Blog Post 7 YAY

Blog Post 7

Hello to all my party people! Welcome, welcome, welcome to my humble abode of “I’ve Got You Covered”!!!

This is the last post for a while on this blog (SAD FACE), so I have saved something very special for our last post together.  This week we are going to be reviewing The Persuasions’ album Acapella Dreams.  I really appreciate this album because I genuinely have a love for acapella and how it changes a song into something so artistic and beautiful! Since 1962, The persuasions have performed with countless artists such as Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, Bill Cosby, and Roseanne Barr.  Although they became popular in the 1960s, they are still creating and producing albums today with their latest being a collaboration album with “The Bare-Naked Ladies”. I am extremely excited to explore the culture behind the group, as well as the album, and combine it with their style and song choice to make a masterpiece of epic proportions. 

The use of soul and blues music was extremely popular in the 1960s and 1970s, some of Americas classic favorites such as Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, and the Dramatics arose from this era and continue to blow people away today with their familiar melodies. One thing that set the Persuasions apart from the rest was that they chose to abandon the big band sound of that day and age and go for acapella.  This was a large change in a time where everyone was used to belting sax solos and trumpet heavy bops.

Here is an example of big band style of The Temptations

In comparison to their style of

“Kings of Acapella” is what they are called and they sure live up to the name with 26 albums and several awards.  This group did not only defy the norms with their acapella style of music, these men were also defying the norms by creating an African American musical group during the civil rights movement.  This group first came together on the street corners of Brooklyn, but each of their members hailed from different areas of the United States with Jerry Lawson coming from Florida, “Sweet” Joe Russell coming from North Carolina, Jimmy Hayes born in Virginia and Jayotis Washington coming from the Motown area of Detroit.  They all had a very deep rooted history in the church and used this to give their music a heavy influence of gospel.  This is very relevant in all the tracks in their album Acapella Dreams with some tracks coming originally from the gospel genre itself, but all of the tracks on the album have the certain essence that comes with a familiar old gospel tune.

Their rise to fame was a very interesting one because it wasn’t as straight forward and successful of that with musical groups such as the temptations. 

This is shown in the album through the songs that they chose to cover.  Each of the songs fit into a specific category of music and they all mesh together to make a diverse mix of goodness. This album was produced in 2003 by the Capitol records company, but when you listen to it it feels as though you have been transported back in time to the old city streets of 1960s Brooklyn.  This band has a pretty faithful cult following because of their dedication to keeping it old school and acapella.  With each category of the songs on this album, there is a specific feeling evoked by each. In order to get a full understanding of each of the versions of the songs, I listened to the original song first and then listened to the new acapella version done by the persuations. The real kicker here is; does it live up to or surpass the original? Because this blog is all about finding new ways to enjoy some of your favorite songs.

The Elvis Presley Songs

-each of these songs takes you back to the “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog days” of the 1950s

“Good Luck Charm”- Originally by Elvis Presley

This song already has a good bopping beat that is emphasized by the swinging vocalization that is usually shown in music in this age.  With the acapella version of this song it keeps the same doo-wop nature that was found in the original which made it so fun to begin with.  The adding of harmonies to the main melody gives the song a deeper quality and adds the soul quality to it that soothes the mind. I definitely think that this version lives up to the king himself.

“In the Ghetto”- Originally by Elvis Presley

I think I am slightly bias about the Elvis version just because it has been a staple in my household for quite sometime.  This version was interesting because it had more pulsating deep sounds and it wasn’t as smooth and heartfelt as the original version. This song does not have the full qualities that are necessary for a ballad acapella song to evoke the same feeling that the original songs would have using instruments for depth. I personally think that the original would be the most enjoyable of the two.

Don’t- Originally by Elvis Presley

This is one that has a particularly emotional side to it.  This age of the late 1950s and the early 1960s was considered an age of crooning. This was a time when romance was on the rise and everyone and their mother had the intent of sharing it in their new love language of song. This is evident in both of the songs because it seems as though the arranger had taken the original and literally switched it so that It would be acapella instead of the usual version with instruments. The only difference that I can see is the tone quality between the two. Elvis Presley has a very beautiful voice that is known for its ability to scoop and lure an audience in which is where the persuasions are lacking. This is a classic song and I am going to give it a good rating. I would say that It lives up to its predecessor.

