minstrel n queen, i'm the one who loves you, i've been trying, riding high, just another dance
It's really unfortunate with "move on up," there was some diarrhea medication ad or some shit that used that and now I always associate the track with drug company advertising. Don't get me started about Titan Insurance & Archie Bell.
This is one of those can't-pick-just-one answers -
yep. I know it's not the collectro obscure pick, but Move On Up original extended LP version from the album with the little interlude when it slows down and the drums pick up again that part will always give me goosbumps.
Ok i thought i was up on most of his stuff but already some tunes have been mentioned that I was sleeping on.
Also I find myself thinking of Willie Hutch after hearing some of this Mayfield stuff. Someone mentioned Hutch on here recently. Going to give that mark of the beast another spin one of these days.
Edit: Am I mad or is there a lot of curtis in here?
Curtis is actually 'underratted'. These BET award shows give propers to EWF/Gaye/OJays/MJ/etc.....all rightlfully so,but when was the lsat time uv seen a tribute?
I hardly hear his joints on Black radio.
All the 'slow joints' he has I never hear during the Quiet Storm.
Only Superfly gets mainstream love from what ive heard over the years.
Where is his BOX SET?
Where is his tribute album w/ Ray J singing Cant Say Nothin'?
I could play ten songs from any of the 'pantheon Black artists' and most regular folks would know that shit. Ten songs by Curtis Mayfield and mad chirp would appear.
yeah i would also agree that Curtis is still underrated despite being well known and loved.
even on soulstrut. i remember people here insisting that "all of his LPs are inconsistent". GTFOOHWTBS b/w NAGL
just his track record as a recording artist makes him one of the greatest ever. when you add in his work as songwriter, arranger, producer, leader, and label owner, it's staggering to think about.
there have been plenty of Curtis love threads on the strut, but they still never get old!
just his track record as a recording artist makes him one of the greatest ever
devil's advocate:
what are his sales numbers??? Compared to his peers why wasnt he selling/promted the same?
Curtom didnt do the payola thing?
Why is Al Green at every damn wedding playlist and Mayfield isnt?
There is the deification by music heads, but how can someone be consider GOAT by just a slice of the population?
Curtom was a Buddah subsidiary - I just read the casablanca book after someone mentioned that on here and neil bogart and larry harris were definitely no strangers to payola type arrangements. Super Fly soundtrack was a monster hit tho wasnt it?
i don't totally understand the end of your question but
you done made me pull some books off the shelf
using the Joel Whitburn top-40 books for info:
Curtis had 5 top-40 pop singles. all in the 70s. 2 of which were from Superfly. "hell below" actually went to #29 pop? wow. "Future Shock" and "kung Fu" barely cracked the top 40, but they did.
Impressions had 17 top 40 hits. granted, not all of them necessarily featured Curtis or were written by him, but there you are.
As far as the R&B top 40, Curtis had 21 songs there over the years. The Impressions had 42, ranking them #25 on the all-time list.
It's worth noting that several Curtis tunes are basically now standards- 'Its all right', 'Amen', 'People Get Ready'.
Always seemed to me that while his commercial success wasn't as blockbuster as some of his peers, he managed to have decently consistent, long-term commercial success. Which is why he IS the household name that he is.
And this is remarkable, in part, because he was an uncompromising artist, much more so than most of his contemporaries (e.g. Al Green), as far as the protest/social commentary stuff goes. A lot of his stuff, especially after going solo, had a serious EDGE to it that even Marvin didn't really maintain for a long stretch of time. What I mean is his tendency to talk about things that aren't pretty (which is why he isn't on wedding playlists)
anyway, it's quittin time for me. have a good weekend strutters!
Why is Al Green at every damn wedding playlist and Mayfield isnt?
You don't think Move On Up is the biggest wedding song between the two? It a staple of my early-after dinner-get-gramps-on-the-floor-Motown-rascals-spencer davis-type sets, and it always gets a good reaction.
I know people play L-O-V-E a bunch, but it's a little low energy to me if people are trying to dance, and L&H is a little too raw/funky (for a wedding, of course). I guess Tired Of Being Alone could work, but I gotta think "Move On Up" is bigger on the wedding scene..
Why is Al Green at every damn wedding playlist and Mayfield isnt?
You don't think Move On Up is the biggest wedding song between the two? It a staple of my early-after dinner-get-gramps-on-the-floor-Motown-rascals-spencer davis-type sets, and it always gets a good reaction.
