Recording prolifically and almost exclusively for Blue Note Records (as both leader and sideman) Green performed well in hard bop, soul jazz, bebop and Latin-tinged settings throughout his career. Critics Michael Erlewine and Ron Wynn write, "A severely underrated player during his lifetime, Grant Green is one of the great unsung heroes of jazz guitar ... Green's playing is immediately recognizable -- perhaps more than any other guitarist." Critic Dave Hunter described his sound as "lithe, loose, slightly bluesy and righteously groovy". He often performed in an organ trio, a small group with an organ and drummer.
Apart from Charlie Christian, Green's primary influences were saxophonists, particularly Charlie Parker, and his approach was therefore almost exclusively linear rather than chordal. The simplicity and immediacy of Green's playing, which tended to avoid chromaticism, derived from his early work playing rhythm and blues and, although at his best he achieved a synthesis of this style with bop, he was essentially a blues guitarist and returned almost exclusively to this style in his later career. Green used a Gibson ES-330, then a Gibson L7 with a Gibson McCarty pickguard/pick-up, an Epiphone Emperor (with the same pick-up) and finally had a custom built D'Aquisto. George Benson said he would turn all the bass and treble off the amp, and max the midrange. This way he could get his signature punchy, biting tone.
Green was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He first performed in a professional setting at the age of 12. His influences were Charlie Christian, Charlie Parker, Ike Quebec, Lester Young, Jimmy Raney, Jimmy Smith and Miles Davis, he first played boogie-woogie before moving on to jazz. His first recordings in St. Louis were with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest for the Delmark label. The drummer in the band was Elvin Jones, later the powerhouse behind John Coltrane. Grant recorded with Elvin again in the early Sixties. Lou Donaldson discovered Grant playing in a bar in St. Louis. After touring together with Donaldson, Grant arrived in New York around 1959-60.
Lou Donaldson introduced Grant to Alfred Lion of Blue Note Records. Lion was so impressed with Grant that, rather than testing Grant as a sideman, as was the usual Blue Note practice, Lion arranged for him to record as a bandleader first. Green's initial recording session went unreleased until 2001, however, owing to a lack of confidence on Green's behalf.
Despite the shelving of his first session, Green's recording relationship with Lion and Blue Note was to last, with a few exceptions, throughout the Sixties. From 1961 to 1965, Grant made more appearances on Blue Note LPs, as leader or sideman, than anyone else. Grant's first issued album as a leader was Grant's First Stand. This was followed in the same year by Green Street and Grantstand. Grant was named best new star in the Down Beat critics' poll, 1962, and, as a result, his influence spread wider than New York. He often provided support to the other important musicians on Blue Note, including saxophonists Hank Mobley, Ike Quebec, Stanley Turrentine and Harold Vick, as well as organist Larry Young.
Sunday Mornin' , The Latin Bit and Feelin' the Spirit are all loose concept albums, each taking a musical theme or style: Gospel, Latin and spirituals respectively. Grant always carried off his more commercial dates with artistic success during this period. Idle Moments (1963), featuring Joe Henderson and Bobby Hutcherson, and Solid (1964), featuring the Coltrane rhythm section, are acclaimed as two of Grant's best recordings.
Many of Grant's recordings were not released during his lifetime. These include Matador, in which Grant is once again in the heavyweight company of the Coltrane rhythm section, and a series of sessions with pianist Sonny Clark. In 1966 Grant left Blue Note and recorded for several other labels, including Verve. From 1967 to 1969 Grant was, for the most part, inactive due to personal problems and the effects of heroin addiction. In 1969 Grant returned with a new funk-influenced band. His recordings from this period include the commercially successful Green is Beautiful and the soundtrack to the film The Final Comedown. Grant was also a huge influence on guitarists, from George Benson to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Still to this day guitarists try to get his signature sound, Idle Moments is considered one of the top 100 jazz albums of all time.
Grant left Blue Note again in 1974 and the subsequent recordings he made with other labels divide opinion: some consider Green to have been the 'Father of Acid Jazz' (and his late recordings have been sampled by artists including US3, A Tribe Called Quest and Public Enemy), whilst others have dismissed them (Michael Cuscuna wrote in the sleeve notes for the album Matador that "During the 1970s he made some pretty lame records").
Grant spent much of 1978 in hospital and, against the advice of doctors, went back on the road to earn some money. While in New York to play an engagement at George Benson's Breezin' Lounge, Grant collapsed in his car of a heart attack in New York City on January 31, 1979. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, and was survived by six children. Since Green's demise, his reputation has grown to legendary status and many compilations of both his earlier (post-bop/straight ahead and soul jazz) and later (funkier/dancefloor jazz) periods, exist.
