Joe: Hello and Welcome to Riffs on Riffs, where we explore the collision of original and sampled tracks and the artists who made them. I’m your host, Joe Watson, and I’m here with my co-host, Toby Brazwell. What’s up Toby?
Toby: What’s going on Joe, glad to be here!
Joe: Together, we’ll listen to legendary tracks and the timeless but(sometimes not-so-well-known) songs they sampled from.
So Toby, what song are we going to be exploring today?
Toby:(Improvise) This is“Look What You Made Me Do”, from Taylor Swift. For some reason, this song makes me feel real sexy. Almost too sexy…
Joe: I think I might know the reason for that. Let’s rewind and take a listen to a track that sounds a bit familiar…
Had been playing since the 70s in a band called The Actors
Both talented in own right:
Richard was session bassist for Boy George, Mick Jagger, and David Bowie
Fred appeared as a guitarist in the Bob Dylan movie that no one saw,“Hearts of Fire”
Band name: from the novelty song“Right Said Fred” by Bernard Cribbins(1962);
play Bernard Cribbins
born December 1928 in England.
Stage and TV actor who had a couple hit novelty records; ‘Right Said Fred’ hit Top 10 in the UK
I’m Too Sexy was their debut single; topped the charts in 6 countries, including the US
Inspired by their time running a gym in London, where there was lots of narcissism and posing. One day Richard took off his shirt started singing“I”m too sexy for my shirt” in front of a mirror.
Originally recorded as an indie rock song
Continue to make music and perform. Still successful on US Dance Club charts.
Samples:
Lyn Collins - Think(About It) 1972 play Think(About It)
Born 1948, in Abilene, TX,
Bio: Nicknamed the"Female Preacher"; Discovered in the early'70s along with her relatives Bootsy and Catfish Collins by James Brown.
Married a man who served both as her manager and as the local promoter for the James Brown Revue.
Collins officially joined the James Brown Revue and In 1972, Brown's People Records label released Collins' self-penned single"Think(About It)"; produced by Brown, it became her first and biggest hit, made her the most commercially successful female singer in Brown's camp.
Think has been sampled over 2,000 times, which we’ll get into in a bit.
Bobby Byrd - Hot Pants(Bonus Beats) 1987 play Hot Pants(Bonus Beats)
In the early'50s, Byrd and his family sponsored Brown's parole from prison, and Byrd gave Brown a spot in his vocal group, the Flames(which, of course, Brown eventually took over and relegated to the background).
Bobby warmed up crowds as a solo singer for James Brown, then sang as member of The Famous Flames, Brown's backup vocal group.
Byrd recorded his own work with Brown producing, releasing singles during the 60s and 70s
Transition:
Let’s take a listen to another bit of music from I’m Too Sexy, this guitar melody during the bridge:
play Third Stone - Right Said Fred Riff
Sounds a bit familiar, almost has a psychedelic vibe. Let’s take a listen to where the inspiration for that guitar lick came from…
play Third Stone - Hendrix Riff
Jimi Hendrix - Third Stone from the Sun(1967)
That’s Mr. Jimi Hendrix and his song Third Stone from the sun, released off of his 1967 debut album“Are You Experienced?”
Right Said Fred - I’m Too Sexy (1991)
Transition:
Jimi Hendrix - Third Stone from the Sun (1967)