It was in Benin City, in the heart of Nigeria, that a new hybrid of
intoxicating highlife music known as Edo Funk was born.
It first emerged in the late 1970s when a group of musicians began
to experiment with different ways of integrating elements from their
native Edo culture and fusing them with new sound effects coming
from West Africa ́s night-clubs. Unlike the rather polished 1980 ́s
Nigerian disco productions coming out of the international
metropolis of Lagos Edo Funk was raw and reduced to its bare
minimum.
Tag Archives: 1970s
It Was 50 Years Ago …
Slade – Mama Weer All Crazee Now
This was originally the work of bassist Jim Lea; it was the first tune he wrote completely on his own. However, his writing partner Noddy Holder was responsible for the lyrics, standing on the stage after a typically boisterous London show and surveying the smashed seating left in the auditorium. “I thought everyone must have been crazy tonight,” he later said.
The song was originally titled “My My We’re All Crazy Now.” The title was changed by their manager Chas Chandler, and the intentional misspelling became a Slade trademark years before Prince adopted a similar convention. Some of their other hits were “Look wot You Dun,” “Cum On Feel The Noize” and “Skweeze Me Pleeze Me.”
It Was 50 Years Ago …
Paul & Linda McCartney – Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey – 1971
“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” is a song by Paul and Linda McCartney from the album Ram.”Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” is composed of several unfinished song fragments that Paul stitched together in a similar manner to the medleys from the Beatles’ album Abbey Road. The song is notable for its sound effects, including the sounds of a thunderstorm, including rain, heard between the first and second verses, the sound of clicking from a telephone dialing and then switching to an answering machine (both actually Paul’s voice), where the sound of Paul’s voice, with a “telephone” effect, is heard after the second verse, and the sound of chirping sea birds and wind by the seashore. Linda’s voice is heard in the harmonies as well as the bridge section of the “Admiral Halsey” portion of the song.
It was 50 years ago …
Isaac Hayes – Theme From Shaft
New series looking at hits from years back, today 1971’s Shaft.
Multiplatinum-selling artist Isaac Hayes, dubbed “Black Moses” during the height of his popularity, revolutionized soul music, leading it out of the era of the three-minute single into a new area—the orchestrated concept album with (very) extended cuts.
Hayes began his career as a pianist and staff writer for Stax Records, and, alongside songwriting partner David Porter, wrote some of the biggest hits of the 1960’s, including “Soul Man” and “Hold On! I’m Comin’” for Sam & Dave.
Expanding his repertoire, Hayes penned the iconic soundtrack for 1971’s Shaft. The album became Hayes’s fourth consecutive platinum LP and the “Theme from Shaft” earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Though often known for his larger than life persona, Hayes’ musical accomplishments – which laid the groundwork for disco and rap – established him as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Lara Petersson Music 