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Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – The Jukebox Series #59– Manu Dibango: “Soul Makossa” b/w “Lily” – Atlantic 45-2971 (S6/T6)

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manudibangosoulmakossa45manudibangolily45

Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – The Jukebox Series #59– Manu Dibango: “Soul Makossa” b/w “Lily” – Atlantic 45-2971 (S6/T6)

“The Jukebox Series” focuses on the 80 records that inhabit my 1963 Seeburg LPC1 jukebox. I’ve had my jukebox (or as I like to call it “the prehistoric iPod”) for a little over twelve years and in that time I’d like to think that I’ve perfected the mix of 45s within.

Hailing from Cameroon, Africa, Manu Dibango established himself as an in-demand saxophone player working with acts as diverse as Fela Kuti, Don Cherry, The Fania All-Stars and Sly and Robbie.

“Soul Makossa,” Dibango’s signature disco smash, was originally released as the flip side to the 1972 single “Mouvement Ewondo” (a song about the Cameroon national football team) on the French independent Fiesta record label. The song probably would have sunk without a trace if it had not been for Manhattan socialite David Mancuso.

Mancuso was known for throwing exclusive invitation-only loft parties in New York City that served as a precursor to the city’s thriving Disco scene of the 1970s. Mancuso found a copy of the record and gave it a spin at one of his parties where it was heard by DJ Frankie Crocker, who in turn played it on WBLS, New York City’s highest rated urban radio station at the time.

The song became very popular, but the single was so rare that nine cover versions sprung up to fill the demand for the record before Atlantic Records could rush-release Dibango’s original recording in 1973. As a result of the cover versions, Dibango’s recording only climbed up to #35 on the Billboard singles chart; however the chart position didn’t realistically reflect the enormous popularity of the single.

Later, the song’s “ma-ma so, ma-ma-sa, mako-mako-sa” refrain was featured prominently in Michael Jackson’s single “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” the lead track from his Thriller album which went on to be the biggest selling album of all time.  It was used without Dibango’s permission and he later settled handsomely with Jackson for use of the lyric.

Dibango released an updated version of the track in 1994, and then again in 2011 under the title “Soul Makossa 2.0.” The flip of today’s jukebox classic is “Lily,” another soul groover written by Dibango that is also from the Soul Makossa album.

RadioActive SmorgasBoogie

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I’m Uncle Marty as we wrap up the Summer of Boogie on the 551st gathering of The 3D RadioActivity. As I noted last time, we have managed to listen to 160 different Boogie numbers since The 4th of July with close to 300 different tracks in the earlier shows on this topic along with those we played in other chapters along the way. It’s been one of the most popular features we have undertaken, as we started with close to half a thousand cuts. We have a veritable smorgasbord of leftovers to choose from for you this time as we prepare to Rock That Boogie one more time.

Download or play here:
https://archive.org/download/The3dRadioactivity/3dradio_20200906-RadioActiveSmorgasBoogie.mp3

We have been having fun all summer doing a variety of leg shaking tracks, and I want to extend some gratitude for inspiring this feature to my friends Captain Dan and Commander Walt in Pennsylvania who do their radio programs from The Bunker of Boogie. Moving forward, we will look into some of the notable studios and companies like Chess, Stax, Sun, Vee-Jay Records and others who have put out artists that are so well known that they only need one name to be recognized, like Elvis, Muddy, Koko, Mavis, Etta, Fontella, Lowell, and Elmore. Please tell me your suggestions by sending email, or with a message on our Facebook page which has links to the archives of all the earlier episodes and graphics in the photo section.  Look for us on Denver’s  MileHiRadio,   Theacidflashback.com,   TuneIn and  InternetFM dot com, because the best FM radio is now on the Internet.

Until we meet again, Remember that Radio Dave always says Keep Rockin’ On!

…Uncle Marty

“It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.”

…Marilyn Monroe

Boogi3D People

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Uncle Marty here with you on our 550th gathering of The 3D RadioActivity, as we continue our Summertime Seconds of Boogie, and delve into those who do and truly are Boogi3D People!

Click to download or play:
https://archive.org/download/The3dRadioactivity/3dradio_20200830-Boogi3DPeople.mp3

Let’s look at some numbers as we finish up show number 550…  Over 730 hours of programming, within a gnat’s eyebrow of 10,000 individual recordings, and over 7,500 different selections! For example, this show is one shy of twenty tunes averaged out to over fifty years old per song. Over this Summer of Boogie, we’ve managed to get 160 different tracks to you, that’s close to 17 per week. We still have one more to go next time as our big Hollywood finish to this epic endeavor has spanned close to 300 different tracks in 14 specific shows along with those naturally occurring in the other chapters. There’s still some choice cuts to be spun, so we will round out the merriment with a Smorgasbord of Boogie to finish the feature next time. Then we will get into a look at some of the smaller yet notable studios and companies like Chess, Stax, Sun, Vee-Jay Records and others who have put out some of the best of all time selections ranging from Acoustic to Zydeco. I have tried mind reading, however it is much easier to get your suggestions in writing, so send your email, or with a message on our Facebook page which has links to the archives of all the earlier episodes and graphics in the photo section.  Look for us on Theacidflashback.com, Denver’s MileHiRadio,   TuneIn and  InternetFM dot com, because the best FM radio is now on the Internet.

