In 1974, Chicago funk band Rufus captured the imagination of music lovers with their breakout hit “Tell Me Something Good” and became one of R&B's hottest new acts. They continued their hot streak with the scorching funk-rocker “You Got The Love,” the second single from their gold-certified sophomore album Rags To Rufus. The track features a ferocious groove with electrifying guitars, nasty bass, and a thunderous beat. Chaka Khan delivers a fiery, soul-stirring vocal performance. When Rufus first arrived on the scene, the young vocal dynamo stunned the music world with her prodigious talent and powerful pipes, raining down pure fire every time she stepped up to a mic. The rest of the Rufus crew were also extremely talented and had great musical chops.
In the song’s lyrics, Chaka expresses how vital her significant other’s love is to her existence, providing her with the strength and motivation to weather life's many hardships and struggles.
Chaka cowrote “You Got The Love” with singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer Ray Parker Jr. In a 2023 interview, Chaka discussed the genesis of the song. She said that Parker wanted her to listen to an instrumental track that he had been working on. He played it for her and asked if she could come up with some lyrics. She immediately loved the super-funky guitar riff. “When I heard that, I could hear the words already,” she said. She added, “Ray’s a wonderful guy, and I gotta thank him for that, he came with the goods.” The song was released on October 19, 1974. It topped Billboard’s R&B singles chart and peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it reached #21 on the Canadian charts.
“You Got The Love” has been sampled on 21 songs, including Lenny Kravitz’s “It’s Your Life” and Tone Lōc’s “On Fire” (Remix). It was played in an episode of the popular TV series Scandal (season 5, episode 1, 2015) and in an episode of the miniseries Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (season 1, episode 8, 2024).
The full personnel on Rags To Rufus were Chaka Khan (lead and background vocals), Dennis Belfield (bass, background vocals), André Fischer (drums, percussion, background vocals), Al Ciner (electric and acoustic guitars, background vocals), Ron Stockert (keyboards, lead and background vocals) and Kevin Murphy (organ, clavinet, background vocals). The album was produced by Bob Monaco and Rufus. It was released on ABC Records.
“You Got The Love” is one of Rufus’ signature songs, and Chaka still regularly performs it at her shows.
Chaka and Rufus burn up the stage with a dynamic performance of "You Got The Love" on The Midnight Special in 1974.
Legendary Minneapolis band the Time set off their 1982 sophomore album, What Time Is It?, with the massively funky single “777-9311.” The track boasts a distinctly unique sound, featuring a jittery drum machine beat, tight rhythm guitar riffs, and electrifying synth blasts. Prince anchors this explosive synth-funk groove with a sick bass line and also delivers a scorching guitar solo on his Hondo Stratocaster. And Morris Day brings his patented cocksure charisma to the lead vocals.
Prince composed, produced, and arranged the song, with Day later adding lyrics. The Purple One also played all the instruments. In a Facebook post, former Time guitarist Jesse Johnson wrote that the beat used in the song was a stock drumbeat in Prince’s Linn LM-1 drum machine. He added that the beat was programmed by famed Tower of Power drummer David Garibaldi. It’s noted for its intricately programmed hi-hat pattern and offbeat snare, utilizing an on-beat clap during the choruses and the outro. In the same Facebook post, Johnson disclosed that the phone number used in the song was Revolution guitarist Dez Dickerson’s home phone number. After the song became a hit, he was inundated with unwanted calls and had to change his number. “He was very pissed at us all,” wrote Johnson.
“777-9311” was released on July 30, 1982, four weeks before the album’s release. It peaked at #2 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #88 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it climbed to #42 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart.
The track has been sampled on eight songs, including “What'z Ya Phone #” by 2Pac, featuring Danny Boy, and “I’m Lovin’ It” by Justin Timberlake. Rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot references “777-9311” on his 1989 single “Beepers.” Hip-hop star Common referenced it on his 1992 track “Puppy Chow, and rapper Kutt Calhoun makes a reference to it on his 2008 song “School Daze.”
