The Breaks: 'Get Out of My Life Woman' Covers (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at covers of Allen Toussaint's 'Get Out of My Life Woman', popularized by Lee Dorsey, and the artists and producers who sampled the covers.

In addition to famously shouting out Lee Dorsey, the Beastie Boys sampled a cover of 'Get Out of My Life Woman' on their song 'The Move' from 1998's 'Hello Nasty'. The version they sampled is the 1968 rock version of 'Get Out of My Life Woman' from Iron Butterfly's album 'Heavy'. I don't know why more people haven't sampled this version! Tellingly from the album's title, 'The Grass is Greener', 'Get Out of My Life Woman' by Grasella Oliphant attracted the eye of Cypress Hill producer DJ Muggs who used the track on 'What Go Around Comes Around, Kid' from 1993's 'Black Sunday'.

One of the most sampled versions of this song, aside from the original, is also from 1968: Solomon Burke's version of 'Get Out of My Life Woman' from his album 'I Wish I Knew' has become a hip-hop sample building block. The track was sampled twice in 1992 by West Coast artists - one by Dr. Dre for the track 'The Chronic' from his album of the same name and once by DJ Muggs for Ice Cube's 'Now I Gotta Wet Cha' from 'The Predator'. In 1993, it was sourced by T-Ray for Funkdoobiest's 'I'm S---tin' on 'Em'. A year later, DJ Richie Rich would use the cut for 3rd Bass' deep album cut 'Daddy Rich in the Land of 1210' from the album 'Derelicts of Dialect'. The song was also sampled on the Wild Pitch staple 'Blue Cheese' by the UMC's - a favorite among breakers. In 2005, courtesy of production by John Legend and Kanye West, the song was again sampled by Keyshia Cole on the song 'I Changed My Mind' from 2005's 'The Way it Is'.

The Lowdown:
Iron Butterfly 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'Heavy' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Beastie Boys 'The Move'
from 'Hello Nasty' (1998) (MP3/CD)
Grasella Oliphant 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'The Grass is Greener' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD)
Cypress Hill 'What Go Around Comes Around, Kid'
from 'Black Sunday' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'What Go Around Comes Around, Kid'
Solomon Burke 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'I Wish I Knew' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Dr. Dre 'The Chronic'
from 'The Chronic' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Ice Cube 'Now I Gotta Wet Cha'
from 'The Predator' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Now I Gotta Wet Cha'
Funkdoobiest 'I'm S---tin' on 'Em'
from 'Which Doobie U B?' (1993) (MP3/CD not available)
3rd Bass 'Daddy Rich in the Land of 1210'
from 'Derelicts of Dialect' (1994) (MP3/CD not available)
The UMC's 'Blue Cheese'
from 'Wild Pitch Classics' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Keyshia Cole 'I Changed My Mind'
from 'The Way it Is' (2005) (MP3/CD)

The Breaks: 'Get Out of My Life Woman' Covers (Part 1)

Two months ago, we covered Lee Dorsey's break form his cover of Allen Toussaint's legendary 'Get Out My Life Woman' and the producers and artists who sampled it here and here. This month - a different take on the same song: we'll be looking at the producers and artists who sampled other covers of the song in a two part post arc.

Joe Williams has one of the earliest covers of the song with the slightly renamed 'Get Out of My Life' from his 1966 album 'Presenting Joe Williams with Thad Jones and the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra'. This song was sampled by Haas G and RNS for an album cut in the UMC's Wild Pitch album 'Fruits of Nature' on a track called 'Woman Be Out'. A year later, the Trackmasters used the same break on the much more notable single 'Ill Street Blues' by Kool G Rap and DJ Polo. In 1993, T-Ray sampled the break for Funkdoobiest's song 'I'm S---ting on 'Em' on the album 'Which Doobie U B?'. Another year later, Large Professor used the cut for Main Source and Large Professor's track on the 'Wild Pitch Classics' compilation titled 'How My Man Went Down in the Game'. In 2000, Jill Scott used the song on her track 'Brotha' produced by Keith Pelzer.

