Bad Ideas

Jesus Christ, you want to hear a bad idea? How about a tribute to Curtis Mayfield that was made in 1994. The Tribute isn't the bad idea maybe just that it happened to come to fruition in the year that shared events like the Major League Baseball Strike and the clubbing of Nancy Kerrigan.  If we could have planned that I bet we would have re-evaluated that timing. I just checked the top artists of 1994 and I saw the Real MCcoy, Ace Of Base, Richard Marx, Tevin Campbell and Michael Bolton. That era of music, though formative in my youth should pretty much be dead to the history books. Looking at that list made me feel dirty, kind of like this picture.

 For my money, I don't know if it gets any better than when he sings "When a Man Loves A Woman."

I don't think the word tribute was truly understood by the parties involved in this production.  The sentiment is nice, I am sure their intentions were pure and altruistic it's just the execution was flawed.  I am being too hard on them because it was just a bad time for music.  Just listen to this Gladys Knight version of, "Choice of Colors."  Listen to the arrangement and the instrumentation, the pure 94ness of it is amazing.  It's like everything that was wrong with that year in sonic form.  The drums oh man, those drums.  The good part starts 00:38 in. 

Gladys Knight- Choice Of Colors

Now cleanse your ears with the original. I just don't think you can really touch Curtis in his prime. His work with the Impressions is pretty high up in there on my list of musical achievements. At the very least if you are going to try and do a Curtis cover, do me a favor and don't be in the year 1994.

Curtis Mayfield- Choice Of Colors

They actually got some heavy hitters from 1994 to participate, this wasn't a low budget deal.  I am talking big names like, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, U2......and Phil Colins, don't worry none of them did any better with Curtis' legacy.  Listen to the Isley Brothers take a swing at it.

Isley Brothers- I'm So Proud


and the Q-tip to clean that shit out. The original is just too good. You stay away Mr Biggs!!!

Curtis Mayfield- I'm So Proud

You know what else is awesome about this album?  They had to pick a young star to play with the established artists.  They had to decide who the future of music was in 1994.  Who is the future Curtis in this young batch of up and comers?  Who will carry the torch through the next 20 years with stellar output and pure musical genius like Curtis?  That must have been quite a dilemma when looking at such a talented stable of musicians.  But they had to decide, and guess who they ended up going with.........Tevin motherfucking Campbell.  Was he even popular for all of 1994?  Sorry that wasn't my genre back then.  The crazy part is that Tevin actually does a good job.  Maybe because I am not as attached to the Curtis song that he is covering, or just the fact that the production doesn't assault my ears with it's dated instrumentation.  Score one for Tevin....it's still not great though...horrible fucking album.

Tevin Campbell- Keep On Pushin'