Curtis Mayfield – Superfly

Description

Artist: Curtis Mayfield| Label: Curtom / Rhino | Format: CD | Genre: Soul| CDF Condition: Mint | Jewel Box Condition: Sealed

Curtis Mayfield
Superfly
Curtom / Rhino 75803 – re-issue CD

Mr. Mayfield changed a lot of standards with this 1972 soundtrack, not only his own sound, but the sound of black movie soundtracks, if not soundtracks overall. This is where the wah-wah funk guitar came from. This is where Hollywood producers embraced the belief that “pop” artists could carry an entire soundtrack. Everyone did a soundtrack after this one; Bobby Womack, Isaac Hayes (more than one), Joe Simon, James Brown, Leroy Hutson, Gladys Knight, and on and on…Mayfield was one of the earliest artists to speak openly about African American pride and community struggle. Curtis most iconic statement was the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film, Superfly; his third studio album that was released in July 1972. Widely considered a classic of 70s soul and funk, Super Fly was an immediate hit upon release. Its sales were bolstered by two million-selling singles, “Freddie’s Dead”(number 2 R&B charts, number 4 Pop charts) and the title track(number 5 R&B, number 8 Pop).Super Flyis one of the few soundtracks to out-gross the film it accompanied.Super Fly, along with Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On(1971), was one of the pioneering soul concept albums, with its then-unique socially aware lyrics about poverty and drug abusemaking the album stand out. The film and the soundtrack may be perceived as dissonant, since the filmholds rather ambiguous views on drug dealers, whereas Curtis Mayfield’sposition is far more critical. LikeWhat’s Going On, the album was a surprise hit that record executives felt had little chance at significant sales. Due to its success, Mayfield was tapped for several film soundtracks over the course of the decade. Music critics laudedSuper Fly.Rolling Stone’sBob Donat was favorable of Mayfield’s anti-drug and self-liberation themes, and calledSuper Fly“”not only a superior, imaginative soundtrack, but fine funky music as well and the best of Curtis Mayfield’s four albums made since he left The Impressions”.In a 2004 review of the album,Rolling StonegaveSuper Flyfive out of five stars and cited it as Mayfield’s “creative break through”. Rock critic Robert Cristgau of The Village Voicegave the album an A- and lauded Mayfield’s songwriting. Christgau also wrote that “these songs speak for (and to) the ghetto’s victims rather than its achievers (cf. ‘The Other Side of Town’, on Curtis), transmitting bleak lyrics through uncompromisingly vivacious music. Message: both candor and rhythm are essential to our survival”.John Bush of AllMusicpraised the album’s lyrical substance and sound, calling it a “melange of deep, dark grooves, trademarked wah-wah guitar, and stinging brass”. Mayfield won a Grammy Legend Award in 1994 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.He is a double inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of the Impressions in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist. He was also a two-time Grammy Hall of Fameinductee.

ESSENTIAL!!

includes;
Little Child Runnin Wild
Pusherman
Freddie’s Dead
Junkie Chase (Instrumental)
Give Me Your Love
Eddie You Should Know Better
No Thing On Me (Cocaine Song)
Think (instrumental)
Superfly
bonus tracks
Freddie’s Dead (single mix)
Superfly (single mix)

NEW SEALED re-issue CD