In 1970, TOP signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and quickly released its first album, East Bay Grease. 1972's Bump City and 1973's self-titled release were breakout albums for the band; the latter included possibly their most enduring song, What is Hip?.
Tower of Power has remained active throughout the 1970s, '80s, '90s, and into the 21st century, and is still touring in 2010. Personnel changes have been part of the history and evolution of the band; at least 60 musicians have performed, toured, and/or recorded with the band through the years, including Saturday Night Live musical director Lenny Pickett, drummer David Garibaldi, bassist Rocco Prestia, and bassist and BALCO founder Victor Conte. (His brother Bruce Conte played guitar in the band as well.) Lenny Williams served as lead singer for several years after one of the original singers, Rick Stevens was imprisoned. Rufus Miller performed most of the lead vocals on "East Bay Grease." Former lead vocalist Rick Stevens (real name Donald Stevenson) was sentenced to life in prison on three counts of first-degree murder relating to a botched drug deal, crimes committed after leaving the band. Stevens was paroled on July 20, 2012 after 36 years in prison. Rick Stevens died on September 5th, 2017.
TOP has released 15 albums over the years, the latest being 2003's The Oakland Zone. In addition, the horn section has become well-known as a backing horn section for other artists. The TOP horn section has appeared on many recordings, including some made by the Monkees, Santana, Elton John, John Lee Hooker, Rod Stewart, Jefferson Starship, Heart, Huey Lewis and the News, Lyle Lovett, Poison, Phish, Pharoahe Monch, and Aerosmith.
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(2) The renowned horn-driven funk outfit Tower of Power have been issuing albums and touring the world steadily since the early '70s, in addition to backing up countless other musicians. The group's leader since the beginning has always been tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo, who was born in Detroit but opted to pursue his musical dreams in Oakland, California. It was in Oakland that Castillo put together a group called the Motowns, which, as their name suggested, specialized in '60s-era soul. In 1967, Castillo teamed up with baritone sax player Stephen "Doc" Kupka, and soon the Motowns were transformed into Tower of Power. (One of the first tunes the duo penned together was "You're Still a Young Man," which would eventually go on to be one of Tower of Power's signature compositions.)
Tower of Power played regularly in the Bay Area throughout the late '60s, as their lineup often swelled up to ten members, including such other mainstays as Greg Adams on trumpet and vocals, Lenny Pickett on sax, and Rocco Prestia on bass. By 1970, the funk outfit had inked a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records, resulting in the group's debut the same year, East Bay Grease, which failed to make an impression on the charts as Tower of Power were still trying to find their own sound.
But it soon came together for the group, as 1972's Bump City would touch off a string of classic hit albums, including 1973's self-titled release (which introduced vocalist Lenny Williams and included another of the group's most enduring tunes, "What Is Hip?"), 1974's Back to Oakland, and 1975's Urban Renewal and In the Slot. While Tower of Power remained a must-see live act, as disco became the new trend in R&B the group's original funk-laden style fell out of favor, and disco-oriented albums like 1978's We Came to Play and 1979's Back on the Streets didn't please critics or fans, and the band would go nine years without releasing an album.
Despite it all, Tower of Power -- in particular their horn section -- remained a much in-demand backing group for some of pop/rock's biggest names, including Elton John, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Huey Lewis, Little Feat, David Sanborn, Michelle Shocked, Paula Abdul, Aaron Neville, Aerosmith, Public Image Ltd., and many others. In 1988, Tower of Power returned to the studio for the album Power, and in 1991 they signed with Epic Records, where they released five albums by the end of the decade.
Into the new millennium, Tower of Power kept up their reputation as a strong live band, maintaining a steady touring schedule, and in 2009 they launched their own TOP Records label with The Great American Soulbook, in which they covered a dozen soul and R&B classics in the trademark Tower of Power style. In 2007, Tower of Power celebrated their fourth decade together with a special concert at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium, and a year later the show was issued in a special CD/DVD package, simply titled 40th Anniversary. In 2013, Tower of Power took a look back with the release of Hipper Than Hip: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, which documented a live radio broadcast from 1974. The bandmembers also announced they would be touring in 2013 and 2014 with two other iconic acts from Northern California, Journey and the Steve Miller Band. ~ Greg Prato & Steve Leggett, Rovi
Soul Vaccination
Tower of Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All across the nation people been catchin' honkypox (Honkypox)
When you get the notion,
Tower's got the potion - you might look in to set yourself in motion.
I'm talkin' 'bout (Soul vaccination)
Ah-hah, Ah-hah (Soul vaccination)
(Soul vaccination)
Soul vaccination fo' mo' better health,
Part of our soul protection plan (Vaccinate)
Get ready for the injection to cut down on the infection,
'Cause soon we've got soul perfection.
I'm talkin' 'bout (Soul vaccination)
Ah-hah, Ah-hah (Soul vaccination)
(Soul vaccination)
Everybody stand in line (Soul vaccination)
Soul vaccination, roll up your sleeve,
Soul vaccination, roll up your sleeve,
Cause if you ain't buggin' you might still got the
disease (Got the bug)
While responding to the treatment, feel the beat down to
your feet,
and release what it take to make you move your leg.
