dimanche 15 février 2026
48 Hours 1994
The always entertaining and delightful, but sometimes derivative Bar-Kays come up aces this time. Three hard funk tunes -- "She Can Get It," the title track, and "Irresistible" -- are as arresting as top-flight ballads like the seven-minute-plus "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" and "If It Takes All Night," where Evelyn "Champagne" King adds a soulful vocal. The CD opens with "Introduction," a lazy wass-up telephone call by one Bar-Kay to another, the same spiel used in a popular commercial that first aired during the Y2K NFL Super Bowl, six years after this CD surfaced. They also include a "Mega Mix," a musical collage of the disc's dozen songs.
Animal (Bar-Kays album) 1989
Animal is an album by the American R&B band the Bar-Kays, released in 1989.[3][4]
The album peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart.[5] Its first single was "Struck By You", which peaked at No. 11 on the Hot Black Singles chart.[6][7] The title track was also released as a single.
Produced at Kiva Studios, in Memphis, the album was recorded by a three-member lineup.[9][10] Joe Walsh played guitar on the title track. "Just Like a Teeter Totter" was cowritten and coproduced by Sly Stone.
The Bar-Kays' final LP until their re-emergence a half-decade later, 1989's Animal was essentially a hollow reprisal of 1987's Contagious. Pared down to a trio comprising Larry "D" Dodson, Winston Stewart, and Harvey "Joe" Henderson for that outing, the band was devastated when longtime producer Allen Jones passed away shortly after. Working now with Tony Prendatt, the Bar-Kays hashed together a mediocre set of light urban dance numbers. Not even the occasional flashes of their early fire that punctuate the LP were able to keep them in the spotlight. Too much time had passed and the shift in musical directions was too great to support the Bar-Kays' now-archaic sounds. The songs on Animal are synth-heavy and bass-happy, but such sounds were long past their sell-by date. However, there are some points of interest. The title track is funky enough; Dodson's vocals are always a treat and the performance is thoroughly enlivened by guest guitarist Joe Walsh. Also of note is the deeply funky and sparse "Just Like a Teeter-Totter," which brought the band closer to their heyday than they had strayed in nearly a decade. Co-produced by Sly Stone, the man who had particular influence on Dodson, it was a neat full-circle moment for the band whose roots most had either forgotten or never even been aware of. It's important to remember that the Bar-Kays never stopped being a good band -- it was taste and fashion that twisted the knife and pushed them aside. It's also hard to maintain dewy effusiveness when your career essentially amounts to an album a year. Despite its unevenness, Animal gave the band a Top 50 hit -- how many other bands whose careers span three decades can you say that about?
Contagious 1987
Although the Bar-Kays' membership had once topped ten members, by 1987 only Larry Dodson, Harvey Henderson, and Winston Stewart remained. The band's sound had completely transfigured, too, leaving behind most of their early funk trappings for the synth pop sounds of the day, a style which actually was well-suited to Dodson's unique vocal style and the band's high-energy pop. The album starts off with a bang on the marvelous "Certified True," which ironically sounds so much like a Cameo song that one wonders just how many people realized the enormous compliment that bands' vocalist, Larry Blackmon, paid Dodson with his own vocal development. Following quickly on its heels is the catchy "Don't Hang Up," and both songs gave the Bar-Kays more chart hits to add to their already impressive collection. "Certified True" coasted in at number nine and gave the band their first Top Ten single since 1984. The Bar-Kays had certainly found their niche by the time they recorded Contagious, but despite the smooth production they'd lost much of their original spark. In spite of the fact that the band had pioneered some of the sounds that made the 1980s what they were, this album really fell flat without being an all-out disaster. But given the three decades they were on the charts and in the public eye, a slow close wasn't the worst thing that could happen.
