Hot Buttered Soul

James Brown: Mother Popcorn


Here's the mother of all popcorn songs. Recorded in 1969 the popping drum beat makes the title which came from the popular dance all too clear. Bandleader and frequent songwriting partner, Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, came up with the rhythm for Mother Popcorn while waiting in line at a Cincinnati music store. This is a true soul classic. Go get Star Time.

Preston Love: Cissy Popcorn


Also recorded in 1969, Cissy Popcorn perfectly blends the JB groove with a Cissy Strut lope. Get this track on SuperFunk3.

The RDM Band: Butter That Popcorn


The pace gets wild on this rare jam. I have to be honest I don't know much about this band so I would appreciate some enlightenment. I found the track on the Josh Davis & Keb Darge compilation Funk Spectrum: Real Funk for Real People.

Remembering Al Wilson

FONTANA, Calif. - Al Wilson, the soul singer and songwriter who had a number of 1970s hits including "Show and Tell," has died. He was 68.
Wilson died Monday of kidney failure at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fontana, according to his son, Tony Wilson of Yucaipa.
"He was always singing," his son said. "He would call me in the middle of the night with a new song that he had written."
Wilson was born on June 19, 1939, in Meridian, Miss. He sang in the church choir as a boy and had his own spiritual singing quartet. His family moved to San Bernardino in 1958 and he found work as a mail carrier, office clerk and janitor.
He toured for four years with the group Johnny "Legs" Harris and the Statesmen before joining the Navy. Following a two-year stint, he moved to Los Angeles and played with the Jewels and their successor group, the Rollers. A drummer, he also worked with the instrumental group the Souls.
In 1966, he was spotted by manager Marc Gordon, who introduced him to singer Johnny Rivers, who signed him to his Soul City label. Wilson's first single, "The Snake" in 1968, was a hit and was followed by "Do What You Gotta Do."
"Show and Tell" was released in 1973 and the next year was No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 chart.
Wilson charted with several other 1970s singles, including "La La Peace Song," "I've Got a Feeling (We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again)" and "Count the Days."
In later years he continued to tour clubs in Los Angeles and elsewhere

Al Wilson: Show & Tell


Here's the big hit we all know, but that doesn't make it any less great. First recorded by Johnny Mathis, Wilson's is the definitive version. Find it on all his greatest hit compilations.

Al Wilson: Somebody To Love


I absolutely love Wilson's rocking voice on this track taken from 1973's Weighing In. The backing vocals really send it home.

Just The Tax Ma'am

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: What If We All Stop Paying Taxes?


A real cooker from the great Sharon Jones. Find it on Peter Young's Soul Cellar, a solid compilation on the Metro label.

New Spring Playlist Launched

Spring has sprung and a new FineTune playlist has been launched just to the right of this post. I hope it helps you while cleaning up the yard and taking down those storm windows. We've made it through another winter and it's time to celebrate! Enjoy!=======>========>========>

Coffy Is Still The Color

I watched Coffy on IFC last night and I felt the urge to repost this with some new tracks....

A blaxploitation masterpiece on par with Curtis Mayfield's Superfly and Isaac Hayes' Shaft, Roy Ayers' soundtrack for the 1973 Pam Grier vehicle Coffy remains one of the most intriguing and evocative film scores of its era or any other. Ayers' signature vibes create atmospheres and textures quite distinct from your average blaxploitation effort, embracing both heavy, tripped-out funk and vividly nuanced soul-jazz . The vocal numbers are no less impressive, in particular the rapturous opening cut, Coffy Is the Color. Richly cinematic grooves, as inventive and cohesive as any of Ayers' vintage Ubiquity LPs. Check It Out!

Roy Ayers: King's Last Ride


Roy Ayers: Escape


Roy Ayers: Exotic Dance