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.