Here are some samples of each of the songs so you can listen and assess them yourselves. If you find something super interesting than you can put it in the comment section below.

The Gospel Standards

These are the songs that are found in almost every gospel album in America. These classic songs have been made over time and time again until we can barely find who was the original artist any way. But there is a certain familiarity about these songs that makes them feel like home, and the Persuasions have found a way to make them their own.

“When the Saints Go Marching In” – Originally performed by Louis Armstrong

This song has a deep culture surrounding it as an American gospel hymn. This has been a song of jubilation and salvation that has been linked to this verse in the bible “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city” – Revelation 22:14.  There is some speculation that this could have been sung as a slave song as it talks about being brought out of the trials with the lyrics

“Oh When the Saints go marching in,

When the saints go marching in,

O Lord, I want to be in that number,

When the saints go marching in.”

The most popular version of this song was recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1938. This boppin version features the king of the trumpet himself along with a big band basically just jamming out to the song.  It is a fun and very freeing way to listen to the song.  The Persuasions version of this song is very different than what is considered to be the original. Their rendition sounds more like how the breakdown of a bridge would sound.  The bass voices provide a steady repeating beat for the song that gives it a driving force, so that the song doesn’t lack due to It not having instruments to fill out the spaces that aren’t all there. If this song would have surfaced with the Persuasions version then I think that it would be more well liked due to the fact that you wouldn’t know what you would be dynamically missing with it being acapella.

Here are the two separate versions so that you can get a full idea of the differences between the two.

Louis Armstrong 

The Persuasions Version

“Peace in the Valley” – Written by Thomas A. Dorsey and Originally sung by Mahalia Jackson

This song also has deep roots in gospel surrounding the idea of peace. It was written in the time right before Hitler led war chariots into Western Europe in the late 1930s.  He was on a train going through Indiana and he saw horses, cows, and sheep all together in a small valley. He began to think “What is the matter with mankind; why can’t we all just live in peace?” and from these questions came the song peace in the valley.  This song branches off of the Christian ideology of love in peace instead of hatred. He states in the song…

No headaches or heartaches or misunderstands

No confusion or trouble won't be

No frowns to defile, just a big endless smile

There'll be peace and contentment for me

He is explaining that in the end there will be no more pain or trouble, just a happy ending in heaven with his father.  This is also comparing the difference between the evil found on earth and the good that is found in heaven.

This was the first gospel recording to sell one million copies. 

In reference to the song itself, it was created with good bones to build off of, but I feel like this was made with the intent to be created over. The Persuasions’ version has a particular movement to it that adds to the overall feel of the song.  The harmonizing under the melody adds depth and beauty to the song that was lacking in the original version of the song. The soulfulness of their voices adds to the gospel nature of the song, and overall I would definitely say that it lives up to, if not, surpasses the original.

The Last Category that I noticed within the album are the Old Timey Fun songs:

These include “Dock of the Bay”, “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “She’s a Lady”

These were like a breath of fresh air on the album, they were strategically placed in the track list so that they don’t have issues with there being a lag in the overall movement of the album.  I grew up in a household where music was a big deal, and there was never a moment without some sort of tune playing. “She’s a Lady” is a particularly special song because it was frequented throughout my childhood. When I was little my grandfather would sing this song to me every time that I would dress up to make me happy, and listening to this version of the song took me back to those days and put a smile on my face.

All of these tracks have a special meaning for being put in the album, which is why this album is so beautiful to me.  It was arranged and out together with such care and thought that it doesn’t have a dull moment.  I knew most every song, but I was listening to them in a new light that I had not yet experienced before.

This is what is so beautiful about covers. They bring in the familiar and make it new and fresh.  This blog has been dedicated to helping you find new versions of your favorite songs, but even more than that it was here to explain that there is always a specific meaning to creating a song, especially a cover. I hope that you take what was learned in this blog and go out and find the meaning behind your favorite songs and new renditions. If there is anything you guys ever need, musically or otherwise, I’ve got you covered!

See y’all later!

Mary Ashley