Album: Super Fly
Artist: Curtis Mayfield
Born: Chicago, Illinois
Released: July 1972
Genre: Funk
Influenced: Stevie Wonder, Paul Weller, Arrested Development, Kanye West, Erykah Badu
The Harder They Come and Super Fly have much more in common than just being great soundtracks released in the summer of 1972. Jimmy Cliff and Curtis Mayfield shared many similarities, not least their politically and socially conscious approach to songwriting, but also a polished and positive outlook (Cliff's top-selling UK single was Wonderful World, Beautiful People in 1969, while Mayfield's biggest UK hit was Move On Up in 1971). Another small link is the blaxpoitation feel of the album covers and films that accompanied The Harder They Come and Super Fly, highlighting (but not glamourising) issues in some black communities in Jamaica and the US. Both films focus on a man trying to find a way out of his situation, just "tryin' to get over" by any means necessary.
Curtis Mayfield had already released two brilliant solo albums before working on the Super Fly soundtrack, perfecting a unique brand of upbeat funky songs that explore the desires and frustrations of the American underclass, notably (Don't Worry) If There Is A Hell Below and Keep On Keeping On. Super Fly's opening track, Little Child Runnin' Wild, pushes this style forward with a song about kids in the projects raising themselves without parental oversight, set against the infectious mix of organ, hi-hat cymbals, strings, horns and guitar. Pusherman, as much as any other track on Super Fly, underlines the record's fundamental anti-drugs message, describing the drug dealers who would prey on these directionless kids (but sympathising with the pushers' situation too). The funky bass line and conga rhythms are a cool counterpoint to the serious message.
Freddie's Dead switches focus again, this time exploring the plight of drug addicts, in this case Fat Freddie, who comes to a sticky end. In the film's moving scene, only an instrumental version of the song is used, but on the album a fuller version with lyrics is on offer and the songwriting is of the highest order ("we can deal with rockets and dreams / but reality, what does it mean?"). Mayfield's vocals are sublime and combine brilliantly with the funky guitar and flute solos.
Give Me Your Love is a Latin-infused ballad that kicks off side 2, a sound that Mayfield blends with the soul instincts of his early Impressions days on the next two tracks, Eddie You Should Know Better and No Thing On Me, both powerful anti-drugs statements. Then there's the blues of instrumental Think before Mayfield lays on the funk heavy with title track, Super Fly, which became (with Freddie's Dead) one of two top-selling US singles from the album. As with many of the tracks, the devastating impact of the lyrics is softened and almost obscured by the brilliant quality of the music. Rarely in history does a soundtrack outsell a film, even rarer still does a soundtrack become one of the best and most influential albums ever recorded. Mayfield had it all as a songwriter, singer, composer, activist and gentleman, he was one of pop's true geniuses.
The Harder They Come and Super Fly have much more in common than just being great soundtracks released in the summer of 1972. Jimmy Cliff and Curtis Mayfield shared many similarities, not least their politically and socially conscious approach to songwriting, but also a polished and positive outlook (Cliff's top-selling UK single was Wonderful World, Beautiful People in 1969, while Mayfield's biggest UK hit was Move On Up in 1971). Another small link is the blaxpoitation feel of the album covers and films that accompanied The Harder They Come and Super Fly, highlighting (but not glamourising) issues in some black communities in Jamaica and the US. Both films focus on a man trying to find a way out of his situation, just "tryin' to get over" by any means necessary.
Curtis Mayfield had already released two brilliant solo albums before working on the Super Fly soundtrack, perfecting a unique brand of upbeat funky songs that explore the desires and frustrations of the American underclass, notably (Don't Worry) If There Is A Hell Below and Keep On Keeping On. Super Fly's opening track, Little Child Runnin' Wild, pushes this style forward with a song about kids in the projects raising themselves without parental oversight, set against the infectious mix of organ, hi-hat cymbals, strings, horns and guitar. Pusherman, as much as any other track on Super Fly, underlines the record's fundamental anti-drugs message, describing the drug dealers who would prey on these directionless kids (but sympathising with the pushers' situation too). The funky bass line and conga rhythms are a cool counterpoint to the serious message.
Freddie's Dead switches focus again, this time exploring the plight of drug addicts, in this case Fat Freddie, who comes to a sticky end. In the film's moving scene, only an instrumental version of the song is used, but on the album a fuller version with lyrics is on offer and the songwriting is of the highest order ("we can deal with rockets and dreams / but reality, what does it mean?"). Mayfield's vocals are sublime and combine brilliantly with the funky guitar and flute solos.
Give Me Your Love is a Latin-infused ballad that kicks off side 2, a sound that Mayfield blends with the soul instincts of his early Impressions days on the next two tracks, Eddie You Should Know Better and No Thing On Me, both powerful anti-drugs statements. Then there's the blues of instrumental Think before Mayfield lays on the funk heavy with title track, Super Fly, which became (with Freddie's Dead) one of two top-selling US singles from the album. As with many of the tracks, the devastating impact of the lyrics is softened and almost obscured by the brilliant quality of the music. Rarely in history does a soundtrack outsell a film, even rarer still does a soundtrack become one of the best and most influential albums ever recorded. Mayfield had it all as a songwriter, singer, composer, activist and gentleman, he was one of pop's true geniuses.
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