from the LP Across 110th St, UA Records, 1972
The northern perimeter of Central Park, while looking very different today than it did back in 1972, remains a defined & recognized boundary between Manhattan and Harlem, as much a metaphor as it is an actual street---110th street in this case. Although that line has become largely gentrified & whitebreaded, back in the early ‘70s, Harlem’s side of the border was still a very rough & tumble place, crawling with the 3 Ps: pushers, prostitutes, & pimps. Whatever your feelings about blaxploitation movies, they hit the nail on the head for an increasing number of individuals who called the urban wastelands of the 1970s home; great choice grabbing Womack for this soundtrack, props to whoever made that call. This song was utilized to near-perfect effect in Jackie Brown, but I still recommend to any adventurous heads out there (who haven’t already done so), track down a copy of the original, and don’t be no jive turkey!
