I don't know if I ever heard this album growing up, but when I told my dad I was becoming more and more dedicated to the thematic album as a format, this was the first record he suggested I check out.
We were talking the other day about the death of the album (specifically as relates to Pentatonix - I love their music, but all 3 of their EPs have been basically disjointed collections of singles), and he observed that the rise of single-song buying (a la iTunes) will probably mean the end of hugely popular, fully-formed albums like What's Going On or Dark Side of the Moon. I hope he's wrong; I fear he's not.
Anyway, enjoy the album.
Also, for the title track. They had the song going but could not come up with the bass line. So they go lookin for James Jamerson (the greatest bass player of all time) and have to carry him out of a bar and to the studio where he's so drunk he just lies on the floor and yet still lays down this beautiful bass you hear today.
My favorite bass player of all time. There are many who blow him out of the water technicaly but I listen to his base lines like I do to a good story. Bernadette is my favorite Jamerson baseline. Innercity Blues off this album is on my top ten song list. I like to play it loud, move however my spirit hits me while loving the message.
With Inner City Blues, I usually wanna start out with like a slow head nod (during the cool fucking buildup) and when the nonsense lyrics come in (da da la da da) begin to add a little body movement. Then the first "make me wanna holler" -- some snaps. Maybe over my head if I'm feeling daring. Get the shoulders involved. This section lasts a while. Use it to find your groove. Then there's a long bridge/slowdown (more scat). Can do a good damn shuffle in there. Next, "oh honey I can't pay my ... taxes" and the song starts to pick up, there's that owwwwwww and some jive about the cops. Then Marvin's voice mimicking a horn. Key change (lower) signals a dance change (circa 3:50 maybe?). Hands at hip-level, doing a sort of movement I should just record and upload because I can't describe it. Hula without the hoop. Another raw scream, a great piano bridge... Then, absolute stillness. The mood change in the song is abrupt. "Mooooooooooother, mooooother..." "wooooo-ooooo" -- Marvin's voice starts a note and an instrument finishes it, in a way he alone could do. Fade to black.I like to play it loud, move however my spirit hits me while loving the message.
I'd say albums just aren't worth listening to all the way through these days. Certainly not worth buying just for the one good song surrounded by filler for 10 bucks. Even if it's just a collection of singles people will listen through if it's worth it. But with so much noise out there we don't have the time or patience for anything but greatness. The latest queens of the stone age album is probably the newest album I've listen to straight through and dug it.
Shit, I know where you're coming from but I disagree. There are hundreds of cohesive, incredible albums coming out every year that deserve a full listen -- I know this because I stubbornly refuse to listen to music any other way, so if I dig a song I listen to the whole lp. Just gotta pick your spots. I probably spend two or three hours a week just hunting for music and queuing it up, even before all the playtime. hubski is a solid resource, so is reddit, so are various music blogs, etc. What sucks about it is I don't remember how long it's been since I listened to What's Going On. My favorite albums, almost all of which are at least 40 years old, suffer from inattention. But I try.
Well I certainly do not seek out enough new music. I've been searching back for a while. I guess I hope truly great things still rise to a collective appreciation but there's more to it than that.