Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Soul

Swelling, Call and Response, Gospel Choirs

phrontist — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:50:21 -0800

I'm looking for music that features I can best describe as "swelling gospel choirs". The Autotune The News guys do a great pastiche of the style... the elements that jump out at me being the call and response and the introduction of melodic theme that's later repeated with far more voices in major key and occasionally jazz-inflected harmony (the refrain "Made in america!" towards the end is a perfect example). Some other exemplary tracks: Fired Up, All These Things That I Have Done, Souled Out, Get By. Is there some ur-gospel group that these artists are drawing from? I'm especially interested in acapella tracks, or those with minimal accompaniment, or those that sample acapella tracks.

Cherry soul music

Foam Pants — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:33:53 -0800

I am seeking classic R&B, soul, reggae, or even blues songs that feature the word cherry I have a radio show that plays old R&B and soul with a smattering of other stuff that I like. I want to do a show featuring songs that highlight the word cherry. I am willing to span a wide range of popular music as long as the song would go well with a mix of Sam & Dave and Otis Redding. That means, while Warrant is a fine band, Cherry Pie is right out. Got any suggestions?

Can you help me find obscure funk mp3s to sample?

thedaniel — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:57:55 -0800

Help me find just the right online crate to dig in - I'm working on a hipstery disco record (think Daft Punk, MSTRKRFT) and would love to find some old happy, dancey funk/soul/whatever you want to call it to sample, but I'd like to shy away from anything super mainstream or typical. I have no idea where to start, but I know there are all manner of mp3 blogs for other obscure genres, so I'm hoping you mefites can point me at your favorites that will help me address this particular need.

Looking for new (to me) ambient and soul music...

You Should See the Other Guy — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:16:03 -0800

Music recommendations at two ends of the spectrum: Soul/R&B and Ambient/Drone/F'd up 20th C. classical... And, bonus question: what are your favorite sources for buying these kinds of music and finding out more about them? Examples of what I like inside... I like Candi Staton, Bettye Swann, Irma Thomas, Spencer Wiggins, James Carr...

I like Jacaszek, Greg Haines, Stars of the Lid, William Fowler Collins, James Blackshaw, Circle...

What else would I like?

Good funk that isn't disco?

the other side — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:09:07 -0800

I'm looking for great funk/soul songs that aren't disco. When I google for good funk music I end up finding lists that include a lot of songs that have way too much of a disco sound to them. I like the rare disco song, but overall, no thanks. So I'm looking for funk with more soul and less glitz. To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, I've been listening to the Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels soundtrack, so I'm really digging songs like James Brown's The Boss and The Payback, and Why Did You Do It by Stretch. Things in that vein.

what the hell has happened thus?

creasy boy — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:42:59 -0800

"My air is flung with souls" -- is there a linguistic explanation of this use of the verb "to fling"? From John Berryman's 127th Dream Song:

...
All souls converge upon a hopeless mote
tonight, as though

the throngs of souls in hopeless pain rise up
to say they cannot care, to say they abide
whatever is to come.
My air is flung with souls which will not stop
and among them hangs a soul that has not died
and refuses to come home.

My basic puzzlement is that I feel that this feels to me like a new sense of the word "to fling", and yet I also feel that to understand it you don't need to go outside the ordinary sense of "to fling".

If "my air is flung with souls" is possible, then "to fling the air with souls" should also be possible. But normally the direct object of fling would be the thing thrown and not the medium in which it is thrown. Is there some standard account of this kind of shift?

But I also kind of feel like something is missing from the active translation "to fling the air with souls". I want to say "to befling the air" might capture this sense of flung better. I don't know. I also feel like maybe the "is flung" usage suggests "is hung". I don't know. If I could formulate my question any clearer I'd look up the answer myself. A google search for "flung with souls" seems to show that souls get flung around quite a good lot -- is there some history of the word that I'm not quite fully aware of?

My question is -- what's up with this? That's the clearest I can really formulate my question.

