Category Archives: Soul

Etta James – At Last (1961)

by 1960s, Soul • Tags: , ,

“At Last” is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives, starring George Montgomery and Ann Rutherford. It was performed in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday. Unreleased recordings of the song, however, had been made in 1941 by Glenn Miller for possible inclusion in the film Sun Valley Serenade. A new version was recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in Chicago on May 20, 1942, and released by RCA Victor Records as a 78 single, catalogue number 27934-B, backed with the A side “(I’ve Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo”. The song reached number 9 on the Billboard pop charts in 1942, staying on the charts for 9 weeks, and later became a standard. In 1960, it was covered by blues singer Etta James in an arrangement that improvised on Warren’s melody. James’ version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.




Amy Winehouse – Halftime (2011)

by 2010s, Soul • Tags: , , ,

Amy Winehouse’s posthumous LP Lioness: Hidden Treasures is living up to its name by sharing a number of tunes the dearly departed diva recorded before her tragic passing. Produced by Winehouse’s close friend Salaam Remi and recorded in 2002, “Halftime” is one of several previously unreleased tracks we’ll get from Amy on the new disc (dropping December 5), along with a number of covers. Listen how it compares to previously heard Lioness tracks “Our Day Will Come” and “Like Smoke” below. [Source]




Cymande – Bra (1972)

by 1970s, Soul • Tags: , , , , ,

Cymande (Sah-mahn-day) are a British funk band, who released several albums throughout the early 1970s. The group was formed in 1971 in London, England by musicians from Guyana and Jamaica. The name Cymande is derived from a Calypso word for Dove, which symbolizes peace and love. “Bra” is featured on the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s 1993 film Crooklyn. “Bra”, “Dove”, and “The Message” can be heard in his 2002 film 25th Hour. “Bra” is sampled by De La Soul in the song “Change in Speak,” from 3 Feet High and Rising. The instrumental mid-portion of “Bra” was used at both the beginning and ending of John Leguizamo’s stage production Sexaholix. “Bra” was featured in Transworld Skateboarding’s “Free Your Mind” in Darrell Stanton’s part, and “Crawshay” was featured in Habitat’s “Mosaic” in Danny Renaud’s section. “Bra” was featured on an episode of Secret Diary of a Call Girl.



[Inspired by Per Reinholdt Nielsen]

Amy Winehouse – Like Smoke (2011)

by 2010s, Soul • Tags: , , ,

A bittersweet treat. My Hot97 family got the scoop on this new Amy Winehouse x Nas song, “Like Smoke” which posthumously fulfills the late singer’s wish to collaborate with her friend “Mr. Jones”. It’s a gorgeous retro-soul track, in typical Winehouse style and produced by Salaam Remi back in 2008. “Like Smoke” is the lead single off Lioness: Hidden Treasures, a collection of songs Amy recorded before her death this past July. [Source]




Listen to Amy Winehouse – Our Day Will Come (2011) here.

Amy Winehouse – Our Day Will Come (2011)

by 2010s, Soul • Tags: , , , , ,

An unheard Amy Winehouse track – which will be included on her posthumous album – has been played for the first time. Our Day Will Come is a reggae re-working of the classic 60s Doo Wop song, recorded by the singer in May 2002. [Source]

UPDATE! Here is the offical music video:







Listen to Amy Winehouse – Like Smoke (2011) here.

W.A.S.P. – I Don’t Need No Doctor (1986)

by 1960s, 1980s, Heavy Metal, Soul • Tags: , , , , , ,

Inside The Electric Circus is the third studio album by W.A.S.P., released in 1986. This is the first full-length W.A.S.P. release to feature Blackie Lawless playing guitar. The album peaked at #60 in the Billboard Charts. The song is written by Jo Armstead, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. It was a hit song by Ray Charles in 1966. Over the years, it has been covered by bands such as garage rock band The Chocolate Watch Band in 1969, Humble Pie in 1971 and New Riders of the Purple Sage in 1972.




Original Version:





[In memory of Nick Ashford]

Hall & Oates – She’s Gone (1973)

by 1970s, Soul • Tags: , , ,

Abandoned Luncheonette is the second album by the American pop music duo Hall & Oates, released in 1973, which combines folk, Philly soul, and acoustic soul. The most well-known track from the album is “She’s Gone,” one of the act’s best-loved songs; Daryl Hall, according to some reports, has called it the best song he and John Oates wrote together. Both performers were undergoing romantic problems at the time the song was written; a 1985 article in Rolling Stone said the song was about Hall’s divorce from wife Bryna Lublin. A promotional video for “She’s Gone” was produced. This video opens with shots of the “abandoned luncheonette” (see note below about Album Cover), in which Hall & Oates sit in recliners, wearing bathrobes and singing the song. Towards the end of the video, Oates rises, dons a jacket with long cuffs, and proceeds to perform his guitar solo with his hands completely covered by the sleeves of his jacket.


[Dedicated to Kent Munch]

Curtis Mayfield – Blue Monday People (1975)

by 1970s, Soul • Tags: , , ,

There’s No Place Like America Today is the seventh studio album by Curtis Mayfield. “Billy Jack” updated the streetwise chic of “Superfly,” while “So in Love” was one of his most affecting love songs. The album was featured in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, published in 2005 by Cassell Illustrated. The track ‘Hard Times’ was originally recorded by Baby Huey & the Babysitters and later covered by John Legend & The Roots on the collaborative, cover album Wake Up!, featuring Black Thought. It is the opening track. The track ‘Blue Monday People’ is a reference to the hit Rock ‘n’ Roll song Blue Monday by Fats Domino recorded in 1956.



[via Greg Dulli]