Until we meet again, Keep Rockin’ On!

…Uncle Marty

“It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.”

…Marilyn Monroe

Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – The Jukebox Series #28 – Average White Band: “Pick Up The Pieces” b/w “Work To Do” – Atlantic 45 RPM Single 45-3229 (Q3/R3)

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AWBPickUpThePieces45AWBAWBWorkToDo45

 

 

 

 

 

Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – The Jukebox Series #28 – Average White Band: “Pick Up The Pieces” b/w “Work To Do” – Atlantic 45 RPM Single 45-3229 (Q3/R3)

“The Jukebox Series” focuses on the 80 records that inhabit my 1963 Seeburg LPC1 jukebox. I’ve had my jukebox (or as I like to call it “the prehistoric iPod”) for a little over twelve years and in that time I’d like to think that I’ve perfected the mix of 45s within.

“TSOP” by MFSB, “Love’s Theme” by The Love Unlimited Orchestra, “Space Race” by Billy Preston, “Frankenstein” by Edgar Winter Group, “Popcorn” by Hot Butter,” “Joy” by Apollo 100, “Rock And Roll” by Gary Glitter, “Dueling Banjos” by Eric Weissberg & Deliverance, “Hocus Pocus” by Focus, “The Hustle” by Van McCoy, “Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango, “Feels So Good” by Chuck Mangione, “Scorpio” by Dennis Coffey and “Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield – the 1970s had its share of some of the greatest instrumental hits of all time.  While many of these tracks are truly not instrumentals because they either have wordless singing or minor vocal parts consisting of the title being shouted out several times over the duration of the song, they are still rightly classified as instrumental hits.

Today’s jukebox classic stands taller than most on the above list of ‘70s instrumentals. With its propulsive disco beat and infectious horn part, “Pick Up The Pieces” managed to set throngs of dancers into motion on disco dance floors around the world.

But it wasn’t always that way…When “Pick Up The Pieces” was originally released as a single in the U.K. in 1974; it sank without a trace, completely failing to chart. Three months later, the single came out in the U.S. where it sold a million copies and climbed to the top of the charts. It was then rereleased as a single in the U.K. and it rose to the top five. Not to dis our friends across the pond, but what were they thinking the first time around…

The song crossed over into the disco charts and also spawned an answer record recorded by James Brown’s backing band The J.B.s, called “One By One.” On the record, the J.B.s were credited as AABB, or the Above Average Black Band in homage to AWB. It was also sampled by the likes of The Beastie Boys, TLC, Too Short, Ice Cube, Eric B. & Rakim, Nas, Arrested Development and A Tribe Called Quest.

The Average White Band originated in Scotland in 1971 and consisted of Allan Gorrie (bass, guitar and vocals), Malcolm Duncan (tenor sax), Onnie McIntyre (vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Rosen (trumpet), Roger Ball (keyboards and sax) and Robbie McIntosh (drums) and Hamsih Stuart (guitar, bass and vocals).

Even though one of the group’s earliest gigs was as a support act to Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert in 1973, when their debut album Show Your Hand was released on MCA Records the same year, it sold poorly. For their second album, the group relocated to Los Angeles and signed with Atlantic Records.

The album, titled AWB was produced by Arif Mardin and ultimately topped the U.S. album charts on the heels of its chart-topping single. It was also known to AWB fans as The White Album as it featured stunning graphics on a white background that gave the band its memorable logo.

At the height of their initial fame, tragedy struck when drummer and founding member Robbie McIntosh died of a heroin overdose at a party in 1974. Allan Gorrie also overdosed at the same party, but Cher kept him conscious until medics arrived and he survived. Such was the “swinging” party scene of mid-70s Los Angeles. As a result, McIntosh was replaced by Steve Ferrone.

The band continued to release albums well into the 1980s (including a duo album with Ben E. King on vocals), and scored several hit singles including “Cut The Cake” (#31/1974), “Queen Of My Soul” (#23/1976) and “Let’s Go Round Again” (#12/1980). By the early 1980s, Ferrone left the group to work with Duran Duran, while Hamish Stuart went on to tour and record with Paul McCartney.

The group still exists today with McIntyre and Gorrie still on board. Their last album was a live album called Times Squared, released in 2009. The flip of today’s single is an exceptional cover of The Isley Brothers’ top twenty R&B hit “Work To Do,” which was also covered by The Main Ingredient and Vanessa Williams.

