Curtis (Curtis Mayfield album)
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| Curtis | |||||
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| Studio album by Curtis Mayfield | |||||
| Released | September 1970 | ||||
| Recorded | May - July 1970 | ||||
| Genre | Funk Chicago soul |
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| Length | 40:28 | ||||
| Label | Curtom | ||||
| Producer | Curtis Mayfield | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
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Robert Christgau (B+)
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| Curtis Mayfield chronology | |||||
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| Singles from Curtis |
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Curtis is the debut album by American soul/funk artist Curtis Mayfield, released in September of 1970. Produced by Mayfield, it was released on his own label Curtom Records. The musical styles of Curtis moved further away from the pop-soul sounds of Mayfield's previous group The Impressions and featured more of a funk and psychedelia inspired sound. The album's subject matter incorporates political and social concerns of the time.
Curtis sold well at the time charting at number one on the Billboard Black albums and number nineteen on the Billboard Pop albums charts. Only the single "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" charted. Curtis receives very high praise from modern day critics with Bruce Eder of Allmusic commenting that the record is "...practically the "Sgt. Pepper's" album of '70s soul..." [1]
| ...this is a loving but sometimes angry album that takes the measure of America in a new decade. -excerpt from iTunes Review |
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[edit] Background
In 1970, Curtis began work on his own self-titled debut album. Although he never intended to leave the Impressions permanently, under recommendation from his business manager Marv Stuart, and the trend for both R&B and rock artists in the seventies was to go solo.[4][5] Mayfield wouldn't officially leave The Impressions until 1971.[5]
[edit] Recording and production
Like with some of his later Impressions work, Mayfield's lyrics reflected the social and political concern rising in black America at the time. Mayfield was one of the earliest artists to speak openly about African-American pride and community struggle.[6]. Mayfield reflected upon this time as a "happening era...when people stopped wearing tuxedos...people were getting down a little more."[4]
The album had a more hard edged sound that the Impressions had before. On this new sound Mayfield claimed it was something he "long wanted to do...but were out of category of what was expected of me and the Impressions. What I got off in the Curtis album allowed me to be more personal for myself."[4]. The two singles off the album "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" and "Move on Up" showcased Mayfield's new funk musical style, while the rest of the tracks were much softer soul based songs.[4]. Not having any traditional music lessons, Mayfield's claimed his backing band would occasionly comment "gosh, this is a terribly strange key to play in", but still played it accordingly as written.[5]
[edit] Track listing
All songs written and composed by Curtis Mayfield.
| # | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" | 7:50 |
| 2. | "The Other Side of Town" | 4:01 |
| 3. | "The Makings of You" | 3:43 |
| 4. | "We the People Who are Darker than Blue" | 6:05 |
| 5. | "Move on Up" | 9:00 |
| 6. | "Miss Black America" | 2:53 |
| 7. | "Wild and Free" | 3:16 |
| 8. | "Give It Up" | 3:49 |
[edit] Bonus tracks
In late 2000, Rhino Records re-released the album as they did with the Super Fly soundtrack with several bonus tracks including the radio edit for "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go", and several demo versions of songs.
All songs written and composed by Curtis Mayfield except where noted.
| # | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Power to the People" (demo version) | 2:47 | |
| 10. | "Underground" (demo version) | 3:11 | |
| 11. | "Ghetto Child" (demo version) | 5:10 | |
| 12. | "Readings in Astrology" (demo version) | 3:31 | |
| 13. | "Suffer" | Donny Hathaway, Mayfield | 2:31 |
| 14. | "Miss Black America" (demo version) | 2:22 | |
| 15. | "The Makings of You" (Backing Tracks, Take 32) | 4:35 | |
| 16. | "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" ((Backing Tracks, Takes 1 & 2)) | 9:34 | |
| 17. | "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" (Radio edit) | 3:26 |
[edit] Chart and singles history
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" |
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| Name | Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| Curtis | U.S. Billboard Pop Albums | 19 |
| Curtis | U.S. Top R&B Albums | 1 |
| "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" | U.S. Billboard Pop Singles | 29 |
| "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" | U.S. Billboard R&B Singles | 3 |
[edit] Personnel
- Musicians - Leonard Druss, John Howell, Harold Lepp, Loren Binford, Clifford Davis, Patrick Ferreri, Richard Single, Rudolph Stauber, Donald Simmons, Robert Lewis, Harold Dessent, Ronald Kolber, Harold Klatz, John Ross, Sol Bobrob, Sam Heiman, Elliot Golub, Henry Gibson, Robert Sims, Gary Slabo, Philip Upchurch
[edit] Technical personnel
- Riley Hampton and Gary Slabo – producer, mixer
- R.J. Anfinson and Tom Flye – recording engineer
- Curtis Mayfield - producer
[edit] References
- ^ a b Eder, Bruce. allmusic ((( Curtis > Overview ))). Allmusic. Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. Curtis Mayfield [extended]. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
- ^ Wendell, John. Curtis Mayfield:Curtis: Review. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
- ^ a b c d Robert Pruter, Chicago Soul (University of Illinois Press, 1992), p. 306-307, ISBN 0252062590.
- ^ a b c Dave Thompson, Funk (Backbeat Books, 2001), p. 158, ISBN 0879306297.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. allmusic ((( Curtis Mayfield > Biography ))). Allmusic. Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
[edit] External links
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