Recorded - October 1967
Released - February 1968
#1 for weeks of May 18 and 25, 1968.
Quick, name the earliest funk song that comes to your mind. Chances are it will be something like James Brown's "Cold Sweat", from 1967. However, there was another song recorded in 1967 that foreshadows all the elements of Funk music. That song was "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & The Drells, one of the earliest successes of Gamble And Huff's Philadelphia soul record label. It also happens to be the first funk song to hit #1 on the pop charts.
Archie Bell was based in Houston Texas, which is not the first place you'd think to be the source of a massive funk hit. In 1966, he formed a band which he called The Drells. It wasn't until the autumn of 1967 that they recorded their very first single. It just so happens that this first single of theirs was "Tighten Up" and thus, their very first release was a #1 hit.
Now, what is it about "Tighten Up" that made it click so well with the pop music public? If you compare it to some of James Brown's 1970's work, or to a Funkadelic album, it's not that funky. There is no slap bass, or extended versions, both of which are practically staples of the funk genre. With that being said, there are two prominent elements of funk that are present in "Tighen Up".
One of these elements is the idea of having each member spotlighted while the bandleader acts as the MC. There are drum, bass, and organ solos, not to mention numerous spoken sections by Archie Bell. The guitar and horns act as the rhythm section, and although they don't have a solo moment of their own, they act as the constant hooks that keep the song flowing.
The other main element of funk that is present is the idea of repeating musical motifs. The main melody is repeated many times, but Archie Bell's narrations not only add the element of fun to the song, but they also keep the song from feeling overly repetitive.
There would be several singles and albums released through the rest of the 1960's, and much of the 1970's. However, none would have the same level of success on the pop charts as the groundbreaking "Tighten Up".
Final Verdict - I certainly can see why "Tighten Up" became such a big hit: The funk genre was still in its infancy during this time period, and thus the song must have sounded out of this world at the time. For the massive success that the genre would achieve in the 1970's, I'd say that "Tighten Up" was a deserved #1, and I'd certainly give it my thumbs up.
Coming Up Next - "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon & Garfunkel
Until Next Time - I'm Dr. Rock, and I'm also The Drells, and these are the reviews I tighten up on -
No comments:
Post a Comment