Funkiest Man Alive: Stax Funk Sessions 1967-1975

Rufus Thomas (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 19, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Stax
• ASIN: B0000APVCB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,653 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

"Never trust anyone over 30" was a catch phrase of the youth movement that swept the United States during the late Sixties and early Seventies. That counterculture dictum certainly didn't apply to song and dance man Rufus Thomas. While in his fifties, the Memphis show business veteran reached the plateau of his popularity through a series of funky ditties that had both young and old dancing to their irresistible grooves. Assembled as a tribute to the Mississippi born vocalist, who died in December 2001 at age 84, Funkiest Man Alive brings together 18 of the most danceable tunes Thomas cut for Stax Records between 1967 and 1975. Every track provides timeless proof as to why there were few men, young or old, funkier than Rufus Thomas

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Godfather of Memphis Funk.", April 16, 2006

By 

Josh P. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Funkiest Man Alive: Stax Funk Sessions 1967-1975 (Audio CD)

So it says on the back of the album cover. It's no lie; this CD is hot!! Talk about funky! I think Rufus gave James Brown a run for his money some times. Here you get 18 of his funkiest and finest. From the title track which sounds like it will never end, (and why should it?) to classics like "Itch and Scratch" and "Sophisticated Sissy." On some of these that have dance names in the title, they all kind of sound the same. Rufus announces he's back with a new dance for everyone, says what it is and how to do it. Those are "Do The Funky Penguin", "Do The Push and Pull", and "Funky Robot" among others. It's pretty cool; even if you don't know how to do these dances, just do something that makes sense. These songs definitely have such colossal grooves to them. Bass lines and drum riffs are sweet!
The CD has inlay liner notes about Rufus' biographical info and his involovement with Stax and the songs presentes. So check Rufus Thomas out. He was middle-aged when he did all these songs, but that made no difference. He still could make life a dance party and that's what this CD is all about: a dance party!
As he said, "I ain't gettin' older; I'm gettin' better."

4.0 out of 5 stars My MAN was TIGHT!, January 17, 2012

By 

Sambson (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Funkiest Man Alive: Stax Funk Sessions 1967-1975 (Audio CD)

This is a fine compilation, featuring some hard hitters, but it leans more into the 70s than other sets. "Funky Hot Grits", "Itch & Scratch" "Funky Mississippi" and "Breakdown" are stellar, but the Warner Platinum Collection is an equally hard hitting set; what with the original version of "Memphis Train" (not the 70's version here), "Sister's Got A Boyfriend" and "Walking The Dog". Thomas rarely referred to himself as "The Funkiest Man Alive" outside of the song itself. His career tag-line was "The World's Oldest Teenager". From my perspective, Rufus brought a style of Street Funk that James Brown rarely touched until he got Bootsy and Phelps Collins in his band; sticking more to 'entertainment Funk' if you will allow that term. Anyone interested in seeing Rufus Thomas at the height of his popularity should look into getting the WATTSTAX DVD from right here on Amazon. Albert Collins, The BarKays, Staple Singers, Little Milton and Issac Hayes all do their level best... but NO ONE comes close to touching Rufus dropping the bomb ("The Breakdown" & "Do The Funky Chicken") in his hot pink shorts, Go-Go boots and cape! Thomas released something like 28 singles with Stax, two on Atlantic, two on AVI Records, one on Artists Of America and one on Hi Records; before putting out junk like "Rufus Raps" in the 80s. A number of the B-sides are quite good and have never been digitally released.