Source Material: The Electric Prunes 'Release of an Oath'

Following the Electric Prunes' third album, 'Mass in F Minor', which featured mostly studio musicians filling in for the band members, the band released 'Release of an Oath' in 1968, again recorded by studio musicians with the Prunes only submitting vocals. This album may only have been a footnote in history, a cash-in recording for a band that had all but broken up, if it weren't for the songwriting and production prowess of one David Axelrod. 'Release of an Oath' is less of an Electric Prunes album than it is a David Axelrod album. With it's open drums, jazz influence, and funky basslines; the album became a sought after treasure for beat diggers the world over. Thankfully, within the last decade, the album has been easier to find due to re-releases (and now, MP3s). This post will cover the producers and artists who have sampled the Axelrod produced fourth album by the Electric Prunes.

One of the album's stand out tracks is 'Holy are You', which is a favorite of beat heads and psych rock listeners alike. The track was sampled by Joe Fatal for Fat Joe and Raekwon's team up 'Respect Mine' on his 1995 album 'Jealous One's Envy'. Five years later, the same track was sampled by Madlib on his Quasimoto album 'The Unseen' for the cut 'Return of the Loop Digga'. The album's funkiest cut is the bouncy bass-heavy 'General Confessional', which has become the most sampled cut on this release. In 1997, the Beatnuts sampled 'General Confessional' for 'N----z Know' on 'Stone Crazy' while DJ Scratch sampled the cut for Rampage and Busta Rhymes' single 'Flipmode iz da Squad'. In 2000, Madlib sampled this track as well for his song 'B.S.' from the Quasimoto single 'Basic Instinct' while the RZA sampled the song for 'The Monument' which finds Busta Rhymes cameoing again on the beat alongside the Wu-Tang Clan. 'The Adoration' from 'Release of an Oath' was also plundered by the Beatnuts for the song 'World's Famous' from their 1993 release 'The Intoxicated Demons'.

At the end of 'Release of an Oath', the Electric Prunes were almost done. The band, by name only and featuring none of the original members, released a fifth album that made no waves. Axelrod, however, was just at the beginning of his solo career. 1968 saw the release of his debut solo album, 'Song of Innocence', which led to a decade of beat digger coveted albums.

The Lowdown:
The Electric Prunes 'Holy Are You', 'General Confessional', and 'The Adoration'
from 'Release of an Oath' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Fat Joe 'Respect Mine'
from 'Jealous One's Envy' (1995) (MP3 not available/CD)
Quasimoto 'Return of the Loop Digga'
from 'The Unseen' (2000) (MP3/CD)
The Beatnuts 'N----z Know'
from 'Stone Crazy' (1997) (MP3 not available/CD)
Rampage 'Flipmode iz da Squad'
from 'Scouts Honor By Way of Blood' (1997) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Quasimoto 'B.S.'
from 'Basic Instinct' (2000) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Wu-Tang Clan 'The Monument'
from 'The W' (2000) (MP3 not available/CD)
The Beatnuts 'World's Famous'
from 'The Intoxicated Demons' (1993) (MP3 not available/CD)

Bonus Cut:
The Verve's Richard Ashcroft, a fan of Axelrod's work with the Electric Prunes, recorded an excellent live version of 'Holy Are You' with Axelrod conducting a symphony.

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: David Axelrod (Part 2, 1968-1969)
Rewind: Quasimoto 'The Unseen' (Part 1)
Rewind: Quasimoto 'The Unseen' (Part 2)
Rewind: Quasimoto 'The Unseen' (Part 3)

Producer Profile: RZA (Part 1, 1993-1994)

After early work with the group All in Together Now Crew (with the GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard) and one single with Tommy Boy under the alias Prince Rakeem, Robert Diggs (aka the RZA) formed the Wu-Tang Clan with 8 other members in 1992. The most noteworthy single from their debut 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' is the classic cut 'C.R.E.A.M.' which this year was finally certified as a gold single having sold 500,000 copies on its own. The song samples 'As Long As I've Got You', a Stax single from the Charmels.

To cash in on the success of the Wu-Tang Clan, Cold Chillin' re-released the debut GZA album under the alias the Genius as well as released the RZA produced track 'Pass the Bone' as a single (RZA production is credited as Prince Rakeem). 'Pass the Bone' samples the heavily used Wu breakbeat 'Impeach the President' by the Honey Drippers and 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba' by the Harlem Underground Band produced by Paul Winley and famously featuring George Benson. The year also saw the release of Method Man's debut album 'Tical' which featured the single 'Release Yo' Delf' that interpolates the hook from Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' as well as samples Herb Alpert's 'Treasure of San Miguel' and Graham Central Station's 'The Jam'.

