The Godfather of House Music: A Song by Song Analysis

From the opening piano line of “Love Can’t Turn Around” to the anthemic “Push The Feeling On,” The Godfather of House Music is a legendary album. In this blog post, we take a track-by-track look at the album and its place in dance music history.

Introduction

In the late 1970s, a new style of music was born in the clubs of Chicago. This new style of music would come to be known as house music. House music would go on to have a profound impact on the clubs, the people, and the culture of Chicago. House music would also go on to have a global impact, as it would spread to other parts of the United States and then to other parts of the world.

One man who played a significant role in the development and popularization of house music is Frankie Knuckles. Frankie Knuckles was one of the first DJs to play house music in a club setting. He was also one of the first producers of house music. In this article, we will take a look at some of Frankie Knuckles’ most famous songs and see how they helped to shape the sound of house music.

“House Nation”

“House Nation” is a song by the American house music group The Bucketheads. The song was released in March 1995 as the lead single from their debut album, All in the Mind.

The song features vocals from British singer Fontella Bass, who sings the hook “house nation, house nation”. The song also samples Bass’ 1966 soul hit “Recovery”.

The song was a commercial success, peaking at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and number 1 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart. In Europe, the song peaked at number 2 in Ireland and number 6 in the Netherlands.

“Pump Up the Volume”

Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Marvin Gaye, but “Pump Up the Volume” is a close second. The song, which was released in 1981, was written by Gaye and produced by Gaye and bassist James Jamerson.

The song is about a man who is trying to get his woman to have sex with him. He starts by telling her that he has something that will make her feel better. He then proceeds to tell her about all of the sexual things he is going to do to her. By the end of the song, she is convinced and they have sex.

The song is notable for its use of profanity, which was relatively uncommon in popular music at the time. It is also one of the first popular songs to use the word “orgasm.”

“Get Up (Sex Machine)”

“Get Up (Sex Machine)” is a song recorded by James Brown in 1970. It was released as a two-part single in 1970 and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is notable for its use of the word “machine” in the title, which was later popularized by the band Kraftwerk. It is also notable for its use of the word “sex” in the lyrics, which was uncommon in popular music at the time.

“Can You Feel It”

“Can You Feel It” is a 1981 song by Mr. Fingers. The track was originally released as a single on the Alleviated Records label, and was later included on Mr. Fingers’ debut album, Amnesia.

The song is credited with being one of the first house music tracks to use a Roland TR- 808 drum machine, and its drum programming has been widely imitated in subsequent house and techno productions. The track’s distinctive lead synth line is played on a Roland TB- 303 bass synthesizer.

The song was ranked at number five in Pitchfork’s “The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1980s” poll, and it was also included in Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. In 2010, Fact magazine placed it at number five in their “100 Best Tracks of the 1980s” list.

“I Believe”

“I Believe” is one of the most iconic house tracks of all time. Released in 1987, the song helped to define the sound of Chicago house and cemented Frankie Knuckles’ reputation as a pioneer of the genre. The track is built around a simple piano melody and features a mesmerizing vocal performance from Robert Owens.

“Don’t You Want Me”

“Don’t You Want Me” is a song by American house music producer and DJ Frankie Knuckles. The song was released in 1991 as a single from Knuckles’ album House Masters: Frankie Knuckles.

The song features vocals by singer Marsha Wash, who was a member of the band The S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M., which Knuckles produced and co-wrote with Knuckles’ then-girlfriend Brenda Russell. “Don’t You Want Me” became one of the most successful house music singles of all time, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States and reaching the top ten in several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

In 2012, “Don’t You Want Me” was ranked at number four on Pitchfork Media’s list of the 100 best songs of the 1990s.

“Do You Love What You Feel”

“Do You Love What You Feel” is a song by the American group Rufus and Chaka Khan. It was released as a single in 1980 from their album Masterjam. The song peaked at number two on the US Hot 100 and number one on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart. It also reached number six on the UK Singles Chart.

The song was written by Skip Scarborough and produced by Quincy Jones. It features a vocal performance by Chaka Khan. The song received positive reviews from music critics.

“Give Me Tonight”

“Give Me Tonight” is a song by American singer Shannon. It was released in 1984 as the lead single from her debut studio album Let the Music Play. The song was written by Chris Barbosa and Ed Chateau, and produced by Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa. “Give Me Tonight” peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Shannon’s only chart-topping single in the country. Internationally, the song also topped the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

“Can You Feel It” (reprise)

The reprise of “Can You Feel It” is the final track on the album and it is a remix of the original song. The remix was done by DJ Pierre and it features additional vocals from Mr. Fingers. The remix is eight minutes long and it is packaged as a bonus track on the CD release of the album.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this album is a work of art that has stood the test of time. It is a true classic in the house music genre, and is sure to be enjoyed by fans for years to come. Thank you for taking the time to read this album review.