Vocal coach for 30-year-old male aspiring soul/reggae singer.

rubadub — Fri, 29 May 2009 10:23:46 -0800

Looking for a vocal coach for a 30-year-old guy (me.) Preferably one who is hip to soul, jazz, r&b. I love singing (been in several rock bands, sang on a few self-released albums) and have been on a massive soul/jazz/reggae/r&b kick lately. Like anyone else with blood cells, I sing along, but no way can I manage their precision/control. At age 30 and playing music as a hobby I will never be Curtis Mayfield, but I'm starting to wonder how well I could sing if I took lessons.

I'd like to find a vocal coach who is hip to this stuff instead of choral singing / opera or rock. I've thought about it on and off for years but I don't even know how much to expect to pay, much less who to check out.

If you know of any good online resources to get started, those would be much appreciated. Exercises/etc might save me a little dough and reinforce some basic skills up front.

Located in Columbus, OH if you have any specific suggestions.

Put a hat on my earwig.

pantsonfire — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:57:19 -0800

Who sings the soul/r&b song that goes something like "They've gone on". The singer longingly asks, "Where are my friends? Where have they gone?" Then, among the names of great musical talents he mentions, he says, "James Brown...he's gone on."

I heard it on the radio today and can't find it anywhere. Please help!

Soul Makossa

LSK — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:51:31 -0800

Translation of lyrics to Soul Makossa? So at this point you all know about the song Soul Makossa, which famously had its refrain lifted by Michael Jackson for his song Wanna Be Starting Something. The refrain may be nonsense lyrics, but I'm curious about the meaning of the lyrics to the song in question. Does anyone have a translation or know what the song means?

Soul Record 'White Chocolate': what is this track?

bollockovnikov — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:45:50 -0800

SoulFilter: Any idea what this soul (perhaps jazz-rock) record is? It's track 20 of a compilation mix called 'Taste of White Chocolate'. Listen here

How sweet it is...

gnutron — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:10:34 -0800

Are there any contemporary musicians reviving the doo-wop / late 50s / early 60s soul sound? I love soul music. I am well aware of the ongoing soul revival. Sharon Jones, the Daptones, Amy Winehouse, Bettye LaVette, Darondo, etc.

All these artists seem to replicating the late 60s/early 70s soul sound. Not what I'm looking for here.

Are there any artists the reviving late 50s/early 60s sounds? I am thinking early Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Four Tops, Temptations, Delfonics etc. Vocal harmonies, orchestral arrangments or instrumentation, songs about love & relationships. I guess I prefer male vocalists but I'm interested in anything applicable.

I know this is all we get, but I can’t accept it.

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:18:34 -0800

I know that we all die and that there’s absolutely no way around that. I know and accept that one day I will die as well, and I’m not afraid of dying, per se. What I am afraid of—terrified of really—is no longer existing, no longer being conscious of everything that’s happening in this great wide world, no longer being sentient, I guess. What can I do? Long explanation, as all anonymous questions tend to have…

I am not religious or spiritual. I do not believe in God or a god or a higher being. I do not believe that there is an afterlife or that there is a heaven and hell, nor do I believe that we will be reunited with our loved ones in the hereafter. But I really, really, really wish I believed in any of that, especially the whole hereafter/loved ones thing. I am nearly paralyzed by the thought that once I die, that’s it: there is no more awareness of what is going on, there is no more learning, there is no more thinking or problem-solving or interaction. You just…don’t exist anymore. That’s what I cannot wrap my head around.

Many people believe that you have a soul (what I guess I’m referring to as consciousness or existence) and that when you die, it’s just your body that stops, but your soul continues on, either going to heaven or being reincarnated or something else entirely. If I believed in that I’d be laying awake at night worrying about other things instead of trying to figure out what it feels like to not exist.

If I knew for certain that my mind/soul/existence would carry on after this body died, I think I’d be okay. But I don’t know that (I suppose no one knows for sure, but so many people believe) and that really stresses me out. Since I don’t know, and I don’t believe, I’m left with death = nothingness: no body, no mind, no floating awareness of the universe. I just don’t know how to accept that or rationalize it or be okay with that.

Do other people worry about this (I know people worry about dying, but do they worry about this weird aspect of it that I’m talking about?)? How do they deal with it? What can I do to try to deal with it and accept it and wrap my head around it? Is it possible for me to become some kind of believer, such that I’ll start believing there’s an after-existence?