In 1966, the Mad Lads delivered 'Get Out of My Life' on their 'In Action' album. Nearly 3 decades later in 1995, DJ Ralph M would sample the song for Funkdoobiest's 'Superhoes' on the album 'Brothas Doobie'. One of the odder versions of 'Get Out of My Life Woman' comes courtesy of Bill Cosby. On his 1968 album 'Hooray for the Salvation Army Band', Cosby covers 'Get Out of My Life Woman'. Of course this one was sampled too! Chubb Rock and Howie Tee used it in 1991 for the cut 'The Big Man' while in the same year, DJ Muggs used the sample for Cypress Hill's 'Stoned is the Way of the Walk' from their self-titled debut album. In 1992, DJ Premier sampled Cosby for Gang Starr's 'The Illest Brother' from their essential album 'Daily Operation'. Finally, in 1994, the Digable Planets sampled the song on 'Jettin'' from their second and final album 'Blowout Comb'.

Check back for more 'Get Out of My Life Woman' covers and more hip-hop cuts based on them.

The Lowdown:
Joe Williams 'Get Out of My Life'
from 'Presenting Joe Williams with Thad Jones and the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra' (1966) (MP3/CD not available)
The UMC's 'Woman Be Out'
from 'Fruits of Nature' (1991) (MP3/CD not available)
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo 'Ill Street Blues'
from 'Live and Let Die' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Funkdoobiest 'I'm S---tin' On 'Em'
from 'Which Doobie U B?' (1993) (MP3/CD not available)
Main Source and Large Professor 'How My Man Went Down in the Game'
from 'Wild Pitch Classics' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Jill Scott 'Brotha'
from 'Who is Jill Scott?' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Mad Lads 'Get Out of My Life'
from 'In Action' (1966) (MP3/CD)
Funkdoobiest 'Superhoes'
from 'Brothas Doobie' (1995) (MP3/CD not available)
Bill Cosby 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'Hooray for the Salvation Army Band' (1968) (MP3/CD not available)
Chubb Rock 'The Big One'
from 'The One' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Cypress Hill 'Stoned is the Way of the Walk'
from 'Cypress Hill' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Gang Starr 'The Illest Brother'
from 'Daily Operation' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Digable Planets 'Jettin''
from 'Blowout Comb' (1994) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cut:
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo 'Ill Street Blues' (Acapella)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Cypress Hill' (Part 3)

Welcome to our last look at Cypress Hill's 1991 debut album 'Cypress Hill' produced by DJ Muggs.

'Psycobetabuckdown' is a mouthful of a title, but it samples a track that has an even longer title: Parliament's 'Aquaboogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)' from 1977's 'Motor-Booty Affair'. The track also samples 'Foxy Lady' from Willie Hutch's excellent blaxploitation soundtrack to 'Foxy Brown'. 'Something for the Blunted' finds Cypress on samples of Curtis Mayfield's 'Future Shock' and the essential b-boy cut 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba' from the Harlem Underground Band's lone 1976 album 'Harlem Underground'. The single 'Latin Lingo' finds Muggs using another Sly and the Family Stone sample, 'Sing a Simple Song' from 'Stand!', in addition to samples from 'Mongoose' from the rock band Elephant's Memory, 'Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On' from Motown artist Edwin Starr, and 'A Gritty Nitty' by Pazant Brothers and the Beaufort Express. For 'The Funky Cypress Hill Shit', Muggs samples the Village Callers' 'Hector' from their 1968 'Live' album, the post-Curtis Mayfield Five Stairsteps track 'The New Dance Craze', and Mandrill's excellent 'Fencewalk'. Finally, 'Born to Get Busy' finds the crew rhyming on Booker T. and the M.G.'s early Stax single 'Bootleg' from their 1966 album 'And Now!'.

