Here He Goes Again...
Hey everybody, it's me. You know, I been thinkin'...
Again and again in the course of researching the soul records we've been listening to together this past year, I keep running into one of my first loves, Gospel music. It's influence is everywhere, and while soul music may indeed have risen out of Gospel, Gospel never went anywhere. As a matter of fact, even though it has become extremely difficult to find 'authentic' soul music around anymore, authentic Gospel is alive and well and, most probably, right there in your town.
We are the ones who are obsessed with this notion of 'crossing over'. We are the 'genre police'. I mean, do you really think that when Al Green talks about "The Power" in songs like Love And Happiness, that it's a different power than the one that shakes the walls of his Full Gospel Tabernacle every Sunday? I don't. I believe it is this same power, this 'holy ghost', that shines through the best Gospel and soul records.
As Mavis Staples says, "The devil doesn't have any music."
Anyway, this is the place to celebrate that power. Say Amen, somebody!
In keeping with my credo, 'In Vinyl Veritas', we'll be focusing primarily on 45s. With that said, I want to start things off with a song that came up today on my iPod and just KNOCKED ME DOWN!
Father, Father
Roebuck 'Pops' Staples was a true giant. A man who walked the line between the 'sacred and the profane' with ease... whose faith in his own vision of God and family never let him down. I will (definitely) be profiling Pops, Mavis and the rest of the 'Singers' in upcoming posts.
Let's just listen for now.
This incredible tune comes from the last album he ever recorded, a Pointblank CD of the same name released in 1994. Guests like Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner helped the record win the Grammy for "Best Contemporary Blues Album" (go figure) that year, but Pops' message came through loud and clear. Daughter Mavis, who produced this title track, joins her dad in updating the 'sound' that kept the holy ghost rumblin' through the pop charts in the 1970s.
Pops passed away on December 19, 2000. His music will live forever.
Again and again in the course of researching the soul records we've been listening to together this past year, I keep running into one of my first loves, Gospel music. It's influence is everywhere, and while soul music may indeed have risen out of Gospel, Gospel never went anywhere. As a matter of fact, even though it has become extremely difficult to find 'authentic' soul music around anymore, authentic Gospel is alive and well and, most probably, right there in your town.
We are the ones who are obsessed with this notion of 'crossing over'. We are the 'genre police'. I mean, do you really think that when Al Green talks about "The Power" in songs like Love And Happiness, that it's a different power than the one that shakes the walls of his Full Gospel Tabernacle every Sunday? I don't. I believe it is this same power, this 'holy ghost', that shines through the best Gospel and soul records.
As Mavis Staples says, "The devil doesn't have any music."
Anyway, this is the place to celebrate that power. Say Amen, somebody!
In keeping with my credo, 'In Vinyl Veritas', we'll be focusing primarily on 45s. With that said, I want to start things off with a song that came up today on my iPod and just KNOCKED ME DOWN!
Father, Father
Roebuck 'Pops' Staples was a true giant. A man who walked the line between the 'sacred and the profane' with ease... whose faith in his own vision of God and family never let him down. I will (definitely) be profiling Pops, Mavis and the rest of the 'Singers' in upcoming posts.
Let's just listen for now.
This incredible tune comes from the last album he ever recorded, a Pointblank CD of the same name released in 1994. Guests like Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner helped the record win the Grammy for "Best Contemporary Blues Album" (go figure) that year, but Pops' message came through loud and clear. Daughter Mavis, who produced this title track, joins her dad in updating the 'sound' that kept the holy ghost rumblin' through the pop charts in the 1970s.Pops passed away on December 19, 2000. His music will live forever.
posted by Red Kelly at 1:55 PM
3 Comments:
What was I thinking?
Well, look at it this way; all of these 'blogs' are really only different facets, or pages if you will, of the same site... in other words, someday there may actually be a real honest to goodness website (like redkelly.com or something), with links to these 4 measly pages. Until then, here's the 'site map':
The "B" Side - the 'home' page where we look at things from the other side.
The "A" Side - where we post an occasional A side that you need to hear.
soul detective - a joint effort where we all try to dig a little deeper.
and now
holy ghost - created simply because I didn't want to put Gospel up on the other sites. I felt it deserved a page of its own...
Lately, it seems I'd been listening to Gospel almost as much as soul, and I wanted a place to share it. I knew I wasn't alone when I got the absolutely smokin' new CD from the Numero Group, Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal.
There is great music out there, folks. Ain't the Lord alright?
Red Kelly, you are an institution. Someone needs to give you a grant so you have a staff working these blogs fory ou.
Once again, I am in awe.
Wonderful blog!
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