Special Post-Thanksgiving Favorite Song

I didn't post a song this last Wednesday. I was planning on it, then was released early from work and couldn't bring myself to blog. It's no excuse. That's why I'm bringing the fire this morning. A special edition.



Eddie Kendricks - Day by Day
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Eddie Kendricks was in the original line-up of the Temptations and left the band in 1971 as they were hitting their peak. "Day by Day" was released in 1972 on the album "People... Hold on". If you like this track, the album is equally as stellar.

I usually don't like to throw out words like undeniable in relation to music but god-damn. I could not sleep last night because I had this song in my mind, it is seriously dangerous. You might lose sleep, be warned.

One of the first things to notice about the track is the ridiculous stereo isolation. Nearly everything is panned except the bass and vocals. In the verse the guitar is even panned halfway through each phrase. It's a bit gratuitous but highlights the differences in the two halves of the guitar line. Also I like the trumpet coming in out of left-field, especially with the drums panned right. The serious stereo stuff also helps you notice the weird ass synthesizer stabs right before the last chorus.

But the vocals are really the draw, as is nearly always the case. Serious sing-a-long potential here, Kendricks's falsetto rises and falls with such enthusiasm, the dude really does sound like he's in some type of ecstatic love. I'm looking for this on the playlist next time I stumble into a karaoki bar.

BONUS:


Lil Wayne - Let That Beat Build
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A bonus track on Tha Carter 3, Kanye brings the soulful sampling you could have come to expect from him before he had a mid-life crisis about three months ago. He's probably been saving this sample since the College Dropout days. It's a lazy production in the sense that it's just a four bay loop, but Kendricks's joyous vocals and a simple 808 drum pattern (foreshadowing?) carry it for five whole minutes. If you road in my car towards the end of the summer, I probably played this song for you. Play it on a loud system for your first listen and just wait for those drums to drop at the two minute mark. I dig Weezy getting a bit meta with the hook, it speaks to his authority as a rapper. It's also sweet when the beat drops out and he says he will eat you alive.

Other notable lyrics:

"I told her toolbox, bitch it's hammer-time."
"Approving million dollar deals from my iPhone."
"I've got a lot of tattoos and I meant every tear."

DOUBLE BONUS:

Lil Wayne - Let that Beat Build (instrumental)
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