Boogie RiD3

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Once again, Uncle Marty is at the helm of The 3D RadioActivity, as we set out on our 546th passage beyond adventure where we’ll examine some of the avenues and vehicles where BOOGIE can be found.

Click to download or play:
https://archive.org/download/The3dRadioactivity/3dradio_20200802-BoogieRiD3.mp3

Our Summertime Seconds Series sails along next with BOOGIE tracks for children of all ages, whether they might be all the way from Mean Mamas to Pretty Babies because we still have over 300 to pick our upcoming programs from, even after ten BOOGIE shows without repeating a tune! If you want to help drive this bus, with your ideas fueling it, tell me by sending email.  Remind your circle of best friends and family to look for us on Theacidflashback.com,  Denver’s MileHiRadio,   TuneIn  and  InternetFM dot com, because the best FM radio is now on the Internet.

Until we meet again, as Radio Dave always says, “Rock On!”

…Uncle Marty

“It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.”

…Marilyn Monroe

Song Of The Day – “Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango

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manudibango1Hailing from Cameroon, Africa, Manu Dibango established himself as an in-demand saxophone player working with acts as diverse as Fela Kuti, Don Cherry, The Fania All-Stars and Sly and Robbie.

“Soul Makossa,” Dibango’s signature disco smash, was originally released as the flip side to the 1972 single “Mouvement Ewondo” on the French independent Fiesta record label. The song probably would have sunk without a trace if it had not been for Manhattan socialite David Mancuso.

Mancuso was known for throwing exclusive invitation-only loft parties in New York City that served as a precursor to the city’s thriving Disco scene of the 1970s. Mancuso found a copy of the record and gave it a spin at one of his parties where it was heard by DJ Frankie Crocker, who in turn played it on WBLS, New York City’s highest rated urban radio station.

The song became very popular, but the single was so rare that nine cover versions sprung up to fill the demand for the record, before Atlantic Records could rush-release Dibango’s original recording in 1973. As a result of the cover versions, Dibango’s recording only climbed up to #35 on the Billboard singles chart; however the chart position didn’t realistically reflect the enormous popularity of the single.

Later, the song’s “ma-ma so, ma-ma-sa, mako-mako-sa” refrain was featured prominently in Michael Jackson’s single “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” the lead track from his Thriller album which went on to be the biggest selling album of all time.  It was used without Dibango’s permission and he later settled handsomely with Jackson for use of the lyric.

Dibango released an updated version of the track in 1994, and then again in 2011 under the title “Soul Makossa 2.0.”

3D Radio Fever

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I’m still your Uncle Marty, this is The Award Winning 3D RadioActivity segment # 529.  The Corona Virus that has taken center stage is similar to the 1960 Twilight Zone episode titled “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street,”, or a decade later with Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain.  In today’s reality, symptoms can include: Tiredness; Aches; Sniffles; Sore throat and an elevated temperature.  Stay tuned as we present musical strains on the latter from our files about FEVER. 😎

Download here:
https://archive.org/download/The3dRadioactivity/3dradio_20200405-3DRadioFever.mp3
Or click to listen!

This FEVER has been the beginning of our series of QUARANTINED music for for all, whether you are socially distancing, or not.  Our next study meeting will be blessed for Easter with a seasonal tradition and more of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO UNCLE MARTY.  Tell me your program ideas and suggestions by sending email, or with a message on our Facebook page which has links to the archives of all the earlier episodes and graphics in the photo section.  Shout from the rooftops, or howl it on the corner, by looking for us on Theacidflashback.com,   http://www.villageconnectionmagazine.com/ Long Island, New York;Denver’s MileHiRadio, TuneIn and InternetFM dot com, because the best FM radio is now on the Internet.

Until we meet again, Keep Rockin’ On!

…Uncle Marty

“It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.”

…Marilyn Monroe

3D Breaks

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I’m your Uncle Marty, this is episode 527 of The Award Winning 3D RadioActivity, as we look into shatterproof melodies that tap the metaphorical BREAKS in music. 😎

Download here:
https://archive.org/download/The3dRadioactivity/3dradio_20200322-3DBreaks.mp3

or click to listen:

We’ve been taking a musical BREAK this time, and we hope for a BREAKDOWN next time, if we’re not quarantined yet; if so, we have a great selection of STAY ALONE tracks to check out.  As usual, if you have suggestions, tell me by sending email, or with a message on our Facebook page which has links to the archives of all the earlier episodes and graphics in the photo section.  Shout from the rooftops, or howl it on the corner, by looking for us on Theacidflashback.com,   http://www.villageconnectionmagazine.com/ Long Island, New York; Denver’s MileHiRadio, TuneIn and InternetFM dot com, because the best FM radio is now on the Internet.

