Immortal Curtis Mayfield: Superfly Guy

RELEASE
June 28, 2005
LABEL
Metro
GENRES
Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Soundtracks, Uptown Soul, Blaxploitation, Chicago Soul, Psychedelic Soul, Funk

Album Review

Although there's much good music on this two-CD compilation -- and much music period, with each disc containing over 70 minutes of material -- it falls short of being a wholly admirable anthology of Curtis Mayfield's solo work. It's not certain whether the intention was to craft a best-of for his post-Impressions material, but if so, it misses out on too many important tracks (particularly from the early 1970s) to qualify on that count. To be fair, the back sleeve blurb does spell out that the collection spans the years 1972 to 1990. That, unfortunately, eliminates numerous fine 1970-71 recordings from the running order, including the original version of "Move on Up," the hit "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go," and such interesting items as "Check Out Your Mind," "Stone Junkie," and "Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey)." The most popular cuts from the classic Superfly soundtrack are here, but a bunch of subsequent '70s hits aren't. So we're left with a selection that is neither a hits-focused comp nor a survey of Mayfield's best overlooked solo work, although it does leave the path clear for inclusion of some good underexposed songs, like the quite appropriately titled "After Sex," "Get a Little Bit (Give, Get, Take and Have)," and the small 1977 hit "Do Do Wap Is Strong in Here." The 1987 synth-overladen live version of "Move on Up" is depressingly inferior to the classic original (as is the 1985 remake of the early-'70s single "We Got to Have Peace"), and there are too many relatively inessential cuts from his later years, when he moved toward a more mainstream (and sometimes disco-fied) sound in both material and arrangements.
Richie Unterberger, Rovi

Track Listing

  1. Superfly
  2. Hard Times
  3. Give Me Your Love
  4. I Mo Git You Sucka
  5. Billy Jack
  6. You Are You Are
  7. What Is My Woman For
  8. Baby It's You
  9. Love to the People
  10. Everybody Needs a Friend
  11. Freddie's Dead
  12. People Never Give Up
  13. Do It All Night
  14. Move on Up [Live Edit][Edit]
  15. We Got to Have Peace
  16. Big Mac
  17. Pusherman
  18. In Your Arms Again (Shake It)
  19. Do Do Wap Is Strong in Here
  20. Ain't No Love Lost
  21. Love Me Love Me Now [Short Version]
  22. When You Used to Be Mine
  23. Mr. Welfare Man
  24. Tripping Out
  25. After Sex
  26. Short Eyes/Freak, Freak, Free, Free, Free
  27. I'm Gonna Win Your Love
  28. Get a Little Bit (Give, Get, Take and Have)
  29. Homeless