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Donny Hathaway

dayday 9,611 Posts
edited February 2007 in Strut Central
After listening to "Lord Help Me" on Oliver's blog, it felt like a good time to revisit that his catalog today and give him the appreciation he deserves.I remember the first time I ever heard him was on the Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway album. I think it was around 9th grade or so and I was running through my Mom's record collection to find samples and this record just blew me away. I had never heard someone with so much pain and beauty in their voice before.Even to this day, I don't think I've had someone move me with their singing like he did.I once read he didn't like the sound of his voice and it took Roberta Flack to coax him to sing. What a loss that would have been.Anyway, I'm rambling. Time to listen to some music and remember why I do what I do.

  Comments

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    I like his daughter.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    If they EVER get around to releasing a Hathaway box set, or if they at least add bonus tracks to the existing Hathaway albums, they HAVE TO release his badass theme from the TV show Maude.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    If they EVER get around to releasing a Hathaway box set, or if they at least add bonus tracks to the existing Hathaway albums, they HAVE TO release his badass theme from the TV show Maude.

    Funny- I'm watchin Good Times Last Season on DVD. "Florida!"

    A Donny Box would be great.
  • pcmrpcmr 5,591 Posts
    the man is a great inspiration to me in many ways

    anyone who can sing, play arrange and compose the way he did.. with such non-chalantness, ease, passion and joy is a true musical genius.

    He conveyed so many emotions through his songs and voice and was apparently a great person.
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    That reminds me, does anyone know the story with him and Cold Blood?
  • BaptBapt 2,503 Posts
    A genius!!
  • gravelheadwrapgravelheadwrap corn 948 Posts
    He's been getting lots of play in my apartment lately. Especially the live album.

    Valdez in the Country is one of my favorite songs ever.
  • DJ_WubWubDJ_WubWub 874 Posts
    He is a true genius who tragically could not battle his personal demons and left this planet way too young (34). Donny Hathaway Live is an LP that should be in everyones collection and would without a doubt be one of my favorite LPS
  • drbrownscelraydrbrownscelray 648 Posts
    I had never heard someone with so much pain and beauty in their voice before.

    This is what gets me every time about this dude. There are other singers whose songwriting I like better, some with better arrangements, etc. but NO ONE else had a voice like Donny's that's so completely awash in emotion. He's one of those artists that I can't really listen to if I'm feeling melancholy or depressed, and I mean that as the highest compliment because there's nothing more powerful than music with the ability to affect you on an emotional level. While we're on the subject of the dude, I really love this album and I think it's (relatively) pretty slept on:


  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    While we're on the subject of the dude, I really love this album and I think it's (relatively) pretty slept on:

  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    I had never heard someone with so much pain and beauty in their voice before.

    This is what gets me every time about this dude. There are other singers whose songwriting I like better, some with better arrangements, etc. but NO ONE else had a voice like Donny's that's so completely awash in emotion. He's one of those artists that I can't really listen to if I'm feeling melancholy or depressed, and I mean that as the highest compliment because there's nothing more powerful than music with the ability to affect you on an emotional level. While we're on the subject of the dude, I really love this album and I think it's (relatively) pretty slept on:



    AN absolute monster from this record. Young, Gifted and Black

    DivShare File - 05_Young__Gifted_and_Black.m4a
  • On_the_Red_ClayOn_the_Red_Clay 1,728 Posts
    Donny is that dude - always making you feel like he's singing this for you. One of the greats.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts


    This is another unreleased Donny song that came off last year's "Atlantic Unearthed" series.

    "What a Woman Really Means."

    To be honest, I'm not entirely clear what the song is trying to say but it sounds amazing.

    And here's "Lord Help Me", which is off of the Rhino CD release of "Extension of a Man"

  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    Does anyone here have "I Thank You Baby" his duet with June Conquest on Curtom. That is my all time favorite DH song. I believe this is his first recording under his name. I wish I could burn my vinyl. Somebody post this badness. total
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts


    This is another unreleased Donny song that came off last year's "Atlantic Unearthed" series.

    "What a Woman Really Means."

    To be honest, I'm not entirely clear what the song is trying to say but it sounds amazing.

    And here's "Lord Help Me", which is off of the Rhino CD release of "Extension of a Man"


    Is it possible to DL off these links?? I'm hitting 'Download this File' and it just plays, right click/save as doesn't work either...
  • BurnsBurns 2,227 Posts
    Make sure your hitting the link "download this file" below the arrow jpeg play button on the download screen, it should start downloading for you.
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Make sure your hitting the link "download this file" below the arrow jpeg play button on the download screen, it should start downloading for you.

    Thats what I'm doing - it downloads it to stream but won't let me save it
  • motown67motown67 4,513 Posts
    That reminds me, does anyone know the story with him and Cold Blood?

    Don't have anymore details than what I wrote in a review:

    COLD BLOOD
    First Taste Of Sin (Reprise 72)
    A First Taste Of Sin is definitely one of Cold Blood???s stronger albums. It???s much more upbeat than the bluesy feel of their first self-titled album. That probably comes from the fact that Donny Hathaway arranged and produced the album as well as played on it. The band gets right into it with Visions and its funky swing supported by a strong horn section. Lo And Behold has a Gospel feel to it at first, after all the lyrics are about Jesus, but it quickly picks up with the best parts being a series of breakdowns. The song segues right into Down To The Bone that has a great percussion break care of Coke and Pete Escovedo, but suffers from one of the guys carrying the lead vocals instead of Lydia Pense. The real funkiness though is saved for last with No Way Home that has more percussion from the Escovedo brothers, and a nice cover of Hathaway???s Valdez In The Country.
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