Soul records with unconventional lyrics

[Fish Fingers 182]

So the vast majority of soul records are about the usual suspects...... relationships / love etc. 

But then occasionally you get some with quite bizarre themes/lyrics. 

I have just started this thread on the hoof, so need to come up with better example, but top of head tune;

'I'm shaft' - RB Freeman

I think it's about someone in an asylum where everyone thinks they are Shaft. Which is certainly quite a unique choice of subject matter!

Any others?....... fire away. 

 

[Michael V 84]

One that springs to mind on a slightly similar theme is Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers' great Psychedelic Soul opus,the anti-drug  'Believe It Or Not' (flip to the storming dancer 'I Gotta Go Now (Up On The Floor)' although both sides have been justly popular) with lyrics like "Did you hear about the man who tried it (LSD)?he wanted to leave his troubles behind- he wound up going crazy,you know he thought that he was Frankenstein"

Another is Bobby Hendricks' bizzare 'Psycho' which is sung to -and with spoken comments by- his psychiatrist!

[Shinehead 1,821]

Our old friend Jerry Williams aka Swamp Dogg must have recorded some of the most diverse and strange subjects in his recording career .

 

[Tomangoes 2,896]

The iceman..BW

We use to dance and not pay attention to lyrics i think. The bliss of innocence..

Ed

 

[Fish Fingers 182]

8 hours ago, Tomangoes said:

The iceman..BW

We use to dance and not pay attention to lyrics i think. The bliss of innocence..

Ed

 

Same here. Never understood what he was singing about when I bought it about age 12.

Heard it again decades later and it all made sense. 

[Mark B 262]

Pizza pie man 

[Tomangoes 2,896]

Not much love shown in James Coit's Phoof outing....but what a dancer:)

Could not get on the floor at the KGB back in the day.

Ed

[Davebanks 181]

How about Curtis Mayfields'  haunting "Back against the wall" from the movie/album  "Short Eyes" about a child molester in prison.  I like it ;and as one reviewer said "it cuts deep"

Not sure it got many radio plays!

Dave Banks

[Davenpete 1,299]

How about something even ruder than Mr Bang Bang Man? Hard core Mod blues...
 

 

[Rick Cooper 541]

In a similar theme to The Ice Man how about The New Creation - The Fish Song, but I don't think they would be as appealing as Billy Watkins, a bit smelly and not as cool. This track was included on the CD Soul on the Real Side #11 which also includes Turner Bros -Let's Go Fishing so should be one for @Fish Fingers.

 

[Tomangoes 2,896]

The checkmates Ltd on Rustic were not spreading much love...

The bottle is also a real sad song.

War and stop the war now, very political.

Talking bout poor folks...not much disguising the frustration of discrimination.

Ed

[Happy Feet 131]

Bill Withers -Better Off dead -b side to Lean On Me, totally mind blowing tune with an ending like a Stephen King movie   

[Douglaschip 237]

'Little' Johnny Blair - Momma's gone - House of the Fox - tough for the family!!

Winstons - Colour me father - Nice story.

[The Yank 2,023]

Marvin Gaye- "Mercy, Mercy Me" - Pollution

O'Jays- "Ship Ahoy" -                      Slavery

O'Jays- "For The Love Of Money" -   Greed 

Koko Taylor / Willie Dixon- "Insane Asylum" - A man goes to an asylum and "finds his baby there ". 

Robins- "Riot In Cell Block # 9" - A prison riot 

Edited Wednesday at 21:30 by The Yank

[Davenpete 1,299]

Surprised nobody's mentioned the flip side of Stay bu the Virginia Wolves. Can't be many records about sandwiches...
 

 

[Pga1 328]

Hiya, here's a few. The relations - puddin ' n' tang.  Willie and west- Attica massacre.  Lightnin' rod- sport, cheers

[epic 264]

Hang On Bill - Little Lisa
Skiing In The Snow - Invitations 
Before 2001 - Rufus Wood
Wash & Wear Love - Lynn Varnardo 
Bricks, Broken Bottles And Sticks - Dean Parrish

 

Edited Saturday at 07:55 by epic