Gigantes del Funk and Soul

La finalidad de esta entrada es hacer un homenaje a esas figuras auténticas del funk y el soul que nunca me canso de escuchar. Buceando en este bendito medio que es youtube, del que me considero adicto total, y en el cual navego y buceo muchas noches en busca de material de calidad y con creces que lo he encontrado. He seleccionado estos vídeos en busca de la esencia más pura del espíritu negro funk y soul setentero, en ellos se captan momentos cumbre de lo que podían ofrecer estos gigantes en concierto. Han sido irrepetibles y merecen ser recordados por su música y por saber destacar en una sociedad con demasiados prejuicios raciales y hostil a todo lo que no proviniese de blancos.

No describiré a todos estos genios, sólo decir que Isaac Hayes murió recientemente , y en su honor es el título de este blog "Out of the Ghetto"extraída de un disco recopilatorio. Lo vi por primera vez en un episodio del Equipo A, hace muuuuchos años; si la memoria no me falla creo que cantaba un tema acústico en ese episodio. Me fascina su gran habilidad como compositor, su extensa discografía y filmografía, y su tremendo magnetismo, sólo hay que verlo en el vídeo de shaft.



Ray Charles - Hit the road Jack!





(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)
What you say?
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)

Woah Woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean,
You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen.
I guess if you say so
I have to pack ma things and go. (That's right)

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)
What you say?
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)

well baby, listen baby, don't ya treat me this-a way
Cause I'll be back on my feet some day.
(Don't care if you do 'cause it's understood)
(you ain't got no money you just ain't no good.)
Well, I guess if you say so
I'd have to pack my things and go. (That's right)

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)
What you say?
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)

well!!
(don't you come back no more.)
you must be joking?
(don't you come back no more.)
what you trying to do to me?
(don't you come back no more.)
i came to talk it over
(don't you come back no more.)
i thaught we had a better understanding
(don't you come back no more.)
oh baby dont be so chicken
(don't you come back no more.)
you dont want to see me cry x2
(don't you come back no more.)
oh baby it isnt fair
ooh yeahh

Isaac Hayes - Shaft



Who's the black private dick
That's a sex machine to all the chicks?
(Shaft!)
You're damn right

Who is the man
That would risk his neck for his brother man?
(Shaft!)
Can ya dig it?

Who's the cat that won't cop out
When there's danger all about
(Shaft!)
Right on

You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother--
(Shut your mouth)
But I'm talkin' about Shaft
(Then we can dig it)

He's a complicated man
But no one understands him but his woman
(John Shaft)

Stevie Wonder - Superstition



Very superstitious,
Writing's on the wall,
Very superstitious,
Ladders bout' to fall,
Thirteen month old baby,
Broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck,
The good things in your past

When you believe in things
That you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition aint the way

Hey

Very superstitious,
Wash your face and hands,
Rid me of the problem,
Do all that you can,
Keep me in a daydream,
Keep me goin' strong,
You don't wanna save me,
Sad is the soul

When you believe in things
That you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way,
Yeh, yeh

Very superstitious,
Nothin' more to say,
Very superstitious,
The devil's on his way,
Thirteen month old baby,
Broke the lookin' glass,
Seven years of bad luck,
Good things in your past

When you believe in things
That you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way,
No, no, no


All Green - For the good times



Don't look so sad I know its over
But life goes on and this world keeps on turning
Let's just be glad we have this time to spend together
There is no need to watch the bridges that were burning

Lay your head on my pillow
Hold your warm and tender body close to mine
Hear the whisper of the raindrops
Blow softly against my window pain late at night

Make believe you love me one more time
For the good times
For the good times
I'll get along I'm sure youll find another
But baby please remember I'll be here
I'm gone stay right here if you should ever find that you need me

Don't say a word about tomorrow forever and ever and ever
There will be time enough for severence when you need me

James Brown - live



Funckadelic - One nation under a groove



So wide can't get around it
So low you can't get under it
(So low you can't get under it)
So high you can't get over it
(So high you can't get over it)
Da-yee do do do do do do
This is a chance
This is a chance
Dance your way
Out of your constrictions
(Tell sugah)
Here's a chance to dance our way
out of our constrictions
Gonna be freakin'!
Up and down
Hang up alley way
With the groove our
Only guide
We shall all be moved

