Tempting Groovers Everywhere

The Temps doing Bill Withers' classic. This song has been covered over 100 times by folks ranging from MJ and Al Green to Akon and Ja Rule. The Temps covered it less than a year after the original release, and were nevertheless the tenth group/artist to do so. I like this version because they approach a slowly-dying state similar to what Still Bill does in his original. It just drags on when there ain't no sunshine (when she is gone).

Ain't No Sunshine - The Temptations, Solid Rock (1972)

Next up, the Temps sort of redoing their classic War, already popularized by Edwin Starr's cover (both from 1971), in a much slower and more psychedelic (as I understand the word) version. It is a little repetitive, but only because it goes on for so long. Much more serious than the first version, it involves chanting, drums coming in and out, and rising and falling emotions: an austere audio anti-war rally that still grooves hard as a toned bottom.

Stop the War Now - The Temptations, Solid Rock (1972)

Can't ______ ___ _______

Can't Strain My Brain - Sly and the Family Stone, Small Talk (1974)


Can't Find the Judge - Gary Wright, The Dream Weaver (1975)

I Can't Stand the Rain - Eruption, Eruption (1978)

Livin' Here

It used to be that you could expect pings off the coast from submarines. Now there are only the winged beasts, the fishermen, and the love. The love went out to sea. Do not ask how we know. The only thing that is really clear is that the best parts of the song sound like sonar. Sonar searching for love.

The Quality: This song is about going down, in all the ways that one does.

Love Don't Live Here Anymore - Rose Royce, Rose Royce Strikes Again (1978)

Gold/Lily

'I don't know what this gold is doing or where its going... who's gold is this, man?'

It may be that we are separated from certain realities by filters like media, popular opinion, and our own important lives. Poignancy is squished out by the filters, and the muck becomes mundane. Masekela puts a little muck into an everyday sounding tone in the following track. In its pacing and his only slightly strained mood, the question is asked from the perspective of the miner: who's gold is this? No comment on the political nature of the arrangement, just a little voice from within it. A position within it. Home was so groovy; exploitation is confusing.

Gold - Hugh Masekela, Masekela (1968)


These artists who grew out of Africa really really knew what they were doing. I can hear an absence of influence, in terms of so many influences that are familiar to my ear. I like this one because of its name.

Lily - Manu Dibango, Soul Makossa (1972)

Shouldn't Have Left You

Well, apologies, apologies. To all the loyal Some Quality readers. We were on a funky vacation in Vietnam and Cambodia. It was fun, and everything. And I know I should have warned you. To compensate, I'll follow up with some feel good songs. And tomorrow: some MJ tributation.

I really love this and I think you will too.

Jungle Fever - The Chakachas, 12" (1972)

How Bad for You?

I've realized that in the past few weeks I've been focusing a lot on work famed artists did that did not, in itself, lead to their fame. Here's another one.

First of all, James Brown is the right, and only, guy for this job:

Fight Against Drug Abuse (PSA) - James Brown, Funk Power 1970: Brand New Thang


Second of all, in 1979 he produced an album for one of his long time back up singers on Salsoul. I know that people often say that Salsoul is worth buying because they did interesting, often odd stuff, but I always get stuff that is way too heavy on the kind of disco that people wanted to die. Not this though, soul brother number one knows what he is doing in the production. This is the kind of music that was made for people to dance to. And not only to dance to, to really enjoy and get on down to:

Showdown - Martha High, Martha High (1979)

By that I mean, I can't wait to put it on and watch the Brown/High magic.

In the House

Short Dog's in the House - Too Short, Short Dog's in the House (1990)

Early funk based hip hop. This is so much fun. I am currently engaged in trying to get Rich JC 'in the house' via a Craigslist search. Soon I will live in Oakland and listen to this record there, it will sound so good.

This is possibly the widest lens I've ever seen in a autobiographical rap. He just travels all over the place not really doing anything. You know, though, that he was having a lot of fun and just doesn't tell you about it.