Although not big upon its release, Cypress Hill's debut album gained sales momentum as their following albums, 'Black Sunday' and 'Temples of Boom' became hits. To date, 'Cypress Hill' has sold 2 million copies in America and is seen as one of the most essential hip-hop albums of 90s.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill 'Psycobetabuckdown', 'Something for the Blunted', 'Latin Lingo', 'The Funky Cypress Hill Shit', and 'Born to Get Busy'
from 'Cypress Hill' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Parliament 'Aquaboogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)'
from 'Motor-Booty Affair' (1977) (MP3/CD)
Willie Hutch 'Foxy Lady'
from 'Foxy Brown' (1974) (MP3/CD not available)
Curtis Mayfield 'Future Shock'
from 'Back to the World' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Harlem Underground Band 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba'
from 'Harlem Underground' (1976) (MP3/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Sing a Simple Song'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Elephant's Memory 'Mongoose'
from 'Take it to the Streets' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Edwin Starr 'Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On'
from 'Involved' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD)
Pazant Brothers and the Beaufort Express 'A Gritty Nitty'
from 'Loose and Juicy' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Village Callers 'Hector'
from 'Live' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Five Stairsteps 'The New Dance Craze'
from 'Our Family Portrait' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Mandrill 'Fencewalk'
from 'Composite Truth' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Booker T. and the M.G.'s 'Bootleg'
from 'And Now!' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Cypress Hill' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second of three looks at Cypress Hill's debut album 'Cypress Hill'.

One of the album's biggest singles is 'The Phuncky Feel One', which features samples of Kool and the Gang's 'Give it Up' and 'Life is What You Make It', The Meters' classic 'Look Ka Py Py', James Brown's 'Blues and Pants', Rufus Thomas' essential heavy drums on 'The Breakdown', The J.B.'s 'More Peas' and 'La Di Da Di Day' (both from their unfortunately rare album 'Doing it to Death'), and 'Fight the Power' by the Isley Brothers. A sample clearance nightmare to say the least, but chock full of excellent source material. On Cypress Hill's 'Break it Up', DJ Muggs samples Les McCann and Eddie Harris' 'Compared to What' from their 1968 album 'Swiss Movement'. For 'Real Estate', the crew rhymes over Sly and the Family Stone's 'Underdog', the Bar-Kays' 'Humpin'', Tony Alvon and the Belairs' 'Sexy Coffee Pot', and All the People's excellent 'Cramp Your Style'. On 'Stoned is the Way of the Walk', Cypress Hill rides a sample of Grant Green's 'Down Here on the Ground' from his 1970 album 'Alive!'.

Check back for our final look at 'Cypress Hill'.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill 'The Phuncky Feel One', 'Break it Up', 'Real Estate', and 'Stoned is the Way of the Walk'
from 'Cypress Hill' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Give it Up'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Kool and the Gang 'Life is What You Make It'
from 'Wild and Peaceful' (1973) (MP3/CD)
The Meters 'Look Ka Py Py'
from 'Look-Ka Py Py' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD)
James Brown 'Blues and Pants'
from 'Hot Pants' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
Rufus Thomas 'The Breakdown'
from 'Did You Heard Me?' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The J.B.'s 'More Peas' and 'La Di Da Di Day'
from 'Doing it to Death' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Isley Brothers 'Fight the Power'
from 'The Heat is On' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Les McCann and Eddie Harris 'Compared to What'
from 'Swiss Movement' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Underdog'
from 'A Whole New Thing' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Bar-Kays 'Humpin''
from 'Gotta Groove' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Tony Alvon and the Belairs 'Sexy Coffee Pot'
'Sexy Coffee Pot' 7" (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
All the People 'Cramp Your Style'
from 'Cramp Your Style' 7" (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Grant Green 'Down Here on the Ground'
from 'Alive!' (1970) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Five On It: March 2009's Essentials ('Sexy Coffee Pot' Appearance)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Cypress Hill' (Part 1)

Last month we looked at Cypress Hill's second album, 'Black Sunday', their commercial breakthrough produced mostly by DJ Muggs. Over the next three posts, we'll look at Cypress Hill's debut album from 1991 titled 'Cypress Hill' produced entirely by DJ Muggs.

