Fever In The Funkhouse

I don't know if I would have made much more of James Jamerson than I did if it were not for Marshall Crenshaw's loving ode to him in Rolling Stone.
What a difference 4 hours of cornfields make. I mean, Motown, what a rich and proud history and I didn't know squat. 26 years later and I STILL don't know squat. But its funny, both ha-ha and peculiar, how much more I read these days. With computer as appendage, I'm a frikkin sponge. Drives my wife nuts.
I just read how much McCartney was influenced by Jamerson and Motown. And since devouring the" new" Rubber Soul, the unison bass and guitar groove on Drive My Car and his melody runs on The Word and You Won't See me, is definitly a channeling of the Funk Brothers.
But to get a better grasp, drop that needle down, sit back and Inhale: Whats Going On, Dancing In The Street, I Can't Help Myself, You Keep Me Hangin On, My Girl, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, For Once In My Life, My Cherie Amour and Signed Seeled Delivered for just a taste.
James Jamerson's life was cut short with complications from pneumonia so he can no longer fight for the right to his contributions.
Lets not forget.


Photo of James Jamerson from last.fm
Discography from musicpayer.com

Mama Popped A Fender

Like it or not, Carol Kaye is a big part of your life. Kind of Orwellian with a groove.
Already logging plenty of recording time on guitar for the likes of Sam Cooke in the early 60s when a no-show bass player for a Capital Records studio date left an empty chair.
Brian Wilson called her "the best damn bass player in the world." As he should. She played on;
Good Vibrations, Help Me Rhonda, Sloop John B, I Get Around, Wouldn't It Be Nice, California Girls, God Only Knows, the Pet Sounds LP, Heroes and Villains, Caroline No and Surf's Up among others.
In addition to the Wilson Family Hit Parade, Carol Kaye has thumped her way into your soul via (and this is just a partial list): Something Stupid, These Boots Are Made For Walkin, Joe Cocker's Feelin' Alright, The Way We Were, Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You, Indian Reservation, Hold Me Thrill Me, In The Heat Of The Night, America The Beautiful, Natural Man, Suspicious Minds, Little GTO, Go Little Honda, Candy Man, Theme from Shaft, Games People Play, Happy Together, Wichita Lineman, Galveston, Rhinestone Cowboy, Ain't No Mountain Enough, Ain't Nothin But The Real Thing, Don't Pull Your Love Out On Me Baby, It Must Be Him, Tiny Bubbles, Theme from Batman, I'm A Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, Homeward Bound, Scarborough Fair, Honey, River Deep Mountain High, This Diamond Ring, Just My Style, Bill Cosby TV Theme, Red Roses For A Blue Lady, Light My Fire, In Crowd, Love Child, Baby Love, Stop In The Name Of Love, Back In My Arms Again, You Can't Hurry Love, I Can't Help Myself, Get Ready, I Second That Emotion, DooRonRon, Midnight Confessions, 16 Tons, Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, Rhythm of The Rain and How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.
TV THEMES: Mission Impossible, Mannix, MASH, Ironside, Kojak, Hawaii 5-0, Room 222, Streets Of San Francisco, Brady Bunch, Cannon, McCloud, Hogan's Heroes, Addam's Family, FBI, It Takes A Thief, Peyton Place, Alice, Wonder Woman, Love Boat, Get Smart, Green Acres, Wild Wild West, Lost In Space, Lucy, ER, The West Wing and King Of The Hill.

















Top Photo of Carol Kaye from wreckingcrew.net
Back Story and Partial Discography from carolkaye.com
Bottom Photo From abbyrd.best.vwh.net