Banging the Wall 1985
A year beyond their "Freakshow on the Dance Floor" heyday, the Bar-Kays hit the streets again in 1985 with what was, in comparison, the mediocre Banging the Wall. Still packing enough punch to only miss the Top Ten by a whisper, the LP was jam-packed with synth popped R&B and innuendo that didn't even make an attempt at subtlety, while the band eschewed its tremendous funk for riffing that echoed chart-toppers Prince and Michael Jackson, among others. In fact, the title track owes so much to the great purple wonder, with its vocal cries, lyrical come-ons, and rock-riffing rhythms, that it can only be either some kind of tribute or a purposeful trashing. At least one hopes so. The band continues much on the same track with a handful of groovers, including "Missiles on Target," "Dance Your Body, Desara," and the Cameo-esque "Sex Driver," while adding a couple of ballads, "Paper Doll" and "Love Don't Wait," to tone down the moment. It's a shame, really, that Banging the Wall owes so much of its verve to the Bar-Kays' peers. But, with their funk so out of fashion, what once led was cast aside so that the leaders could follow in fashion.
Dangerous (The Bar-Kays album) 1984
Dangerous is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee, band the Bar-Kays, released on Mercury Records in April 1984. The album reached number seven on the Billboard R&B albums chart. The song "Freakshow on the Dance Floor" hit number 2 on Billboard's Black Singles Chart, and was featured in the film Breakin' and appeared on its soundtrack album.
Able to move with the times, bringing all the elements of the new breed into their sound, and keeping their funk roots intact while traversing the slippery slope of 1980s dance, the Bar-Kays scored another hit with 1984's massive Dangerous LP. Whittled down to a hefty octet for this outing, the Bar-Kays easily proved they were still up to their old tricks, smoothly updating their sound while continuing to take some well-intentioned and good-humored jabs at more than a few peers along the way. This now-traditional penchant, never meant to hurt and only done in homage, is perhaps best heard across the album's three hit singles. Not only was the monstrously sassy "Freakshow on the Dance Floor" an integral part of the film Breakin', but the incorporated elements from Midnight Starr's "No Parking on the Dancefloor" were just evident enough to prove that the similarities were deliberate. Following on the heels of that hit came the mid-tempo groover "Dirty Dancer," which tongue-and-cheekily captured the essence of Michael Jackson's current "Billie Jean," leaving the synthed-out "Sexomatic" following quite happily in Prince's purple footsteps. And while it's true that these songs may well be the best elements of Dangerous, the band wasn't done yet -- not by a long shot. The title track remains an outstanding sliver of smooth dance that seamlessly incorporates more than a few Euro-disco splashes into the mix. It's very much of its era, but still compellingly fresh nevertheless. Elsewhere, the band rounds out the relative frenzy with one single ballad, the well-intentioned "Lovers Should Never Fall in Love," capping off another effusive, energetic set. And although, at the time, it seemed as if the Bar-Kays were unstoppable, Dangerous would prove to be the band's last major hit -- making this album one to savor.
Propositions 1982
Propositions is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based funk band the Bar-Kays, released on Mercury Records in November 1982. The album reached number nine on the Billboard R&B albums chart and contained three hits: the uptempo singles "Do It (Let Me See You Shake)", "She Talks to Me with Her Body", and the ballad "Anticipation".
Funk pioneers the Bar-Kays not only succeeded in stamping their own rock influence on the genre, but also influenced a generation of vocalists while keeping their own sense of sound intact. By the '80s, however, the band had traded in some of their traditional chops for a more electronic vibe, one which certainly gave nod to the younger generation of funkers coming up right behind them -- Prince and Cameo's Larry Blackmon especially. This move to a wave groove is particularly evident on Propositions, although the band keeps three very distinctive styles going throughout the set. The majority of songs, however, are heavy on the synth, including the title track and "Tripping Out." "Do It (Let Me See You Shake)," meanwhile, had trappings that were pure Prince, and cracked the R&B Top Ten. To temper that tumultuous flow, the band also included two soul/rock ballads, "Anticipation" and "I Can't Believe You're Leaving Me." Both the old school "(Busted)" and "You Made a Change in My Life," meanwhile, returned the funk to full focus, while the band lets their real talents rip. Propositions definitely succeeded in its time and its place. Bar-Kays fans from the '70s probably won't love it, but anyone who cut their teeth on the pop sounds of the mid-'80s should snap this up and enjoy the history lesson.