'How I Could Just Kill a Man' was originally a B-side, but has become one of Cypress Hill's most notable cuts. The song includes samples from several different genres smelted in the Cypress Hill cauldron. Among them is Jimi Hendrix's 'Are You Experienced' from his 1967 album of the same title, Lowell Fulsom's tremendous breakbeat track 'Tramp', James Brown's 'Escape-ism' from 1972 and J.B.'s 'I Got Ants in My Pants (and I Want to Dance)', as well as Manzel's popular break 'Midnight Theme'. Cypress Hill's single 'Hand on the Pump' famously samples Gene Chandler's doo-wop hit 'Duke of Earl' from his 1962 album of the same title and Junior Walker and the All Stars' Motown hit 'Shotgun'. 'Hole in the Head' finds Cypress Hill rhyming over Jimmy McGriff's 'The Bird' from his highly sought after 1971 album 'Groove Grease'. On 'Ultraviolet Dreams', DJ Muggs samples Muddy Waters' electrified blues cut 'Tom Cat' from his album 'Electric Mud'. On 'Light Another', the crew samples an early Kool and the Gang cut, 'Good Times', from their 1972 album 'Good Times'.

Check back for part two of our look at Cypress Hill's debut album 'Cypress Hill'.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill 'How I Could Just Kill a Man', 'Hand on the Pump', 'Hole in the Head', 'Ultraviolet Dreams', and 'Light Another'
from 'Cypress Hill' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Jimi Hendrix 'Are You Experienced'
from 'Are You Experienced' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Lowell Fulsom 'Tramp'
from 'Tramp' (1967) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
James Brown 'Escape-ism'
from 'Hot Pants' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
James Brown 'I Got Ants in My Pants (and I Want to Dance)'
from 'Get on the Good Foot' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Manzel 'Midnight Theme'
from 'Midnight Theme' 7" (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Gene Chandler 'Duke of Earl'
from 'Duke of Earl' (1962) (MP3/CD not available)
Junior Walker and the All Stars 'Shotgun'
from 'Shotgun' 7" (1965) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Jimmy McGriff 'The Bird'
from 'Groove Grease' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Muddy Waters 'Tom Cat'
from 'Electric Mud' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Good Times'
from 'Good Times' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 1)
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 2)
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 2) (Lowell Fulsom appearance)

The Breaks: Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of My Life Woman' (Part 1)

Last month, Lee Dorsey's essential open drum intro for 'Get Out of My Life Woman' was inducted to our Five On It collection of necessary breaks for hip-hop producers and DJs. I would've liked to expand on why this drum break is so necessary, but it could not have been done in just one part of one post. In total, I have four posts slated to explain 'Get Out of My Life Woman' - the first two dropping this month will look at songs who sampled the Lee Dorsey version and two posts next month will explore the songs that sampled covers of Lee Dorsey's original. Beat scientists will know there are a lot of excellent covers to talk about. Let's get into it!

'Get Out of My Life Woman' may be most famously sampled in 1989 by Biz Markie for his gigantic crossover hit and enduring single 'Just a Friend' from his album 'The Biz Never Sleeps'. Produced by the Biz and Cool V, 'Just a Friend' is a multi-generational party standard. A year later, DJ Slip and the Unknown DJ sampled the 'Get Out of My Life Woman' break for Compton's Most Wanted's 'This is Compton' from 'It's a Compton Thang!' which predates Dr. Dre's Compton-centric 'The Chronic' by one year. In 1991, Prince Paul and De La Soul sampled the drums on 'Fanatic of the B Word' from their sophomore album 'De La Soul is Dead'. In 1992, Common's debut album 'Can I Borrow a Dollar?' contained the Immenslope produced single 'Breaker 1/9' while the title track to Lord Finesse's 'Return of the Funky Man' had Showbiz (of Show and AG fame), both sampling Lee Dorsey. In 1993, both 'Hits from the Bong' by Cypress Hill, produced by DJ Muggs, and the short interlude 'Zearocks' from the Leaders of the New School's 'T.I.M.E.' album also used samples of 'Get Out of My Life Woman'.

Check back for the second part of our look at songs sampling one of Lee Dorsey's finest moments.

