One of the great funk & soul songs of the 1960s, 'Tighten Up', appears on Taylor's first self produced album 'In Your Time'. In the opening bars, he sings "Here's an old song from Archie Bell & The Drells from way back in 1973". The truth of the matter is that Archie Bell had a #1 hit with this song in the Spring of 1968, not 1973.
In any case, here are the two versions for your listening pleasure!
Tighten Up
Archie Bell & The Drells
Tighten Up
Taylor Hicks
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2 comments:
Thanks for the music. I remember when I first found the tracks from IYT at Gray Charles and made a CD. I was so pumped about it, this guy was the REAL deal. I was so excited to play the CD for my daughter who was 23 at the time. When it got to Tighten Up, she made me change it because "he's just singing the same words over and over mom". Her thing is lyrics and she didn't get it that this song isn't about the lyrics, it's all about the music and the instruments. I loved the way Taylor and his band turned it into a jam-band song. I need to time them both to see how much longer his version was.
The only problem I have is the "way back, way back, way back in uhh, 1973" at the beginning. Taylor my oldest daughter was born in 1974, quit saying "way back" and "1973" in the same sentence please! LOL.
I remember posting on several boards asking what he was saying in one of the videos from Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta from the shadow tour in 2006. All I could make out was "damn" and something about "Texas". Someone finally posted that he said "Archie Bell and the Drells are from Texas". Funny thing is though that he wasn't even singing this song, I think he was doing some blues tags.
You never know what Taylor Hicks is going to say on stage, that's what's so fascinating.
Yeah, when I heard Taylor singing "Way back in 1973" I thought "huh?" I don't remember that song in 1973. I knew it was a song from the late 60's.
I love Taylor's version. I especially love how he sings "obscure" songs and makes them his own.
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