Finally, in 1994, RZA contributed production work and rhymes to the horrorcore all-star outfit the Gravediggaz's debut album '6 Feet Deep'. Their first single, 'Diary of a Madman', produced by the RZA, RNS and Prince Paul and featuring a guest verse from the Wu's Killah Priest, samples two cuts from crooner Johnny Mathis to extremely creepy results: 'No Love (But Your Love)' and 'Warm and Tender'.

Check back for our next look at the RZA's production discography.

The Lowdown:
Wu-Tang Clan 'C.R.E.A.M.'
from 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993) (MP3/CD)
The Charmels 'As Long As I've Got You'
from 'As Long As I've Got You' 7" (1967) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Genius 'Pass the Bone'
from 'Pass the Bone' 12" (1994) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Honey Drippers 'Impeach the President'
from 'Impeach the President' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Harlem Underground Band 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba'
from 'Harlem Underground' (1976) (MP3/CD not available)
Method Man 'Release Yo' Delf'
from 'Tical' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Gloria Gaynor 'I Will Survive'
from 'Love Tracks' (1978) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass 'Treasure of San Miguel'
from 'Sounds Like' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Graham Central Station 'The Jam'
from 'Ain't No Bout-a-Doubt It' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Gravediggaz 'Diary of a Madman'
from '6 Feet Deep' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Johnny Mathis 'No Love (But Your Love)'
from 'No Love (But Your Love)' 7" (1957) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Johnny Mathis 'Warm and Tender'
from 'Warm and Tender' 7" (1957) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (Part 1)
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (Part 2)

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

Welcome to our second look at the songs that sampled Lee Dorsey's 60s hit single 'Get Out of My Life Woman'.

In 1994, two of the year's biggest releases sampled Dorsey's classic break: DJ Premier laced Nas with the beat for 'Memory Lane (Sittin' in the Park)' from his debut album 'Illmatic' and Run DMC's Jam Master Jay and Jeff Harris produced the beat for Onyx's album cut 'Stik'n'Muve' from 'Bacdafucup'. On Grand Puba's sophomore solo album '2000' (confusingly released in 1995), the ex-Brand Nubian emcee rapped over Dorsey on 'Playin' the Game' produced by Alamo. One of the many songs sampled by Beck and the Dust Brothers for his album 'Odelay' is 'Get Out of My Life Woman' on the hit single 'Where It's At'. A year later, the RZA used the break on the Wu-Tang Clan's double disc album 'Wu-Tang Forever's deep album cut 'Maria'. In 1999, Q-Unique sampled Dorsey on the Arsonists' 'Pyromaniax' and in 2000, Chief Xcel sampled Dorsey on the Blackalicious track 'Lyric Fathom' from the compilation 'Solesides Greatest Bumps' (quite hard to find in the past few years, but available again on MP3 now!).

Next month we'll be revisiting 'Get Out of My Life Woman' by checking out the many covers of Dorsey's song and the songs that have sampled them.

The Lowdown:
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of MY Life Woman'
from 'The New Lee Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Nas 'Memory Lane (Sittin' in the Park)'
from 'Illmatic' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Onyx 'Stik'n'Muve'
from 'Bacdafucup' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Grand Puba 'Playin' the Game'
from '2000' (1995) (MP3/CD)
Beck 'Where It's At'
from 'Odelay' (1996) (MP3/CD)
Wu-Tang Clan 'Maria'
from 'Wu-Tang Forever' (1997) (MP3/CD)
The Arsonists 'Pyromaniax'
from 'As the World Burns' (1999) (MP3/CD)
Blackalicious 'Lyric Fathom'
from 'Solesides Greatest Bumps' (2000) (MP3/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: DJ Premier (Part 3, 1994)
Rewind: Beck 'Odelay'
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 1)
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 2)

Rewind: Wu-tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of our look at 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'.

'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F--- Wit' may not be an A-side single, but its one of Wu-Tang's most endearing and well known tracks. The track, produced by the RZA and Method Man, samples the break from Lafayette Afro Rock Band's 'Hihache', the opening break from the Honey Drippers' 'Impeach the President', and elements of Biz Markie's 'Nobody Beats the Biz'. The biggest single from 'Enter the Wu-Tang', maybe the biggest single of the Wu's career, is 'C.R.E.A.M.'. This classic uses a sample of the Stax single 'As Long as I've Got You' by the Charmels, written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Don't sleep on that download link, this track has never been easy to come by!



