With a brief look at some notables along the road, Chang Terhune’s Music Mondays aims to shed light on both new and old(er) music over a wide spectrum of sound (and vision). This week: Isaac Hayes, Lou Rawls, Curtis Mayfield, Barry Adamson, ABC, Captain Sky, and Barry White.
You Are Soul. Yes, you!
Soul. Do you have one? Do I? Or more importantly do you have it? Soul as it applies to music is one of those topics that’s been argued back and forth. What’s soul? What does it sound like? Well, I’ve added a few tracks here where I try to get to there bottom of soul.
Issac Hayes :: “Walk On By” — Long before he was the voice of Chef on South Park, Isaac Hayes was a musical powerhouse: Singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, producer. He was all of it, and the ”Theme from Shaft” was only the tip of the iceberg of his talent. And if his own songs weren’t enough he could do things when covering a song that made it entirely his. “Walk on By” was originally made most famous by Dionne Warwick. It was a lighter pop number but when Isaac Hayes took it on he gave it a melancholic reworking into a slow soul groove depicting a player pained at the lost love.
Lou Rawls “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” — As a kid I grew up listening to a little of my parent’s music but mostly the radio in our kitchen. A nothing fancy AM/FM single speaker job with a couple knobs and a dial. But it might as well have ben a radio to another world sometimes. WSTC in Stamford, CT. wasn’t going for that but they did any way. One track I heard often was this which burned so deeply in my mind at the time. Once YouTube came around and I found this again I was surprised how much it still resonated. It’s a classic big production but Rawls smokey voice brings it to another level. Confident, a little sassy and absolutely certain of his premise.
Bonus: My wife loves these reaction videos. I include this one to show what it’s like to hear that voice the first time. These kids get it.
Curtis Mayfield :: “Don’t Worry (If There’s A Hell Below, We’re All Gonna Go)” — SUPERFLY would’ve been a hit without the score perhaps but it’s no doubt Curtis Mayfield’s songs make the movie a gritty portrait of New York City at one of its lowest points. He brought a humanity, anger, passion, love and of course soul to all his music but especially this one. It’s a searing indictment of all humanity that almost 50 years later burns just as hard in your ears as it did back then. He was cut short too soon as he made a comeback and I can only wonder at the music he would’ve made had he lived.
Barry Adamson :: “Cinematic Soul” — Barry Adamson got his start as bassist for Magazine then played with The Buzzcocks and Nick Cave most famously. His solo work is a fascinating mix of classic and modern styles. The soul is in full force here, and includes an excellent cameo by his son.
ABC :: “Poison Arrow” — Okay this is a controversial one but hear me out: sometimes Whitey’s got soul. And often it’s most evident in the English. The Northern Soul movement of the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s was at its core a love of soul music. And from that many artists emerged (Gloria Jones who recorded “Tainted Love” for one) one was ABC, handsome lads from the North. Though they were lumped in with the New Romantics and others ABC had their roots in classic 1960s R&B and thus soul. “Poison Arrow” was produced by Trevor Horn (Art of Noise, Asia, Yes) which gives it a healthy sheen to this day. But listen close and you will hear the soul.
Captain Sky :: “Dr. Rock” — A classic track, simple in its soulfulness.
Barry White :: “You’re The First, The Last, My Everything” — And our final track from Barry White. Here his smooth baritone is in full force and undeniably as passionate as it is moving. Nothing compares to the maestro. Someone back in college played me some Barry White and I went out and got his greatest hits that night at Tower Records. Loved him ever since. We were the same height but he clearly had more going for him than just his height. Like too many, he was cut down too early. Barry White you are missed. Rest in soulful silken peace.
