DISQUS

newcritics: Seduced All Over Again by the Superfly Soundtrack

  • Tom Watson · 2 years ago
    Couple of years ago I went on a huge Mayfield jag, playing Pusherman and the whole thing over and over. So brilliant, and so evocative of its time too.

    Haven't seen the flick since college. Mayfield did die young and tragically. Little known is how Bruce Springsteen paid for much of his care in his final years, out of sheer respect.
  • Manny Maher · 2 years ago
    Wow Tom, I had no idea about Springsteen doing that. It doesn't entirely surprise me, knowing how generous he is, and how much all modern music owes to Mayfield.
    Lately I have been playing "New World Order," his last album. It's a beauty, showing all of his range. He recorded it while almost completely paralyzed, but you would never know it. The songs show a little mellowing with age, but are still brimming over with soul and his message of hope.
  • Ralph · 2 years ago
    Don't forget his first few solo albums, they are amazing as well. Have Superfly in the original vinyl with the fold-out cover. The turntable is the best way to appreciate that masterpiece of soul.
  • Manny · 2 years ago
    Yeah man, the fold-out cover with his gun sticking out! I used to love that.
    I think I still have it somewhere. Will have to dust it off and see if it's not too scratched up to play.
  • estiv · 2 years ago
    It's worth pointing out that one of Curtis Mayfield's lesser known legacies is his influence on Jimi Hendrix. The Impressions-era guitar work on songs like "People Get Ready," with a lot of gentle yet still somehow powerful double-string playing, which falls between single-string soloing on one hand and full chording on the other, shows up in an altered form in songs like "One Rainy Wish" and "Little Wing."
    And, it just occurred to me that "gentle yet still somehow powerful" may be a pretty good description of Curtis Mayfield's work in general.
  • Dan Leo · 2 years ago
    A great appreciation of a great artist, Manny. Now I really want to watch Superfly. I mean tonight. Hope my local video store has it.
  • Manny Maher · 2 years ago
    Fascinating, estiv. maybe that's why Little Wing is my favorite Hendrix song.
    Dan, enjoy. Just don't make no profit for the man.
  • Savvas · 1 year ago
    Cool.