Soul Strut 100: #19 - Eugene McDaniels - Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse
RAJ
tenacious local 7,782 Posts
I will slowly be unveiling the Top 100 Soul Strut Related Records as Voted by the Strutters Themselves.
# 19 - Eugene McDaniels - Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse
About
Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse is an album of American soul music by artist Eugene McDaniels, released in 1971.
As with McDaniel's previous album, this is not a typical Soul album, which can even be seen by the cover image (a picture of McDaniels screaming between two warring samurai).
This album dabbles in form between soul, Funk, jazz and even folk. In addition, it has been a collector's item among rap music and rare groove enthusiasts since the early 90s when several of the songs were sampled by many hip hop producers including Pete Rock and Q-Tip.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headless_Heroes_of_the_Apocalypse
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# 19 - Eugene McDaniels - Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse
About
Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse is an album of American soul music by artist Eugene McDaniels, released in 1971.
As with McDaniel's previous album, this is not a typical Soul album, which can even be seen by the cover image (a picture of McDaniels screaming between two warring samurai).
This album dabbles in form between soul, Funk, jazz and even folk. In addition, it has been a collector's item among rap music and rare groove enthusiasts since the early 90s when several of the songs were sampled by many hip hop producers including Pete Rock and Q-Tip.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headless_Heroes_of_the_Apocalypse
Related Threads
GENE McDANIELS, R.I.P.
The illest thrift store find of all time!!!
MOJO Top 70 SOUL albums
Media
Comments
Semitic pawns in the master game
The player who controls the board
Sees them all as the same
Basically cannon fodder
Left wing and right wing
Political pawns in the master game
The player who controls the board
Sees them all as the same
Basically cannon fodder
Nobody knows who the enemy is
Cause he never goes in hiding
He's slitting our throats
Right in front of our eyes,
While we pull the casket he's riding
Better get it together,
Better get it together,
And see what's happening
To you and you and you
Niggers and crackers
Racial pawns in the master game
The player who controls the board sees them all as the same,
Basically cannon fodder
Industry and War Machine,
These are the kings in the master game
The player who controls the board
And the Kings are the same
We are the cannon fodder.
Nobody knows who the enemy is
Cause he never goes in hiding
He's slitting our throats
Right in front of our eyes,
While we pull the casket he's riding
Better get it together,
Better get it together,
And see what's happening
To you and you and you.
it pulls together so many styles successfully and the band is ridiculous- the cream of jazz-rock (btw, why did richie resnicoff's career never take off?). "the parasite" is a little overlong and the screeching vocals at the end i guess are tough to listen to but that's the only musical fault i can find. incidentally, "the parasite" is dedicated to "buffy"....is that buffy st marie?
also, yes, as harvey points out the lyrics are unmatched. eugene comes down on everyone and everything excepting susan jane (who is the austere looking white lady pictured holding the machine gun on the cover of "outlaw"--- who i guess was eugene's girlfriend and muse-- the song "outlaw" is also about her). basically, the album is one big warning inspired by the book of revelations.. is "jagger the dagger" a reference to altamont? imho best lyrics are in"supermarket blues": "i bought a can of pineapple and when i brought it home it was a can of peas (goddamn!)--- if i wanted those i'd have picked my nose and strolled into the back of the vegetable freezer".
b/w
i have the sheet music to all of these tunes that i can share except for "headless heroes" . can anyone hook me up with the chords to that track.
I failed to appreciate at the time.
Mr Supreme bought 1 or 2 I think.
Had to look up Altamont and yeah, that sounds about right.
I originally though it was a diss to Jagger and cultural appropriation based on these lines but I think what you said make more sense.
Jagger lived in the world a while
Now he's learning the devil's style
Jagger playing a heavy game
Free from guilt and he's free from shame
A can of peas GODDAMN
Good look on the Altamont the Jagger observation.
Good look on the Altamont Jagger observation.
Good look on the Altamont Jagger observation.
Good look on the Altamont Jagger observation.
I was thought that would be a good Grateful Dead cover.
Headless Heroes and Boscoe are the kings of socially conscious raers. Speaking of...
Yes, I totally agree.
Speaking of Gil Scott Heron, if he doesn't show before we're done I'm gonna cry.
I have been trying to find sheet music/chords for Jagger the Dagger but finding it impossible, if you could share I would be eternally grateful!
Then I heard Headless Heroes. Now THAT'S the LP where Rev. McD really gets into gear...great album!
This is one of my favorites from cover to cover. My joints are "Supermarket Blues", "Freedom Death Dance" and "Lovin' Man." I kind of figured this one would make the Soul Strut 100, so good looks on recognizing the LP.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
...except that a few years passed between "Gene" and "Eugene," so I'm sure he slowly made his transformation in the years between.
Does 'Universal Jones' fit in this time? I can't remember the chronology.
True - But for me, those years were silent.
Tommy James, in the 60s, changed with the times better than anyone. But that's another story.
Cai,
I thought it was Heroes, Outlaw, Universal, but I may be way off.
Outlaw was 1970, Headless Heroes was '71, the album he cut with Universal Jones was from '72.
Then he resurfaced with an album on Ode ca. 1975 called Natural Juices that no one seems to talk about. (Any opinions?)