Customer Reviews

People Get Ready: Curtis Mayfield Story

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I hear the music of Curtis Mayfield in this three-disc box set (51 songs), especially the early stuff, I feel really uplifted. The first 13 songs alone-all gems-are worth the price. To my knowledge, they are not available together on any other recording.

In thinking about the contribution he's made to music, it occurred to me that Curtis had all of the rare qualities that made the Beatles so great. He was: (1) a fabulous songwriter; (2) a stone soul singer; (3) a crack musician; (4) a music pioneer; and, (5) politically conscious. Indeed, born in '42, he was a contemporary of the Beatles and was perhaps ahead of them in many ways. While the Beatles were singing, to teenaged girls, "I Want to Hold Your Hand," (early '64), Curtis was telling a woman "I'm So Proud of Being...Loved by You."

His music had a maturity and political consciousness ahead of its time. By 1965, for example, he had penned "Woman's Got Soul"
"She may not be the best-lookin' woman, I ever did see,
or have the charms of the ladies of high society.
But the woman's got soul,
worth all the...gold"

As large corporations increasingly dominate our politics, media, and culture, Curtis's words from 1968 are still right on the money:
"Some people think, we don't have the right,
to say, "It's my country'.
Before they give in,
they'd rather fuss and fight,
than say, `It's my country'".

I guess what I like the most about Curtis Mayfield is the honesty of his songs and the pure, sweet expression of his voice. He could really do a heartbreak song, as shown in
"I Loved and I Lost...and I might as well confess"

Probably my favorite song of all is the single "The Makings of You," which, apparently (incredibly), did not chart in 1970.

"Add a little sugar,
Honeysuckle Lamb,
a great big expression of happiness...
The joy of children laughing around you,
these are the makings of you."

Actually, it doesn't matter what he's singing on this song. The purity and soulfulness of his voice is apt to bring a tear. And the music is so pretty; it could be on the soundtrack to a movie.

Many people enjoy the "Superfly" era of Curtis Mayfield (roughly 1970-73)-with it's funk-like rhythms and orchestration on songs such as "Move on Up" "Freddie's Dead" "Get Down" and "Pusherman". In fact, that's the music most people probably think of when they hear his name. That period is well represented in this set, mostly on disc two. My favorites are "We Got to Have Peace," "If I Were Only a Child Again" and 1975's "So in Love."

There are three live songs at the end of disc one, "Check Out Your Mind," "Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey)", and "Stone Junkie" which shows a different side of Curtis-as the leader of a band that could funk and groove, and connect with a live audience.

On disc three ('76-`90), Curtis exhibits a more laid-back approach, including a return to love songs such as "Between You Baby and Me" (with Linda Clifford), "Love Me, Love Me Now" and "Tripping Out". He never lost his social conscious, however, as represented in the songs "Mr. Welfare Man" and "Homeless"

I enjoy discs two and three but, overall, I'm partial to the stuff did with the Impressions (12 songs), and his earliest solo stuff (on disc one). This disc, by itself, is worth every dime you pay for the set.

This box set includes a well-written booklet about Curtis's music career, with many great photos.

Rest in Peace to a great lyricist and a humble man. When I heard he died, I felt as if someone in my family passed. His words of unity, peace and harmony within the black community and throughout the world will live on in our hearts forever. Please pick up this "album," give respect where it is justly due. Listen to the song "People Get Ready," it describes ascending to heaven; he's finally home. Rest in peace, brother...

This 3-CD anthology is a fitting and thorough tribute to an often overlooked master. Curtis Mayfield was a complete package. His pure and fragile falsetto put The Impressions on the map. His songwriting ability was striking, especially his socially aware and brutally honest lyrics. His guitar playing was always fresh and very influential. Any one of those would have been enough to build a career.

But the real magic of Curtis Mayfield was the man himself, his vulnerability, his soul, his sincerity. In a cynical age such as ours, the depth of feeling required to write a song like My Country is almost unknown. And a song like I'm So Proud Of You, well, if that doesn't melt your heart, you ain't got one. The big hits from Superfly are here, because they have to be. They're good, especially Pusherman. But this compilation lets you stretch out and get a full appreciation of Mayfield, as generous and brave as any artist I've ever experienced.

Rhino ought to be praised for the work they brought together here. Starting with the great hits of his days with the Impressions, this three-disc collection has just about all one would want from a true genius, and is a great survey.