As One (The Bar-Kays album) 1980
As One is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee funk band the Bar-Kays released on Mercury Records in November 1980. The album reached number six on the Billboard Soul Albums chart.
Another in the Bar-Kays' monstrous string of hit LPs, 1980's As One unleashed one more blistering set upon a public who seemed unable to get enough of the band. As usual, the LP slammed into the Top Ten, down only slightly from the previous year's Injoy. And, reaching back to the graphics of 1978's Light of Life, the group again wrought a fine parody of Earth, Wind & Fire's space-age Egyptology for their cover. But, of course, it's what's inside that matters. And here, at least in part, the Bar-Kays wouldn't disappoint. Both the title track and "Boogie Body Land" are classic Bar-Kays funk behemoths, and even the LP's second charting single, "Body Fever," isn't bad, although it does pale markedly in comparison. Where the band falters, however, is across a few more-than-mediocre ballads -- replete with very MOR crescendoed backing vocals. They were never at their best as a ballad band, and by 1980 perhaps they had run out of steam on that front. "Open Your Heart," meanwhile, is a cute little disco song -- but there were so many disco acts doing it better. The Bar-Kays were on a real fencepost here, teetering between old and new before dropping wholeheartedly into more contemporary waters. However, their three previous LPs were all leaning toward the future as well -- and were done much better. At the end of the day, perhaps a little time out would have been warranted.
Injoy 1979
Injoy is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based funk band the Bar-Kays.
Released on Mercury Records in October 1979, this album reached number two on the Billboard Soul Album chart. It was the band's biggest selling album, and their second to be certified Gold for sales of over 500,000 copies. The album’s first single, "Move Your Boogie Body", was a Top 3 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The album’s third track, "Running In and Out of My Life", also received substantial airplay and was a hit on R&B radio stations. It is one of the few Bar-Kays songs where the lead vocal is not performed by Larry Dodson. Mark Bynum performed the lead vocal with Dodson adding backgrounds.
Its title a snazzy double play, the Bar-Kays' 1979 classic Injoy LP was the first and most successful of a quintet of albums that swept the band to the top of the charts and into the stratosphere of superstardom for half a decade. An energetic and primarily funk-driven set, Injoy was dominated by the supreme "Move Your Boogie Body," an eminently danceable, pop-friendly slab that cut the bass with strings, powered home the excellent vocals, added some Euro-disco synth, and soared into the Top Five to give the Bar-Kays their highest-to-date spot on the charts. But while that track may have captured the public heart, the bandmembers had even better tricks up their very flashy sleeves, powering through the classic funk of "More and More" and "Up in Here" -- a song of unmitigated old-school proportions that reprises the Moroder-isms deep in the mix. Elsewhere, the band toned it down with several ballads, including "Girl I'm on Your Side" and "Running In and Out of My Life." With the Bar-Kays at the top of their form, there was little that could detract from this set. And, while Injoy just missed the top spot on the R&B chart, it still got a nation off the couch and onto the dancefloor.
Light of Life (The Bar-Kays album) 1978
Light of Life is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee, funk band the Bar-Kays.
1978 saw the Bar-Kays continue across Light of Life all that they'd begun on the previous year's Flying High on Your Love. Debuting a new ten-member lineup, the group offered up a heady blend of classic funk spun with thoroughly contemporary disco ethics. The only drawback to the Bar-Kays' sound was that such a rapid-fire release schedule was rendering their unique sound a little samey. What worked beautifully across one LP was less unique across the next and, by the third, was nearing the point of overkill. That said, there are still many, many fine moments on Light of Life. Their balladeering skills were improving and are showcased magnificently on "We're the Happiest People in the World" and, of course, they absolutely sparkled across the funk-fests: the effusive "Get up 'N' Do It" and "Give It Up," which carries nods to both Hamilton Bohannon's "Disco Stomp" and the iconoclastic "Theme From Shaft." Rush-released to compete with Fantasy's cash-in Money Talks, compiled from the band's late Stax-era recordings, Light of Life faltered some in its wake. Nevertheless, Light of Life still gave the band their fourth Top 20 hit as "Shine," while "Are You Being Real" furthered their longevity on the singles chart.
