Mayfield is probably best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions and for the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Superfly.
Perhaps because he didn't cross over to the pop audience as heavily as Motown's stars, it may be that the scope of Curtis Mayfield's talents and contributions have yet to be fully recognized. Judged merely by his records alone, the man's legacy is enormous. As the leader of the Impressions, he recorded some of the finest soul vocal group music of the 1960s. As a solo artist in the 1970s, he helped pioneer funk and helped introduce hard-hitting urban commentary into soul music. "Gypsy Woman," "It's All Right," "People Get Ready," "Freddie's Dead," and "Superfly" are merely the most famous of his many hit records.
But Curtis Mayfield wasn't just a singer. Born in in Chicago, IL, he wrote most of his material at a time when that was not the norm for soul performers. He was among the first -- if not the very first -- to speak openly about African-American pride and community struggle in his compositions. As a songwriter and a producer, he was a key architect of Chicago Soul, penning material and working on sessions by notable Windy City soulsters like Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler, Major Lance, and Billy Butler. In this sense, he can be compared to Smokey Robinson, who also managed to find time to write and produce many classics for other soul stars. Mayfield was also an excellent guitarist, and his rolling, Latin-influenced lines were highlights of the Impressions' recordings in the '60s. During the next decade, he would toughen up his guitar work and production, incorporating some of the best features of psychedelic rock and funk.
Mayfield began his career as an associate of Jerry Butler, with whom he formed the Impressions in the late '50s. After the Impressions had a big hit in 1958 with "For Your Precious Love," Butler, who had sung lead on the record, split to start a solo career. Mayfield, while keeping the Impressions together, continued to write for and tour with Butler before the Impressions got their first Top 20 hit in 1961, "Gypsy Woman."
Mayfield was heavily steeped in gospel music before he entered the pop arena, and gospel, as well as doo wop, influences would figure prominently in most of his '60s work. Mayfield wasn't a staunch traditionalist, however. He and the Impressions may have often worked the call-and-response gospel style, but his songs (romantic and otherwise) were often veiled or unveiled messages of black pride, reflecting the increased confidence and self-determination of the African-American community. Musically he was an innovator as well, using arrangements that employed the punchy, blaring horns and Latin-influenced rhythms that came to be trademark flourishes of Chicago soul. As the staff producer for the OKeh label, Mayfield was also instrumental in lending his talents to the work of other Chi-town soul singers who went on to national success. With Mayfield singing lead and playing guitar, the Impressions had 14 Top 40 hits in the 1960s (five made the Top 20 in 1964 alone), and released some above-average albums during that period as well.
Given Mayfield's prodigious talents, it was perhaps inevitable that he would eventually leave the Impressions to begin a solo career, as he did in 1970. His first few singles boasted a harder, more funk-driven sound; singles like "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go" found him confronting ghetto life with a realism that had rarely been heard on record. He really didn't hit his artistic or commercial stride as a solo artist, though, until Superfly, his soundtrack to a 1972 blaxploitation film. Drug deals, ghetto shootings, the death of young black men before their time: all were described in penetrating detail. Yet Mayfield's irrepressible falsetto vocals, uplifting melodies, and fabulous funk pop arrangements gave the oft-moralizing material a graceful strength that few others could have achieved. For all the glory of his past work, Superfly stands as his crowning achievement, not to mention a much-needed counterpoint to the sensationalistic portrayals of the film itself.
At this point Mayfield, along with Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, was the foremost exponent of a new level of compelling auteurism in soul. His failure to maintain the standards of Superfly qualifies as one of the great disappointments in the history of black popular music. Perhaps he'd simply reached his peak after a long climb, but the rest of his '70s work didn't match the musical brilliance and lyrical subtleties of Superfly, although he had a few large R&B hits in a much more conventional vein, such as "Kung Fu," "So in Love," and "Only You Babe."
Mayfield had a couple of hits in the early '80s, but the decade generally found his commercial fortunes in a steady downward spiral, despite some intermittent albums.
On August 14, 1990, he became paralyzed from the neck down when a lighting rig fell on top of him at a concert in Brooklyn, NY. In 1993, three years after the accident which caused Mayfield's paralysis, Shanachie records released the album People Get Ready: A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield featuring a.o. Jerry Butler, Don Covay and Steve Cropper.
Mayfield received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.
Curtis Mayfield died December 26, 1999 at the North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell, Georgia.
It's All Right
Curtis Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say it's all right, it's all right
It's all right, have a good time
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right
We're gonna move it slow
When lights are low
When you move it slow, it sounds like more
Now listen to the beat
Kinda pat your feet
You've got soul and everybody knows
That it's all right, whoa, it's all right
When you wake up early in the morning
Feelin' sad like so many of us do
Hum a little soul, make life your goal
And surely something's got to come to you
And say it's all right
Say it's all right
It's all right, have a good time
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right
Now everybody clap your hands
Give yourself a chance
You got soul and everybody knows
That it's all right, whoa, it's all right
Someday I'll find me a woman
Who will love and treat me real nice
Then my woe's got to go
And my love, she will know
From morning, noon and night
And she's got to say it's alright
Say it's all right
It's all right, have a good time
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right
Everybody clap your hands
Now give yourselves a chance
You've got soul
Curtis Mayfield’s “It's All Right” is an infectious and uplifting song with an equally buoyant message. The song gives its listeners a reason to be optimistic about life and to live in the present moment. The song is written in an African American vernacular English known as Ebonics, which gives it a delightful and poetic feel. The lyrics bring to mind the image of a party where the music is playing, the lights are dimmed, and the guests are having fun. The first few lines of the song, “Say it's all right, it's all right. Say it's all right, it's all right. It's all right, have a good time. 'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right” sets up the mood of the song by telling the listener that no matter what they do or how they feel, everything will be all right.
