- 01ShaftIsaac HayesIn the 1972 chapter, I mentioned Shaft .from the chapter
- 02“We’re in This Love Together”Al JarreauBy now, at the conclusion of a nearly half-century career, people have a certain picture of Jarreau, and it tends toward the nice-guy, easy-jazz, lots-of-smiling side of the spectrum, mostly because of hits like “We’re in This Love Together,” or the Moonlighting theme, or maybe …from the chapter
- 03“Moonlighting”Al JarreauBy now, at the conclusion of a nearly half-century career, people have a certain picture of Jarreau, and it tends toward the nice-guy, easy-jazz, lots-of-smiling side of the spectrum, mostly because of hits like “We’re in This Love Together,” or the Moonlighting theme, or maybe …from the chapter
- 04MoonlightingAl Jarreau… half-century career, people have a certain picture of Jarreau, and it tends toward the nice-guy, easy-jazz, lots-of-smiling side of the spectrum, mostly because of hits like “We’re in This Love Together,” or the Moonlighting theme, or maybe that McDonald’s commercial he did with Vesta back in 1996.from the chapter
- 05“You Don’t See Me”Al JarreauIn the song, Jarreau, or his character, begins with a scatted low vocal in which he says, over and over, “It has occurred to me / That you don’t see me.” Sometimes it turns into “You don’t want to see me.” When the song moves out of the intro, it moves into a place of …from the chapter
- 06“Bob George”PrinceHe’s demented, he says, “burned unto a cinder.” His only recourse is to find a pistol, which he does, and that’s followed by accusations that she’s running from him, that she’s ducking and hiding, and that’s followed by him threatening to “beat [her] mama” and “beat [her] …from the chapter
- 07The Black AlbumPrince… y,” and even “go to jail,” because “It don’t make no motherfuckin’ difference what happens to me.” (Now we’re in the same territory as Prince’s “Bob George,” from The Black Album , where Prince, voice electronically deepened, plays a jealous man who threatens his girlfriend with escalating violence.from the chapter
- 08We Got ByAl JarreauThe original studio version was released on the We Got By LP back in 1975.from the chapter
- 09“Susan’s Song”Al JarreauThat one is the one I’ve been talking about: it’s track four of nine, five minutes long, sandwiched between “Susan’s Song” and “Lock All the Gates.” On the live album Look to the Rainbow , from 1977, it’s longer, more than six minutes, but that’s fine.from the chapter
- 10“Lock All the Gates”Al JarreauThat one is the one I’ve been talking about: it’s track four of nine, five minutes long, sandwiched between “Susan’s Song” and “Lock All the Gates.” On the live album Look to the Rainbow , from 1977, it’s longer, more than six minutes, but that’s fine.from the chapter
- 11Look to the RainbowAl JarreauThat one is the one I’ve been talking about: it’s track four of nine, five minutes long, sandwiched between “Susan’s Song” and “Lock All the Gates.” On the live album Look to the Rainbow , from 1977, it’s longer, more than six minutes, but that’s fine.from the chapter
- 12“Darktown Strutters’ Ball”Alberta HunterBut Brooks’s most enduring song was “Darktown Strutters’ Ball.” Written in 1917, it was a spirited, vivid portrait of upscale Black social life that starts with a predate reminder (“I’ll be round to get you in a taxi, honey / Please be ready ’bout half past eight”) and imagines …from the chapter
- 13“Downhearted Blues”Alberta HunterThe key modern cover was recorded by Alberta Hunter, a Memphis-born singer who had achieved some fame in the first half of the century in Chicago (she had a regular gig at the Dreamland Ballroom), recorded blues staples like “Downhearted Blues” and a version of “Cake Walking …from the chapter
- 14“Cake Walking Babies (from Home)”Alberta HunterThe key modern cover was recorded by Alberta Hunter, a Memphis-born singer who had achieved some fame in the first half of the century in Chicago (she had a regular gig at the Dreamland Ballroom), recorded blues staples like “Downhearted Blues” and a version of “Cake Walking …from the chapter
- 15Amtrak BluesAlberta HunterThe second was Amtrak Blues , which opened with a life-affirming cover of “Darktown Strutters’ Ball” by the then-eighty-five-year-old singer.from the chapter
- 16“Hollywood”Questlove’s pickChicagoThat intro and verse is everything, so strong.from the chapter
- 17“See the Light”Questlove’s pickEarth, Wind & FireUnlike “Hollywood,” everything here is beautiful: the 7/8 intro in D minor, with horn arrangements running around like wild elephants especially.from the chapter
- 18“Mango Meat”Questlove’s pickMandrillThe hip-hop purist in me loves the ending, where the band repeats “mango—yeah.” I borderline think it’s a loop.from the chapter
- 19“T.L.C.”Questlove’s pickAverage White BandHamish Stewart’s bass solo is a monster.from the chapter
- 20“Miss Me Blind”Questlove’s pickCulture ClubThis is their third single, and it’s the one that got me.from the chapter
- 21“Calypso”Questlove’s pickHerbie HancockWhen D’Angelo was recording Voodoo , he made a bridge out of the intro of this song, though the song with it didn’t make it onto the album.from the chapter
- 22VoodooD’AngeloWhen D’Angelo was recording Voodoo , he made a bridge out of the intro of this song, though the song with it didn’t make it onto the album.from the chapter
- 23Mr. HandsHerbie HancockYears after that I finally got Mr. Hands .from the chapter
- 24“Nefertiti”Miles Davison percussion) and Herbie does something similar to what Miles did in “Nefertiti,” stays stable and lets Tony and Ron run rampant.from the chapter
- 25“I’m An Animal”Questlove’s pickSly & the Family StoneThis album is full of short songs, AM-ready.from the chapter
- 26“In My Time of Dying”Questlove’s pickLed ZeppelinToward the end, right before the breakdown, there’s a part that locks into an incredible rhythm.from the chapter
- 27“Breaking the Girl”Questlove’s pickRed Hot Chili PeppersThe song is fine but the chorus is great.from the chapter
- 28“Chocolate”Questlove’s pickthe TimeOn D’Angelo records, we would program a click track and then drunkenly dance around the metronome to build up rhythm.from the chapter
- 29“Look into His Eyes”Questlove’s pickFlora PurimI mostly focus on the spiraling vocal turnaround at the end, because J Dilla used it as an interlude on one of his beat tapes.from the chapter
- 30“So You’re Leaving”Questlove’s pickAl GreenNorman Whitfield did such an amazing job with the Temptations that I started to associate the vocal “boo-boo-boo”s with him rather than Sly, who he took them from.from the chapter