SINGING TOGETHER

"You've Lost That Loving Feeling," by the Righteous Brothers.

Great vocals are all about feeling. Sure, you can get Mariah Carey to hit six octaves or hire the Three Tenors to sing the Manhattan phonebook and it would all be technically perfect--and about as dull as dishwater. Good vocals are about feeling, and the spaces in between, and the surprising harmony that somehow lifts it all off the ground. The sand in the Vaseline is what makes it interesting. The great pop song makes you tap your feet, or stop and listen, or crank up the radio as you drive the great American highway.

"I Get Around" by the Beach Boys

The Beach Boys were an harmonic convergence of California sun, surf, girls, and souped-up hot rods. Their soaring vocals were instantly recognizable as the sound of summer. At the creative helm was Brian Wilson, who directed this juggernaut into teenage symphonies, but you can't beat these early transistor radio tunes. This sounds like summer.

"Cloud Nine" by the Temptations

Out of Motor City, The Temptations were one of the most successful soul acts, a tough little outfit with vocal harmonies that reached a gritty perfection. The Temps were cool. The sound of these soul survivors was tough and real back in the day, and folks may snicker at their outfits and dance steps because all style gets old eventually, but their vocals remain timeless. On top of that, they didn't just sing silly love songs. They could "tell it like it is."


"Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down" by the Beatles

The Beatles...of course. With two of the greatest rock vocalists ever, Lennon and McCartney, not to mention unrivaled songwriting teams, The Beatles could do it all. They wrote their songs, and could play just about anything, but their vocals were a huge part of their success. Here they are, late in the game, after the screams of Beatlemania had died down playing on the Apple rooftop in London.



"Pancho and Lefty" by Willie Nelson & Bob Dylan

As if to prove my point, here are too technically imperfect voices--Willie's is thin and high and lonesome, and Dylan's is gravelly--that come together in a wonderful duet on an old Townes Van Zandt song. They make it their own, and you believe them. Sure, Mariah could sing this tune and toss in all that glissando but it would be like eating a cake made entirely of frosting. This is a plate of ribs, crispy and burnt on the ends, slathered with picante sauce that leaves you gasping for beer. This performance fits a story of outlaws and bandits beautifully.

LEVI STUBBS

Levi Stubbs (1936-2008) lead singer and powerhouse behind Motown soul group The Four Tops died at 72 in his hometown of Detroit. The NBC Nightly News tribute (above) is worth watching if you were a fan, or if you just want to hear humorless anchorman Brian Williams uttering the words "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch."

Stubbs was best known for singing such hits as "It's the Same Old Song" (1965), "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" (1965), "Reach Out" (1966), and "Standing in the Shadows of Love" (1967). A personal favorite of mine is the Tops' soulful rendition of The Left Banke's baroque pop nugget "Walk Away, Renee," which they covered in 1968.

In 1986, folk punker Billy Bragg paid tribute to the soul man with the ballad "Levi Stubbs' Tears."

Back in the Day: The Four Tops, in 1967, in some snappy sharkskin suits; Levi Stubbs at far right. Below is a clip from 1960s American pop TV show, Shindig.

CLASSIC SOUL

Here's some soul music--two classics to get you into the weekend and help tighten up your wig. Watch these fantastic performers and see if they can lift your spirits.

Things have changed since this classic soul came out. These songs about love and happiness and respect made you want to move your feet. Now that we've all attained freedom and affluence, and bigotry is a thing of the past, listening to classic soul is like opening a time capsule from a distant world where people had to struggle to make ends meet, where class and wealth drove a wedge between people, where race limited people's opportunities and affected our politics (even Presidential campaigns!), where unpopular wars dragged on and on for spurious reasons. Not so different, come to think of it.

You can't beat soul.

Fellow blogger Expatbrian, over at World Gone Mad, set up a challenge. I'd pick two old favorites, and he'd do the same, and we'd have an old fashioned battle of the bands. Sounds like fun, eh? Be sure to check out his blog, too.

ISAAC HAYES

Isaac Hayes (1942-2008) Mr. Hot Buttered Soul, and one of the primary creative forces behind Stax Records, just left his chains behind for good.

Most people know Hayes for his popular "Theme from Shaft," the quintessential blaxploitation soundtrack from 1971 with the whacka-whacka guitar, but earlier, in the 1960s, Hayes co-wrote such soul classics as "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Coming" for Sam and Dave. You may also know him as the voice of Chef on the crudely animated TV show "South Park."


This film clip shows the "Shaft" soundtrack recording session, with Hayes leading the band and discussing the movie soundtrack with acclaimed photographer Gordon Parks, director of the film. They play "Cafe Reggio" and "Theme from Shaft."

