Curtis Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American soul, fu… Read Full Bio ↴Curtis Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American soul, funk and rhythm and blues, singer-songwriter and guitarist from Chicago, Illinois.
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.
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.
Toot An' Toot An' Toot
Curtis Mayfield Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Curtis Mayfield:
"P.S. I Love You" Dear, i thought i drop a line The weather is cool The…
(Don't Worry) If There Is A Hell Below, We're All Going To Go Sisters, brothers and the whities Blacks and the crackers Po…
(Don't Worry) If There's Hell Below We're All Gonna Go {{ArtistHeader | star = Green | wikipedia = Curtis Mayfield …
02. Keep On Keeping On Everybody gather round and listen to my song I've only got…
3 PS I Love You Dear, I thought I drop a line The weather is cool The…
A Prayer A prayer, just what would I say? Speak of those who?re…
Ain't Got Time Child I'm a fool for ya Ain't too proud of that For…
Ain't No Love Lost Been layin' with you girl a many a year Suffered your…
All Night Long Always in love with you Baby, all night long Don't be afra…
Another Fool In Love To think that I'm in love So strange that it may…
As Long As You Love Me So there's nothing left What can I say other than take…
Baby It's You I hear the clock from the wall, here comes the…
Back To Living Again Now it's always the right time With somethin' positive in yo…
Back To The World Back in the world Back in the world Back in the world Bac…
Between You Baby And Me Well, here we are It's kind of nice, we're like this Very…
Billy Jack Just out of Monday I run into a friend Down the street,…
Blue Monday People We people who are darker than blue Are we gonna stand…
Can't Say Nothin' Oh, yeah, one time for me Do it Do it to me…
Check Out Your Mind Here's something that you never had It slid in on an…
Choice of Colors If you had a choice of colors Which one would you…
Do Be Down Do be do be do be do be Everybody say to…
Do Do Wap Is Strong Here Well, to keep from dyin', hey, hey I've been lyin', uh…
Do Do Wap Is Strong In Here Do do wap is strong in here Do do wap is…
Don't Worry Sisters, niggers, whities Jews and the crackers Don't worry,…
Duke of Earl Duke, Duke, Duke of Earl Duke, Duke, Duke of Earl Duke, Du…
Eddie You Should Know Better Eddie, you should know better Brother, you know you're wrong…
Fool for You Never liked nobody That's been mean to me I've got a heart…
Freddie Freddie's dead That's what I said Let the man rap a plan Sai…
Freddie's Dead (Theme From Superfly) Freddie's dead. That's what I said... Let the man rap a plan…
Freddie's Dead- Freddie's dead That's what I said Let the man rap a plan Sai…
Future Shock Future shock Ooh, hoo Hey, little sister Where's your broth…
Get A Little Bit Oh, shake it Uh, huh, oh, shake it Shake it Don't you be…
Get A Little Bit (Give Get T Oh, shake it Uh, huh, oh, shake it Shake it Don't you b…
Get Down Get down, baby To the funky, funky, funky groove Get down, b…
Ghetto Child Little child, runnin' wild Watch a while You see he never sm…
Ghetto Child (Little Child Run Little child, runnin' wild Watch a while, you see he never…
Ghetto Child- Little child, runnin' wild Watch a while You see he never sm…
Gimme Your Love Give me your love Give me your love Give me your love Give…
Give It Up It is my theory The two of us are somewhat leery About…
Give Me Your Love Give me your love Give me your love Give me your love Give…
Give Me Your Love - Give me your love Give me your love Give me your love Giv…
Grow Closer Together In my hometown lived a quiet girl Together we always seemed…
Gypsy Woman From nowhere through a caravan Around the campfire light A l…
Hard Times Cold, cold eyes upon me they stare People all around me…
Hell Below Sisters, niggers, whities Jews and the crackers Don't worry,…
Here But I'm Gone How did I get so far gone? Where do I belong? And…
I Believe In You Ain't a girl to be found Without a mouth [Incomprehensible] …
I Loved and I Lost What do you know about it? Who had told you so? It…
I Plan to Stay a Believer I Plan To Stay A Believer I Plan To Stay A…
I'm So Proud Prettier than all the world And I'm so proud (I'm so…
I'm The One Who Loves You I'm the one who loves you I'm the one who loves…
I've Been Trying I've been tryin' Lord knows that I've been tryin' To under…
If I Were Only a Child Again If I were only a child again No one's ever been,…
If There Is A Hell Below We're All Going To Go Sisters, niggers, whities Jews and the crackers Don't worry,…
If There's A Hel Sisters, brothers and the whities Blacks and the crackers …
If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go Sisters, niggers, whities Jews and the crackers Don't worry,…
Im So Proud Prettier than all the world And I'm so proud (I'm so…
In Love In Love In Love So in love You do so many things with that smilin'…
It Was Love That We Needed It was love that we needed (Hmm, hmm) We needed love…
It's All Right Say it's all right, it's all right Say it's all right,…
It's Alright They say it's alright Say it's alright It's alright, have a …
Jesus Maybe the words I say is just another way to…
Just A Little Bit Of Love You hear me callin' Callin' brother, are you listenin'? We n…
Just Ease My Mind She's been always the kind of person When the love came…
Just Want To Be With You I just want you to know That I really, really think…
