"Muscle Shoals"

[DoubleA]

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/musc ... /film.html

Many of my fellow music fans are well aware of some of the great music that came out of Muscle Shoals back in the '70's and '80's, but I didn't realize the full extent of it until I watched this incredibly well done film on PBS Independent Lens Series. I didn't realize, or had forgotten, that Aretha cut her first #1 hit at Muscle Shoals FAME Studio ; that Percy Sledge cut "When a Man Loves a Woman" there; and that Wilson Picket recorded "Mustang Sally" at Muscle Shoals FAME studio. Other classics such as Rolling Stones "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses" and Bob Segar's "Night Moves" were cut by the famous "Swampers" at Muscle Shoals studios. Damn gave me chill bumps watching this. Check it out!

[moehler]

I watched it, and thought it was one of the best shows I had seen in a long time. Amazing talent that came there to record. The best part of the show was they finally explained the music line in the song sweet home Alabama "and muscle shoals has got the swampers" ever since I heard that line 40 years ago, I wonder what they meant, great to finally know.

[DoubleA]

Same here, it didn't hit home with me that the line in Sweet Home Alabama refers to the Swampers, Barry Becket and fellow session players at Muscle Shoals. I didn't quite realize that Southern Rock was birthed there in Muscle Shoals, although I was well aware that Duane Allman spent a couple of years there honing his craft as a session player there. His Anthology album features much of this music (a highly recommended must have album from this time period). I agree, one of the best films I've seen in quite a long time.

[scatman77]

This is not intended to hijack a Southern Rock thread but in the same vein as the PBS program, there is one called "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" that was produced and it featured the Funk Brothers. They were the session players for all the big Motown/Berry Gordy acts and artists. I highly recommend that one as well.

[StumpyCulbreath]

Another great one is Tom Dowd: the Language of Music---one of the engineers from Muscle Shoals.

[moehler]

thanks guys, I'll check them out.

[DoubleA]

The most impressive body of work may well have been some of the early R&B stuff at FAME. The first hit recorded at FAME, Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On" was recorded back in 1961, and covered by The Stones. The Stones covered "You Better Move On", having no idea where the song was recorded and knowing nothing about Muscle Shoals, AL. Etta James cut her biggest album there, "Tell Mama", which some say is one of the greatest albums of the rock era. I've really never listened to Etta James, but will definitely check her out after watching this film. They say her vocals could blow the shingles off the roof. Clarence Carter recorded a number of songs there, as did Otis Redding. Jimmy Cliff brought Reggae to Muscle Shoals before anyone knew about Bob Marley. The funny thing was back in the very beginning, session players were a bunch of white guys, playing with, and backing up black artists. Everyone who listened to the records thought they were listening to black musicians since the band played with so much soul. Musicians adopted their style to whoever was recording and aimed to be "The Band" for each artists, no matter the style. Muscians therefore had to be very adaptable to various personalities and styles. As time went on, the session players included a mixture of black and white musicians as a horn section and other players were added, and apparently, they all got along very well and color was never an issue in the studio. I guess sports and music are alike in the respect that they both can bridge boundaries and bring people together.

[Old Wideout]

You're correct and no need for affirmative action…….


Talent and ability to work together is the measure nothing else…….

[Maddog1956]

You're correct and no need for affirmative action…….


Talent and ability to work together is the measure nothing else…….

There's one in every crowd and I was so enjoying this thread until someone tries to hijack it and get it moved.

Mod I would suggest removing both of these post, I think we just beat this issue up.

[appst89]

You're correct and no need for affirmative action…….


Talent and ability to work together is the measure nothing else…….

There's one in every crowd and I was so enjoying this thread until someone tries to hijack it and get it moved.

Mod I would suggest removing both of these post, I think we just beat this issue up.

Maybe I am missing what is so offensive about that post. It seems that he was agreeing that music brought everyone together without it having to be forced. If I misread it, please tell me what is so offensive about it.

[Maddog1956]

You're correct and no need for affirmative action…….


Talent and ability to work together is the measure nothing else…….

There's one in every crowd and I was so enjoying this thread until someone tries to hijack it and get it moved.

Mod I would suggest removing both of these post, I think we just beat this issue up.

Maybe I am missing what is so offensive about that post. It seems that he was agreeing that music brought everyone together without it having to be forced. If I misread it, please tell me what is so offensive about it.

You maybe right, maybe I'm touchy!

First AA doesn't have anything to do with people working and playing together so I don't know why it was brought up other then to say we don't need AA in general.

Secondly, The fact is that while everyone made good music together, there was a lot of discrimination that much of the civil rights movement (that led to AA) did bring about.

Enuff said, if that wasn't the way it was meant, I'll take my comment back.

[clayton]

This is on Netflix, if you have it.

My favorite part was the section on Duane Allman. He talked Wilson Pickett into recording Hey Jude. They stayed at the studio while everybody was at lunch because, as one of the guys says, the only thing worse than showing up with a black guy in those days was showing up with a hippie.

The bassist in Muscle Shoals was David Hood. His son is Patterson Hood of the Drive By Truckers. They did a whole album on southern rock mythology called "Southern Rock Opera." One of the songs is "Ronnie and Neil" which is about Muscle Shoals (and Ronnie Van Zant, Neil Young, and Sweet Home Alabama).