"Amen", "Keep on Pushing", "People Get Ready" show Curtis' roots. Hew has great love songs, also, like my personal favorite "Fool For You". Then, we get into Superfly, and the great hits from Curtis' solo career, like "Get Down" and "Hell Below".

He had a great run, and did tons of good music. This is a great place to get much of it.

Baby-boomers both black & white in the sixties must have all been in awe of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions who were scoring one incredibly great hit after another starting strong with the hypnotic "Gypsy Woman", hitting it out of the park with "It's All Right"...still remember those old ABC Paramount 45rpm's spinning endlessly from one great hit to another & each great song had a message and before long one realized an important one for equality and humanity in general. "I'm So Proud" is a gorgeous love song in the midst of profound message anthems followed by "Keep On Pushing", a struggle for equality and that awesome classic "Amen" from "Lillies Of The Field". Each new release became a powerful social statement but with an engrossing musical appeal that made it go down so easy and "People Get Ready" defined the sixties and really became a anthem for all times...timeless classic sounds as hopeful & tremendous today as the day of release and easily can bring one to tears with its profound beauty! Curtis played all instruments and rhythm was in his soul shining brightly in "Woman's Got Soul" with great tempo changes that have a feel all of its own...another group classic "We're A Winner" is a timeless feel good song that defines Black Pride for all times & "Choice Of Colors" leaves one speechless but is musically so satisfying to listen to with glorious vocals amidst engrossing tempo changes...nobody gave more to this cause than Curtis Mayfield and all accolades are well deserved.

The Curtis Mayfield Story just may be one of the best and most important box sets in Compact Disc history as it covers all the great years of this amazing singer/composer/musicans remarkable career cut way too short by a tragic accident but Curtis did go on after to record another amazing musical treat for all to savor and enjoy.

One could write a book about this amazing legends magnificent accomplishments but best just get yourself this incredible set and get ready for the musical treat of a lifetime...Curtis is AWESOME and this collection is a totally engrossing musical journey...solo years take it to the next level and then some and that is really saying something!!! This is a truly legendary collection...

BRAVO CURTIS!!!

The only reason I am giving ths box set of the great

Curtis Mayfield 4 stars is because it is missing two

jams that I love and that's..."Right On For The Darkness",

which was used in the 1995 film classic "Dead Presidents"

as well as "Little Child Runnin' Wild" which set the opening tone

of his classic soundtrack "Superfly", which is where most of the

young-headz know about him from!

Other than that oversight, this is the definitive

portrait of a great artist whose music was influential

to alot of people and whose songwriting and

lyrical skills inspired everyone from

Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen...Stevie Wonder,

Marvin Gaye & Sly Stone to Bob Marley!!

Not to mention countless of millions who are

discovering and rediscovering his genius today!

i'll try to keep this short as i can, curtis was a leader in soul, a funk pioneer, rock legend, a street scholar, ghetto prophet, and more we lost a great man in 1999-curtis predicted these things back in the 70's and i'll be damn if these things are not being fulfilled now.if there's a hell brlow is deep with lyrics saying everybody snorting use the pill and the dope, or everybody praying and everybody saying but when it comed time to do everybody's laying, deep, curtis is talking about times then and now for not much has changed, the song we the people who are darker than blue is deep where curtis tells all black people dark, and light skinned that we are in the same boat. kung fu is dope, future shock dope, freddie's dead is where a junkie gets murdered, lyrics saying everybody's misused him ripped him off and abused him another junkie plan pushing dope for the man a tyerrible blow but that's how it go ooh freddie's on the corner now if you wanna be a junkie wow. deep deep,yes drugs continue to destroy the black community. please get this to hear some of the best soul music ever recorded.young kids should check this out to see where real hip hop came from not the mainstream ... you hear on bet, amd mtv, and vh1.

Curtis Mayfield's Music Is Very Uplifting&Strong.His Genius Spoke&Face Race,Sex,Class&Everyday Struggles Upfront without Pulling any Punches.As A Writer,Arranger,Producer,Instrumentalist,Vocalist&As A Man He was A Powerful Brother.From The ImPressions to His Solo Career Curtis Mayfield never stopped Challenging&Asking Questions.He Is One Of The Baddest Artists That the Music World Has Ever Known.

The CD I purchased was received timely and it was just as advertised. I am pleased with the purchase and plan to review other iitems.