The Lowdown:
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'The New Lee Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Biz Markie 'Just a Friend'
from 'The Biz Never Sleeps' (1989) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Compton's Most Wanted 'This is Compton'
from 'It's a Compton Thang!' (1990) (MP3/CD not available)
De La Soul 'Fanatic of the B Word'
from 'De La Soul is Dead' (1991) (MP3 not available/CD)
Common 'Breaker 1/9'
from 'Can I Borrow a Dollar?' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Lord Finesse 'Return of the Funky Man'
from 'Return of the Funky Man' (1992) (MP3/CD not available)
Cypress Hill 'Hits from the Bong'
from 'Black Sunday' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Hits from the Bong'
Leaders of the New School 'Zearocks'
from 'T.I.M.E.' (1993) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Five On It: July 2009's Essentials ('Get Out My Life Woman' on Five On It)
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 1)
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 2)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of our two part look at Cypress Hill's album 'Black Sunday', released on this day in 1993.

On the track '3 Lil' Putos', DJ Muggs digs into jazz and brings back 'Ode to Billy Joe' from Lou Donaldson's 1968 album 'Mr. Shing a Ling'. On 'Hits from the Bong', Muggs again uses the break from Lee Dorsey's 'Get Out of My Life Woman', but this time laces it with Dusty Springfield's smash hit single 'Son of a Preacher Man' from 1969's 'Dusty in Memphis' and Junior Mance's 'Don't Cha Hear Me Calling to Ya' from the 1970 album 'With a Lotta Help from My Friends'. 'Get Out of My Life Woman' appears yet again, this time a cover by Grassella Oliphant for Cypress Hill's 'What Go Around Come Around, Kid'. Finally, on 'Break 'em Off Some', Muggs samples the title cut from Joe Zawinul's 1966 album 'Money in the Pocket'.

'Black Sunday' eclipsed Cypress Hill's debut (to be reviewed soon) in terms of success and laid the groundwork for another decade plus of releases.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill '3 Lil' Putos', 'Hits from the Bong', 'What Go Around Come Around, Kid', and 'Break 'em Off Some'
from 'Black Sunday' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: '3 Lil' Putos', 'Hits from the Bong', 'What Go Around Come Around, Kid', and 'Break 'em Off Some'
Lou Donaldson 'Ode to Billy Joe'
from 'Mr. Shing a Ling' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'The New Lee Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Dusty Springfield 'Son of a Preacher Man'
from 'Dusty in Memphis' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Junior Mance 'Don't Cha Hear Me Calling to Ya'
from 'With a Lotta Help from My Friends' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD)
Grassella Oliphant 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'The Grass is Greener' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD)
Joe Zawinul 'Money in the Pocket'
from 'Money in the Pocket' (1966) (MP3/CD not available)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 1)

Without parallel commercially speaking, Cypress Hill's 1993 album 'Black Sunday' is still the release the rap unit is most recognized for. The album charted at #1 on the Billboard album charts and contains their most enduring hit single. This two part post will cover the sample material used by Cypress Hill and their producer DJ Muggs to make this album.

The album's opening track sets the mood for the album and much of Cypress Hill's career: 'I Wanna Get High'. Muggs samples the drums from Lee Dorsey's famous 'Get Out of My Life Woman' along with Junior Parker's 'Taxman' and Rita Marley's 1981 cut 'One Draw'. The only track on the album not produced by DJ Muggs is the single 'I Ain't Goin' Out Like That', produced by T-Ray. The song samples two cuts from Black Sabbath's 1970 self titled debut album: 'Wicked World' and 'The Wizard'. The first single from the album is still Cypress Hill's most recognizable song: 'Insane in the Brain'. The song samples Sly and the Family Stone's title track from the 1968 album 'Life', James Brown's title track from the 1969 album 'Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud', Mel and Tim's title track from the 1969 album 'Good Guys Only Win in the Movies', and a song from the Youngbloods titled 'All Over the World'. Finally 'When the S--- Goes Down' makes good use of 'Deep Gully' by the Outlaw Blues Band and the massive bassline and breaks from Billy Cobham's 'Stratus'.