Keep On Keeping On Everybody gather round and listen to my song I've only got…
Keep On Pushing Keep on pushing Keep on pushing I've got to keep on pushing…
Keep on Trippin' Your love's so satisfying And now you keep denying Child y…
Kung Fu Our days of comfort, days of night Don't put yourself in…
Let's Not Forget Let's not forget though trying times there are We have not…
Little Child Runnin Little child Runnin' wild Watch a while You see he never …
Little Child Runnin Wild Little child Runnin' wild Watch a while You see he never smi…
Little Child Running Wild Little child Runnin' wild Watch a while You see he never …
Love Me Give me your love Give me your love Give me your love Give…
Love's Sweet Sensation Ooh... Baby, baby, it's a dream here with you Alright (Don…
Make Me Believe In You Ain't a girl to be found Without a mouth [Incomprehensible] …
Make Me Belive In You Other guys try to hold her hand Other guys want a…
Makings Of You Add a little sugar, honeysuckle And a great big expression o…
Meeting Over Yonder Children, are you ready? There's gonna be a meeting over yon…
Mighty Mighty Everybody′s Talking About This Country's State We Get A New …
Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey) Everybody's Talking About This Country's State We Get A New …
Minstrel And Queen A little sugar, honeysuckle lamb Great expression of happine…
Miss Black America "Hello Daddy" "Hello baby, how is my love child?" "Fine" …
Mother's Son Raining in the ? Think about a restaurant Mother, mother's s…
Move On Up Hush now, child, and don't you cry Your folks might understa…
Move On Up - Extended Version Hush now child and don't you cry Your folks might understand…
Mr. Welfare Man Welfare! Welfare! Welfare A Hard Sacrifice, I Wanna Testify …
Ms. Martha She sat on her porch Everyday, about past noon But from her…
Need Somebody To Love I just can't wait to love you Gotta see my woman…
Never Let Me Go If you had a choice of color Which one would you…
New World Order Darkness no longer, a child is born Mother shed tears of…
No One Knows About A Good Thin I know you know he's getting over The rumors say he's…
No Thing On Me I've met many people over the years And in my opinion…
No Thing On Me- I've met many people over the years And in my opinion…
No Things on Me I've met many people over the years And in my opinion…
Nobody But You Other guys try to hold her hand Other guys want a…
Now You're Gone NOW YOU' RE GONE By Curtis Meyfield Now you're gone Now you'…
Oh So Beautiful Let's not forget, though trying times there are We have not…
On And On I watch the clouds roll by, as morning floods the…
Once In My Life For once in my life I have someone who needs…
Only You Babe Only you babe (you babe) Only you babe (you babe) Only you…
P.S. I Love You Dear, I thought I drop a line The weather is cool The…
People Get Ready People get ready, there's a train a comin' You don't need…
People Get Ready (Live at Bitter End, NYC) Lord I'm ready now. I'm waiting for your triumphant return. …
People Never Give Up Never gonna give you up No matter how you treat me Never…
Power to the People We want the power for the people That's all we ask…
Preacher Man I'm your mamma, I'm your daddy I'm that nigga in the…
PS . I Love You Dear, I thought I drop a line The weather is cool The…
Pusher Man I'm your mama, I'm your daddy, I'm that nigga in the…
Pusherman I'm your mama, I'm your daddy I'm that nigga in the…
Right on for Darkness I am blind and I cannot see You are there, your…
Señorita I Love You I'm the one who loves you I'm the one who loves…
She Don Other guys try to hold her hand Other guys want a…
Show Me Love Give me your love Give me your love Give me your love Give…
So In Love So in love You do so many things with that smilin'…
So You Don't Love Me So there's nothing left What can I say other than take…
Something To Believe In If you had a choice of colors Which one would you…
Sparkle I sparkle Loving the way that I do (It is true) I…
Stare and Stare Stare and stare I look across the aisle at the process…
Stone Junkie Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie Stone junkie, stone, stone…
Super People When the lights are closing And the people are crying…
Superfly Darkest of night With the moon shining bright There's a set …
Sweet Exorcist Come unto me Lord Come unto me Lord Come unto me Lord Come…
Talkin' About My Baby I want to talk about my baby, yeah yeah With her…
The Girl I Find Stays On My Mi Here's another girl And I am afraid that she'll be gone Like…
The Got Dang Song It's the Got Dang Song (Heya Heya, Heya) It's the Got…
The Makings Of You Add a little sugar, honeysuckle And a great big expression o…
The Other Side of Town I'm from the other side of town Out of bounds To anybody…
The Underground- Familiar music, familiar sound Does mute your thoughts for t…
Think I don't even hear what you say It's all about what…
This Is My Country Do do do Do do do Some people think we don't have…
To Be Invisible To be invisible Will be my claim to fame A man with…
Trippin' Out Tripping Out I'm tripping out, tripping out over you babe -…
Underground Familiar music, familiar sound Does mute your thoughts for t…
We Are the Champions We people who are darker than blue Are we gonna stand…
We Got To Have Peace We got to have peace To keep the world alive And war…
and many more tracks by Curtis Mayfield.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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