Mike played this for Kali, John and I over the weekend. I'm ashamed to say that I never heard of Sam & Dave before I saw this. Boy, they sure put on a show! I read that these guys actually hated each other.
The studio band behind Sam and Dave was Booker T. and the MGs. Here (above) they do their own number, "Green Onions." When I get rich I want this to play whenever I enter a room. Imagine everyone dropping what they're doing and making a path for you as you stroll in, cigarette in hand and Rayban Wayfarers (sunglasses) on nose, through the awed crowd with this music playing in the background.
Gee, I wish cartooning was like this. Wouldn't it be great if what we did with a pencil was just as entertaining, just as cool, and just as innovative and soulfull as what Sam & Dave and Booker T. did?
Gee, I wish cartooning was like this. Wouldn't it be great if what we did with a pencil was just as entertaining, just as cool, and just as innovative and soulfull as what Sam & Dave and Booker T. did?
Both excellent clips. The showmanship of the first one reminds me of Freddie Mercury's working the crowd, and the second one has made me want to go and listen to lots more, including early Doors. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe got to see Booker T. and The MG's LIVE, for free, at an outdoor concert in the park in NYC last summer. They sounded just as good. Just a bit slower.
ReplyDeleteGreen Onions is a monster of a song!
ReplyDeleteIf you liked Booker T you should checkout The Meters. They played instrumental soul music like the MGs. They're a bit more rhythmic and there hooks are more complex. I like them a bit better. They backed up some big name solo artists too. This is them backing up Dr. John. I heard some where that Dr. John was the inspiration for one of the muppet band members.
That Sam and Dave song is great too. They were a big influence on Sly Stone. He took that sound and made it way weirder and more energetic if you can believe it. This is a song by him with the Family Stone called Underdog
Now that's some music!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I like different genres of music, the old soul sound (ex: the Stax Records days) is one of my favorites (punk rock is my other favorite).
Here's some trivia for you: some of the members of the MGs were in The Blues Brothers as members of the band.
Adam T's mention of Sly and the Family Stone is getting me in the mood to play some of their tunes...
What the hell? You've never heard "Hold on, I'm coming"?! Wow, I'm 20 and all my friends know these guys.
ReplyDeleteHere's another Motown classic. If you havent heard it, smack yourself.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkUsGkxZSvM
"Gee, I wish cartooning was like this. Wouldn't it be great if what we did with a pencil was just as entertaining, just as cool, and just as innovative and soulfull as what Sam & Dave and Booker T. did?"
ReplyDeleteI'd love to animate something to this
That's makes a fabulous Uncle Eddie Theme. I'd have to pick "Rumble" by Link Wray. I don't move as fast as you.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUHz0i8_ziA
man there are so many great semi-obscure soul acts from around that time that just got drowned out because there was such a glut of them.
ReplyDeletejoe Tex
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnZ0j5Yol7E&feature=related
Jimmy Castor Bunch (actually funk, but still awesome)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlRXQEA0yj0
All just plain of old fun.
Yes, that's great music and I'd have paid to see Mike's AND JOHN'S face as you claimed to have never heard/seen Sam & Dave! LMAO, as they say.
ReplyDeleteJohn's face was more amused with the following dvd we watched of older bluesmen, like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters.
ReplyDeleteJennifer: YOU like punk!? But you're a respectable computer programmer!
ReplyDeleteBill: Weird but likable stuff! I bookmarked it. Thanks!
Pappy: Link Wray? Fascinating guy! That hair combined with that face and those moves....
Ed: Good taste! Those were all interesting. Now i want to go out and make a fat girl song!
Anon: Marvin Gaye: I know he's good but he's not my kind of singer, I don't know why. Thanks for the tip, though. It was still interesting.
ReplyDeleteAdam: Dr. John sounds like Captain Beefheart.
Anon: Marvin Gaye: I know he's good but he's not my kind of singer, I don't know why. Thanks for the tip, though. It was still interesting.
ReplyDeleteAdam: Dr. John sounds like Captain Beefheart.
Alec: Freddie Mercury? I need to look that up!
When I said that working the crowd was like Freddie Mercury, I was thinking of how freedie would almost taunt you and tease you, but also reward you with responses that weemed spontaneous, not just part of a fixed routine. I only saw Queen in concert once, in 1980, when (in my opinion) they were starting their decline, but the concert was one of the best I had ever been to. They were in a small venue, in Glasgow (Scotland), because it was before they played huge arenas. Freddie revelled in the adoration of the crowd, but worked hard to justify it.
ReplyDeletei find it hard to believe you've never head of sam and dave before? all of their hits have been played on oldies radio for a while.
ReplyDeleteIf you are not listening to classic soul music (southern soul in this case) or 50's 60's and (some) 70's rhythm and blues you are severely missing out on life.
the mar-keys are also another instrumental group that had a cool sound.
here are some more:
junior walker and the all-stars
jerry butler (from the impressions)
garnet mimms
chuck jackson (excellent production behind his voice)
solomon burke
the four tops
delfonics
billy stewart
the dells
the exciters
booker little
the ruffin brothers
haha.
the list goes on.
one of the best songs in my opinion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl74y7JaeP4
Freddie Mercury? I need to look that up!Oh, you've heard him before, I'm sure. He was the lead singer of the rock group Queen. Very flamboyant and could work a crowd like nobody I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteGreen Onions is a great tune to 'walk in' to...would turn heads without a doubt.
ReplyDeleteDavid: Many thanks for the list. I haven't heard of some of the names, but you sound like somebody who knows what the good stuff is. This weekend I'll see how many I can listen to online.
ReplyDeleteAlec: I'll definitely research this. Thanks!
Ooooh David mentioned one guy I love but I've only heard one song by him!
ReplyDeleteGarnet Mimms- the song As Long As I Have You is probably one of the coolest songs of all time- along with Mr. Lucky by Betty Wright.
I'd want one of these playing in the background the day everything turns into a musical and I have to sing something.
man there are so many great semi-obscure soul acts from around that time that just got drowned out because there was such a glut of them.They were easy to hear, back in the day, if you were listening to black radio. You could even go see them at soul revues.
ReplyDeleteCaptain Beefheart sounds like Howlin' Wolf.
Complete Stax on CD. Complete Chess, too. Bittorrent if you are poor.
" Marvin Gaye: I know he's good but he's not my kind of singer, I don't know why. Thanks for the tip, though. It was still interesting."
ReplyDelete0.0
To each his own I guess...
Some of Sam & Dave's songs can be heard in the original Blues Brothers movie.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a pretty good song. That's just me though.
ReplyDeleteAnon: 0.0? Well, they say a difference of opinion is what makes horse races.
ReplyDeleteKali: Thanks! Heard those both for the first time.
Jennifer: YOU like punk!? But you're a respectable computer programmer!Do you know that the term "computer programmer" is actually viewed as an insult to some in the tech community? To those people, "computer programmers" are viewed as "assembly line workers" who just write code based on what they're told to do. They are never involved in the whole process of designing, testing and developing software.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Uncle Eddie, I'm not offended. As long as I get paid well for what I do, the company can call me anything they like! :)