The song encourages people to enjoy life and seize the moment. The lyrics “When you wake up early in the morning, Feeling sad like so many of us do, Hum a little soul, make life your goal” encourage the listener to stay positive and keep pushing forward, even when life is not so great. The song then goes on to say that if you have soul and clap your hands, everything will be all right. The song’s lyrics are empowering and remind us that we can find joy and happiness in spite of our worries, fears, and obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Say it's all right, it's all right
Let's acknowledge that things are going to be okay, no matter what might be going wrong.
It's all right, have a good time
Let's relieve ourselves of any worries and let loose. It's time to have some fun.
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right
Repeating this phrase lets us know that we can be confident that everything is going to work out fine.
We're gonna move it slow
We are going to take our time when we do something in order to enjoy it more.
When lights are low
In stressful, challenging times, we will make sure to take it easy and relax.
When you move it slow, it sounds like more
Taking your time to do something will bring about a greater level of enjoyment and appreciation for what's happening.
Now listen to the beat
Pay close attention to the rhythm of life and find ways to move with it.
Kinda pat your feet
Let yourself groove to the rhythm and music of the world. Enjoy the simple pleasures in life.
You've got soul and everybody knows
You have a unique spirit that stands out, and it is plain to see for all those around you.
When you wake up early in the morning
Feelin' sad like so many of us do
On some days, it's easy to feel down, but we must strive to find positivity and hope to get us through those tough times.
Hum a little soul, make life your goal
And surely something's got to come to you
Focusing on the good and allowing yourself to dream and hope for the future will bring about wonderful things in your life.
Now everybody clap your hands
Give yourself a chance
Make sure to celebrate yourself and all your accomplishments. Give yourself a chance to revel in your triumphs.
Someday I'll find me a woman
Who will love and treat me real nice
One day, I hope to find someone who will treat me with kindness and admiration.
Then my woe's got to go
And my love, she will know
From morning, noon and night
When I find that special someone, all my troubles will disappear, and they will know how much I love them every moment of every day.
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS L MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@okic7b4i81
I'm not impressed with the Beatles' approval of anything. I don't wait, with baited breath, to learn what some tone deaf people think of any style of music, any more than I would of Stevie Wonder offering his opinion of his favorite car style.
They approached a microphone. They sang their songs, complete with a quartet of high girlish falsetto shrills and DIDN'T have the decency to throw their instruments on the floor, walk off the stage and go home, so I have no respect for their judgment.
All I know is, 59 million girls were entranced by four ugly foreigners, with an old fashioned white style, of timing, who were different and brand new, so Motown was almost obliterated by the musically indigent, who didn't give a damn about quality that they couldn't even hear and didn't deserve.
Human girls are genetically programmed to be attracted to boys who are different, so they won't breed within their own families, but that trait almost cost us everything real inspired quality could produce.
It reminds me of someone dropping a turd on a lobster dinner and no one noticed the smell. The tone deaf were numb to everything, so they didn’t notice people wincing, in pain, when they were hammered with YEARS of abuse that just wouldn’t stop.
The Beatles followed and proclaimed the righteousness, and broadcast the power, of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who was an Indian huckster, so I considered their claim normal for the gullible. After they caught him hustling money, they claimed to be the evangelists of satan and they haven't caught him yet, so I believe that.
@l.angellove4621
THIS BASS STILL SOUNDS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT WAS RELEASED, W/ 3 AMAZING
GENTLEMEN YES CURTIS MAYFIELD AND THE IMPRESSIONS COMES CORRECT
TO BRING IT TO THE SPOTLIGHT
WITH "IT'S ALRIGHT"
AS THEY SING AND BLOW SOME
SERIOUS HARMONY WITH GREAT
MUSIC
@bigefresh2
Disney's Soul brought me here!
@tonylusietto2397
Right, right. Angels in the Outfield too!! 🤘✌️🤙
@dgarzaart2000
Play this song whenever you can! Truer words were never sung! Peace and blessings to everyone everywhere!
@Robert-cr4fq
❤
@AGirlHasNoName829
My sister asked me to play this at her funeral.
That's the kind of special woman she was.....
Such a loss for humanity....RIP Sissy
I love you ❤
@nsoul8469
Bless xx
@esthermyers130
@@nsoul8469a😅😅q
@raymondsoto3078
Its alright to hav a good time 👍👍👌🌷
@leverndixon1843
This bruh ranks among the top all time male vocalists r.i.p my brother
@ethanthompson3198
"You've got soul." Is that not the most flattering thing you've ever heard?