👉 Friday's First Groove: I first heard this song live at a show in NYC in the mid-eighties when Living Colour first debuted the song. The band didn’t have a record deal yet, but there was a strong buzz on the band in NYC (their hometown) and beyond. That strong buzz about Living Colour was an exciting thing to experience.
⚡ There was a strong sense that Living Colour was different. A feeling that we were all witnessing a special moment in time. Perhaps even historical. Having worked with the band for a while, I was accustomed to being surprised by their music. Their sound was different and evolved quickly as the material was played live and as the lineup changed around the band’s founder-guitarist extraordinaire, Vernon Reid. Even once Corey Glover joined on lead vocals, it took some time for the rhythm section to solidify. Once it did, it was clear that Living Colour was headed for greatness.
📀 The song in question was Funny Vibe, which eventually appeared on Vivid, their debut album. No, not ha-ha funny. The title and lyrics reference the feelings caused by racist attitudes and behaviors. See the lyrics below and a link to the remix video directed by Charles Stone III to better understand the (sadly) still relevant subject matter. The track also features a cameo by Chuck D and Flavor Flav from Public Enemy.
🎸 Musically, the album version is a study of dynamics and contrasts. It starts with a hybrid prog-metal feel, then turns on a dime to a Prince-like funk groove, and then back again. While the groove is dynamic, the power of the lyrics is unrelenting. They speak to you directly and pull no punches.
“No, I'm not gonna rob you. No, I'm not gonna beat you.
No, I'm not gonna rape you. So why you want to give me that Funny Vibe! No, I'm not gonna hurt you. No, I'm not gonna harm you.
And I try not to hate you.
So why you want to give me that Funny Vibe!”
👉 Check out both the album version produced by Ed Stasium and the remix by Prince Paul and Bobby Simmons, which features a rap by Daddy-O of Stetsasonic. Prince Paul was the DJ in Stetsasonic and produced De La Soul’s fantastic first album, 3 Feet High and Rising.
I’d love to know what you all think about these tracks.
Of course, the entire Vivid album is a masterpiece well worth your attention 😀
Here's the album version (listen to this first):
And here's the remix....you can also search out other mixes ;)
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