Money Talks (The Bar-Kays album) 1978
Money Talks is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based funk band the Bar-Kays.
Although the Bar-Kays stuck with the Stax Records until its demise in 1976, the label stopped releasing the group's recordings after 1973. However, when they re-emerged as a success on the Mercury label with hits like "Shake Your Rump to the Funk," some unreleased recordings they made between 1974 and 1976 were released as an album entitled Money Talks. Although this repackaging was obviously designed to cash in on the group's success, Money Talks stands up as a solid and consistent album in its own right. This material lays the groundwork for the Bar-Kays' post-Stax style by trading live-in-the-studio jams for a carefully produced sound and blending in standout pop hooks into the funky grooves. The best example is "Holy Ghost," a hard-grooving monster of a jam where elaborate horn arrangements dance around a thick synthesizer bassline as Larry Dodson lays down a salacious vocal about his lover's otherworldly romantic skills. It became a big R&B hit when released as a single in 1978 and was later sampled by M/A/R/R/S on their club classic "Pump Up the Volume." Other memorable tracks include the title track, a high-stepping tune that showcases the chops of the horn players, and "Mean Mistreater," an unlikely but effective Grand Funk Railroad cover that transforms the minimalist original tune into a spooky yet sexy mood piece built on some languid keyboard work. None of the other tracks are as strong as "Holy Ghost" (which is so good that it bookends the album in two versions), but they are all listenable and flow together surprisingly well as an album. All in all, Money Talks is a fine slab of vintage funk that will please anyone who loves old-school grooves.
Flying High on Your Love 1977
Flying High On Your Love is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based funk band the Bar-Kays.
The Age of Aquarius may have fallen out of fashion, but "what's your sign" was still the ultimate pickup line at the end of the 1970s. Disco novelty band the Floaters had counted on that with their brash mid-1977 "Float On," and the Bar-Kays, of course, couldn't resist a little good-humored stroke, especially if it carried commercial punch as well. So, for the November release of their second Mercury LP, Flying High on Your Love, the inner sleeve featured the band's photos -- complete with star signs. Jokes aside, the Bar-Kays delivered a juicy set of funk movers accented by disco beats and augmented by ballads. It was a tremendous mix. "Shut the Funk Up" is an overlooked gem, lost as the band sublimated their sound in the 1980s. A near-perfect disco song punctuated by the funky horn triumvirate of Charles "Scoop" Allen, Harvey "Joe" Henderson, and Frank "Captain Disaster" Thompson and dominated by vocalist Larry "D" Dodson's call to "get on up or just shut the funk up," it's immediately apparent that disco never sounded so good -- or so funky. "Woman of the Night" and "Let's Have Some Fun" follow suit, while stomping the disco beat down with some pretty heavy funk riffing. But, of course, that's why the Bar-Kays were, and remained, so successful. They were fully committed to their funk forbears while never taking their eyes off the shifting musical climate. Thus, they were able to make the leap from funk to disco in a way that almost no other bands could match. The Bar-Kays' late-'70s sounds, then, were not one or the other, but a seamless blend of both. A fine mix and a glorious achievement.
Too Hot to Stop 1976
Too Hot to Stop is a 1976 album by the American funk group the Bar-Kays. It was their first album for Mercury Records. It includes the hit "Shake Your Rump to the Funk".
The Bar-Kays spent much of 1976 as the opening attraction supporting the Parliament-Funkadelic traveling circus, and the P-Funk influence seeps into every pore of Too Hot to Stop. While lacking the cosmic reach and freak-show genius of George Clinton, this is nevertheless the Bar-Kays' last stab at greatness, delivering hard-driving funk with all the energy and conviction of their classic Stax sides. The grooves here are vacuum-packed, exhibiting the telepathic interplay born solely from years of collaboration. Indeed, the quality of the performances more than makes up for Too Hot to Stop's often pedestrian melodies, although to its credit the band covers a wide stretch of ground spanning from breakneck funk ("Whitehouseorgy") to slow jams ("You're So Sexy") to ballads ("Summer of Our Love").