I’ve figured out what “the meaning of life” is, at least for me, so that isn’t a question about that. I’m not asking how to find religion. I know that a ton of people are going to throw out “therapy” as a one word answer, but really, how is a therapist going to convince me some part of me will continue to exist after I die? Or that, really, it’ll be okay? (I generally dislike all the shrinks I’ve had and none of them have ever “got” me and I can’t deal with any more platitudes about this particular topic.)

I’ve been worried about this off and on since I was a kid, but I worry about it more and more lately, and every time I think about it I break down and cry and it consumes me. Other people don’t seem to have this problem, either they believe in something after, or they don’t and they accept it. I just…haven’t reached that point yet, and I don’t know if I can.

Throwaway email: soulpatch@gawab.com

Anonymous because I don’t want my mefi friends to know how fucked up I am.

Seeking new R&B with an old Motown feel

Foam Pants — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:13:10 -0800

I need some new music that will fit well with Motown and Stax old R&B & soul. I have a radio show that features old soul music and old R&B. There is also is some funk and jazzy stuff with a smattering of blues and reggae. But really, the backbone of the show is a cross between Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding.

I am seeking music from new artists that will fit in this show. I know my old stuff really well but I am completely disconnected from what is coming out today. I am looking for current music that captures a Motown sound or the super funky Stax sound.

An obvious choice is Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album. I find that Ronson produced music has that flair to it so I have played a bit of Santogold and such on my show. I have also played some music that he used to mix into his stuff. I really liked a remix of Dee Edward's "Why Can't There be Love" by Pilooski so well done remixes are welcome. I also liked Band of Bees. Any other suggestions?

Funk or soul record store in a movie?

davebush — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:00:53 -0800

What movie did I see that featured a small record store in an African American community within a big city's downtown area? What I vaguely remember:

The film was set in the late 60's or early 70's. The store was a kind of meeting place. A character in the film was nervous about that part of town. The store specialized in funk or soul music. My mind has somehow connected the record store scenes with Miles Davis' "On the Corner" - likely because the characters resembled the illustrations on the album cover.

I'm not ruling out the possibility that this might have been part of a dream I had at some point, but I'm pretty sure I saw this movie and was quite impressed by the way the director captured that era and environment.

I can name that tune in less than 90 seconds.

deliriouscool — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:57:53 -0800

What is this song? Sharon Jones? Alice Russell? Googling lyrics yields nothing, but AskMe has to know...Obviously I need an iPhone with Listen.

What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for truly simpatico connections?

adamrobinson — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:08:43 -0800

We've all encountered, if we are lucky and blessed, someone who transcends the definition of friend -- a truly simpatico soul (as in friend, not "soul mate"), someone with whom you can and sometimes do speak for hours, someone who "gets you." What accounts for the connection? Shared beliefs? Shared values? Shared aspirations Shared stage-of-life? It's got to be more than mere shared interests. I know there have been a few interesting Metafilter questions posted about the nature of friendship (most recently on the "psychology of friendship"), but this goes beyond that. I guess I'm talking about what constitutes a psychological/emotional/cognitive doppleganger! It's different from a friend, and just knowing that such a person exists, even if you don't get to see each other that often, is a source of comfort and strength as we sail through life.

Identify this concert/track for me!

Artw — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:30:03 -0800

On BBC Radio 6 a few days ago, probably sometime late at night or early in the morning in British time (I was listening in the afternoon in the US) they were playing a concert recording of an artist who’s volcal style resembled a less coherent Amy Winehouse. One of the songs used part of tchaichovskys Romeo and Juliet for a hook, and it was all mostly soul/R&B type music. Any ideas what it was?

Identify the legend: How Shiva tricked the human soul to jump into a body.

andreinla — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:13:17 -0800

I am trying to identify/verify the existence of a legend told to me by a friend. Goes something like this: Human soul, free of body for some reason.

Shiva to soul: Go back into body!

Human soul: No way, I am not going back to this trap of suffering and pain and ignorance! I want to be freeeeeee!

Shiva: Go!

Soul: No!

