/Reggea LEGENDARY singer. Are we clear who we are talking about?"
RS: "I apologise, we have not heard of her, sorry, we have to go now, Britney is calling" [click]
CB: "ARRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
I can see clearly
Singer/songwriter/producer Johnny Nash's million-seller "I Can See Clearly Now" did more to bring the reggae music sound into the mainstream than any other single record up to that point. To be sure, there were previous reggae hits (Millie Small's "My Boy Lollipop," Desmond Dekker & the Aces's 1969 hit "Israelites"), but Nash's buoyant, breezy, optimistic classic proved to be a phenomenal record holding the number one pop position for four weeks and going to number one adult contemporary on Billboard's charts in fall 1972. Houston,TX, native Nash had been recording in Jamaica for some years before having his biggest hit. On the I Can See Clearly Now album, Nash used members of Bob Marley and the Wailers and recorded several Marley songs: "Stir It Up," the follow-up single, "Comma Comma," the smooth "Guava Jelly," and the Nash/Marley co-written ballad, "You Poured Sugar on Me." The tender album track "(It Was) So Nice While It Lasted" received radio play. Other standouts are the punchy horns-flavored "Ooh Baby You've Been Good to Me" and the lullaby-ish ballad "There Are More Questions Than Answers." It's a tribute to its high quality that I Can See Clearly Now was in print almost three decades after its original release. ~ [Ed Hogan, All Music Guide]
Music and lyrics
Summer must be coming soon?
The song's extremely optimistic lyrics, an unabashedly upbeat tempo in D-major, and a quick, sustained midway crescendo, contrasted against minor key hits popular at the same time, such as "Nights In White Satin," "I'll Be Around," "Witchy Woman," and "Papa Was A Rolling Stone." Nash thus joined Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Rick Nelson as 1950s rock pioneers each having his last Hot 100 top 10 success in late 1972. It is a common misconception that the song was written and/or performed by Bob Marley, possibly based on the fact that The Wailers were the backing band on Nash's original recording. Marley wrote Nash's next single, "Stir It Up". ~ [Source: Wikipedia]
For Bob Marley see Number 482
For Eagles see Number 509
For Temptations see Number 601 & #819
For Elvis Presley see Number 443, #501 & #840
For Chuck Berry see Number 783
Rolling Stone have no view on Johnny Nash "I Can See Clearly Now", which i find amazing, as this song is important in the story of Rock n' Roll and it's history. It is times like this that made me feel Rolling Stone's "Top 500" was definitely amiss and definitively screwy.
Rolling Stone magazine deemed their '427th Song of all Time' was "New Years Day" by U2. U2 has appeared in The Definitive 1000 @ #661
For more U2 visit MM Vol 1 #129 & #038
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at (Johnny Cash?) and the Album ranked at Number (Graham Nash?) [^@^$#^*#!]
This song has a Definitive 1000 rating of 77.7 out of 108
Search Artist here:1-2-3-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

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posted by crowbarred at 1:40 am 0 comments