Check back for our second look at 'Black Sunday'.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill 'I Wanna Get High', 'I Ain't Goin' Out Like That', 'Insane in the Brain', and 'When the S--- Goes Down'
from 'Black Sunday' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'I Wanna Get High', 'I Ain't Goin' Out Like That', 'Insane in the Brain', and 'When the S--- Goes Down'
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'The New Lee Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Junior Parker 'Taxman'
from 'The Outside Man' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Rita Marley 'One Draw'
from 'Who Feels It Knows It' (1981) (MP3/CD)
Black Sabbath 'Wicked World' and 'The Wizard'
from 'Black Sabbath' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Life'
from 'Life' (1968) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud'
from 'Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud' (1969) (MP3/Import CD)
Mel and Tim 'Good Guys Only Win in the Movies'
from 'Good Guys Only Win in the Movies' (1969) (MP3/CD)
The Youngbloods 'All Over the World'
from 'Get Together' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Outlaw Blues Band 'Deep Gully'
from 'Breakin' In' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Billy Cobham 'Stratus'
from 'Spectrum' (1973) (MP3/CD)

Producer Profile: David Axelrod (Part 2, 1968-1969) UPDATED

This may seem like a rehash of a previous post, but it's much more than that. Amazon is now offering downloads of David Axelrod's difficult to find albums 'Song of Innocence' and 'Songs of Experience'. When I found out that these are now available, I decided to reboot this entire post with new up-to-date links so all you beat heads could get your hands on two of Axelrod's most influential works. The following is the original post with two new bonus cuts. Enjoy the newly updated part 2 of Axelrod's producer profile.

After Axelrod's success as a producer for others, he was encouraged to produce his own instrumental albums. In 1968, he released his first album 'Song of Innocence', an concept album that was loosely based on the writings of 18th century artist William Blake. The album would also contain some of the most sought-after beats by crate diggers worldwide. 'Holy Thursday' was one of the many samples used by Madlib on the Quasimoto track 'Return of the Loop Digga', but most recently it emerged (to my astonishment) as the backing to Lil Wayne's 'Dr. Carter' from the hugely popular 'Tha Carter III'. Swizz Beatz delivered Weezy with an unusually simple looped up 'Holy Thursday' bassline - it's a step out of the norm for both the artist and the producer. 'The Mental Traveller' from 'Song of Innocence' was used by Ras Kass on 'Soul on Ice' from his 1996 debut album also titled 'Soul on Ice'.



Axelrod followed 'Song of Innocence' with another Blake themed album, the instrumental 'Songs of Experience'. Axelrod's 'The Human Abstract' would be sampled heavily for DJ Shadow's moody single 'Midnight in a Perfect World' from his outstanding debut album 'Endtroducing...'. Kool G Rap would sample the 'Songs of Experience' track 'A Divine Image' on his track 'Take 'em to War' from his first solo album '4, 5, 6'. 'A Divine Image' was sampled again three years later by DJ Muggs on Cypress Hill's '16 Men Till There's No Men Left'.

Axelrod would only release one more album through Capitol, 1970's 'Earth Rot', before splitting with the label. Through the 70s, he recorded several more albums for RCA, Decca, Polydor, and MCA.

The Lowdown:
David Axelrod 'Holy Thursday' and 'The Mental Traveler'
from 'Song of Innocence' (1968) (MP3/CD not available)
Quasimoto 'Return of the Loop Digga'
from 'The Unseen' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Lil Wayne 'Dr. Carter'
from 'Tha Carter III' (2008) (MP3/CD)
Ras Kass 'Soul On Ice'
from 'Soul on Ice' (1996) (MP3/CD not available)
David Axelrod 'The Human Abstract' and 'A Divine Image'
from 'Songs of Experience' (1969) (MP3/CD)
DJ Shadow 'Midnight in a Perfect World'
from 'Endtroducing...' (1996) (MP3/CD)
Kool G Rap 'Take 'em to War'
from '4, 5, 6' (1995) (MP3/CD)
Cypress Hill '16 Men 'til There's No Men Left'
from 'Cypress Hill IV' (1998) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: '16 Men 'til There's No Men Left'

BONUS CUTS:
Now that I can offer a download of it, here is another 'Song of Innocence' cut that got sampled. The album's opening cut 'Urizen' was sampled for the Jurassic 5 / Big Daddy Kane posse cut 'A Day at the Races' produced by Cut Chemist.