I know people play L-O-V-E a bunch, but it's a little low energy to me if people are trying to dance, and L&H is a little too raw/funky (for a wedding, of course). I guess Tired Of Being Alone could work, but I gotta think "Move On Up" is bigger on the wedding scene..
Al is for the couples to dance romantically. Curtis is for the party. Although you could slot a few Impressions songs in the "romantic" slot...
I have been constantly listening to curtis stuff for the last year after finally getting the self-titled album (I know, right). A lot of artists i love can still be reduced to one KILLER tune for me, but with Curtis, there is just no way of doing that. I recently copped the 45 of '(don't worry) if there's a hell below' and have been mesmerised by the b-side of this for the last few weeks... 'the makings of you." It doesn't get any deeper...
Comments
It's really unfortunate with "move on up," there was some diarrhea medication ad or some shit that used that and now I always associate the track with drug company advertising. Don't get me started about Titan Insurance & Archie Bell.
yep. I know it's not the collectro obscure pick, but Move On Up original extended LP version from the album with the little interlude when it slows down and the drums pick up again that part will always give me goosbumps.
Also I find myself thinking of Willie Hutch after hearing some of this Mayfield stuff. Someone mentioned Hutch on here recently. Going to give that mark of the beast another spin one of these days.
Edit: Am I mad or is there a lot of curtis in here?
saying. he has brought me more listening pleasure than pretty much any other artist period. Im deadly serious when i say he is GOAT.
even on soulstrut. i remember people here insisting that "all of his LPs are inconsistent". GTFOOHWTBS b/w NAGL
just his track record as a recording artist makes him one of the greatest ever. when you add in his work as songwriter, arranger, producer, leader, and label owner, it's staggering to think about.
there have been plenty of Curtis love threads on the strut, but they still never get old!
where is "Drewn"? ;)
"I Can't Stay Away From You"
"Don't Cry, My Love"
"Love's A Comin'"
devil's advocate:
what are his sales numbers??? Compared to his peers why wasnt he selling/promted the same?
Curtom didnt do the payola thing?
Why is Al Green at every damn wedding playlist and Mayfield isnt?
There is the deification by music heads, but how can someone be consider GOAT by just a slice of the population?
Curtom was a Buddah subsidiary - I just read the casablanca book after someone mentioned that on here and neil bogart and larry harris were definitely no strangers to payola type arrangements. Super Fly soundtrack was a monster hit tho wasnt it?
i bet it was
you done made me pull some books off the shelf
using the Joel Whitburn top-40 books for info:
Curtis had 5 top-40 pop singles. all in the 70s. 2 of which were from Superfly. "hell below" actually went to #29 pop? wow. "Future Shock" and "kung Fu" barely cracked the top 40, but they did.
Impressions had 17 top 40 hits. granted, not all of them necessarily featured Curtis or were written by him, but there you are.
As far as the R&B top 40, Curtis had 21 songs there over the years. The Impressions had 42, ranking them #25 on the all-time list.
It's worth noting that several Curtis tunes are basically now standards- 'Its all right', 'Amen', 'People Get Ready'.
Always seemed to me that while his commercial success wasn't as blockbuster as some of his peers, he managed to have decently consistent, long-term commercial success. Which is why he IS the household name that he is.
And this is remarkable, in part, because he was an uncompromising artist, much more so than most of his contemporaries (e.g. Al Green), as far as the protest/social commentary stuff goes. A lot of his stuff, especially after going solo, had a serious EDGE to it that even Marvin didn't really maintain for a long stretch of time. What I mean is his tendency to talk about things that aren't pretty (which is why he isn't on wedding playlists)
anyway, it's quittin time for me. have a good weekend strutters!
As much as I love the Curtis original, I think I prefer this one...
You don't think Move On Up is the biggest wedding song between the two? It a staple of my early-after dinner-get-gramps-on-the-floor-Motown-rascals-spencer davis-type sets, and it always gets a good reaction.
I know people play L-O-V-E a bunch, but it's a little low energy to me if people are trying to dance, and L&H is a little too raw/funky (for a wedding, of course). I guess Tired Of Being Alone could work, but I gotta think "Move On Up" is bigger on the wedding scene..
Al is for the couples to dance romantically. Curtis is for the party. Although you could slot a few Impressions songs in the "romantic" slot...
Because, dammit, they are!
But that doesn't take away from his better moments.
#1 on the pop charts and certified gold.
Thats my fave too.
:feelin_it:
This is it - a lot of the issues he touches on are too hardcore for the mainstream.
still need patti jo's cover on 45....
and this whole damn thing from first note to last
Second place goes to this cut released on a Congressional Black Caucus joint.