Until we meet again, Always Rock On!

…Uncle Marty

“It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.”

…Marilyn Monroe

Song Of The Day – “Lose Yourself To Dance” by Daft Punk

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daftpunkSo Daft Punk has released a straight-up ‘70s Disco album and everybody is going nuts.

Daft Punk fans are going nuts because there are real instruments and, gasp, real voices on this record. Critics are going nuts because the group has made a ‘70s disco album, and a ‘70s disco album stands out because it’s the antithesis of the loud-soft dynamic of today’s EDM. This gives critics something to write about, which in turn makes them excited, resulting in amazingly positive reviews. Mind you, these are some of the same critics who back in the ‘70s, wouldn’t have been caught dead listening to a disco record.

That said, although Random Access Memories is indeed a departure for Daft Punk, the ‘70s disco left turn works well for them. Under all of the vocodered voices and electronic rhythms, the songs really have heart and emotion. It’s the clash of heart and transistors that is the key to this record, and you really can’t beat the rhythm section of Nathan East on bass and Omar Hakim on drums laying the groundwork for the guitar dynamics of Nile Rodgers funky-Chic style combined with the lighter, jazzier leanings of Paul Jackson Jr.

The record’s power will be in its ability to blend generations of fans, appealing to today’s dance music aficionado and the disco generation alike. This is probably why the record will end up not only being a multi-hit, multi format smash, but also one of the biggest records of the summer.

Nile Rodgers’ fingerprints are all over several of the album’s best tracks including the album’s lead-off track “Give Life Back To The Music,” “Get Lucky, which is sitting at the #4 position of the pop charts this week, and today’s Song Of The Day, “Lose Yourself To Dance,” which no doubt will also climb the charts in weeks to come. (Note: “Lose Yourself To Dance” and “Get Lucky” feature vocals from producer and Neptunes’ member Pharrell Williams.) The influence the man behind “Le Freak” and dozens of other Chic hits from the ‘70s and early ‘80s brings to this album humanizes Daft Punk’s mechanistic sound, as it harkens back to the production sheen he provided for David Bowie’s Let’s Dance.

Along with “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself To Dance,” the album’s centerpiece is clearly the Broadway disco showcase, “Touch,” featuring the dramatic vocals of Paul Williams. The song begins as a dark ruminating electronic soundscape and then bursts alive into Technicolor disco with Williams’ dramatic vocals. I can see this track crossing over big time and sending this album into the stratosphere.

“Georgio By Moroder” pays homage to the disco producer behind Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” with a nine minute moto-disco track that features Moroder talking about his craft over the music. Other cameos include Julian Casablancas, whose co-written track “Instant Crush” is not too different than the direction The Strokes have taken on their latest record, except that his collaboration with Daft Punk has a great hook which is something his own band has been lacking for a while. Elsewhere, Panda Bear lends a Beach Boy’s flavored vocal to “Doin’ It Right.”

I had the pleasure of seeing Daft Punk at Lollapalooza several years ago, and at the time their act relied heavily on spectacle more than songs. That’s not a slam. I love dance music and have for many years, but their live presentation was amazing, sending the audience into a literal frenzy. (I should know, I was up front for a good portion of their set and it was a crush.) Musically however, they were sonically closer to Kraftwerk than Giorgio Moroder or Nile Rodgers.

So who cares if the French duo of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter have a penchant for wearing robot disguises and appearing before audiences in a pod, their new musical direction has resulted in a record for the ages from this group, and one I’ll be coming back to again and again.

3D’s 4th Out

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I’m Uncle Marty, this is chapter # 496 of The 3D RadioActivity. There are numerous Ways of Getting Out in Cricket, including Bowled, Caught, Stumped, Hit the ball twice, Hit wicket, Obstructing the Field, Timed-Out, or the Leg before Wicket, while in Baseball most are recorded in three ways… one can strike out; be tagged out; or forced out. We begin the exploration of this quest for more than the fourth OUT by looking deep between the ears.

https://archive.org/download/The3dRadioactivity/3dradio_20190818-3Ds4thOut.mp3

We may be nearly out of time, yet we seemingly will never be out of OUT tunes. We will be asking WHY and BECAUSE the next two times we get together, although we know it’s because of having so much good music available! Tell me your ideas by sending email or leave a message on our Facebook page where you can give us a Like, and you can find hyperlinks to all of the earlier episodes and graphics in the photo section.  Tell all your circle of best friends and family to look for us on  Theacidflashback.com,  http://www.villageconnectionmagazine.com/ Long Island, New York; Denver’s MileHiRadio, TuneIn and InternetFM dot com, because the best FM radio is now on the Internet.

Until we meet again, Always Rock On!

…Uncle Marty

“It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.”

…Marilyn Monroe