Dear Honorable Teachers, Funk-Fu masters ►Bloodtea ◄ and ► Bartleby ◄seem to be on hiatus, so lemme jump in (minus the booty, I don't do booty, perhaps that's why I've only achieved Grasshopper status)with this new release from the vault barons over at Sony. Shame on them for holding out so long, but they must have some good reason, perhaps yet another greatest hits remaster with one new studio outtake to flog.
Conquer The World compiles mostly non-album tracks from the Philadelphia International Label..the folks who brought you, The O'Jays, Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes, Dexter Wansel, Patti LaBelle, Jean Carne, and many other smashes from the early to late 70's.
Label heads Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff built on the great tradition of Philly Soul that stretches back to the earliest days of Rock and Roll and took The Sound of Phildelphia to the world. This was pretty much the only regional soul label that survived the disco outfreakage, mostly by embracing and helping to define disco with lush,orchestral production.
Bunny Sigler, besides being a writer, producer, and sometimes performer for PIR, was also a Kung Fu enthusiast, who jumped (kicked) at the chance to cut a record, as many did, attempting to cash in on the the Martial Arts craze that swept over the US in the early 70's. The TV series Kung Fu was a major part of this, but the first "real" martial arts movie to be released in the US, was 5 Fingers of Death (fight scene included herein).
Mr. Sigler, later immortalized on the Roots tune, Long Time", cut this faux soundtrack theme for 5 fingers in '73..
Please see comments for Yellow Sunshine (pictured on the conquer the World cover) doing their theme, Yellow Sunshine, and please return soon Funk Fu masters, my father has been killed by rogue ninjas and I pray you will come back soon to help me avenge his death, and return the booty to its proper place on MOG.
Sincerely, Grasshopper
My Trusted MOGs
Yellow Sunshine-Yellow Sunshine
Check the hot conga break at 2:08
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I was always wondering, which relation there might be between Funk and Kung-Fu, 'cause I heart it before in conjunction with those movies. Now, just a possibility to make quick cash, to use the hype? The first track rules. And dear Grashopper, what do you mean by "doing the booty", if you let a humble and stiff Germanic lumberjack pose this dumb question. That is to say he can hardly imagine, that one would shake his ass while practicing deadly Kung-Fu kicks, though this notion bears surely a certain aesthetics.
My Trusted MOGs
A true master is Grasshopper forever.
We bow at your feet Master C
Love that break!
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A much needed pick-me-up. Thanks, Cody!
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Hermes, check out the pages of Bartleby and Bloodtea, I lnked to.. In the real world Kung Fu has nothing to do with Booty..But in MOG-land Funk FU,booty is essential.
I am a mere student of Funk Fu,dz, but thank you.
Mr.Reckon..if I could only get a pair of those yellow shoes..
My Trusted MOGs
Bunny Sigler is a genius.....
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I still haven't come completely around to Bunny's solo material (though this was a fun one), but his production and writing are a big part of TSOP and I'm down with that for sure.
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In truth, he was erratic. But "5 Fingers of Death" is brilliance.....
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BTW- You'll find this collection on the dark side.
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I was going to say something but am close to speechless after looking at those ugly yellow hats for too long....
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Heh,true indeed Mark. The 70's definitely were a decade of extreme clothing. It is a shame the youngsters of today only know the cartoonish aspects of the decade and not the true sartorial splendor as depicted above.
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Hey that orange hat isn't so bad though! I would totally wear it.
A perfect Funk-Fu fist you have. "Be stROOOOOOng!"
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He doesn't look like the lead singer..why does he get a different hat! You Ms.Daydream are the master balster of iconoclast..(er). Good call.
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Hiiiiii-yaaaaaaaaa!
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So proud to be a Philly boy...
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Nice onimoni-Phila ,MTKnife.
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Cody, you're the original Pai Mei of funk-fu as this engrossing post proves.
Your letter do us both, Bloodtea and myself to much honour. We shall strive to carry the booty and the funk-fu and avenge you, shi fo.
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Brilliant.