Your Daily Song Fix

Here is some early punk funk from my man Taylor. This cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s “If You Want Me To Stay” is from the album Freaky Styley, one of two albums with the true RHCP lineup before Hillel Slovak died of a drug overdose in 1988 (the other is The Uplift Mofo Party Plan). Freaky Styley was produced by George Clinton, principal architect of P-Funk, and features great jazz musicians Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker on horns. Flea (the bass player from RHCP) touted his jazz musician skills which most people probably never recognize by playing trumpet on this album.

I don’t know how many of my readers are either musicians or really appreciate great musicianship. If you fall into either of those categories you definitely want to check out this version of Caravan as well as anything else from Brian Bromberg. The bass playing is simply amazing. Enjoy!

Sorry Daily Song Fix has been missing in action this week. I develop websites, blogs, and web applications for a living and these past couple weeks have been really busy. Taylor, a Daily Song Fix reader, sent me a great suggestion – Honey Dove by Lee Fields. I had not heard of Lee Fields before Taylor mentioned him but according to Taylor, “Honey Dove” is a “great soulful song by the classic funk artist Lee Fields. Currently performing with The Expressions on the Truth and Soul label and putting out solid funk and soul!” I definitely agree that this is some solid funk and soul. I will be paying more attention to Lee Fields in the future. Thanks Taylor!

I like most music that Beck has a hand in creating and this song is no exception. Beck’s contribution can’t be underestimated – not only did he write all of the record’s music, he co-wrote the lyrics, produced, and mixed the thing (or so I have read). Shout out to Meara for the excellent song request!

“Try a Little Tenderness” is a love song written by “Irving King” and Harry M. Woods, and recorded initially on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra (with vocals by Val Rosing). Otis Redding’s live version from the amazing album Live in London & Paris starts off with a great soulful melody and then transitions into an upbeat groove backed by a fearless horn section. I put this entire album in the Daily Song Fix Store (see the tab – Listen and Shop!) because it really is an amazing album. Props to Joe @ Chowabunga for the song suggestion.
Update: The Live in Paris version stopped working so I embedded a different one below, still great!

Soulive is a really funky upbeat band and I will be posting lots of their music on this blog. This song is a bit soft and jazzy but very tasteful. Soulive teams up with Dave Matthews to cover the Ani Difranco song “Joyful Girl.” Eric Krasno takes a really awesome solo midway through the song to show some of that Soulive instrumental virtuosity. Enjoy!

I really like the lyrics in this song so I am posting them below the music widget. It also has a great melody and harmonies.

Lyrics
Everyone is trying to get to the bar.
The name of the bar, the bar is called Heaven.
The band in Heaven they play my favorite song.
They play it one more time, they play it all night long.

Oh heaven, heaven is a place, a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.
Heaven is a place, a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.

There is a party, everyone is there.
Everyone will leave at exactly the same time.
When this partys over it will start again.
It will not be any different, it will be exactly the same.

Heaven is a place, a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.
Heaven is a place, a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.

When this kiss is over it will start again.
It will not be any different, it will be exactly
the same.
It’s hard to imagine that nothing at all
could be so exciting, could be this much fun.

Oh, heaven, heaven is a place, a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.
Oh, heaven, heaven is a place, a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.

I really like the vibe of this song. What do you think?