# Music recommendations - 70s soul/funk/pop **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490 "2011-09-07T11:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/1 "2011-09-07T11:39:04Z")
Inspired by [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14227152&postcount=17) (Og, I can’t remember hearing that one in a metric bunch of years!). I suddenly realized that even though I’m a pretty big fan of 70s music in general, I’m rather ignorant about the funky pop/soul music that was one of the really good genres of the 70s. Yeah, I know a few of the earliest rap artists like the Sugarhill Gang, Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash, I know James Brown (of course!) and I’ve heard Sly & The Family Stone and Isaac Hayes (“Chocolate Salty Balls” is hilarious - yeah, I’m still that infantile - and the theme from “Shaft” is really cool). But except those, I’m pretty ignorant. Recommendations, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffer_Spice_1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/2 "2011-09-07T11:45:41Z")
there’s an amazing funk soul band from Oakland been going since 1968, with the core members still going, called Tower of Power. Check out the “Soul Vaccination Live” album for an example of combining soul, funk, and great tunes to perfect effect. It’s amazing. i’d also include the meters, george clinton and parliament, early kool and the gang, herbie hancock and the headhunters (headhunters and thrust are the two must have albums there), stanley clarke. here’s a clip of tower of power: [[Tower of Power - What is hip/Soul power - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcL23m9QuaM)](What is Hip?) ---
**Author:** ![Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffer_Spice_1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/3 "2011-09-07T11:52:15Z")
oops! messed the link: [What is Hip?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcL23m9QuaM) ---
**Author:** ![Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffer_Spice_1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/4 "2011-09-07T12:02:08Z")
here’s a clip of the meters: [You’ve Got to Change (you got to reform)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0kImAvVssI) ---
**Author:** ![Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffer_Spice_1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/5 "2011-09-07T12:03:09Z")
and here’s herbie hancock and the headhunters: [Watermelon Man](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo5GcYeh7XA) (give it a minute or two to get past the mental opening 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/6 "2011-09-07T12:27:16Z")
Try Slave, Lakeside, Cameo, and the Bar-Kays Brass Construction But for my money, B.T. Express, “Here Comes the Express” \<–over 2 minutes from the start until you hear the first lyric…musical layer cake…ahhhhh ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/7 "2011-09-07T12:50:55Z")
Joe Tex is one of my favorites of this era. “I Gotcha” was his big hit (Tarantino used it in _Reservoir Dogs_). Check out his best songs (IMO) such as: Skinny Legs and All Papa Was Too Buying a Book I Believe I’m Gonna Make It For a new artist that’s putting out this kind of music, check out JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound. His (Their) cover of Wilco’s “I’m Trying to Break Your Heart” is butt shakin’ goodness. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/8 "2011-09-07T13:07:30Z")
Zapp – More Bounce to the Ounce is possibly the funkiest song ever made The Temptations – Shakey Ground (maybe the second most funky song) Kool and the Gang – many songs, but Funky Stuff (1 & 2) is unbelievably funky Stevie Wonder – Maybe Your Baby and a bunch of other funky classics (I Wish, As, Superstition, You Haven’t Done Nothing, Higher Ground, Sir Duke, jeez this guy could be funky) Herbie Hancock – Chameleon The Ohio Players had some really funky stuff (Fire, Roller Coaster) Parliament/Funkadelic, of course (Flashlight!) Lyn Collins – Think, Do Ur Thing Betty Wright – Clean Up Woman Chaka Khan and Rufus Commodores – Brick House, Machine Gun Curtis Mayfield – Superfly, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/9 "2011-09-07T13:24:51Z")
[Soul Toranodoes (sic) - “Hot Pants Breakdown”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0bHyRHJvi8) Jazzy funk [Eddie Harris - “Listen Here”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MLxgcn4XBY) Island funk [Cymande (playlist)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQKsKnIj4Uo&feature=artist&playnext=1&list=AVGxdCwVVULXe2BlB9wW3knTECXX89MMDW) ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/10 "2011-09-07T13:53:55Z")
“Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango. This is where Michael Jackson got the “mama-se mama-sa mama-kossa” refrain for “Wanna Be Startin’ Something.” ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/11 "2011-09-07T16:16:23Z")
[the Gap Band’s Burn Rubber.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8CV_9dhojw) [One of the most, um, indescribable videos ever. [url=“[- YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xti9e1cKE1E)”]The Miracle’s funking it up without Smokey on Love Machine]([Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage (Official Music Video) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1YjmXSyHa8)}Lakeside’s Fantastic Voyage[/url) [Fight The Power with the Isley Brothers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRkw9UnVhug) and when you’re through you can [Get The Funk Outta My Face.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdxQ_zrG1Ww&feature=related) [Bootsey Collins would like to be your Bootzilla toy.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFOlsTwihE4) [Do some Cosmic Sloping with P-Funk.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eR4aQrYozY&ob=av2n) Sorry for the commercial but it’s a great live version. [Graham Central Station Can’t Stand The Rain.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix_bDepYUnw) I could go all day posting funk (and all night posting soul). ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/12 "2011-09-07T16:33:08Z")