The Time personnel for What Time Is It? were Jellybean Johnson (drums, percussion), Jimmy Jam (keyboards, vocals), Terry Lewis (bass, vocals), Jesse Johnson (guitar, vocals), Morris Day (lead and backing vocals), and Monte Moir (keyboards, vocals). “777-9311” is one of the Time’s signature songs, and it's usually included on the setlist at their concerts.
The Time performing “777-9311” at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, MN in 1987
Detroit vocal quintet the Dramatics scored one of their biggest hits with this exquisite slice of soul in 1971. The track is brilliantly arranged and seamlessly melds Latin, soul, funk, and pop. William “Wee Gee” Howard and Ron Banks share lead vocals, infusing their performances with heaps of style and passion. Banks’ soothing falsetto nicely complements Howard’s gritty tenor. Group members Larry “Squirrel” Demps, Willie “Sugar Bear” Ford, and Elbert Wilkins all deliver strong performances on their featured vocal parts and rich harmonies. The song boasts a delicious fuzztone guitar riff, percolating percussion, marvelous horn charts, and airy strings. Banks brings additional flavor to the mix with some killer scatting, and Ford’s powerful bass vocals elevate the track tremendously, including his famous line “Look at me."
“What you see is what you get” was a popular catchphrase in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. Comedian Flip Wilson popularized it through his sassy drag character, Geraldine, on his hit TV variety show, The Flip Wilson Show, which originally aired on NBC from 1970 to 1974. The catchphrase inspired the Dramatics’ song “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get.”
The song is an offer of genuine love to a prospective romantic partner. The narrator assures her that he’s not looking to play games, deceive, or cause her any heartbreak; that he's authentic and has nothing but good intentions: “But baby, I’m for real/I’m as real as can get.”
“Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get” was written and produced by Tony Hester, and Johnny Allen arranged the horns, strings, and rhythm charts. It’s the title track and lead single from the Dramatics’ debut album, released on Volt/Stax Records in November 1971. The song peaked at #3 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it reached #44 on the Canadian singles chart. The song has sold a million copies to date.
“Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get” has been sampled on 33 songs, including “Fight The Power” (Public Enemy), “I Know You See Me” (Lil’ Kim), and “Big Daddy vs. Dolemite” (Big Daddy Kane, featuring Rudy Ray Moore). It has been featured on the soundtracks of the films Detroit (2017), An Honest Liar (2014), Talk To Me (2007), Sunday Driver (2005), Darktown Strutters (1975), and Wattstax (1973). And it has been featured on notable television series such as American Soul (2019), Black Lightning (2018), and Fargo (2015).
Additionally, drag queen and singer RuPaul covered the song for the soundtrack of the 1993 film, The Addams Family Values. And hitmaking blue-eyed soul duo Hall & Oates recorded a cover of it for their 2004 album Our Kind of Soul.
The Dramatics performing "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" live
The Dramatics performing "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" on Soul Tra.in
Funk supergroup the Big Ol’ Nasty Getdown recently dropped their sizzling new single “When the Juice Ran Out.” This is electrifying funk delivered in the Getdown’s inimitable badass fashion. It features the formidable talents of Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore (lead vocals and saxophone), bassist Rodney “Skeet” Curtis (P-Funk/Maceo Parker), drummer Jack Irons (Red Hot Chili Peppers/Pearl Jam), and guitarist Tim Stewart (Lady Gaga/Suicidal Tendencies). Moore brings a ton of soul and energy to his dynamic lead vocal performance and also delivers some dazzling sax work. Curtis keeps the funk blazing with a furious bass line that's bolstered by Irons’ explosive drumming. And Stewart fires up the groove with some scorching guitar.
"When the Juice Ran Out" imagines what it would be like if the internet were to shut down and how it would impact our lives. It explores our over-dependence on technology and how we have replaced physical reality with digital illusion, and that the internet’s collapse would force us to reconnect on a physical and spiritual level.
The creation of “When The Juice Ran Out” was a collaborative effort. Bassist/producer John Heintz sent an isolated drum track recorded by Irons during a 2016 session to Curtis, who brought his bass brilliance to the mix, and Stewart contributed his considerable guitar skills. And Moore penned the song’s great lyrics and added some funky sax. The track was mixed by Fabrizio Grossi and mastered by Dave Gardner. Johnny “Thief” DiDonna and Jeff Wood created the single’s cool cover art.
