Thursday, August 21, 2008

Rhythm and Blues - How It Started!





Back in the day when Java and Cinemod were young lads the term R + B meant something very different to what it does these days. When most of you bloggers were mere sperms in the apple of your father's eye, when digital was a type of watch that hadn't been invented yet, when R + B didn't involve rappers and huge arses shaking like the Sri Lankan economy, there were songs like this.

They had things called geeetaars and pyanners in them. Ronnie Wood was about the age that his Russian girlfriend is now and Rod Stewart sang proper songs, not crooning crap.

Lately I've been learning this song for my covers band. Every time I listen to it I smile. It's real music played by real musicians, a five minute nugget of pure joy without a ton of Timbaland prodution behind it. It doesn't "feat" a guest appearance by someone else and it sure doesn't involve a remix of a Coldplay song.

I've got a strong feeling that once we've learned it properly it will be one of the most popular songs in our set.

The lyrics are about as politically correct as a night out with Mervyn Silva, but they're from the days before women had rights, votes and minds of their own.

Check it out. I would particularly recommend you have a look at the dancing after about 4.09. That's how it was done in Java's day, that's proper dancing for you. If you watch it and it doesn't make you smile then you must be under thirty.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aaah.. Gotta love those geeetaars and pyanners.

I'm under thirty but the dancing made me smile :)

Rod Stewart is fantastic, even though he always looked like an old woman. I would have never thought he'd croon successfully but in my opinion he actually pulls it off. Must be the jazz enthusiast in me :)

Anonymous said...

You don't have to be over 30 to smile at their 'dancing'! What is it about that period that made the male singers dress so gay?
Tanya J.

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

Soixante Neuf - I own a very rare snare drum with the same number as your name. Do you know it?

Tanya J - But I think you've got to be over 30 to smile at the music! Gay? That's how I dress on a night out nowadays!

Anonymous said...

Hmm, no sorry. My knowledge of drums is limited to "you hit them with a stick and they make a cool sound".

I was going more for the bond-girl approach. Which not be as sexy as the drum thing but oh well.. ;)

Love your blog, though, RD. Your sense of humour is classic.

That's how you dress? Aww.. Think we need to have a small talk....

Haha, kidding, you rock :D

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

Soixante neuf, or perhaps you'll allow me to call you 6 now. Thanks for the compliments. Your writing is really great and I can relate to it as I often fantasise about sleeping with women!

Anonymous said...

6 is fine, hahahaha. So now do I call you R??

Glad you enjoyed my blog. I regularly stalk yours because it's just about the funnest thing around.

Yes... women are fabulous.

So are fantasies. I once had an aunt who told me that she hopes the day she stops fantasizing will be the day she stops existing. Because what would life be if you ever lost that passion? She was over 60 at the time. I thought it was incredible of her to say it.

Just a thought :)

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

6 - please feel free. I've never had a stalker before. Cool!

Anonymous said...

R.

You're on. You have officially gained stalker #1.

6

Anonymous said...

Right!

Anonymous said...

Interesting comments you made.
I'll have to check back here again soon to see what else you'll post.

Thanks GW Williams
P.S. come by my website anytime
Guitarist GW Williams