Ready or not here we come
Gettin' down on the one which
We believe in
One nation under a groove,
gettin' down just for the funk
(Can I get it on my good foot)
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
(Good God)
'bout time I got down one time
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
(Aye aye aye aye aye)
Feet don't fail me now
Give you more of what you're funkin' for
Feet don't fail me now
Do you promise to funk?
The whole funk, nothin' but the funk

Ready or not here we come
Gettin' down on the one which we believe in
Here's my chance to dance my way
Out of my constrictions
(Do do dee oh doo)
(Do do dee oh doo)
(You can dance away)

Feet don't fail me now (ha ha)
Here's a chance to dance
Our way out of our constrictions

Gonna be groovin' up and down
Hang up alley way
The groove our only guide

We shall all be moved
Feet don't fail me now (ha ha)
Givin' you more of what you're funkin' for
Feet don't fail me now

Here's my chance to dance my way
out of my constrictions
Givin' you more of what you're funkin' for
(Feet don't fail me now)
(Feet don't fail me now)
Do you promise to funk, the whole funk,
nothin' but the funk
One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
Nothin' can stop us now
One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
Nothin' can stop us now
One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now

Do you promise to funk?
Do you promise to funk?
Hah
Do you promise to funk, the whole funk?

One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
(Here's my way to dance my way out)
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation
And we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now

Do you promise to funk, the whole funk?
You can't stop us now
Givin' you more of what you're
Funkin' for

Curtis Mayfield - Superfly




Darkest of night
With the moon shining bright
There's a set goin' strong
Lotta things goin' on
The man of the hour
Has an air of great power
The dudes have envied him for so long

(Chorus)
Oooh, Superfly
You're gonna make your fortune by and by
But if you lose, don't ask no questions why
The only game you know is Do or Die
Ah-ha-ha

Hard to understand
What a hell of a man
This cat of the slum
Had a mind, wasn't dumb
But a weakness was shown
'Cause his hustle was wrong
His mind was his own
But the man lived alone

Chorus

The game he plays he plays for keeps
Hustlin' times and ghetto streets
Tryin' ta get over
(That's what he tryin' to do, y'all)
Taking all that he can take
Gambling with the odds of fate
Tryin' ta get over (4x)
Woo, Superfly

The aim of his role
Was to move a lot of blow
Ask him his dream
What does it mean?
He woudn't know
"Can't be like the rest"
Is the most he'll confess
But the time's running out
And there's no happiness

Fugazi

Fugazi:

Ian MacKaye - vocals, guitar
Guy Picciotto - vocals, guitar
Joe Lally - bass
Brendan Canty - drums

Web:
http://www.dischord.com/band/fugazi

Discos 13 Songs (Dischord, 1989). Repeater (Dischord, 1990). Steady Diet of Nothing (Dischord, 1991). In on the Kill Taker (Dischord, 1993). Red Medicine (Dischord, 1995). End Hits (Dischord, 1998). The Argument (Dischord, 2001). Singles y EPs Fugazi (Dischord, 1988) Margin Walker (Dischord, 1989) «3 Songs» (Dischord, 1990). Incluido en la edición en CD de Repeater. Furniture + 2 (Dischord, 2001) Álbumes en directo Fugazi Live Series Vols. 1-30 (CD-Rs, 2004-5) Compilation appearances «In Defense of Humans» en State of the Union (Dischord Records, 1989). «Reprovisional (live)» en International Pop Underground Convention (K Records, 1991). «Blueprint», «The Word» y «Burning (live)» en Twenty Years of Dischord (Dischord Records, 2002). «Pink Frosty Demo» en Live Without Dead Time (Adbusters, 2003). «KYEO (live)» en Triple J's. Short.fast.loud (ABC Music, 2006). Soundtracks Instrument Soundtrack (Dischord, 1999) DVDs and videos Instrument (Dischord, 1999)

