Pop Producers Read mp3 Blogs
uk pop ← new orleans jazz
If you didn’t already hear, Lily Allen is ‘the next big thing’. Music geeks have been pushing her, wanting her songs will blow up in the US mainstream for a while. She’s definitely got the appeal potential: crisp and fun production underneath her own gritty urban storytelling. Her track “Knock ‘Em Out” was released as a B-side, but is now getting as much attention as her released singles.
Lily Allen – Knock ‘Em Out from Alright, Still (2006)
If you’ve been with Aurgasm for a while, that opening that forms the basis for the track might sound a little familiar. In December 2004 I shared a track by New Orleans pianist Professor Longhair. Take a listen:
Professor Longhair – Big Chief (1964)
cuban mambo → chicago hip hop
Around the same time, a little more south, a Cuban vocalist by the name of La Lupe was gaining notoriety for her energetic live show and, quite franky, her near-insanity. Before joining Tito Puente’s tour, her fan-base included Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre and novelist Ernest Hemingway, who called her act, “the art of frenzy.” Last October, I dubbed her song “Fever” as an mp3 gem in The Link List.
La Lupe – Fever (1961)
Chicago’s Rhymefest is best known for penning Kanye’s Grammy-winning single “Jesus Walks”, but you’ll hear that La Lupe track repurposed in this new single off his LP.
Rhymefest – Fever from Blue Collar (2006)
And yes, I bet theres a number of bloggers who could claim ownership on the reappearance of a sample in mainsteam music. I’m mostly sharing these because they’re all great songs. :)
And just for fun, here’s a more famous cover of “Fever” and the original:
Peggy Lee – Fever (1958)
Little Willie John – Fever (1956)
Calling La Lupe energetic may even be an understatement. According to my father, she was married to her pianist. During performances of especially heartbreaking boleros she would start beating up on him as the lyrics of the song might dictate, even smacking him with one of her shoes.
aha! i’ve been obsessing over big chief for months now, it’s an ace tune. i’ve even been playing it out when i do sets off my laptop at random events. i didn’t know where i’d downloaded it from so i didn’t know who to thank, but now you’ve come clean, so… thank you!
Gee thanks a lot Paul for the Between the Bars track. i am indeed gonna have to buy Peyroux’s first, before Dylan’s Modern Times.
I’m still waiting for Huey Smith & The Clowns’ “Don’t You Just Know It” you posted on to show up as a sample in a monster hip hop track (or maybe a Vonage TV commercial) . . . or have i missed it?
p.s. i think you’re too humble on the aurgasm readership/influence tip.
The Lily Allen track is so much fun, and now I’ll be on the lookout for more of her stuff. Thanks for sharing!
matt,
you may be right. based on my numbers alone, my influence is likely bigger than i suspect.
in fact, at a job interview this past week, the interviewer had seen my blog previously. haha. i don’t mind it.
you had me offside with your cutesy “about” in the sidebar… wow, thank-you so much for helping me!!
have fun in your pay-for-play world seppo’s…
here in australia we have triplej, suck it!
Don’t ask how I came across it, but I think I heard this tune in the trailer of ‘Must love dog’. Correct?
fascinating and communicative, but would participate in something more on this topic?
Cool site, love the info.
I enjoy this site, it is worth me coming back
Interesting post, definately food for thought hehe
I apologise, but, in my opinion, you commit an error.