Great Music: Take A Workbreak - "Up On The Roof"

Share this ARTICLE with your colleagues on LinkedIn .

---

This song, performed originally by the Drifters (and sung by the fabulous Ben E. King), was written by Carole King. While the original arrangement was by far the finest, other covers were done by James Taylor, Laura Nyro, Carole King (after all she wrote it), Bruce Willis (nothing more be said, but a nice, pleasant voice.... not bad), and others.

The Drifters also did some other immortal versions of "Under The Boardwalk," and "Saturday Night At The Movies". Ben King did notable recordings of "Stand By Me," "A Rose In Spanish Harlem," and, of course, "Save The Last Dance For Me."

Yet, the Drifters original version with its continuous upbeat marimba riff, great sustained chord vocal harmonies, and full orchestra (strings, brass.... the whole enchilada) remains one of my favorite childhood songs. It was magical. It was fresh air. Click and enjoy it with me.

UP ON THE ROOF - Drifters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F_opWg9_qI






And if you've gone mobile:

Your Uncle Dazz from the RadioDAZZ Musical Workbreaks Entitlement Society loves you.

Sponsored By: 
CFI - CrowdFunding Incubator LLC 
ICS - International Connection Services 
Global Edge Technologies Group LLC 
CFI Business Growth
Douglas E. Castle On LinkedIn - Join Me! 

---

***








 

Related articles

• Sympathies, Condolences, Comfort And Support - Opportunities In Sorrow (sendingsignals.blogspot.com)
• Watch: Person of the Week: Folk Crooner Carole King Honored by Obama (abcnews.go.com)
• Choose To Be Extraordinary - The Greatest Self-Fulfilling Prophesy (braintenance.blogspot.com)
• You've Got a Friend - So be Sure to Tell Them That (mangosalute.com)
• Greatness Rising: Actor Gary Sinise. (douglasecastle.com)
• Bargain Alert! A Natural Woman: A Memoir by Carole King (@Carole_King) for $3.99! #Kindle (randomizeme.net)
• Carole King, Annie Lennox, Willie Nelson receive honorary degrees (gantdaily.com)

Major Lance - "Um Um Um Um Um Um" - Fabulous Tune Written by Curtis Mayfield

Share this ARTICLE with your colleagues on LinkedIn .

---

Major Lance sang so many terrific songs. They were all so upbeat -- and everybody was singing along. He performed songs written by Curtis Mayfield (remember "The Impressions"?), Laura Nyro, and was always a transistor radio sensation. When you heard Major Lance singing, he just made you feel great inside and you just had to sing along.

Although he's probably known best for "Do The Monkey," and "It's Alright" [which was covered beautifully by by Huey Lewis decades later] the most soulful sensation in RadioDAZZ' estimation was this one: "Um Um Um Um Um Um." Gents, fellows, and homies, let me warn you... if you don't do right by your woman, you'll be sitting on a park bench (try to find a spot that the pigeons haven't gotten to first) singing this song.

Listen to it twice -- once to just be DAZZled by it, and the second time to listen carefully to those great lyrics. Curtis Mayfield wrote this song when he was only 20 years old. So, click on the link or on the YouTube video player ['s up, Player?] and treat yourself to something great. Both the writer and the performer have passed, but they're immortalized in vinyl.

Now listen here, y'all - Uncle DAZZ loves you:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g02WmLzozs8



A fellow commenting on this You Tube video made this wonderful observation:

"I graduated from H.S. in 1965 and thanks to Major Lance, Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions and numerous other singers & groups ~ the music of this time was the absolute best. It put a joy into your heart, and your feet, that was magical. The Major was my favorite and this song, written & sung, by high school buds Lance & Mayfield, was my favorite recording by Major Lance. I might not have been black but I still thought it was the best rhythm, the best beat and the best sound of my youth."

Just as "Love Don't Love Nobody," music has no color. Black, white -- good music touches every soul regardless of its container. Don't forget.

RadioDAZZ

---

***

Related articles

• Curtis Mayfield - Live At Marcus Garvey Center - 1984 - Nights At The Roundtable: Mini-Concert Edition (pastdaily.com)
• 55 Artists That Somehow Never Won a Grammy... (thisindustrythingofours.wordpress.com)
• Curtis/Live! (Curtom, 1971) (thefoghatprinciple.wordpress.com)
• There's a reason why people say 'Um' or 'Ah' in a conversation (mybdworldzone.wordpress.com)
• Funky Anti-federalism (theburningplatform.com)
• A little local color consciousness (kenyatta2009.wordpress.com)
• Jim James: Cool people ruin music (salon.com)
• BIG BANG THEORY! - Barenaked Ladies - RadioDAZZ Has The Answers! (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• Compared To What?! - Al Jarreau Jams - Like WOW! (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep - RadioDAZZ In Birdland! (radiodazz.blogspot.com)

Three Dog Night - Fabulous Hits - RadioDAZZ Picks

Share this ARTICLE with your colleagues on LinkedIn .

---

Three Dog Night had some fabulous hits in the mid-1970s. With their full vocal harmonies, excellent songwriting and arranging, and simple instrumental production, they had a fresh, real rock sound. String-bending guitar solos (with distortion as necessary), simple backbone electric bass and the awe-inspiring Hammond B3 organ and Leslie Speaker system, they were portable and powerful. The music was (and still is all upbeat, bright, live and fresh.

Her on The RadioDAZZ Blog, we've decided to showcase several of their most iconic, classic songs. Some of the videos are of live performances, while some are just amateur space savers. But understand this: The music, the sound, the burst of adrenalin and endorphins you'll experience when you listen to this music at a respectable volume level (get your bass boost on).

The song links follow. Click on each, crank up the volume and savor the 1970s brightness. Then come back and click on the next.


MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKaQzQAlNn4


ONE (IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER)  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiKcd7yPLdU&feature=fvwrel


OUT IN THE COUNTRY (A RadioDAZZ Favorite)* 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ1tF6LgB40


EASY TO BE HARD (From The Broadway Musical, "Hair")  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeXcaRYNlSQ&feature=related


ELI'S COMING (Written by songstress Laura Nyro)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CuNBengxaQ&feature=related


*Lyrics to OUT IN THE COUNTRY


Whenever I need to leave it all behind
Or feel the need to get away
I find a quiet place, far from the human race
Out in the country

Before the breathin' air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the nighttime
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone and take back somethin' worth rememberin'

Whenever I feel them closing in on me
Or need a bit of room to move
When life becomes too fast, I find relief at last
Out in the country

Before the breathin' air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the nighttime
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone and take back somethin' worth rememberin'

Before the breathin' air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the nighttime
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone and take back somethin' worth rememberin'

Before the breathin' air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the nighttime
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone and take back somethin' worth rememberin'

Before the breathin' air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the nighttime...

I stand alone...
---------------

 

---

Related articles

• HALL AND OATES - DAZZLE YA. RadioDAZZ Does It. (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• Express Yourself - Be You! (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• If Tomorrow Never Comes - Profoundly Beautiful Song - RadioDAZZ (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• Elvis Costello Variety Show - DAZZITATION (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• Michael Jackson: PYT ("Pretty Young Thing") (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• SQUEEZE - Fabulous Energy Boost - MusiDAZZical (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• You Can't Escape Your Past - The Haunting - DAZZ (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• Re-Energize With Southside Johnny - 10 Minutes To Inspire You. (radiodazz.blogspot.com)
• Going Totally Rogue: Be YOU. (aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com)