- 01Funky DivasEn VogueThe Oakland vocal group, which consisted of Dawn Robinson, Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones, had released their second album, Funky Divas , back in March, and in June, they released their second single, “Giving Him Something He Can Feel.” In a year where tempers flared, the so …from the chapter
- 02“Giving Him Something He Can Feel”En VogueBut En Vogue does.from the chapter
- 03“Rush Rush”Paula AbdulThis clip was directed by Stefan Würnitzer, who had also directed Paula Abdul’s “Rush Rush” the previous year (an homage to Rebel Without a Cause —see 1988 ).from the chapter
- 04Rebel Without a CausePublic EnemyThis clip was directed by Stefan Würnitzer, who had also directed Paula Abdul’s “Rush Rush” the previous year (an homage to Rebel Without a Cause —see 1988 ).from the chapter
- 05Free Your Mind . . . and Your Ass Will FollowFunkadelic… musical guests on Saturday Night Live and performed “Free Your Mind,” which borrowed its title from Funkadelic’s 1970 album Free Your Mind . . . and Your Ass Will Follow and its sound from the guitar-injected-into-Black-pop formula that had been in place since Janet Jackson’s “Black Cat,” at least.from the chapter
- 06“Black Cat”Janet Jacksonand Your Ass Will Follow and its sound from the guitar-injected-into-Black-pop formula that had been in place since Janet Jackson’s “Black Cat,” at least.from the chapter
- 07SparkleAretha Franklin“Giving Him Something He Can Feel” was not a new song, but a cover of a 1976 hit sung by Aretha Franklin, written and produced by Curtis Mayfield, from the album Sparkle .from the chapter
- 08Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)Aretha FranklinHer last artistically undeniable record had been Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) in 1973—a great album with legendarily bad cover art that stiffed a little commercially.from the chapter
- 09Let Me in Your LifeAretha FranklinHer last truly popular record had been Let Me in Your Life the following year.from the chapter
- 10YouAretha FranklinHer last truly popular record had been Let Me in Your Life the following year.from the chapter
- 11With Everything I Feel in MeAretha FranklinAfter that, she made a pair of albums— With Everything I Feel in Me and You —with Jerry Wexler and/or Arif Mardin, the brain trust of Atlantic Records, and then moved on to new producers.from the chapter
- 12Almighty FireAretha FranklinIt’s weird, because those albums (along with the slightly later Almighty Fire ) are my Aretha.from the chapter
- 13“Mr. DJ (5 for the DJ).”Aretha FranklinI love “Mr.from the chapter
- 14Super FlyCurtis MayfieldMayfield, for his part, had cooled as a solo artist as well, instead taking up refuge in a series of soundtracks that followed Super Fly (see 1972 ): he did Claudine with Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1974 and Let’s Do It Again with the Staple Singers in 1975.from the chapter
- 15ClaudineCurtis MayfieldMayfield, for his part, had cooled as a solo artist as well, instead taking up refuge in a series of soundtracks that followed Super Fly (see 1972 ): he did Claudine with Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1974 and Let’s Do It Again with the Staple Singers in 1975.from the chapter
- 16“Thriller”Michael JacksonHis assistant was Michael Peters, who went on to choreograph Michael Jackson’s most famous videos, including “Beat It” and “Thriller.”from the chapter
- 17“Something He Can Feel”Aretha Franklin“Giving Him Something He Can Feel” was not a new song, but a cover of a 1976 hit sung by Aretha Franklin, written and produced by Curtis Mayfield, from the album Sparkle .from the chapter
- 18“Something He Can Feel”Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter, and Jordin SparksThere’s still a Sparkle, this time played by the closely named Jordin Sparks, who had won the sixth season of American Idol back in 2007.from the chapter
- 19“Who’s Zoomin’ Who?”Aretha Franklin(I know that’s not grammatically correct, but Aretha’s “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” got into my head, and it won’t get out.from the chapter
- 20House of MusicTony Toni Toné(the Oakland soul group that had broken up after the album House of Music in 1996), and Ali Shaheed Muhammed, late of A Tribe Called Quest (the hip-hop legends who would break up after The Love Movement in 1998—mo …from the chapter
- 21The Love MovementA Tribe Called Quest… after the album House of Music in 1996), and Ali Shaheed Muhammed, late of A Tribe Called Quest (the hip-hop legends who would break up after The Love Movement in 1998—more on that later), were in talks to form a new group with the vocalist D’Angelo, who had released his debut, Brown Sugar , to mas …from the chapter
- 22Brown SugarD’Angelo… and Ali Shaheed Muhammed, late of A Tribe Called Quest (the hip-hop legends who would break up after The Love Movement in 1998—more on that later), were in talks to form a new group with the vocalist D’Angelo, who had released his debut, Brown Sugar , to massive critical acclaim a few years before.from the chapter
- 23VoodooD’Angelo(The album that D’Angelo was laboring over, Voodoo , would come out in 2000 and immediately be acclaimed as a timeless classic.from the chapter