Method Man takes on a track solo for 'Method Man' which samples 'Sport' by Lightnin' Rod (featuring instrumentation by an early Earth, Wind and Fire), 'Sundown' by Gordon Lightfoot, and re-interpolates Hall and Oates' 'Method of Modern Love' from 1984's 'Big Bam Boom'. The Wu's first single, originally released independently but redone for the album, was 'protect Ya Neck' which contains samples of Lowell Fulsom's 'Tramp' and Albert King's 'Cold Feet'. Finally, 'Tearz' samples another Stax 7": Wendy Rene's 'After Laughter (Comes Tears)'.

Wu-Tang Clan, following the release of their debut, became a legacy with more albums as a group and dozens of solo releases from the Wu members. Look for more Wu-Tang Clan associated posts in the future of this blog.

The Lowdown:
Wu-Tang Clan 'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F--- Wit', 'C.R.E.A.M.', 'Method Man', 'Protect Ya Neck', and 'Tearz'
from 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Lafayette Afro Rock Band 'Hihache'
from 'Soul Makossa' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
The Honey Drippers 'Impeach the President'
from 'Impeach the President' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Biz Markie 'Nobody Beats the Biz'
from 'Goin' Off' (1988) (MP3/CD)
The Charmels 'As Long As I've Got You'
from 'As Long As I've Got You' 7" (1967) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Lightnin' Rod 'Sport'
from 'Hustler's Convention' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Gordon Lightfoot 'Sundown'
from 'Sundown' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD)
Hall and Oates 'Method of Modern Love'
from 'Big Bam Boom' (1984) (MP3/CD)
Lowell Fulsom 'Tramp'
from 'Tramp' (1967) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Albert King 'Cold Feet'
from 'King of the Blues Guitar' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Wendy Rene 'After Laughter (Comes Tears)'
from 'After Laughter (Comes Tears)' 7" (1964) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Bonus Cuts:
Wu-Tang Clan 'C.R.E.A.M.' (Acapella)

Rewind: Wu-tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 1)

Following a couple early singles by GZA (The Genius) and RZA (aka Prince Rakeem) and a self-released single, the Wu-Tang Clan signed to a major label deal and released one of hip-hop's classics in 1993: 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'. This two part post will cover the sample sources of the Wu's debut album.

The opening track 'Bring Da Ruckus' uses one of RZA's go to drum samples throughout the album: Melvin Bliss' break-fueled freak out 'Synthetic Substitution'. ODB's first appearance comes in full style on the track 'Shame on a N----' which samples both Thelonius Monk's cover of Duke Ellington's 'Black and Tan Fantasy' and the break from Syl Johnson's 'Different Strokes'. 'Clan in Da Front' uses the 'Synthetic Substitution' break with a sample of New Birth's 'Honey Bee'.



The Wu's posse cut 'Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber' samples Lonnie Smith's 'Spinning Wheel' from his 1970 album 'Drives'. RZA gets a hand in production from 4th Disciple for the single 'Can it Be All So Simple'. 'Simple' samples Gladys Knight and the Pips' 1974 cut 'The Way We Were / Try to Remember' and the beat from Labi Siffre's 'I Got The (Blues)' from his 1975 album 'Remember My Song'.

Check back for the second part to our look at 'Enter the Wu-Tang'.

The Lowdown:
Wu-Tang Clan 'Bring Da Ruckus', 'Shame on a N----', 'Clan in Da Front', 'Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber', and 'Can It Be All So Simple'
from 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Melvin Bliss 'Synthetic Substitution'
from 'Reward' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Thelonius Monk 'Black and Tan Fantasy'
from 'Plays Duke Ellington' (1955) (MP3/CD)
Syl Johnson 'Different Strokes'
from 'Is It Because I'm Black?' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
New Birth 'Honey Bee'
from 'It Ain't No Big Thing But It's Growing' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Lonnie Smith 'Spinning Wheel'
from 'Drives' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Gladys Knight and the Pips 'The Way We Were / Try to Remember'
from 'I Feel a Song' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Labi Siffre 'I Got the (Blues)'
from 'Remember My Song' (1975) (MP3/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: GZA/Genius 'Liquid Swords' (Part 1)
Rewind: GZA/Genius 'Liquid Swords' (Part 2)