The Big Ol’ Nasty Getdown is an ever-expanding genre-defying global collective comprised of 225 musicians from 180 bands covering 18 years, including members of notable bands such as Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kool & the Gang, Suicidal Tendencies, Sly & the Family Stone, the Meters, Fishbone, and Korn. Heintz founded the Getdown in 2007. It grew from his vision of capturing the spontaneous energy of jam sessions and bringing together talented players from a wide range of bands and genres. He got the ambitious project on its feet with the help of Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band members Derrick Johnson and John-Paul Miller.
The Getdown's upcoming album Volume 3 is set for release on September 19.
Funk/R&B band the Soul Machine released the wicked funk track "Twitchie Feet" in 1968. The talented players perform this smooth instrumental with flair and finesse. It features a cold guitar riff, a treacherous beat, and some soulful organ. It also boasts a dynamic horn arrangement and a smokin’ sax solo. This cut is thoroughly satisfying, like a succulent sirloin steak served with all the trimmings. It has kind of an early New Orleans funk flavor, similar to the Meters but with horns.
Soul/funk artist Leon Haywood wrote, produced, and arranged this old-school gem. It was released on the independent Los Angeles-based label Pzazz Records. The track’s B-side is “Bag of Goodies,” which Haywood also wrote, arranged, and produced.
Twitchie Feet” has been sampled on eight songs, including “The Joker” (Fatboy Slim, featuring Bootsy Collins) and "Freedom Band" (Deliquent Habits). The band, the Incredible Say Whats!, released a great cover of “Twitchie Feet” in 2012.
Leon Haywood was a renowned singer, songwriter, and producer who enjoyed an impressive three-decades-long music career. Born in Houston, Texas, on February 11, 1942, he developed a love for music at a very young age and began playing piano at three. He was a keyboardist in soul legend Sam Cooke’s band from the early 1960s until Cooke’s death in 1964. Haywood is best known for his risqué 1975 hit “I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You,” which has been sampled on many songs, most notably Dr. Dre’s hip-hop classic “Nuthin’ But a G Thang.” In 1980, he released the irresistible dance track “Don’t Push It Don’t Force It,” which reached #2 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. And he wrote and produced Carl Carlton’s Grammy-nominated hit “She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)," released in 1981. Haywood was also responsible for many other great recordings. He passed away on April 5, 2016, at age 74 and will forever be remembered for his significant contributions to soul and funk music.
I was unable to find any additional information about the Soul Machine, such as the names of the members and the exact year that the band was formed, or any of their other releases.
The Jackson 5 released the electrifying single “Dancing Machine” in February 1974. The track quickly dominated the R&B and pop charts and filled countless dance floors across the U.S. It was the group’s final top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 under Motown before they left the label in 1976 to sign with Epic Records, rebranding themselves the Jacksons. (Jermaine Jackson was then married to Hazel Gordy, daughter of Motown founder Barry Gordy, and was the only member to remain with the famous Motor City label, where he enjoyed a successful solo career and later with Arista Records in the '80s.)
“Dancing Machine” is exciting, high-adrenaline disco-funk. The dynamic groove is masterfully arranged and features supertight musicianship from the talented session players. It boasts a scorching beat, superb bass work, and wicked rhythm guitar licks. Michael Jackson and Jermaine both deliver strong vocal performances. Jermaine’s rich, butter-smooth vocals provide a nice contrast to Michael's gritty, explosive vocals. The track also features a fantastic instrumental break and an indelible chorus. The other Jackson brothers–Tito, Jackie, and Marlon–provide sturdy vocal support with their soulful harmonies.
The Jackson 5’s producer Hal Davis came up with the song idea for “Dancing Machine” after a woman on the Motown staff would regularly come into his office and dance whenever he played music. He told fellow label songwriter Don Fletcher, “She’s a dancing machine.” Working from this title, Davis and Fletcher wrote the song with guitarist Dean Parks. The song was originally an album track on the Jackson 5’s eighth studio album G.I.T.: Get It Together, released in September 1973. A remixed, edited version of the song was released as a single on February 19, 1974. It topped Billboard’s R&B singles chart and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the group’s first U.S. top ten hit on the pop charts since “Sugar Daddy” in 1971. The song also performed well on the charts in Canada, peaking at #2. The remixed version of “Dancing Machine” became the title track of the Jackson 5’s ninth studio album, released on September 5, 1974.
