When i read about the song 'willing able' on here, there seem to be quite different opinions on the musical style of the song, some call it R&B, others call it gospel, and Sonny Thompson himselve called it an attempt at making Ska.

When i heard this song it reminded me immediately of Paul Simons 'Graceland' album, especially the guitarlicks, the percussion and the 'groove' sound a lot as south-african music in my opinion. Maybe with a bit of gospel mixed in in the form of the vocals from The Steeles.

How would you define the style of this song?

I call it gospel meets Crosby Still & Nash

Huh? explain the CSN influence to me, i really dont hear it.

country.

i can easily hear Keith Urban or Toby Keith doing their cover version of this song.

i would change the line "i got some kings in my deck, sugar.and a queen or two" to:

i got some kings in my deck,darlin..and a joker or two"

just my opinoin.
[Edited 8/9/06 9:50am]

Riverpoet31 said:

Just reminds me of some of their stuff.

Willing is a fusion of Reggae, Gospel and old school Rythm & Blues.
It starts out with Bob Marleys(It's This Love) lyrics(I'm willing and able, ready to place my cards on the table) with the infectious church organ.

Regardless of the style it is a beautiful song from one of my favorite albums.

I agree its one of his best songs, it just has a infectious groove, and its one of his best vocal performances in my opinion.

sounded mainly gospel to me.

God that rap absolutely killed the song, though. And I'm not a complete Tony hater.

I dunno but I LOVE it! great song!
same goes for Strollin' don't have a clue what genre to put it in but...good golly I love that song!

NDRU said:

This is the ONE song that I can tolerate him on.

ElCapitan said:

Interesting. It's a cool idea, the last kind of song you'd imagine a rap on, but from the AM radio voice to the "lead pipe" to the wet kiss at the end I hate it.

I love Willing and Able.Watching the video makes me love it even more!Don't know the style of it,but it's fon-kay tho!

gospel/R&B/blues ?

Its sounds like that african world beat stuff that that band that played with Paul Simon does.

NDRU said:

It didn't need that shit in it you sure are right and I AM a Tony hater.
Never did too much for Prince's music anyway, just a waste of a band members space.

dseann said:

The problem with having rappers on his records isn't so much that they suck (though some did), but that it makes the music sound like someone else's.

I have no problem with Prince rapping, even if it's bad.

dseann said:

Actually, I thought the rapping on this track kind of flowed in nicely with the beat. Now for the other Tony rapping on all the other songs, YEESH!

NDRU said:

neither do i. get off, sexy m.f. no problem. just that tony

wonder505 said:

the problem was his rapping style by the time Prince used him it was outdated.

Oh that song is FIYAH! get rid of the rap tho

Pop, jazz, soul,

wonder505 said:

I think Live for Love was okay, and maybe The Flow.

Like I said, the rap in Willing & Able was a nice idea, but it was too much novelty in what was otherwise a nice & novel song.

dseann said:

Maybe that's it. At the time hip hop was evolving really fast. I never could really put my finger on why Tony didn't work, other than maybe he just doesn't suit Prince's style.

W&A is actually the only song where I think Tony's rap fits.
Ska? Don't hear it...