I'm talkin' 'bout (Soul vaccination)
Ah-hah, Ah-hah (Soul vaccination)
(Soul vaccination)
Everybody get in line (Soul vaccination)
Hah, ah,
Hey, ey,
I'm talkin' 'bout soul,
So-o-o-o-oul,
Soul vaccination,
All across the nation,
It's the master plan,
All over the land,
Ah-hah-yeah,
Soul vaccination, yeah,
Everybody get in line,
You get yours,
I got mine,
Hey, oh, soul!
The lyrics to Tower of Power's song Soul Vaccination speak about the need for a "soul vaccination" - a metaphorical medical procedure that is needed to cure people of their "honkypox", which can be seen as a metaphor for the negative effects of modern, western society. Tower of Power, a soul and funk band, envisions the solution to this problem as being connected to soul music, which they believe has the power to heal people and make them feel better. The lyrics suggest that "soul vaccination" is an essential step to achieving "soul perfection" and a healthier, more fulfilling life.
Throughout the lyrics, Tower of Power calls for people to "roll up their sleeves" and prepare for the "injection" of soul music that they believe will help to counteract the negative effects of "honkypox". The repetition of the phrase "everybody get in line" suggests that the band believes there needs to be a widespread effort to embrace soul music and its healing power. In addition to its musical themes, Soul Vaccination can also be seen as a commentary on the state of American society in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the song was released. The lyrics suggest that people are feeling disillusioned and disconnected from their true selves, and that soul music can provide a way for them to reconnect with their identity and find meaning in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Soul vaccination,
Introducing the concept of the song: soul vaccination.
All across the nation people been catchin' honkypox (Honkypox)
People everywhere are being influenced by something negative, represented here by the fictional disease honkypox.
When you get the notion,
When you start to feel that something is off...
Tower's got the potion - you might look in to set yourself in motion.
...you should look into the solution that Tower of Power (the band) is offering, which can help you get moving again.
I'm talkin' 'bout (Soul vaccination)
Reinforcing the title of the song.
Ah-hah, Ah-hah (Soul vaccination)
A catchy chorus that repeats the title and adds energy to the song.
(Soul vaccination)
Repeating the chorus again for emphasis.
Everybody get in line (Soul vaccination)
Encouraging listeners to join in and receive their own soul vaccination.
Soul vaccination fo' mo' better health,
Explaining the purpose of the treatment: to improve one's health.
Part of our soul protection plan (Vaccinate)
Further emphasizing that the soul vaccination is a preventative measure, like any vaccination.
Get ready for the injection to cut down on the infection,
Preparing the listener to receive the treatment and its benefits.
'Cause soon we've got soul perfection.
Promising that the soul vaccination will lead to perfection in a person's soul (a subjective concept).
Everybody stand in line (Soul vaccination)
Encouraging listeners again to join in and prepare to receive the treatment.
Soul vaccination, roll up your sleeve,
Getting specific about the procedure for the soul vaccination: rolling up the sleeve, as one would for a regular injection.
Cause if you ain't buggin' you might still got the
disease (Got the bug)
Warning that even if you're not currently experiencing negative feelings, you could still be affected by the disease (honkypox) and should receive the vaccination.
While responding to the treatment, feel the beat down to
your feet,
Describing the physical (as well as metaphorical) effect of the soul vaccination: a beat or rhythm that moves through a person's whole body.
and release what it take to make you move your leg.
The beat/rhythm released by the treatment will make a person's leg move (dance) involuntarily.
Hah, ah,
Hey, ey,
An interlude of sorts with quasi-meaningless sounds, meant to keep the energy of the song high.
I'm talkin' 'bout soul,
Re-emphasizing the focus of the song, which is soul (here meaning the essence of a person).
So-o-o-o-oul,
Soul as a drawn-out word for added emphasis.
Soul vaccination,
Again introducing the concept of the song.
All across the nation,
Repeating the idea that people are experiencing something negative all over the country.
It's the master plan,
Claiming that the soul vaccination is a solution that will work for everyone and is part of a bigger plan for wellbeing.
All over the land,
Emphasizing that the soul vaccination is accessible everywhere.
Ah-hah-yeah,
A celebratory sound, indicating that the idea of the soul vaccination is a good thing that should be celebrated.
Soul vaccination, yeah,
Repeating the title again for emphasis.
Everybody get in line,
Encouraging listeners once more to join in and receive their own soul vaccination.
You get yours,
Reminding people that they should focus on themselves and their health.
I got mine,
Assuring listeners that the band members themselves have received their own soul vaccinations.
Hey, oh, soul!
A final exclamation to the idea of the soul, again representing one's essence, and a final note of energy for the song.
Contributed by Annabelle Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bobdee Bobdee
Perhaps the most underrated band of all time. They were musical geniuses.
Steve Wakeford
Are. I saw these guys in Sydney the other day - end of March 2019. Still got it in buckets. Incredible.
Graham Kupka
*are musical geniuses
derektate1951
Amen.........
GooberJay
Got my second COVID vaccination, so it's only natural to vaccinate my soul with this smooth bop after!
Nichole Cobb
Absolutely
P. Spencer
I'm learning how to play this on the drums. Holy shit, what a fuckin groove.
Curtis Smith
Dave is on point no question!
StompL7
Garbaldis groove are so musical and original
Michael Carter
That tenor sax solo at 1:53 which leads into the baritone solo at 2;28 is just way too awesome.These boys can blow the mess outta' their horns.