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 With A Capital 'S'
Tower of Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some folks like it fast, and some like it slow
Some like it hot, some like it blue
Uh some like it old, and some like it new
Now I'm not liking country, and I'm not rappin' rap
You can make a man swing, just say my thing
No, I'm talkin' to dig, my step
Is when I hear a soulful song
I like soul with a capital S
Soul with a capital S
Sweet soul music, that's the best
Soul with a capital S
Music makes you happy, thinking makes you sad
It can do the worst thing to the best you ever had
For entertainment found you if you had to choose
You and me might disagree, 'cause I like rhythm and blues
Now I'm not missin' disco, I'm not saying punk is bunk
I can't settle for heavy metal, 'cause I got to have that funk
(The only thing that turns me on)
Is when I hear a soulful song
I like soul with a capital S
Soul with a capital S
Sweet soul music, that's the best
Soul with a capital S
Oh, there's people who tell you to get in with the times
It doesn't even matter that if your poem rimes
But I'm here to tell you, whatever comes along
There's something that gave up everyone
And there ain't no right or wrong
Some rock makes you lazy
Highschool leaves you flat
And fusion drives you crazy
That's now funk is where it's at
(The only thing that turns me on)
Is when I hear a soulful song
I like soul with a capital S
Soul with a capital S
Sweet soul music, that's the best
Soul with a capital S
Oh, I like soul with a capital S
Soul with a capital S
Sweet soul music, that's the best
(Soul) with a capital S
(With a capital S)
(With a capital S)
(With a capital S)
Oh, I like soul with a capital S
Don't you know that I like soul (with a capital S)
You gotta give some of that soul (with the capital S)
Yes I like soul
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
Yey yeah
Yo old fellas
Sounds like some of that Oakland music
You know what I talking about?
(Play that funky groove)
????
Play that funky groove
????
(Soul with the capital S)
Oh give some of that Soul
(With the capital S)
Oh I got to have that Soul
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
(With the capital S)
Tower of Power's song "Soul With A Capital 'S'" is a tribute to the love of good music, particularly soul music. The song starts off by acknowledging that there are different types of music that appeal to different people. The singer, however, has a particular preference for soul music, which he refers to as "Soul with a capital S." He notes that the music makes him happy and gets him moving, referring to it as the "sweet soul music."
The chorus of the song repeats the love for "Soul with a capital S," emphasizing the point that it's the best type of music. The verses of the song explore other genres of music, including fast music, slow music, hot music, and blues. The singer notes that while he doesn't like certain genres, he can appreciate how they make other people feel.
The song also touches on the power of music to evoke emotions. It notes that while music can make you happy or sad, it always has a way of entertaining you. The singer states that he likes "rhythm and blues" and "funk," and notes that rock, disco, and punk music aren't for him. The song ends with a call to "give some of that soul" and "play that funky groove."
Overall, "Soul With A Capital 'S'" is a celebration of the power of music to bring people together and evoke emotions. It's an acknowledgment that while people have different tastes in music, the love of good music is universal.
Line by Line Meaning
There's all kinds of music, everywhere you go
Music exists in different genres and styles all over the world.
Some folks like it fast, and some like it slow
People have varying preferences as to the tempo of music.
Some like it hot, some like it blue
Different people enjoy different types of music with varying levels of intensity and emotions.
Uh some like it old, and some like it new
Some people enjoy classic and traditional music while others like modern and contemporary music.
Now I'm not liking country, and I'm not rappin' rap
The artist is not fond of country and rap music genres.
You can make a man swing, just say my thing
A soulful and rhythmic song can captivate and influence a person to move to its beat.
No, I'm talkin' to dig, my step
The singer is referring to the way he responds to soulful and rhythmic music by swaying and dancing to its groove.
(The only thing that turns me on)
Is when I hear a soulful song
The artist feels most alive or enthusiastic when listening to music that has soulful quality to it.
I like soul with a capital S
Soul with a capital S
Sweet soul music, that's the best
Soul with a capital S
The artist's preference is for soulful music that has a distinctive soulful quality to it.
Music makes you happy, thinking makes you sad
It can do the worst thing to the best you ever had
For entertainment found you if you had to choose
Music has the power to impact a person's mood, feelings, and even memory, and it is used as a source of entertainment.
You and me might disagree, 'cause I like rhythm and blues
Now I'm not missin' disco, I'm not saying punk is bunk
I can't settle for heavy metal, 'cause I got to have that funk
The singer prefers R&B and funk over disco, punk, and heavy metal genres of music.
Oh, there's people who tell you to get in with the times
It doesn't even matter that if your poem rimes
But I'm here to tell you, whatever comes along
There's something that gave up everyone
And there ain't no right or wrong
People may advise others to go with the trend, but everyone has different tastes, and there's no right or wrong when it comes to music preferences.
Some rock makes you lazy
Highschool leaves you flat
And fusion drives you crazy
That's now funk is where it's at
The singer suggests that rock, studying, and fusion music can have negative effects, while funk music has a positive impact on the person
(The only thing that turns me on)
Is when I hear a soulful song
The singer feels most alive or enthusiastic when listening to music that has soulful quality to it.
Oh give some of that Soul
(With the capital S)
Oh I got to have that Soul
(With the capital S)
The singer passionately desires to listen to more soulful music.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: EMILIO CASTILLO, STEPHEN M. KUPKA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Arik אריק Shahar שחר
!!The best Funk Soul band ever
Anna Granolleras Castelló
true
Miguel Salas
Awesome
B. Bond Williams
The tempo is all over the place and it’s beautiful.
John Morgan
@David Geyer Rhoades but no matter what the speed is the shits tight man they speed up and slow down together.
Jeff Young
I agree the guitar starts off at a medium tempo and then the groove just speed up.LOL I still dig it!!!
TiqueO6
Not gonna start my anti-metronome/click track rant too much here but just to say that all live music without click tracks and people who are slaves to the metronome will tend to speed up 99.9% of the time and it’s a natural thing and it’s a beautiful thing and people who don’t let that happen when it can happen are losing a heck of a lot and denying that much to their audience as well. Johannes Brahms pretty well when he said “those machines are not human” or something very close to that.
Bill Hatcher
B. Bond Williams yep. Speeds up right out of the gate and settles in.
Christian Windum
In the pocket all the way
flint8602
saw them in Vegas recently... they still got it!! best horn section ever!!