- 24Angel DustFaith No MoreThat year, the group released its fourth album, Angel Dust , the first one creatively overseen by the group’s lead vocalist, Mike Patton—he had been hired for the previous record, The Real Thing , but only after most of the album’s music was recorded.from the chapter
- 25“Jizzlobber”Faith No MoreThe song titles hint at the tone(s) while still not being able to fully capture them: “Jizzlobber,” “RV,” “Crack Hitler,” “Everything’s Ruined,” “Be Aggressive.” I wouldn’t have bought that album back in 1992, and if I had, it would have been the final mindbender: it might have …from the chapter
- 26“RV”Faith No MoreThe song titles hint at the tone(s) while still not being able to fully capture them: “Jizzlobber,” “RV,” “Crack Hitler,” “Everything’s Ruined,” “Be Aggressive.” I wouldn’t have bought that album back in 1992, and if I had, it would have been the final mindbender: it might have …from the chapter
- 27“Crack Hitler”Faith No MoreThe song titles hint at the tone(s) while still not being able to fully capture them: “Jizzlobber,” “RV,” “Crack Hitler,” “Everything’s Ruined,” “Be Aggressive.” I wouldn’t have bought that album back in 1992, and if I had, it would have been the final mindbender: it might have …from the chapter
- 28“Everything’s Ruined”Faith No MoreThe song titles hint at the tone(s) while still not being able to fully capture them: “Jizzlobber,” “RV,” “Crack Hitler,” “Everything’s Ruined,” “Be Aggressive.” I wouldn’t have bought that album back in 1992, and if I had, it would have been the final mindbender: it might have …from the chapter
- 29“Be Aggressive”Faith No MoreThe song titles hint at the tone(s) while still not being able to fully capture them: “Jizzlobber,” “RV,” “Crack Hitler,” “Everything’s Ruined,” “Be Aggressive.” I wouldn’t have bought that album back in 1992, and if I had, it would have been the final mindbender: it might have …from the chapter
- 30Midnight CowboyJohn BarryThe album proper ended with a gentle instrumental version of John Barry’s theme from the 1969 movie Midnight Cowboy .from the chapter
- 31“Easy”CommodoresIt was a straight version, almost entirely faithful to the Commodores, sung by Patton with sensitivity and nuance.from the chapter
- 32“Easy”Faith No MoreIt both respected the original and gave it enough new context so that it stood on its own (when Lionel Richie sang that he was “high, so high,” there was an electronic sound that peeled up out of the mix; Faith No More went for a more aggressive guitar).from the chapter
- 33“Uno Esta”Bobbi Humphrey“UNO ESTA” Yesterdays New Quintet Angles Without Edges , 2001 [Stones Throw] The song is originally by Bobbi Humphrey, from her 1975 album Fancy Dancer .from the chapter
- 34“Uno Esta”Questlove’s pickYesterdays New QuintetThe song is originally by Bobbi Humphrey, from her 1975 album Fancy Dancer .from the chapter
- 35Fancy DancerBobbi HumphreyThe song is originally by Bobbi Humphrey, from her 1975 album Fancy Dancer .from the chapter
- 36“Boogie Oogie Oogie”A Taste of HoneyIt was written by the Mizell brothers, who also wrote “Boogie Oogie Oogie” (see 1978 ), and while I didn’t mind their disco thing, I didn’t like their jazz formula, the way they grouped the vocals.from the chapter
- 37“K-Jee”Questlove’s pickMFSBBecause of when I existed, when I grew up, because of when fate located me on the historical timeline, I saw (heard) the MFSB version as the definitive take on the song.from the chapter
- 38“Rocky Raccoon”Questlove’s pickLena Horne“Rocky Raccoon” is, like so many Paul McCartney songs, a kids’ record that’s not a kids’ record.from the chapter
- 39“Everyday People”Questlove’s pickBilly PaulI don’t know why it’s hard for me to say that I like PB&J.from the chapter
- 40“I Can Understand It”Questlove’s pickNew BirthBobby Womack had recorded this the year before, in a much softer and bluesier version, with a little country tinge, even.from the chapter
- 41“If She Breaks Your Heart”Questlove’s pickthe Foreign ExchangeThis was the rapper Phonte and the producer Nicolay, and they were pioneers of sending each other tracks and then starting a group.from the chapter
- 42“Stars/Feelings”Questlove’s pickNina SimoneI don’t know how many people have seen this performance, where she covers Janis Ian’s “Stars” and Morris Albert’s “Feelings.” She has many covers, but this pair—and this approach—gets me every time.from the chapter
- 43“Moody’s Mood”Questlove’s pickAretha FranklinHer version was the first one I loved, when I heard it as a seven-year-old.from the chapter
- 44“Gimme Some More (Very Live)”Questlove’s pickthe JBsThe studio version is on Pass the Peas .from the chapter
- 45Pass the PeasThe J.B.sThe studio version is on Pass the Peas .from the chapter
- 46“Cut the Cake”Questlove’s pickAverage White BandThis is another live version.from the chapter
- 47Person to PersonAverage White BandThere’s the original, of course, and then there’s the live version on Person to Person .from the chapter
- 48The Atlantic Family Live at MontreuxThe Atlantic FamilyYears later, this Montreux Jazz Festival performance was released in full—pieces of it came out on a record called The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux .from the chapter