SOUL FOOD FOR THE SOUL

Etta James, Chaka Khan and Gladys Night, with B.B. King on guitar, performing "Ain't Nobody's Business." It doesn't get any better than this.

You've seen those books, "Chicken Soup for the Soul"?

This is "Soul Food for the Soul." Listening to this is good for you. In a world gone bland, this is spicy, down home, and real. Skip the lunchables. This is chitlins and ham hocks, fried chicken, corn bread, collard greens, and a big fat slice of sweet potato pie. Enjoy!


soul food for your soul

PEOPLE GET READY

Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999), soul singer, songwriter, former leader of the Impressions, performing "People Get Ready." Taylor Dane provides backing vocals. #20 from the Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar songs.

THE HISTORY OF SOUL, PART 3

The Birth of Soul continues in this great series, with Part 3. Parts 1 and 2 are down below.

WOMEN'S DAY

Today is International Women's Day, a holiday celebrated worldwide. It began when women in the clothing and textiles industry in the Lower East Side of New York City marched for decent pay on this day, in 1857. The women were attacked and dispersed by police on horseback. On the same day in 1908, 15,000 female garment workers marched in New York for shorter hours, decent pay, and the right to vote.
To celebrate women's day, here are two performers from different generations: Adele, singing "Hometown Glory," in 2007, and Aretha Franklin singing "Respect" live in 1967.

THE HISTORY OF SOUL MUSIC

...
Do you like good music?
That sweet soul music?
Just as long as it's swingin'
Oh yeah, oh yeah...
- Arthur Conley, Jr.

THE BIRTH OF SOUL, PART ONE

The first part of a very good series about the history of Soul Music.

THE BIRTH OF SOUL, PART TWO

The History of Soul continues...

READY, STEADY, GO! 1965!

My friend Tommy turned me on to this clip of Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames performing on Ready, Steady, Go! It's a cool performance from the mod British pop singer, another great one from an amazing year, 1965.

As music goes, 1965 is hard to beat. The Byrds had a huge hit with Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," and Dylan came out with "Like a Rolling Stone," perhaps the greatest single of all time. In a year of classics, The Rolling Stones couldn't get no "Satisfaction," the Who sang about "My Generation", and The Animals screamed "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." The Beatles, still riding a wave of hits since they'd shown up in America the year before, gave us "Help!", "Ticket to Ride," "Day Tripper," and the brilliant Rubber Soul album that marked a new level of sophistication and introspection in pop music, and showcased such classics as "Norwegian Wood," "In My Life," and "Nowhere Man."

There were so many good songs that year, it's hard to keep track. The Temptations sang "My Girl," the Supremes urged us to "Stop! In the Name of Love," and the Four Tops sang "I Can't Help Myself." James Brown came out with "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." Sam Cooke released "A Change is Gonna Come." Nina Simone played "I Put a Spell on You," and Otis Redding released "Otis Blue." The Kinks released The Kink Kontroversy, Sam the Sham danced with the "Wooly Bully," The Righteous Brothers lamented "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," and the Beach Boys rhapsodized about all those wonderful "California Girls."


I could go on. There were plenty more. There was so much great music that many tracks that would normally have been huge in a regular year got plowed under by the wave. Here's a clip you might have forgotten, with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. A great clip from a great year, 1965.

AL GREEN IS LOVE

The amazing Al Green. This is an early Valentine's Day gift, a special one-two punch of pure love and soul wrapped in a snappy 1970s jacket. There is nobody like Al. Coming after heroes Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and James Brown, Green embodied sweet soul music that was more silken than gritty, and, like Cooke, a combination of Sunday gospel and Saturday night club, the sacred crossing paths with the profane. Conflict makes a story, right? Currently, the Reverend Al gives Sunday services in Memphis, but this clip should take you back to the sweet sexy sinful Seventies.
Can you dig it?

I DIED A HUNDRED TIMES

British soul singer Amy Winehouse is big trouble. You know it, and I know it. The US government agrees, and denied the singer a visa to enter the country and attend the Grammys, where she's been nominated for six awards, including Album of the Year. It's well known that she's struggling with rehab (insert obvious comments here) but we think the girl deserves a break.
The Department of Homeland Security (perhaps fearing bad publicity) finally issued a waiver to the "dangerous" soul singer, but Amy has decided to stay home. The latest in a long line of self-destructive, addicted, soulful singers, she will perform via satellite.

Yup, there are more important things in the world (insert your list here) but we had to run this clip of Amy performing "Back to Black" at the 2007 Glastonbury Music Festival. Wicked cool.

LIGHTNIN' IN A BOTTLE

This is some real down home blues from Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins. They say he learned the blues from Blind Lemon Jefferson, and his older cousin Alger "Texas" Alexander, but he really learned it from life itself. Here he performs "Lonesome Road."

Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins (1912-1982)