Review #76: Super Fly, Curtis Mayfield
#76: Super Fly, Curtis Mayfield
So this was written by Mayfield for the movie of the same name, released in 1972. Super Fly was a Blaxploitation film, which (if you don’t know) was a subgenre of movie that had its heyday in the ’70s. Basically, they starred Black characters in extremely edgy situations and were a very baldfaced effort to appeal to “urban” audiences. They were popular!
Curtis Mayfield was a soul singer who first got popular with the group The Impressions. A fun fact about him is that he is a double-inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with the Impressions in ’91 and as a solo artist in ’99. A not-fun fact about him is that he was paralyzed from the neck down in 1990 after a stage light fell on him. Wow, how awful.
Anyway, I ended up really loving this album, and “Pusherman” has been stuck in my head for weeks.
FAVORITE SONGS:
“Little Child Running Wild” — I went into this album with pretty much zero expectations of what kind of music this was. As soon as Curtis Mayfield started singing, I knew I would love this album.
“Pusherman” — The drums on this are really fun. I also love when he says Pusher-man and drops so low on -man. Why does it give me goosebumps?
“Freddie’s Dead” — THIS one I feel like I’ve heard before. So sad!
“Junkie Chase — Instrumental” — I do appreciate when songs are clearly labeled. For instance, I knew this was an instrumental, so I knew it would lack Curtis Mayfield’s buttery voice, and I would like it less. But not much less.
“Eddie You Should Know Better” — I love songs about characters, a la “Come Together” or really any of Green Day’s songs. This one is so vivid! We all know an Eddie. And I don’t think he’s gonna make it this time.
“No Thing On Me (Cocaine Song)” — The piano on this is a blast. Don’t make no profit for the man.
“Superfly” — Man, I wish I was superfly. I’m medium fly at best.
LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:
“Give Me Your Love (Love Song)” — Again, a clearly-labeled song. But, listen, my least favorite song is always gonna be the love song. I’m not gonna excuse it, it’s just how it is.
IS RS FULL OF IT?
I can think of ten movie soundtracks that sound like they ripped this one off. How great that such amazing music came from such weirdo origins. I gotta see this movie.