Ain't It Funky Now!
Grant Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We gotta let the girls know what they gotta do for us!
It's than gotta be a drag, man, a man can't do nothin' no more!
A-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Is really a drag?
You gotta do somethin'!
Can I count 'em?
Girl, let me tell you what you got to do,
Keepin' me so mellow, so nobody can get through.
When he had to do your lovin', smilin' keeps us cheek,
Walk away and twist your hip, make sure you keep him weak.
Don't let nobody take care o' your business better than you do,
Do what he wants, give what he wants, expect 'em come to you.
And than you can hold your men, you can hold your men, you can hold your men,
You can hold... hey!
Never get so confident was nothin' you want to know,
You caught up your time, you lose your thing, you think you got to go.
You know what we got to tell 'em to take a plea until balls,
Use your thing so carefully and don't be a total loss.
Sister, when you loved your man, be careful, I ain't tellin' that
He will put you back on the corner, use you like it's in the hat.
You can hold your men, you can hold your men, you can hold your men, you can
Hold, hey!
Hit it!
Good god, kill it!
Hit me now!
Good god!
Never get too confident so it's nothin' you want to know,
You caught up your time, you lose your thing, you think you got to blow.
You know I got what it takes to take a plea until balls,
You gotta use it carefully and it can't be a total...
Hit me now!
Good god, kill it!
Yeah!
Good god!
Fellas!
Can I get some help?
Can I get some help?
Look for me some help!
Can I get a witness?
Shall I need a witness?
Shall I need a witness?
I, I, I, I need a witness!
Can I get a witness?
I want a witness over there!
Can I get a witness?
I want a witness over here!
I'm a witness right here!
I'm a witness over there!
Is a witness over there?
I'm a witness right here!
Wait a minute!
Girl, let me tell you what you got to do,
Keepin' me so mellow, nobody can get through,
And when he had to do your lovin', smilin' keeps us cheek, good god,
Walk away and twist your hip, make sure you keep him weak.
And make sure you keep him weak, good god,
Sure you keep him...
Ain't it funky now? Good god!
Ain't it funky now? Hey!
Ain't it funky now?
Ain't it funky now?
Ain't it funky now?
Ain't it funky now?
Ain't it funky now?
One more! Ha!
Don't... Good god!
Don't let nobody take care o' your business better than you do,
Do what he wants, give what he wants expect 'em come to you.
Ain't it funky now?
Can I get some help?
Look for me some help!
Than clap your hands!
I said, clap your hands!
Put the level little higher!
Put the level little higher!
A little bit higher now!
Put the level little higher!
Ain't it funky now?
Ain't it funky now?
Yeah!
People scream!
Can I scream, brother?
Can I scream, brother?
Brother, can I scream now?
Can I scream, brother?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Gotta scream!
Good god, gotta scream, now!
I gotta scream, now!
I gotta scream, now!
I gotta scream, now!
You want a whole o' men,
I need a whole o' men,
I need satisfy the men,
I need a whole o' men,
I got a whole o' men.
Ain't it funky now?
Good god, ain't it funky now?
Hey, yeah, yeah!
Can I get some help?
I gotta have some help!
I wanna get some help!
Wanna get some help!
I wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna,
Yeah, now!
Good God!
Can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, yeah!
Never get so confident, so it's nothin' you want to know,
You caught up your time, you lose your thing, you think you got to blow.
You know I got what it takes to take a plea until balls,
You gotta use it carefully and it can't be a total loss.
You girl, looky here!
Sister, when you tell your love your man, get how, tellin' that,
You take upon a planet and use it if it's in the hat.
Come on!
Can I get some help?
Can I get a witness?
Can I get a witness?
A witness over there?
A witness over there?
A witness, witness, witness, witness!
Can I get a witness?
Can I get a witness?
Can I get a witness?
Can?
Can I get a witness?
Hey yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Ah!
Ah!
Can I get a witness?
Ah, lord!
Ah!
Ah!
Brother, do you know what I'm talkin' about?
Brother, do you understand it now?
Ha!
Brother Byrd, you know what I'm talkin' about!
Ha!
Can I get a witness?