A soul shout-out to Cuba Gooding Jr dad’s band, The Main Ingredient. [Everybody Plays The Fool](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXGa__ECvnM) [I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFC0GYdg5vI) [Rolling Down The Mountainside](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGdCie5jfTQ) And my more pop-y hermanos from The Bronx, Tavares. [Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmzWzfd2WN0) [Whodunit?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3poinN3kelE) [Covering The Bee Gee’s More than A Woman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQcCRo2b-ZE&feature=fvst) O.K. I’ll stop now. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/13 "2011-09-07T17:50:07Z")
**Soul-Funk** Cameo Isley Brothers Earth, Wind & Fire Parliament Chaka Khan Graham Central Station Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band **Funk-Rock** Sly & the Family Stone Funkadelic Bootsy’s Rubber Band **Go-Go** Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers **Jazz/Funk** Herbie Hancock - esp. Mwandishi, Headhunters (albums) Jaco Pastorius Weather Report Brecker Brothers Freddie Hubbard ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/14 "2011-09-07T18:03:43Z")
There is some new stuff - no time to compile links; maybe I can later - really solid, neo-funk, soul with a lot of Philly soul and Motown in some of them: - **Kings Go Forth** - **Eli “Paperboy” Reed** - **Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybees** - \*\*Raphael Saadiq \*\*- used to be in Tony! Toni! Tone! and now has two solo albums out - **Aloe Blacc** All have some great stuff out there - anybody listen to them? ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/15 "2011-09-07T18:27:46Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > There is some new stuff - no time to compile links; maybe I can later - really solid, neo-funk, soul with a lot of Philly soul and Motown in some of them: > > - **Kings Go Forth** > - **Eli “Paperboy” Reed** > - **Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybees** > - \*\*Raphael Saadiq \*\*- used to be in Tony! Toni! Tone! and now has two solo albums out > - **Aloe Blacc** > > All have some great stuff out there - anybody listen to them? Kings Go Forth and Aloe Blacc are great; the rest are kind of second-tier, IMO, with Raphael Saadiq at the bottom (he doesn’t quite have the voice to pull off what he wants to). **The Roots** , while mainly considered hip hop, I guess, also have some strong neo-soul tunes. ETA: Also, for 70s stuff, The Spinners, The Five Stairsteps, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes…also, there’s a label called Numero Records that puts out a ton of regional 60s/70s soul compilations that are very strong. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/16 "2011-09-07T18:47:26Z")
Oh wait, I forgot about the girl groups. First Choice [Love Thang](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lET6HpK4m40) [Doctor Love](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3IWeoMjzzQ) [Let No Man Put Asunder](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfHjoqo7ANU) Honey Cone [Want Ads](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2cQ47VVzU0) [One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfJT4GwWzKU) The Three Degrees [When Will I See You Again.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6fVDAjs9f0) NOW, I’ll stop. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/17 "2011-09-08T01:44:17Z")
Thomas East - [Funky Music](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwBsC8FhuYE) Lonnie Liston Smith - [Cosmic Funk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3apqWS3tJWE) Wayne Shorter - Native Dancer (album) ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/18 "2011-09-08T03:11:27Z")
I would bust out some WAR, Earth Wind & Fire, Heatwave, Brothers Johnson, George Benson - anything Quincy Jones touched production wise in the 70s oozed funk/soul/pop. Then at the end of that decade Chic rocked. Anything they did, plus their production on Sister Sledge’s and Diana Ross’ albums is off the hook. In fact, Diana Ross tried her best to ruin the 1980 album _Diana_ by editing out the instrumental breaks, speeding up the tracks, and other nonsense. That’s the album that you know with “I’m Coming Out,” “Upside Down,” etc. It was re-released in the 2000s with the original Edwards/Rodgers production and it RAWKS. Also check out the SOS Band, Rose Royce, and the Isley Brothers’ stuff from this era. Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up” is the template for Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough.” And I just discovered Robert Palmer’s “Looking for Clues,” which is also strongly influenced by that song. ---
**Author:** ![Pitter\_Patter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Pitter\_Patter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitter_Patter)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/19 "2011-09-08T06:16:58Z")
Here’s a vote for Billy Preston’s Outta Space. Love that funky clavinet. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490/20 "2011-09-08T06:44:24Z")
Hmmm, lots of interesting stuff. I’ve even heard about some of the names. Thanks, guys :: off to youtube for sampling :: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-recommendations-70s-soul-funk-pop/595490.md?page=2)