Shiva starts playing flute.

Soul wants to dance but has no body!

Soul: Damn it!, Jumps into the body so it can dance.

Shiva: Who's your daddy now, bizatchi!

Soul in body, dancing: Ai ai ai ai ai!

The End.

Identify legend, please! Could be another god, we all know Indians have lots of them!

What's the best song Tarantino hasn't used yet?

ictow — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:43:10 -0800

What's the best song Tarantino hasn't used yet? I'm directing a theater production that's going to be an improvised Tarantino movie. It's gonna be good, but it'll be even better if I can put together a really awesome soundtrack.

2 needs: before the show and between the scenes.

I'm thinking old school soul/funk and 50s/60s obscurish pop. The songs that are spurring this: I Gotcha - Joe Tex (from Reservoir Dogs), Misirlou - Dick Dale (Pulp Fiction) and Bang Bang - Nancy Sinatra (Kill Bill). Anything with a really strong opening is especially helpful for in-show.

Basically this is a chance to list the badassest song you know. Or the most goose-pimpley. Or, best, both.

Relatedly, any ideas for songs similar to Battle Without Honor or Humanity are appreciated. I've got RJD2's The Horror and that's it.

Please help me find great, unknown "hidden gem" soul and R&B artists.

amanlikeme — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:54:53 -0800

I've recently started devouring 60's and 70's era soul and R&B music. My favorites are Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding, etc. I feel I've mastered the well-knowns, and am now looking for lesser known artists in the vein of Howard Tate: fantastic, but virtually ignored by the masses. Can you help me find other cult favorites / hidden gems?

Vegetarian Soul Food

Astro Zombie — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:57:54 -0800

Vegetarian substitutions four soul food dishes. Looking for recommendations for what would make the best meatless alternatives to the constituent ingredient is many soul food dishes, including salt pork, tripe, bacon drippings, turtle meat, rabbit, and possum.

Also, if any of you have recipes for vegetarian soul food options, please share.

Seeking details about black sixties soul suits.

IZ — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:58:01 -0800

What kind of (black) suits, shirts, ties, shoes did sixties soul musicians wear on stage? I'm a musician, playing in a classic style soul/funk outfit. We are looking at outfits to wear during gigs. We are inspired by the outfits of the classic soul bands. The kind of suits worn in Pulp Fiction by John Travolta / Samuel Jackson, the suits that were worn on stage by the (Motown) Funk Brothers and the suits that are worn by the Dap-Kings etc.

Does anyone know what kind of suits soul / funk musicians used to wear back in the days? Normally they appear to be single breasted three button black suits with small black ties and black shoes. Any particular brands, styles, details we should be looking at?

Thanks!

Urban Rugged Clothes like Triple 5 Soul and G-Star Raw. For chicas, not guys.

barnone — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:28:23 -0800

Women's urban clothing. I'd like to find more brands of clothing like G-Star Raw and Triple 5 Soul. I particularly like this jacket and this shirt and this blazer. What are other retailers or brands that sell kinda tough, kinda sexy, kinda rugged apparel, specifically for women? I know of Karmaloop, Diesel and a few other online places, but so much of it is cutesy or too tiny. This is for a women's size large, about a 12-14 if possible. Men's clothing just doesn't really fit me (or someone else for whom this kind of clothing would be perfect). Guy's shirts are often too broad and the arms are too long, my hips are too wide. Think "urban rugged" rather than "full-out military" and definitely not too cutesy like this.

So: any suggestions? Skater/snowboard attire that isn't too tricked out? Punk clothing that's toned down a bit?

I'm looking for songs about selling your soul to the devil.

honeydew — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:31:34 -0800

I'm looking for songs about Faust or deals with the devil, a la "Devil Went Down to Georgia" or "Gretchen am Spinnrade." New, old, classical, punk, folk; any length or genre. Any suggestions?

Fall in love with sound

nintendo — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:56:59 -0800

Looking for new music to get me going. Something somewhere around the bands "Soul Coughing" and "Sigur Ros". If anyone listens to & loves these guys like me, can you please help me find some new bands to love. Or really any great music anyone can suggest. Thanks everyone.