The lyrics of Ain't It Funky Now! by Grant Green talk about the relationships between men and women. The song starts with the idea that men are feeling helpless and that something has to be done about it. The lyrics suggest that women need to take control of their relationships and know what they want. The singer advises women to keep their men weak by walking away and twisting their hips, but also emphasizes the importance of using their bodies carefully and avoiding being used by men. In the end, the song celebrates the power of both men and women coming together to create a funky sound and asks for the support of the audience through enthusiastic clapping and screaming.
Line by Line Meaning
Fellas, things done got too far gone.
Men, the situation has become too extreme and out of control.
We gotta let the girls know what they gotta do for us!
We need to inform the women about what they need to do to please us.
It's than gotta be a drag, man, a man can't do nothin' no more! A-ha-ha-ha-ha! Is really a drag?
It's difficult for men. They can't seem to do anything right. Is that truly the case?
You gotta do somethin'!
You need to take some action.
Can I count 'em?
Am I allowed to count on you for help?
Girl, let me tell you what you got to do, Keepin' me so mellow, so nobody can get through.
Allow me to instruct you on what you need to do to keep me happy and calm, so no one can disturb me.
When he had to do your lovin', smilin' keeps us cheek, Walk away and twist your hip, make sure you keep him weak.
When making love to your partner, smile to show enjoyment, and move your hips in a way that makes him vulnerable to your charms.
Don't let nobody take care o' your business better than you do, Do what he wants, give what he wants, expect 'em come to you.
No one can care for you better than yourself. Give your partner what he desires and expect him to come to you.
And than you can hold your men, you can hold your men, you can hold your men, You can hold... hey!
By following these guidelines, you can maintain a hold on your partners and keep them interested in you.
Never get so confident was nothin' you want to know, You caught up your time, you lose your thing, you think you got to go.
Don't become so overly confident that you lose your attractiveness and partner's interest.
You know what we got to tell 'em to take a plea until balls, Use your thing so carefully and don't be a total loss.
We need to advise women to use their feminine charms carefully and not lose their attractiveness to their partners.
Sister, when you loved your man, be careful, I ain't tellin' that He will put you back on the corner, use you like it's in the hat. You can hold your men, you can hold your men, you can hold your men, you can Hold, hey!
Sisters, beware of letting your partner use and discard you. By following our advice, you can maintain a hold on your partners and keep them interested in you.
Good god, kill it!
An expression of excitement and approval of the music.
Hit it!
Start playing the music.
People scream!
The audience is screaming and responding to the music.
I want a witness over here!, I'm a witness right here!, Wait a minute!
The singer is looking for witnesses, who are fans who can testify to the greatness of the music. He asks for a moment to find them.
Ain't it funky now?
This is funky and enjoyable music.
Can I get some help?, Look for me some help!, Can I get a witness?, Shall I need a witness?, I, I, I, I need a witness!, I want a witness over there!
The singer is again asking for witnesses to testify to the greatness of the music.
Put the level little higher!, A little bit higher now!
The singer is asking for the sound volume to be raised slightly to create a better music experience for the audience.
Brother Byrd, you know what I'm talkin' about!
The singer addresses Brother Byrd and believes he shares the same love and understanding for the music.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RollTheBeatz
grant is absolutely incredible here. that he can flow so naturally and smoothly, and yet play so soulfully and so funky should bring a huge smile onto anyone's face. man is a legend.
Loud Like Love
the work of others should not be underestimated, together they create an ultra mega hyper funk atmosphere haha but yes, the grant green solo comes from the planet funk
Andrew Mosienko
I agree. I've got most of Grant Green's albums, plus plenty of other stuff with him as a sideman. I've listened to him alot over the years, but I keep coming back to this. This track is possibly his finest moment in my opinion...
Warren Doris
I m rocking this cut for the past 30 years! Grant is the funkiest player ever! And always the killer crew behind him. I got into Blue Mitchell after hearing him.on a GG record!
saturdayssonmusic
Amen brother, Its rare to find someone with the jazzy feel that doesnt over play, his phrasing is so well placed
Todd Allen Hooper
This is amazing! Love the guitar and the horns are awesome as well! it's so surprising, as I dig deeper and deeper into jazz, how many wonderful players have already come and gone...
James Speiser
this is funk this is jazz 100%
Curtis Pea
This isn't jazz this is funk
StooGP
This song, written by James Brown, is originally from the incredible 1970 album Green is Beautiful and features the amazing rhythm section of Jimmy Lewis on bass and Idris Muhammad on drums keeping that groovy bottom end for Grant to soar...
Pana Sma
I don't think Jimmy Lewis plays on this track, it's the organist keeping the bass with the foot pedals.