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Soul Strut 100: # 37 - David Axelrod - Song of Innocence

RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
edited February 2018 in The Soul Strut 100
I will slowly be unveiling the Top 100 Soul Strut Related Records as Voted by the Strutters Themselves.

# 37 - David Axelrod - Song of Innocence



Please discuss your reactions to this record. The thread will be archived later here.

About


Song of Innocence is a 1968 album by David Axelrod. The album was inspired by Songs of Innocence, a collection of poems by English poet William Blake. An Allmusic review describes the album as a "suite that blended pop, rock, jazz, theater music, and R&B" and has "withstood the test of time".[1] Axelrod's integration of funk breakbeats, orchestral arrangements, and psychedelic melodies foreshadowing 1990s dance music.[3]

In 1969, a subsequent companion album, Songs of Experience, was released. Sometime after that in the 1970s, the Song of Innocence album was re-released as Songs of Innocence.[4]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Innocence

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  Comments

  • strataspherestratasphere Blastin' the Nasty 1,035 Posts
    The perfect fusion of Jazz, Rock, and Funk. Never seen the first press, only the early 70s second press which I bought with the quickness.
  • RishanRishan 454 Posts
    indescribably great record. the first pressing is the blue one with his glorious mug on the cover? i wish i had that.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    Got this off of Baghat Vinyl back in the day. I think I traded a crappy lounge record with a break for it. God I got some good stuff of that dude.

    This record always has a special place with me. Great record to throw on, kick back, and relax. The orchestration and the grooves are straight up bananas. I also love Songs of Experience equally too.
  • strataspherestratasphere Blastin' the Nasty 1,035 Posts
    Rishan said:
    indescribably great record. the first pressing is the blue one with his glorious mug on the cover? i wish i had that.

    No, that's the early 70's pressing I mentioned. The og is the cover Raj posted.
  • DustedDonDustedDon 830 Posts
    Getting your hands on an OG of this record is like a +10 level up on your digging abilities.
  • tabiratabira 856 Posts
    Great LP. I prefer Experience, but both have a totally unique, brilliant sound. It's a pity he began to lose this signature sound a few LPs later when it became a bit too generic-fusiony for my liking.
  • finelikewinefinelikewine "ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A VINYL." http://www.discogs.com/user/permabulker 1,416 Posts
    Added to the soulstrut top 10 spotify list:
    http://open.spotify.com/user/1121775350/playlist/54CR4Ce88uFkr6shaMHxVX
  • Possum SlimPossum Slim 353 Posts
    Good album along with Experience and the Mo Wax release.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Seriously ignored when released.
    I have never figured out who was buying this.
    Did not fit any genre. Marketed toward a rock psych market, but far too orchestrated for those folks. Much too jazzy for easy listening, too easy listening for jazz.

    Sure works great today. Truly ahead of it's time.
  • DJBombjackDJBombjack Miami 1,665 Posts
    You can have this record off me when you pry it from my cold dead hands
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    LaserWolf said:
    I have never figured out who was buying this.

    Wasnt this coveted by Hip Hoppers?
  • BeatsoupBeatsoup 511 Posts
    I love this record, so good. Great bass and drums, orchestrations can't get enough. I'm a bit more attached to songs of experience though cause I heard it first I guess.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    batmon said:
    LaserWolf said:
    Seriously ignored when released.
    I have never figured out who was buying this.

    Wasnt this coveted by Hip Hoppers?

    In 1968?
  • DuderonomyDuderonomy Haut de la Garenne 7,789 Posts
    SP 1200 said:
    and the Mo Wax release.

    Yup.

  • francois parkerfrancois parker formerly know as Parkz. 125 Posts
    Full on crate-diggin era classic.
    End to end its a joy to listen to.
    Its been sampled a whole load of times so its always fun listening to the album and noticing new sampled bits.
  • francois parkerfrancois parker formerly know as Parkz. 125 Posts
    LaserWolf said:

    I have never figured out who was buying this.
    Did not fit any genre. Marketed toward a rock psych market, but far too orchestrated for those folks. Much too jazzy for easy listening, too easy listening for jazz.

    Think I remember reading that Axelrod was given the opportunity to make/release this as a sort of pat on the back for making the label shit loads of cash on previous productions, so Im guessing it was a total vanity project with neither the record company or Axelrod having a particular market in mind.
  • staxwaxstaxwax 1,474 Posts
    Great record which im glad to say i own an og copy of. Creeps the untrained ear out. Bought it on ebay, never saw it in the field, except for top dollar displays at record fairs which dont really count as the field imo. I dont think many 'crate diggers' were up on this before it was sampled by - most notably - dj shadow iirc? Also the kool g rap flip on 456. Another thing shadow deserves credit for - sparking worldwide digging frenzies for records he blew up which are now considered to be definite grails.
  • strataspherestratasphere Blastin' the Nasty 1,035 Posts
    Also the kool g rap flip on 456.


    Wasn't A Devine Image on Songs Of Experience?
  • staxwaxstaxwax 1,474 Posts
    stratasphere said:
    Wasn't A Devine Image on Songs Of Experience?

    Yes - you're right, and so was the source for shadows 'midnight in a perfect world'.
    At least tell me im right about Shadow being the first to use Axelrod?
    Actually I think Fat Joe's 'Bronx Keeps Creating It' was earlier still - does that make Joe Fatals production the first high profile use of an axelrod sample?
    Can anyone shed more light on this?
  • caicai spacecho 362 Posts
    staxwax said:
    stratasphere said:
    Wasn't A Devine Image on Songs Of Experience?

    Yes - you're right, and so was the source for shadows 'midnight in a perfect world'.
    At least tell me im right about Shadow being the first to use Axelrod?
    Actually I think Fat Joe's 'Bronx Keeps Creating It' was earlier still - does that make Joe Fatals production the first high profile use of an axelrod sample?
    Can anyone shed more light on this?

    Show & A.G. "Check it out" was before that I think. And I think the Artifacts remix with Busta was before that??
    Shadow wasn't the first.
  • DustedDonDustedDon 830 Posts
    pretty sure the Beatnuts were the first to flip teh Axelrod....

    edit:

    upon further research it looks like Apache sampled Holy Thursday in 1992.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Did Axelrod have any bboy cuts?
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    DustedDon said:
    pretty sure the Beatnuts were the first to flip teh Axelrod....

    edit:

    upon further research it looks like Apache sampled Holy Thursday in 1992.
    I think the Beatnuts were the first to raise an eyebrow. This is the first I heard DJ Josh sampled Axelrod and I still don't care.
    Excellent LP, took me awhile to come around.
  • yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts
    Along with Terry Callier, this would be another I would not regret spending $50-100 on right now.
  • OligeeOligee 289 Posts
    Found these earlier in the year
    kala
  • francois parkerfrancois parker formerly know as Parkz. 125 Posts
    LaserWolf said:
    Did Axelrod have any bboy cuts?

    The bit in Urizen where the bass kicks in with the drums has been used battles, I guess they just looped it up.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    RIP
  • kalakala 3,361 Posts
    sadness ensues  
  • kalakala 3,361 Posts
    http://dublab.com/david-axelrod-interviewed-by-nobody-at-dublab-061108/
  • klezmer electro-thug beatsklezmer electro-thug beats 1,385 Posts
    A mega- mega- legend.
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