It’s been a while. I’ve missed you. I won’t leave again. Now let’s listen to a breakup song:
Welcome to Woolite radio. Your home of the softest jams this side of the Mississippi. Your captain on this sound voyage is none other than I, Captain Sultry Daw. This ride will not be bumpy. So, sit back, dim the lights, and put on your freshest pair of silk pajamas. Let’s have an experience.
Why the rebrand? That’s because I’m talking about soul music today folks. Specifically, I want to talk about an artist that I really am and have been into for a while, Lee Fields and the Expressions. This man is so smooth that his middle name is Jiffy. Lee Fields doesn’t just want you to know how smooth he is, he needs you to know. I love that for him.
So, I was perusing Mr. Fields’ catalogue the other day while drinking only the finest of bottom shelf liquors. Guess what I found. New music. It’s all happening so fast. I sit down and pour myself a fresh glass of “blended scotch” (read: Kirkland brand) and I put it on. We’re listening to soul my friends, we need to make some space for ourselves to breathe a little bit. Light a candle, indulge in the mind-altering substance and let’s relax and listen.
Starting off, we got ourselves some electric organ and a guitar that’s just telling me, “Come on in, the water is nice and warm”. I mean, I don’t want to be rude, so I jump on in. Walking out of the changing room is none other than Lee Fields, still impeccably dressed. He enters the tub fully clothed in a three-piece suit, because that’s just the way he does things. The horns kick in.
This is a cover of classic track by Sunny and the Sunliners. Yeah, I know my shit (closes google). This song is so damn mean. Like mean mean. Like, who hurt you Lee Fields, mean.
By far my favorite part of this song is the break down 30ish seconds in. The electric organ takes us for a ride as Lee Fields absolutely annihilates an unnamed love interest.
There’s one thing for certain, I won’t be doing the hurting, When you’re gone
Lee fields hates this person.
That’s cold Lee, ice cold man. I mean, we’ve all been there. I’ve been there several times, yet I refuse to accept any kind of responsibility on my end. Turns out Mr. Fields and I have more in common than I thought, huh?
This song continues on, and that walking piano line just makes me want to hit the streets and smile at strangers. Throw together a little horn riff that slowly incorporates more depth, and some guitar that sounds like it was recorded in 1964 and we have ourselves a bonified bop.
Let’s talk outros: at the 1:36 mark Lee takes us on a little adlib dance with the horns and man, that’s the good stuff. It makes me feel like thanksgiving dinner, when you get to the bottom of your plate and you’re left with what I can only describe as a KFC Famous bowl staring back up at you. That’s Lee Fields and the horn section. Just a mess of scraps held together with mashed potatoes and it’s just exactly what I need.
AAAAAANYWAYS… Listen to the song, and just be happy that you didn’t have to read my first draft of this article. It was um… in poor taste. G’Night!