“Dancing Machine” is widely considered a classic and one of the group’s most recognized songs. It has sold more than three million copies to date. The song also earned the Jackson 5 their second Grammy nomination in 1975 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals, but it lost to Rufus’s hit “Tell Me Something Good.”
During live performances of “Dancing Machine,” Michael Jackson would unleash his incredible robot dance solo on the instrumental break, astonishing audience members with his flawless moves. His eye-popping robot solo let everyone know that his dance skills were just as strong as his tremendous vocal abilities. Moreover, the dance break helped further popularize the physically complex “robot” dance technique, first developed by Charles Washington in the late 1960s; however, its roots date back to the 1920s, when it was used theatrically in miming.
“Dancing Machine” has been sampled on 33 songs, including “Bitties in the BK Lounge” (De La Soul), “Automatic” (E-40, featuring Fabolous), and “Like This” (Girl Talk).
The song has been featured on many film soundtracks, including Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé (2019), Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off The Wall (2016), Four Brothers (2005), Starsky & Hutch (2004), Contact (1997), The Inkwell (1994), and I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988). It has also been featured on numerous TV series, including Glastonbury 2017, The Jacksons: An American Dream (season 1, episode 2, part II, 1992), In Living Color (season 3, episode 21, 1992), Quantum Leap (season 1, episode 4, 1989), and Diff’rent Strokes (season 1, episode 18, 1979). Additionally, the song was featured on the soundtrack of the video game Karaoke Revolution (2009).
The session musicians who played on “Dancing Machine” were William Salter (bass), James Gadson (drums), Joe Sample (keyboards), Bobbye Hall (percussion), and guitars: Dean Parks, David T. Walker, and Arthur Wright. It was produced by Hal Davis and arranged by Arthur Wright.
Longer version of "Dancing Machine"
The Jackson 5 performing "Dancing Machine" on The Carol Burnett Show in March 1974
The Jackson 5 performing "Dancing Machine" on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour in January 1974
Funk music's notorious bad boy, Rick James, dropped this ruthless groove in 1983. The track features a stripped-down, synth-heavy sound with Roland TR-series drum machine beats. This was quite a departure from James’s typical guitar-based tracks that feature a full horn section and real drums. “Cold Blooded” boasts a vicious bass line, fiery synth blasts, and funky keys. And James delivers a rousing vocal performance. This furious slice of electrofunk still hits hard after repeated plays.
The song is about actress Linda Blair, star of the iconic horror classic The Exorcist, whom James dated for two years (1982 - 84). She became pregnant with his baby but decided to have an abortion. Blair didn't inform James about the pregnancy until after the procedure. He was reportedly hurt by the decision. James wrote in his memoir, “It was about how Linda could freeze my blood.” The song’s genesis came about when Blair told James she was interested in learning about writing music. He brought her into his recording studio to give her a firsthand look at the recording process. He began noodling around on some keyboards and came up with the bass line, and the song just grew from there.
James wrote, produced, and arranged “Cold Blooded” as well as played all the instruments. It was the title track of his seventh studio album, released on Gordy Records, a subsidiary of Motown Records. The song dropped on July 5, 1983. It was a major hit, occupying the top spot on Billboard’s R&B singles chart for six weeks. It peaked at #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to #17 on Billboard’s dance chart.
“Cold Blooded” has been sampled on 16 songs, including “Got Your Money” (Ol’ Dirty Bastard, featuring Kelis), “Sophisticated Lady” (Mýa), and “Fantasy” (Yo-Yo). It has been featured on the TV series Atlanta (season 4, episode 2, 2022) and Fame (season 1, episode 2, 1982, and season 3, episode 11, 1984). It was also featured on the soundtrack of the BAFTA Award-winning action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).
Rick James & The Stone City Band performing "Cold Blooded" live in Cincinnati in 1983
Another clip of Rick & The Stone City Band performing "Cold Blooded" in concert