Coldblooded 1974
Coldblooded is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based funk band The Bar-Kays. Released in 1974, it was their last album for Volt Records before moving on to Mercury Records in 1976. This album did not chart.
One of the albums that the Bar-Kays cut for Stax in the early '70s after they revamped the group following the disastrous late-'60s plane crash that killed all but two of the originals. The new lineup featured guitarist Lloyd Smith, drummer Michael Beard, vocalist John Colbert, trumpeter Charles Allen, saxophonist Havery Henderson, and others. This was classic Southern funk, with gospel-tinged vocals, energetic horn tracks, and lyrics that ranged from downhome musings to urban admonitions.
Do You See What I See? 1972
Some vigorous funk and an occasional soulful ballad by The Bar-Kays, who were re-establishing their funk credentials and rebuilding after recovering from the '67 plane crash. This album included the title track and several other short, peppy vocal and instrumental numbers, although it wasn't as well-produced as some later '70s and '80s efforts.
Black Rock 1971
After cutting several fine instrumental singles in a Booker T and the MG's vein, the Bar-Kays began developing a more ambitious style as the 1960s gave way to the 1970s. Their new sound mixed in traditional soul grooves with all sorts of psychedelic and rock-styled production touches and a new emphasis on heavy, guitar-oriented funk. The first fruits of this new direction were presented in 1971 on Black Rock. The good news is the group does everything in their power to push the boundaries of their sound, the bad news is that their experiments are hit and miss. The tone is set by the opening track, a cover of the Aretha Franklin tune "Baby I Love You"; it elongates the original song into an dirge-like, Vanilla Fudge-style arrangement that piles on Chicago-style horns, long stretches of funky instrumental jamming, and all sorts of psychedelic sonic effects, like phased vocals and electric sitar. It's ambitious, but it's not particularly exciting, and it has not dated well. The remainder of the tracks consist of similarly rearranged covers plus a handful of originals. The standouts are "How Sweet It Would Be," a soulful heartbreak ballad that has a lighter touch than the rest of the material, and "Montego Bay," a cover of the Bobby Bloom hit that transforms the tune into a tight, horn-driven instrumental groove. However, to get to solid tracks like these, the listener has to wade through several misfires, like the group's dreadful cover of "Dance to the Music," which drags on too long and swamps the melody in goofy sound effects designed to re-create a college protest atmosphere. All in all, Black Rock spends so much time aping the sound of other groups that it never allows the group to transform these influences into a sound all their own and, as a result, it can only be recommended to R&B completists.
Gotta Groove 1969
Soul Finger (Bar-Kays album) 1967
Soul Finger is the debut album of the Bar-Kays, issued three months after the single of the same name. It was recorded by Tom Dowd and Chris Huston on Friday, June 23, 1967, at the Stax studio in Memphis. Though all but one member of the group were black (Ronnie Caldwell being the only white member), the album cover art, by Loring Eutemey, suggests an interracial pop music party feeling. The instrumental band, after being signed in early 1967, was tutored by Al Jackson, Jr. and the other members of Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which shows in the tightness of the rhythm section. That summer they also were selected by Otis Redding as his new backup band.
samedi 14 février 2026
The Bar-Kays (1981) Nightcruising (2008)
Nightcruising is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based band the Bar-Kays, released on Mercury Records in November 1981. The album reached number six on the Billboard R&B albums chart. The band embraced a more up to date sound with keyboards and synthesizers with this album, and it was much better received by fans than their previous release. Nightcruising is considered one of the Bar-Kays' best albums, and was their third to be certified Gold for sales of over 500,000 copies.
Nighttime Lovers Vol. 37 // PRE-ORDER NOW!
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