Five Songs I Dig This Week
I received at $25 iTunes gift card a few weeks ago, and loaded up my iPhone. And I keep going back to these songs - one new one and lots of golden oldies. (Links go to the song on iTunes)…
Declaration (This Is It!) by Kirk Franklin - I get chills every time I listen to this. Franklin took some samples from the old song “This Is It” by Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald, then turned it into a kick-butt song about standing up to your fears, fighting depression and the enemy. Slammin.
I’ll Be Good To You by Quincy Jones - This was originally a hit in 1976 by The Brothers Johnson. This version was produced by Quincy Jones in 1989, with Chaka Khan and Ray Charles on vocals. Need we say more?
Baby Love by Mother’s Finest - You know a few decades ago when our parents were telling us that those rock and roll beats had power to control us and make us dance against our will? I’m pretty sure they were talking about this song. I dare you to listen to this and not move. Joyce Kennedy had one of the baddest voices around, and Mother’s Finest was also groundbreaking in 1976 by being a multi-racial band from the dirty South. (Bonus - this song also has one of the fattest, grooviest 70’s synthesizer solos ever recorded)
Dance To The Music by Sly & The Family Stone - Back in 1968, all Sly needed was 2:59 to get your groove on. No one has ever recorded a breakdown as cool as this one…not to mention the great acapella vocal stuff. If you’ve never heard it, PLEASE spend 99 cents right now and get funky with your bad self.
Outa-Space by Billy Preston - The year was 1972, the instrument was a Hohner Clavinet, and Billy Preston showed the world what it could do. You don’t know what a Clavinet is? You will when you hear it. Preston was THE MAN.
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Funk must be in the air…we’re doing ‘Tell Me Something Good’ this week. In church. I’m serious….
These are great songs. I don’t have a gift card but I just might have to spend some money…
(…and also ‘Break Through’. Thank you very much…)