Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield isn't my favorite artist I have ever heard. I wouldn't choose to listen to him if I had a choice. But I am glad that I was exposed to him and his sound because I think he was one of the first artists that helped soul music to grow. His influence definitely helped the musical world to transfer more into soul/R&B sound from just R&B, which I am grateful for because I personally have a really hard time listening to jazzy R&B songs. They annoy me so much because I feel like they drone on and the sound of the cymbals and trumpet never end! But back to Curtis Mayfield. Like Sly and The Family Stone, Mayfield used his musical influence to voice his opinions about social and political matters, which to me is really admirable because it did risk a lot. It risked his own personal safety and it could have ruined his career. In his song "Power to the People," Mayfield says:

We want the power for the people
That's all we ask in our country dear
The sick and the hungry are unable
Protect them and those who may live in fear

One song I really enjoyed off of the album Curtis, was "Move On Up." It is such a groovy song that makes you want to get off your butt and dance. It has a great vibe and tune. My only complaint is the length because in the last 3-4 minutes, all they do is repeat the same notes. Plus, I think people get tired of it halfway through because it is 9 minutes long. And if the song was made as a song you could dance to, it definitely should be shorter because dancing for 9 minutes straight is tiring and people want a break.

I also found it interesting that Mayfield made his album so long. It had 17 songs with 5 of them over 5:00 minutes. I feel like this could be perceived in a good way or a bad way. You could commend him because he was really dedicated and wanted to put a lot of effort into his first solo album. OR you could fault him by saying it is too long and he needs to pick his best work to publish. Either way, I think the album Curtis was a great way for Curtis Mayfield to start off his solo career.














Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/curtis-mayfield/power-to-the-people-lyrics/#lgRQ0eE5DwoAYIDa.99