Quería empezar esta historia con un grupo con el que me encuentro en plena fiebre. Creo que últimamente actúo así, escuchas mucha música, pero siempre hay algún grupo que lo tienes metido dentro, y si vas en el coche lo pones, si llevas Ipod lo pones y cuando no lo escuchas estás pensando en él. Hace poco pasé la fiebre Posies, a los que dedicaré también un espacio.
Fugazi, en su momento me pasaron algo inadvertidos, pero cosas del destino, han entrado en mi vida como un huracán. Hace poco leí por ahí que tenías que estar un poco tocado para escuchar esta banda. No lo sé. En cualquier caso, son muy recomendables para quienes buscan escuchar algo diferente. Con una base sólida en el hardcore de Washington de principios de los 80, Piccioto con Rites of Spring y MacKaye con Minor Threat, al formar Fugazi consiguen llegar a un estilo super personal. La mayoría de sus canciones no tienen una estructura clásica como tal, gran parte tienen elementos experimentales, y algunas son un puro experimento F/D. La base rítmica es impresionante, siempre en segundo término en el escenario, pero no por ello menos importantes. Bajo y batería siempre van guiando el camino para que MacKaye i Piccioto vayan generando los espacios, los silencios, los ataques y descarguen toda su ira.

Con una filosofía de seguir por el camino recto (expresada en la canción Straight Edge de Minor Threat), este grupo proclama la vida sana, sin alcohol, ni drogas, MacKaye además es vegetariano... ya veis que no tienen precisamente unos hábitos comunies para una banda de Rock, pero eso sí, sanos son de cojones!!! Además MacKaye a principios de los 80 forma su propia discográfica "Dischord Record", en la que se aparta del business discográfico, y el que publica discos no sólo suyos, sino también de otras bandas de Washington, a precios asequibles.

Espero que disfrutéis de estos vídeos y con sus discos como lo hago yo. Los discos que considero imprescindibles de esta banda son (al final los he puesto casi todos :-))

• 13 songs
• Repeater (tal vez mi favorito)
• In on the kill taker
  
• End Hits
• Furniture (Es un EP con 3 canciones)
• Argument.

No quiere decir que el resto sean malos, simplemente yo empezaría por estos para empezar a escucharlos y en concreto por los dos primeros.
Otro elemento muy importante de la banda son las letras, muy cuidadas, al igual que su música. Tienen un himno, es esa canción que todo el mundo la asocia como su canción insignia, como el himno perfecto: Waiting room. Si veis el vídeo sobran las palabras, el buen rollo que generan en este tema es impresionante. Un ejemplo de canción sin estructura es la de GlueMan. No tiene forma, pero como te llega!!!, este tema en directo es la bomba.

Hay muchas canciones de Fugazi que me gustan: blueprint, con ese pedazo de estribillo orgásmico que esperas durante toda la canción y cuando llega le subes todavía más el volumen, waiting room, merchandise (es una canción punk simplemente perfecta), turnover (aquí se palpa la esencia de Fugazi), break... Este es un enlace del facebook sobre el grupo, en el apartado cuadros hay un debate abierto llamado 'My favorite song', allí veréis cientos de opiniones. Para mí la primera cara del Repeater es insuperable, y el disco en general roza la perfección. Le tengo especial cariño, porque es el primero que escuché de ellos, y porque lo he puesto a tope muchas veces en el coche, proporcionándome muy buenos momentos.

Aquí os dejo 3 letras potentes suyas:

Waiting room I am a patient boy i wait, i wait, i wait, i wait my time is like water down a drain everybody's moving, everything is moving please don't leave me to remain in the waiting room i don't want the news i'm not a part of it i don't want the news i have no use for it sitting outside of town everybody's always down because... they can't get up but i don't sit idly by i'm planning a big surprise i'm gonna fight for what i want to be i won't make the same mistakes because i know how much time that wastes function is the key in the waiting room Merchandise When we have nothing left to give there will be no reason for us to live but when we have nothing left to lose you will have nothing left to use we owe you nothing you have no control merchandise keeps us in line common sense says it's by design what could a businessman ever want more than to have us sucking in his store we owe you nothing, you have no control you are not what you own Repeater You say I need a job, I've got my own business You want to know what i do? None of your fucking business But now I'm lying here Knowing that business had a name, But now I'm a number 1 2 3 repeater Down by law, I've got this nasty habit When I need something I reach out and grab it Once upon a time I had a name and a way But to you I'm nothing but a number 1 2 3 repeater Did you hear something outside? It sounded like a gun Stay away from that window boy It's not anyone we know Only about ourselves and what we read in the paper Don't you know ink washes out easier than blood But we don't have to try it And we don't have to buy it Repeat

Si todavía no los conocíais o si ya lo seguíais en su época, o si os da la gana, os animo a que dejéis vuestra opinión: letras, canciones, discos, si los habéis visto en directo...

Peace!!!