UNDER COVERS VOLUME 3
posted in: Features
Welcome to the third installment of Under Covers, a biweekly column dedicated to exploring the musical possibilities of artists appreciating one another’s work on both the OurStage and national level!
Everybody’s proud of something. For me, these dignified moments come to mind all at once when listening to feel good music. Whether lending the impression of satisfaction, hope, or nostalgia, these the emotions conjured up with these tunes are bound to settle any turmoil storming within. One of the most universal song themes, you can find these uplifting sounds in every OurStage channel from electronic to world. That being said, I thought it would be an interesting notion to pull from opposing genres for this week’s column, combining hip hop with soul. This week’s “Under Covers” topic: Feel Good Crossovers.
Twenty years ago, two kids set up shop in front of their Philadelphia High School with nothing more than vocal chords and a drum kit. Little did they know this musical partnership would eventually evolve to become The Roots. Today, this quartet continues to build on the idea that started it all; setting themselves apart from the riff raff of today’s hip hop industry through talented musicianship. They were one of the first, and are still one of the only, acts to record their musical material themselves, not just rhyme over prerecorded samples. Roots MC Black Thought has proven himself an incredibly versatile poet, capable of rapping about anything from current events to relationship strains to feel good jams. Echoing pure nostalgia, The Roots’ luscious Long Time is one of those plush, feel good jams. Beaming with triumph, pride and unspoken thankfulness, this song uncovers the delight in everyone’s roots, no matter where you’re from. The first two verses spotlight Black Thought’s and Peedi Peedi’s respective upbringings, making something out of nothing / because everybody’s fifty cents away from a quarter / where I come from. In the third verse, Black thought swings the storyline towards whoever’s listening Clap to the record while I’m takin’ you back. The chorus ties all three sections together, making anyone remember the places and faces they haven’t seen in a while. It’s been a long time / since I been back around the way. Seriously, play this song on your iPod and walk around your block; only the sunniest memories of youth and home will appear with these lyrics, lyrics enhanced by a beautiful beat. Between the liquefying strings (arranged by fellow Philly native Larry Gold), inconstant drums (I mean that as a good thing) laid down by ?uestlove, funky guitar riff and fat chordal bass line, this track is compact. That being said, there’s always room further innovation through collaboration.
When brainstorming ideas for this column, I can’t help but think about the cover possibilities if I expanded eligibility to artists who have passed away. Then I thought, why not? This is, after all, only a collection of words, the laws of the universe shouldn’t’ have to apply! That being said, this weeks national cover artist deals with an artist who is no longer with us; the late great Curtis Mayfield.
Best known for his album Superfly, Curtis Mayfield was a funk / soul icon of the early 70s. Similar to Black Thought, Mayfield’s lyrical palette is flexible, ranging from social commentary on African American relations in the 70s to the more universally appealing feel good messages present on tracks like Move On Up, a song that might be one of my all time favorites. I have yet to encounter another song with as much blind faith and unwavering hope towards what may lay ahead. Replete with trademark 70s power brass, rapid conga rolls, and a complimentary string riff, this groove will have everyone shooting for the stars. First things first “ this cover wouldn’t be a traditional cover, but more of a feature spot, as I don’t know how skilled soul man Mayfield would be in the art of rapping. Instead, I think a collaboration of sorts is more appropriate “ Curtis Mayfield and his band backing MCs Black Thought and Peedie P., with Mayfield’s shining falsetto augmenting the ethereal Long Times on the chorus. With all that soul, I can only imagine his eagerness at crafting a delicious rendition of Long Time.
I would have the song stay at the same tempo as the original, but replace the opening strings with Mayfield’s brass, and give them some funky rhythm that strings just cant replicate. With some brass interjections, dynamic diversity, and Mayfield’s floating vocals on top, the song’s atmosphere would be transplanted to a time before global warming. I would keep the guitar riff the same, but accentuate the bass line. The bass line in the original holds the song together very nicely yes, but if covered by a group stemming from the 1970s, it couldn’t hurt to funk it up a little bit. An erratic slap bass may seem like an odd choice at first, but I think it would give the verses some more flavor and fit with the brass grooves. At the end of the song after the last verse, I would insert a trumpet solo over a bed of strings, eventually fading out into the same warm ending in place now, just with the addition of a Mayfield vocal cadenza.
It’s even easier to relate to the artists singing feel good songs when they haven’t made it huge yet, hence why OurStage is a sprawling sanctuary for such material. Pull up a chair to the table if you need a rest you can reminisce here / we got the recipe that sticks to the ribs no artificial additives it’s clear/ so if you really need some satisfaction settle down for a home cooked meal/ say murderers, killers, dealers, teachers, preachers, everybody break bread. Phrases like these (from Break Bread)make NYC based Dujeous worthy of being deemed New York’s only hip hop band worth talking about. This homegrown outfit consists of seven members that have known each other since grade school, a fact that makes the song that much more familial. The feel good vibe on this number is less pronounced than The Roots’ Long Time. Though still focused on thanks and the good things in life, this track is more honest and detailed when it comes to the struggles – “Marryings to buryings / weddings to wakes.” It highlights family as a refuge from the life’s battlefield instead of geography like Long Time. It’s a nice piece (complete with John Legend on backing vocals), but could be resuscitated with some new instrumentation and a decisive mood.
Enter OurStage artist Greg Mayo Band. In the same vein as the previous cover, this cover would be more of collaboration with Greg Mayo and his instrumentalists backing the Dujeous MCs and singers. This group has proven themselves capable of writing warm and fuzzy tunes, a listen to their track Love and Evolution will throw you into the same dizzying feel good spell as Move On Up. Their in-depth musical training will surely allow them to inject some more umph into Dujeous’ restful Break Bread.
First off, I would replace the tame piano riff with a moving horn section. The two saxophones and trumpet in this band could adequately fulfill all notes in the piano chords, and when moving, would sound like a round as the riff repeats every two bars. If nothing else, the timbre of sax and trumpet would add a variety unrivaled in the original. Sweeping strings come in at :58 in the original, I would replace these with the keys from the Greg Mayo Band, but still stick close to the same rhythm, maybe just half notes for each chord. Making sure Mayo’s voice is not forgotten, I would add it as another voice to the choral like ambiance of the chorus. Yes, this section is already overflowing with backup vocals and harmonies, but Mayo’s voice contains a distinctly different tone than the rest of the voices, I’m positive it would not be lost in the fray. The strongest point of the chorus is when they list off the who’s who of society they invite to break bread (murderers, killers, teachers, preachers). They place the emphasis on the latter syllable in every word, an emphasis that would be further accentuated with the use of the horns. In other words, if the horns were to accompany the vocals on the ERS of every word, it would add even more pow. Rhythmically, the drum track on this song remains the same throughout. It could really use some fills. I’m not saying they have to be every measure, but every 8 or so wouldn’t hurt. Lastly, I would utilize the Mayo band sax player to his fullest extent, adding a solo at the end of the song and ending with a gradual fade.
Whether written in the 70s or 2007, there’s no rotten feeling your favorite feel good song wont be able to conquer; the genre will never fade away. If you have a topic for Under Covers or know artists that you would like to cover or be covered, leave a comment about them below!