Ohio Players - Contradiction

 This Month of March Marks The 48th Anniversary of The Ohio Players’ 11th Studio Album “Contradiction” Originally Released in 1976.

Contradiction is the eleventh studio album by The Ohio Players, and the fourth album recorded for Mercury Records.

The album peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs chart and at #12 on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs chart.

The album released two singles, “Who'd She Coo?" and “Far East Mississippi".

“Who'd She Coo? peaked at #1 on the Billboard The Hot R&B Songs chart and at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“Far East Mississippi” peaked #26 on the Hot R&B Songs chart.

The band recorded Contradiction at three different recording studios, each session utilizing Barry Mraz as their engineer. The album cover depicts a nude woman feeding a horse a shiny red apple. While the horse is identified by name and breed in the liner notes (an Anglo-Trakehner stallion named Wasyl), the model is uncredited.

It is the fifth and last Ohio Players album to be announced also as a quadraphonic (four-channel stereo) release in the 8-track tape format. However, it was never actually released as no known copies have surfaced even among collectors, and there is no evidence the remix was ever performed. Contradiction was one of three Ohio Players albums released in 1976. 

Track-listing

 1. "Contradiction" 

2. "Precious Love”

3. "Little Lady Maria"

4. "Far East Mississippi"

5. "Who'd She Coo?"

6. "My Life"

7. "Tell the Truth"

8. "My Ladies Run Me Crazy"

9. "Bi-Centennial"

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology.

Teena Marie - Wild and Peaceful

Today Marks The 44th Anniversary of Teena Marie’s Sophomore Studio Album “Lady T” Originally Released on February 24, 1980.

Wild and Peaceful is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Teena Marie. Released on March 20, 1979 by Motown Records.

The album peaked at #18 on the Billboard Black Albums chart and #94 on the Billboard Albums chart. 

Two singles were released from the album "I'm a Sucker for Your Love" and “Don't Look Back”.

"I'm a Sucker for Your Love" reached #8 on the US Black Singles chart and #43 in the UK

“Don't Look Back" reached #91 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

The album was produced by Rick James who also wrote the bulk of material as well as providing co-vocals on  the song "I'm a Sucker for Your Love".

Wild and Peaceful didn’t feature a picture of Teena Marie, Motown didn't include a photograph of the singer on the album sleeve, leading many listeners to assume she was African-American.

Track-listing

 1. “I'm a Sucker for Your Love"

2. "Turnin' Me On" 

3. "Don't Look Back"

4. "Déjà Vu (I've Been Here Before)"

5. "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)

6. "I Can't Love Anymore"

7. "I'm a Sucker for Your Love (Instrumental)" 

8. "You Got the Love" (Outtake) - 4:34

9. "Every Little Bit Hurts" (Duet with Rick James)

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology 

Raydio - Rock On

Today Marks The 45th Anniversary of Raydio’s Sophomore Album “Rock On” Originally Released March 19, 1979.

Rock On is the second album by Raydio, released in March 1979 on Arista Records.

The album reached No. 4 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Two singles were released from the album "You Can't Change That" and “More Than One Way to Love a Woman".

"You Can't Change That", Released as a single in 1979, it reached #9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and #3 on the soul chart.

"More Than One Way to Love a Woman" reached number 25 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.

The album was also certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Track-listing

1. "What You Waitin' For"

2. "Hot Stuff"

3. "You Can't Change That”

4. "Rock On"

5. "More Than One Way to Love a Woman"

6. "When You're in Need of Love"

7. "Goin' Thru School and Love"

8. "Honey I'm a Star"

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology

Odyssey – Hang Together

Today Marks The 44th Anniversary of Odyssey's Third Studio Album "Hang Together" Originally Released March 15, 1980.

"Hang Together" is the third studio album by from New York City Disco/Funk group Odyssey released on RCA Records 1980.

The album peaked at #66 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and at #123 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The album released two singles "Use It Up and Wear It Out" and "If You're Lookin' for a Way Out".

"Use It Up and Wear It Out" was originally released as the B-side of "Don't Tell Me, Tell Her". When it was re-released as the A-side it would go on to spend twelve weeks on the UK Singles Chart, including two at No. 1, but failed to make commercial success in the United States.

"If You're Lookin' for a Way Out" was the second consecutive UK top 10 single in a row for the band, both gaining a silver certification in the UK. It featured Lillian Lopez on lead vocals and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the chart.

The album's title track "Hang Together" was released as the third single it failed to chart in the UK and United States all together.

