Get the Soul Train Line together, Reelblack Family. It's time to judge two notorious Funk Bombs from classic Richard Pryor movies of the 70s.
Grammy-winning. producer Norman Whitfield is responsible for writing and producing the theme songs tw two Richard Pryor movies directed by Michael Schultz. Them From Which Way Is Up? (1977) by Starguard and Theme from Car Wash (1976) by Rose Royce. Listen to both and leave your reaction in the comments section below.
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Norman Whitfield (born May 12th, 1940, in Harlem/New York - died September 16th, 2008, in Los Angeles) was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s.
He is credited as being one of the creators of the Motown Sound, as well as one of the major instrumental figues in the late-60s sub-genre of psychedelic soul.
Stargard consisted of members being Rochelle Runnells, Debra Anderson, and Janice Williams. The vocal trio issued the "Theme Song from 'Which Way Is Up'" for the soundtrack of the 1977 feature film Which Way Is Up?. The Norman Whitfield penned track also came upon Stargard's 1978 self-titled debut album for MCA Records. The album rose to numbers 12 & 26 upon the Top R&B Albums and Billboard 200 charts respectively.[2][3] As a single 'Which Way Is Up' rose to numbers 1, 12 & 21 upon the Billboard Hot R&B Songs, Dance Club Songs and Hot 100 charts respectively. Which Way Is Up also got to No. 19 upon the UK Singles chart.[4][5][6][7]
During 1978 Stargard released their sophomore album entitled What You Waitin' For. Off of this album its title track went on to be a Top 10 R&B hit. The group then switched to Warner Bros. Records upon which their third LP The Changing Of The Gard was issued in 1979. The album cut "Wear It Out" was co-produced by Verdine White of Earth, Wind, & Fire. As a single Wear It Out rose to no. 4 upon the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Stargard also lent background vocals to Junior Walker's 1979 album Back Street Boogie. [8][9][1]
Anderson went on to leave Stargard shortly after The Changing of the Gard's issue. With now only Williams and Runnells in tow the band released their Whitfield produced fourth album entitled Back 2 Back in 1980.[1] They thereafter returned to MCA upon which their fifth LP Nine Lives was issued in 1982. Stargard appeared as 'the Diamonds' in Michael Schultz's 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B group. They are best known for several hit singles during the 1970s including "Car Wash", "I Wanna Get Next to You", "I'm Going Down", "Wishing on a Star", and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore".
The Los Angeles-based group comprised Gwen Dickey (vocals), Henry Garner (drums), Terral "Terry" Santiel (congas), Lequeint "Duke" Jobe (bass), Michael Moore (saxophone), Kenny Copeland (trumpet, lead vocals), Kenji Brown (guitar, lead vocals), Freddie Dunn (trumpet), and Victor Nix (keyboards). The group began in the early 1970s, when members of several backup bands from the Watts and Inglewood areas of Los Angeles united under the name Total Concept Unlimited. In 1973, this collective toured England and Japan behind Motown soul star Edwin Starr. Starr introduced them to Norman Whitfield, Motown's 'psychedelic shaman' who was responsible for bringing a progressive funk-rock slant to the company, via such productions as Starr's "War", The Undisputed Truth's "Smiling Faces Sometimes" and The Temptations' "Papa Was A Rolling Stone".
Whitfield, after a decade at Motown, wanted to start a company of his own. He took the T.C.U. octet under his wing and signed them to his label.
During this time Whitfield was contacted by film director Michael Schultz, fresh from the success of his first feature, Cooley High. Schultz offered Whitfield the opportunity to score his next picture, Car Wash. Whitfield would utilize the film to launch his new group, and began composing music based on script outlines. He and the band visited the film set, soaking up the atmosphere. This was one of the rare instances in Hollywood in which the music was composed concurrently with the picture instead of after the fact. In the spirit of the soundtrack, the band's name was changed one final time to 'Rose Royce'. The name not only referenced the movie's automotive theme, but it also placed Gwen "Rose" Dickey front and center. Further, it hinted at a touch of class the band strove to bring to 1970s soul-funk.
-discogs/wikipedia
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28 авг 2024
