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Street Songs

Rick James - Street Songs Audio CD

A fair review of the Rick James "Street Songs" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Rick James reviews here, or go back to the Rick James tabs.

Band: Rick James
Title: Street Songs
Rating:

Release Date: 1992-03-09
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Give It to Me Baby 2: Ghetto Life 3: Make Love to Me 4: Mr. Policeman 5: Super Freak 6: Fire and Desire 7: Call Me Up 8: Below the Funk (Pass the J)

Classic Concept Album
General Hospital with Luke and Laura was the big thing on Tv and so was Dallas and any Sugar Ray Leonard fight,but in Music there was One Guy who was on the pulse of that year and his Name was Rick James. oh 1981 seems just like yesterday. Being from Buffalo,New York myself or B-lo as we call it leaves alot of memorys. that summer in taking that our Hometown Boy had truly blown up with a Album that was a Blue-Print for the Future in Funk,Pop,R&B, and even more so where Rap Music was concearned. the truth is that "Street Songs" was the Blue-Print for what Rap Music was to become in terms of talking about issues that not many artists in any style were bold enough to talk about. Rick James was the People's champion of the Street and for folks who didn't care about Ronald Reagan and his Racist tired ways. Rick James made that album that for the Hood, the Burbs and everywhere else in between,but yet He stayed R&B and always had that Street Respect.

Give it to me baby 1) the horns the story line and the say what catch phrase were all felt. that is trademark Rick Riff right there. the bass, the Groove and the give it to me. not many artists would make a song where they admit to being to High to making love to there Ole Lady. Rick allowed himself to be vulnerable and the song caught on big time. there hasn't really been another song that hit like that with that kind of storyline and detail. that song still packs a whole lot of punch and it has been sampled,looped,etc. . . . so many times since then.

Ghettp Life 2) who else was talking about playing frezze tag with Winos? I mean He talked about everything Hood and it kept it real. the Bass groove was slamming. the line one thing about the Ghetto is that it will be there tommorow so people don't you worry is both creative and witty,but at the same time sad. but a reality.

Make Love to Me 3) very intoxicating Rhythm and Mellow groove that changes tempo but works. very Jazzesque in terms of the Progression. very smooth. a strong vocal performance by Rick. good strong arrangements. Narada Michael Walden gives a nice touch on the drums.

Mr. PoliceMan 4) way before NWA came out with F*** tha police" Rick James spoke of Racial Profiling and other situations and he kept it real. this Song had a strong Reggae Bob Marley feel to it. Stevie Wonder knocks out the harmonica part. Teena Marie's part works and compliments the song as well. very honest song. very direct.

Super Freak 5) call this the Pay Day Jam. New Wavy with the Funk at the Bottom. twisted lines about the wrong kind of girl to take home to your Mother. but it works. the groove works and the lyrics are funny,but effective. the Longer version is extra Crispy Funky. Rick found a Groove and a song that has been sampled,used,etc. . . so much it ain't even funny. this is One of those classic Songs that is timeless and will never be forgotten.

Fire and Desire 6) Rick James and Teena Marie made a slow Jam classic here and for my money there hasn't been a better duet in the past 25 plus years. the passion, intensity and the overall arrangements and vibe of this song is timeless. Rick gets into Opera on this Classic. the trade-off is classic. this is the kind of song where you break up but you still got strong feelings for your Ex. mos people can relate to that. teena marie around the time was in the Hospital with a 109 degree temperture but she came on down to the studio and knocked this jam out. Classic and great Musical drama.

Call Me Up 7) Pre Cell Phone and early days of the Message box where you'd call somebody and leave a Message this song is basically that. now the groove and Rhythm here is on point and also Rick dropped a tight Rap Flow that hasn't always been acknowledged. the groove itself is very in line with the way Rap Music would go. Rick song the song as if He was Crooning. the range was way up there and he made it work. he nailed it and this song is still cold. i dig the broadway swing of this cut. i dug the latin Percussion break and swinging Horns. tight background vocals.

Below the Funk 8)a Funky Groove Message to the haters directly. nobody else was doing a cut like this back then. a cool ending and on point. this song was loose and the groove is bumping. a cstraight up Shout out about B-LO.

Props to the Stone city band for there Contributions, Lady T. Teena Marie who left a strong impact on this album. Props to Tom Flye.

this album Paved the way to keeping the funk but also balancing out the Pop textures which would later take Michael Jackson,Prince, Lionel Richie,Bobby Brown,R. Kelly,Outkast and others across and Beyond into a Wider audience. "Street Songs" was that Album that paved the way in the early 80's and it hasn't gotten it's full due. but Rick James was a Musical Genius and he left a strong Impact on the music World and His Music deserves to get the full long overdue it deserves and this Classic Album speaks volumes then as it does now. .

History in music
When iI listen to it today it stil lstands out as a historic album.

I bought this album when it was released. RJ had been down on hard drugs but quitted using only the reefer( pass the J. ).
It starts with a dancefloor bomb and just goes on and on. I think there was one more track P. I. M. P. . The great thing about the lyrics was that the man took a stand: against police brutality, against pimps and drug dealers, and so on. The only artist I know that was more funky and sharp is Curtis mayfield.
Todays funkers sings about big assed girls, expensive cars, bling-bling and how bad a pimp they are. Listen to this and learn what the funk is all about. This is a true masterpiece that hold together still 25 years later. YUO MUST BUY THIS ALBUM! .

Street Life
. . in his hey day, he produced some superior funk music. Street Songs ranks with any funk album and Mr. James has never been better. The album features the ubiquitous "Super Freak" which has taken on a life of its own. Despite the overplay of it, the song has a vicious bass line and is a master groove. There are other superb cuts on the album like the sultry "Give It To Me Baby", the open come on of "Make Love To Me", the smoldering "Fire & Desire" and "Call Me". The album isn't all about parties as he speaks of inner city troubles in "Ghetto Love" that is set over a sweet groove, the scathing indictment of police indifference in "Mr. Policeman" and the drug scene in "Below The Funk (Pass The J)".

street reality
his honesty in his voices about sex,police brutality,Mary jane,his roots and up bringing. as writter,arranger,producer,instrumentalist,vocalist Rick blew up with the pre-cursor to so-called gangsta rap. and the music is dynamite from Fire&desire with Lady T,give it to me baby,super freak,ghetto life, etc. . soul-ful and a classic to this day. the punk funk king is in full-effect on this album. before snoop,Quik,slick Rick,early Ice cube 2pac, etc Rick James was front and center on the street tip.

Street Songs is Rick James at his best.
You have a whole lot of "funk" and a little bit of blues all rolled up into one cd. Street Songs contains a little bit of everything. This is one of Rick's best pieces.

You can see a complete list of all Rick James discography, or go back to the Rick James tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.