Curtis Mayfield - Superfly (1972 Film)
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Free Music Notes for Superfly (1972 Film)
Free Music Review: THE POWER OF WORDS PT.3
Hit: 5 Stars
GRITTY!POWERFUL!IN YOUR FACE!,BUT THE MESSAGE THEN IS STILL, THE SAME TODAY! IN THE HOOD.THIS GENT WAS PREACHING GHETTO GOSPEL,LONG BEFORE IT WAS COOL,THE SONG "EDDIE YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!" IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES FROM THIS HISTORICAL CLASSIC,CURTIS UNDERSTOOD HOW IT WAS TO LOOK OUT FROM WITHIN,THAT IS WHY THIS WILL CONTINUE TO PLAYED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.........TIMELESS Free Music Review: The soundtrack to have
Hit: 5 Stars
It's a rare thing when I give a soundtrack five stars: the only other example of this is Prince's Purple Rain, which secretly gets 4.5. It's even rarer when I proclaim a soundtrack to be the best album of an artists' career. And that's exactly what I'll say about Superfly.
I haven't seen the movie Superfly, though it's on my "to-watch" list: however, I do know that the consensus is the soundtrack's better than the film: the fact that this outgrossed its parent movie (the only time a soundtrack did so) is truly an impressive fact. It's not that I think record sales = record quality, I just think that this happened is an interesting fact.
Most soundtracks are made up of meaningless incidental music that usually sounds a lot better in the context of the film itself than removed from the film. However, even the incidental stuff here is excellent: the instrumental Junkie Chase is a mere 1:29, and I wouldn't have minded if it had lasted a mirror image of its length; that is to say, 9:21: that is one killer groove. (Okay, that's stupid, but so what?). The fact that it's one of the weaker songs on the album reveals the great listening experience you're in for with this one.
There are two indisputable classics on Superfly: Freddie's Dead and the title song. Out of the two, I think Freddie's Dead is slightly better, because it has my personal favorite of Mayfield's lyrics, which is saying something. The power of this drug protest is utterly convincing: in five minutes, Curtis paints a picture of a kind, loving man who was forced into a life of crime (drug dealing in this case) simply because it was the only way to survive: he was forced to become "Another junkie plan, pushin' dope for the man". If wikipedia is to believe, Freddie wasn't killed directly by drug abuse: rather, it was the lifestyle that led indirectly to his death. And it's not just the lyrics that makes the song fly (no pun intended): the strings, Mayfield's falsetto, and the melody have just as much to do with it. The title track is about another drug dealer, and again it's a gripping portrait: this time, he is portrayed as a smart man forced to take up drug dealing due to lack of ambition and courage. Again, great lyrics, but it's not just the lyrics that make this one a funk landmark. Oh, no. Every element of it that you could imagine makes it a funk landmark.
And that's just the hits. This album is a lot deeper than that. Pusherman and Eddie, You Should Know Better are two more fascinating drug protests. Take note of the latter song: while Mayfield is critical of Eddie's drug use and dealing, he doesn't think of him as a one-sided criminal: rather, Eddie is a family man. Little Child, Runnin' Wild is a triumph of Mayfield's arranging skills; Give Me Your Love (Love Song) is approprietly romantic; Ain't No Thing on Me (Cocaine Song) is still another dead-on drug protest; and the instrumental Think is funky and exciting.
Superfly is an amazing album. Mayfield did a bunch of good ones (Curtis and Roots are also excellent), but this is his best.
Free Music Review: Classic funk / Urban street guide
Hit: 5 Stars
Its amazing that this 35 year old sound track still resonates to todays modern living, the lyrics have as much impact as it did then. Eventhough Mr. Mayfield sings and preaches of a terrible condition this record leaves you feeling good to know that you havebeen exposed to such a great piece of work. What I also found to be interesting is that this form of music is not lost you can find this present day street knowledge in the sounds of some the Neo soul artist music. They have been able to transend this into a down to the bone funky back beat that borrows from hip hop, jazz and r&b so seek and ye shall find the message still being preached.Free Music Review: A classic soundtrack album
Hit: 5 Stars
A must have album to an unforgettable film. Curtis Mayfield's Superfly soundtrack embodies to me what was going on in the 1970s. I was born in 1982, so when I listen to this album, I am amazed at how much it also seemed to intertwine with what was happening in the 1980s. The songs that make that point would be "Little Child, Running Wild, Pusherman, Freddie's Dead, Eddie,(You should've known better), and Superfly". The soundtrack is timeless. Free Music Review: Superfly
Hit: 4 Stars
What a great sounding cd. The movie was a long time ago but the distinct voice of Curtis Mayfield is profound and unmatched to this day.