from the LP Spice of Life, Cadet Records, 1969Often the modern-day hallmark of a truly classic track, this song has been taken apart and sampled by some of the best producers around: DJ Shadow, DJ Premier, Adam Freeland and Black Moon are but a few of the 15+ known users. Although the vibe here is decidedly funky-soul, Ms. Shaw mainly built her reputation and following around her talents as a jazz singer, which is what makes this release so eye-opening---this woman could sing anything!! If you read my blog, you already know that I’m a total sucker for phat breaks & handclaps, both of which this song has by the funky bucketful, but I was unable to track down who exactly was drumming on this session...? Although this track has been sung by many people, including its original authors, Ashford & Simpson, Marlena’s sultry and ghetto-fied version crushes them all, in my humble opinion anyways.
