Rufus - Rags To Rufus

​Today Marks The 52nd Anniversary of Rufus’ Sophomore Album “Rags to Rufus” Originally Released on May 5, 1974.

“Rags To Rufus” is the second studio album by funk band Rufus, released on the ABC Records label in 1974.

 

The album peaked at #4 on both of the Billboard’s Pop and Black Albums charts.

 

Two singles were released from the album "Tell Me Something Good"  and "You Got the Love".

 

"Tell Me Something Good"  peaked at #1 on the US Cash Box Top 100, #3 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the US Billboard R&B charts.

 

Rufus won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus for the song at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards in 1975.

 

"You Got the Love" peaked at # on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

 

Chaka Khan re-recorded "You Got the Love/Pack'd My Bags" medley for her 2007 album Funk This, with Tony Maiden on guitar.

 

“Rags to Rufus” sold over a million copies later going platinum. After this release, founding member Al Ciner, Dennis Belfield, and Stockert would leave; the lineup of the group by the time of their next album had changed drastically.

 

Track-listing

1. You Got the Love

2. I Got the Right Street (But the Wrong Direction)

3. Walkin' in the Sun

4. Rags to Rufus

5. Swing Down Chariot

6. Sideways

7. Ain't Nothin' But a Maybe

8. Tell Me Something Good

9. Look Through My Eyes

10. In Love We Grow

11. Smokin' Room

 

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology.©

Parliament - Live: P-Funk Earth Tour

​Today Marks The 49th Anniversary of Parliament’s Live Double Album “Live: P-Funk Earth Tour” Originally Released on May 5, 1977.

Live: P-Funk Earth Tour is a live double album by Parliament released in 1977 by Casablanca Records.

 

Live: P-Funk Earth Tour is a live double album by Parliament that documents the band's 1977 P-Funk Earth Tour.

 

The performances include songs from Parliament's albums through The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein as well as songs from the Funkadelic repertoire.

 

The album is made up of portions of two performances from January 1977 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena and the Los Angeles Forum.

 

The album's centerpiece is a sprawling, 15-minute extended jam of "Dr. Funkenstein," which allows the band to "stretch out" and showcases the elite musicianship of Bernie Worrell (keyboards), Bootsy Collins (bass), and the "Horny Horns" led by Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker.

 

Key Tracks: "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)," "Do That Stuff," and "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" are consistently praised as top-tier live renditions.

 

Original Packaging: The initial double-vinyl release was famous for including a 22x33" poster of George Clinton as Dr. Funkenstein and an iron-on T-shirt transfer with the slogan "Take Funk To Heaven in '77!".

 

Live: P-Funk Earth Tour was Parliament’s third album to be certified gold, reaching #6 on the Billboard R&B chart.

 

Tracklisting

 

Live: P.Funk Earth Tour [Disc 1]

 

1. P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)

2. Dr. Funkenstein's Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication Medley

3. Do That Stuff

4. The Landing (Of The Holy Mothership)

5. Undisco Kidd (The Girl Is Bad!)

6. Children Of Production

7. Mothership Connection (Star Child)

 

Live: P.Funk Earth Tour [Disc 2]

 

1. Swing Down, Sweet Chariot

2. This Is The Way We Funk With You

3. Dr Funkenstein

4. Gamin On Ya!

5. Tear The Roof Off The Sucker Medley

6. Night Of The Thumpasorus People

7. Fantasy Is Reality

 

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology. ©

Midnight Star - Headlines

​Today Marks The 40th Anniversary of Midnight Star’s 6th Studio Album “Headlines” Originally Released on May 5, 1986.

 

“Headlines” is the sixth studio album by Midnight Star released in 1986 on SOLAR Records.

 

The album peaked at #7 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at #56 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

 

Three singles were released from the album, "Headlines", "Midas Touch" and "Engine No. 9".

 

"Headlines" peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at #69 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 music chart.

 

"Midas Touch" peaked at #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at #42 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 music chart.

 

"Engine No. 9" peaked at #11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

 

The album was certified gold in the United States by the RIAA selling 500,000 copies.

 

Headlines was the last album to include the Calloway brothers, who left to form Calloway.

 

Track-listing

 

1. Headlines

2. Midas Touch

3. Stay Here by My Side

4. Close to Midnight

5. Get Dressed

6. Engine No. 9

7. Close Encounter

8. Dead End

9. Searching for Love

 

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology.©

Curtis Mayfield - Sweet Exorcist

​Today Marks The 52nd Anniversary of Curtis Mayfield’s 5th Studio Album “Sweet Exorcist” Originally Released on May 5, 1974.

“Sweet Exorcist” is the fifth studio album by Curtis Mayfield, released in May 1974 on Curtom Records.

 

The album peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Top Black Albums chart and at #39 on the US Billboard

Top LPs & Tapes chart.

 

Two singles were released from the album "Kung Fu” and the album’s title track "Sweet Exorcist”.

 

“Kung Fu” peaked at #3 on the US Billboard R&B chart and at #40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

"Sweet Exorcist” peaked at #32 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

 

Track-listing

 

1. Ain't Got Time

2. Sweet Exorcist

3. To Be Invisible

4. Power to the People

5. Kung Fu

6. Suffer

7. Make Me Believe in You

8. Kung Fu (Single Edit)

 

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology. ©

Terence Trent D'Arby - Symphony or Damn

​Today Marks The 33rd Anniversary of Terence Trent D'Arby’s 3rd Studio Album “Symphony or Damn” Originally Released on May 3, 1993.

“Symphony or Damn (Exploring the Tension Inside the Sweetness) is the third studio album by singer, songwriter Terence Trent D'Arby, released in 1993 through Columbia Records.

 

The album reached #119 on the U.S. Billboard Top Pop Albums charts.

 

Four songs were released from the album, "Do You Love Me Like You Say?", "Delicate", "She Kissed Me" and "Let Her Down Easy".

 

"Do You Love Me Like You Say?" reached #120 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles chart.

 

"Delicate" reached #74 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

 

"She Kissed Me" reached #16 on the UK Singles chart.

 

"Let Her Down Easy" reached #111 just beneath the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

 

Two more tracks were released from the album but they were not as successful as the aforementioned tracks. "Turn the Page" failed to chart, while "Neon Messiah" was released as an EP in Japan only. This included a number of B-sides and is a widely sought-after collector's item.

 

Tracklisting

 

1. Welcome to My Monasteryo

2. She Kissed Me

3. Do You Love Me Like You Say?

4. Baby, Let Me Share My Love

5. Delicate

6. Neon Messiah

7. Penelope Please

8. Wet Your Lips

9. Turn the Page

10. Castilian Blue

11. Tension Inside The Sweetness/Frankie & Johnny

12. Are You Happy?

13. Succumb to Me

14. I Still Love You

15. Seasons

16. Let Her Down Easy

 

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology.©