Tracklisting 

1. Hang Together

2. Never Had It At All

3. Don't Tell Me, Tell Her

4. Down Boy

5. Follow Me (Play Follow The Leader)

6. Use It Up And Wear It Out

7. If You're Lookin' For A Way Out

8. Rooster Loose In The Barnyard

By Romie Rome For Musique Funkology.

 

Aurra - Aurra

Today Marks The 44th Anniversary of Aurra’s Debut Self-titled Album “Aurra” Originally Released on March 14, 1980.

Aurra is the self-titled debut album of Dayton, Ohio’s R&B,Funk band Aurra released on Dream Records in 1980.

The band consist of former bandmates of Dayton, Ohio’s funk band Slave featuring Curt Jones, Starleana Young, Steve Washington and Tom Lockett along with keyboardist Philip Field.

The album reached #16 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums music chart and at #128 on the The Billboard 200 chart.

Two singles were released from the album "When I Come Home" and 

"When I Come Home" reached #50 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

“In the “Mood (to Groove)" reached #50 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and at #86 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart.

The album was produced by Charles Carter, Stephen C. Washington, Tom Lockett for Slave, Ball & Chain Productions. 

Track-listing 

1. Too Much

2. Who Are You

3. In The Mood (To Groove)

4. When I Come Home

5. Got To Get My Lady Back

6. You're The Only One

7. When I Come Home (Larry Levan 12'' Mix)

8. In The Mood (To Groove) (12'' Mix)

9. When I Come Home 

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology.

Cymande - Arrival

Today Marks The 43rd Anniversary of Cymande’s 4th Studio Album “Arrival” Originally Released March 13. 1981.

Arrival is the fourth studio album by British funk group Cymande. Recorded in 1974, it was released in 1981 through Paul Winley Records.

The album is a far cry from their most popular debut album “Cymande” The album has a few tight tunes on it regardless of what some critics say about the album. 

Record Collector wrote: "Incredibly dull ballads alternate with less-than-inspired attempts at floor-fillers, with, perhaps, only the closing 'It’s Magic', a Philly International-inspired groove, coming close to scaling the heights of earlier gems."

No Depression urged readers to avoid it, writing that it was put out to "cash in on [Cymande's] club cache."

Track-listing

1. What's The Word – Good Times" – 7:22

2. "Living For Your Love" – 5:24

3. "Sweet Talk" – 6:24

4. "Let Me Be The One" – 3:59

5. "Since You've Been Gone" – 4:54

6. "You Won't Feel So Proud" – 4:14

8."Being With You" – 4:57

9."It's Magic" – 3:24

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology 

 

Funkadelic - Connections & Disconnections

 Today Marks The 43rd Anniversary of Funkadelic's 12th Studio Album "Connections & Disconnections" Originally Released on March 13, !981.

Connections & Disconnections is an album recorded by Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas under the name Funkadelic.

With the history of financial disputes with Clinton behind them, and backing from Westbound Records founder Armen Boladian, this album (co-produced by former Sly and the Family Stone drummer Greg Errico, without the involvement of George Clinton) was released in Germany in 1980 entitled 42.9%, and in the United States in 1981 entitled Connections & Disconnections. 

The album was reissued by Rhino Records in 1992 with the title Who's a Funkadelic? The competing release challenged George Clinton's claim to ownership of the "Funkadelic" name, ultimately leading to a lawsuit between the trio and Clinton.

Due to the combination of several factors, by the end of the 1970s, the Parliament-Funkadelic enterprise was starting to crumble. Dissatisfaction with George Clinton's style of financial management led to the departure of additional key members Bernie Worrell, "Billy Bass" Nelson, Glenn Goins and Jerome Brailey. Haskins, Simon, and Thomas (along with Clinton and bass vocalist Ray Davis) had been members of The Parliaments since the band's inception in the mid-1950s. Throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s, they (Haskins, Simon, and Thomas) felt increasingly marginalized by the influx of new P-Funk musicians,[4] and in 1977, refused to sign a Backstage Management contract requiring them to relinquish all rights to the names Parliament and Funkadelic. Shortly after the trio left Parliament-Funkadelic, they formed their own band, which they also named "Funkadelic," and recorded Connections & Disconnections. Their use of the name Funkadelic resulted in an acrimonious legal dispute with Clinton's organization, and is rumored to have contributed to accelerating the disintegration of Parliament-Funkadelic.

Track-listing

1. "Phunklords" 

2. "You'll Like It Too"

3. "The Witch"

4. "Connections and Disconnections"

5. "Come Back"

6. "Call the Doctor"

7. "Who's a Funkadelic"

By Romie Rome For Musique Funkology.