Hung Up On My Baby
Isaac Hayes
Tough Guys Soundtrack, 1974
The first time i heard this song was while listening to Rich Medina spin at Martinez Gallery a couple years ago. Recognition would come quickest by calling it “that track that the Geto Boys used for ‘My Mind’s Playin’ Tricks on Me’” but it’s so lovely in its own right that i don’t want to dwell on that too much.
So the funk hunt ensued and recently came to a conclusion as my friend Maggie so casually mentioned that she picked the album. She’s definitely going to heaven or whatever because this wasn’t the first time that after seeing my total geeked-out excitement for one of her records, that she just gave it to me [no, i am not making the claim that giving me records will get you into heaven, I'm just saying that she's a generous soul...but if you would like to send me records anyways on the off chance...never mind].
I wonder if this song was written with idea that there was going to be a vocalist. The melodies are simple but they emote the title so perfectly that I wonder if they were getting ready to write words and find a singer and then just said “f— it” and decided that they had already nailed it already.
Another thing that is so amazing about this song is that it sounds so intimate but if you listen closely, they are playing with a BIG band.
Listen once to just enjoy the song and listen again and follow this:
*It starts with 3 guitars! (one in the right channel, then another one in the left, then the lead in both
as both rhythm parts keep going).
*The trumpet section comes in @ 1:26
*The trombone section @ 1:46
*The string section @ 2:05
*And of course the lovely, subtle saxophones @ 2:54!
There were easily over 20 musicians in the room but everyone is was just chilling and not trying to be star (save maybe the lead guitarist but at least he has an actual solo). I would pay $$ to have been the tape operator in that studio!
>> songs are available for two weeks [8.6 MB]
April 15th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
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