Monday's Long Song

I've just finished reading Stuart Cosgrove's second part of his Soul Trilogy Memphis 68, and very good it was too even better than part one. It only reinforced the annoyance at myself that I have been feeling since L came back from Memphis regarding my fear of inter continental flying, as I have been told several times over the past week or so "you would love Memphis, Drew, you really would". I can console myself that even if I were to get over this, some have said "irrational" fear, the distinct lack of funds and my total inability to save as much as £100 means that unless I win the lottery, I will not be going. If I were to win the lottery I would be going by boat anyway.

Back to the music, finishing the book made me change the track that I had lined up for today and replace it with something that not only helped bring someone who up until the album that today's track was released was a minor figure in the Memphis Soul scene,  also shaped the direction that soul would travel in the 1970,  laid the foundations for the likes of Barry White and took soul music from the constraints of the sub 3 minute pop song, if not into the realms of the concept album, then at least the song as a long form story. A Jimmy Webb penned, Glen Campbell, Nashville staple is not the sort of thing you would associate with changing the face of soul music but that's just what happened when Isaac Hayes reinterpreted By The Time I Get To Phoenix, adding a spoken word back story to the sounds of the Bar-Kays, Hayes takes nearly nine minutes setting the scene before the track kicks in fully and then the next nine minutes are taken up with absolutely sublime soul and then it's over, wow! The album this track comes from, Hot Buttered Soul only contains 4 tracks, three of which are covers and one original composition by Hayes and Al Bell. It was a toss up whether to post By The Time I Get To Phoenix or the sublime rendition of Walk On By which also qualifies for this series clocking in at 12 minutes.

There will not be a lot to see here this week as I am at a three day meeting, in the exotic location of Heathrow bloody airport. I have put together something for Thursday though.

Isaac Hayes - By The Time I Get To Phoenix