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Deeply In Love With Donny Hathaway All Over Again! I'm giving Everything Is Everything, Donny Hathaway, Live, Extention Of A Man, Donny & Roberta & These Songs For You Live albums a real revisting listening.
His music possesse a heavy & deep RICHNESS that few have. Musicaly speaking, I always discover something new everytime I listen to him. I can def tell that he took alot of notes & lessons from Art Tatum & Erroll Garner's way of playing. Man, I T-R-U-E-L-Y wish somebody would write a book about him. Shit, his life/career deserves to be talked about. The fact that I haven't seen any live pre4mances(other than that flip wilson) interviews or TV biographys about his is beyond me, I can't even think of one good reason why there aren't any. He's def the GREATEST male soul singer that eva lived IMHO. His voice is like a big warm hug from an old dear friend. Lets talk about the brotha ya'll! | |
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Everytime I hear the suite "I Love The Lord He Heard My Cry/Someday We'll All Be Free", I realize how deep and vast his gift was...Man, I miss Him!
Even when I catch little bits of him here and there...His eletric piano on Aretha's version of Until you Come Back To Me, or even(  ) the theme to "Maude", I have to stop and smile...[This message was edited Thu Aug 5 12:46:47 2004 by paligap] " I've got six things on my mind --you're no longer one of them." - Paddy McAloon, Prefab Sprout | |
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paligap said: Everytime I hear Someday We'll All Be Free",
That's it!!! That's the one!!!!  | |
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paligap said: the theme to "Maude", I have to stop and smile...
Aw shit, remember that theme song? 
Lady Godiva was a freedom rider She didnt' care if the whole world looked. Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her She was a sister who really cooked. Isadora was the first bra burner And you're glad she showed up. (Oh yeah) And when the country was falling apart Betsy Ross got it all sewed up. And then there's Maude. And then there's Maude. And then there's Maude. And then there's Maude. And then there's Maude. And then there's Maude. And then there's That old compromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizing, Right on Maude. ** It took me a short while to figure out that it was Donny lol damn, Maude was no joke with her manly self! Oh ARRRRRTHUUUUURRRRR | |
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Harlepolis said: He's def the GREATEST male soul singer that eva lived IMHO.
 ...a case could be made.
His voice is like a big warm hug from an old dear friend.
That, it IS. How many people could sing the theme song from "Maude" and make it better than it would have been without his voice? One of the very few tv theme songs I always dug. I recently picked up These Songs For You Live, and it's very cool. I've had Extension of a Man for a long time, but I need to get the one before that, I think it was his debut album. Like all deaths that take someone out in their prime (or earlier), his death makes you wonder "What could have been?". People always talk about Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell duets, but for me Roberta and Donny set a standard. I think he and Stevie influenced each other a great deal, and in turn people like Bilal, D'Angelo, Van Hunt, etc. This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes. | |
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[quote] paligap said: the theme to "Maude", I have to stop and smile... I tell you, I learn something new every day. Anyway, don't forget my favorite Christmas jam of all time "This Christmas". Andy is a four letter word. | |
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vainandy said:[quote] paligap said: the theme to "Maude", I have to stop and smile... I tell you, I learn something new every day. Anyway, don't forget my favorite Christmas jam of all time "This Christmas". Yup!! I don't know how many people have told me, "It ain't Christmas 'til I hear that song!" " I've got six things on my mind --you're no longer one of them." - Paddy McAloon, Prefab Sprout | |
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Harlepolis said: I'm giving Everything Is Everything, Donny Hathaway, Live, Extention Of A Man, Donny & Roberta & These Songs For You Live albums a real revisting listening.
You and me both. His music possesse a heavy & deep RICHNESS that few have. Musicaly speaking, I always discover something new everytime I listen to him. I can def tell that he took alot of notes & lessons from Art Tatum & Erroll Garner's way of playing. Oscar Peterson and Herbie Hancock as well. Man, I T-R-U-E-L-Y wish somebody would write a book about him. Shit, his life/career deserves to be talked about. The fact that I haven't seen any live pre4mances(other than that flip wilson) interviews or TV biographys about his is beyond me, I can't even think of one good reason why there aren't any. I recently spoke to his widow, Eulalah, at her daughter Lalah's concert at BBking Blues Club NYC on Monday, August 2, 2004. She stated that unfortunately, there isn't much video footage of Donny. There was a performance by Donny And Roberta on a show called Double Exposure. Donny also appeared in a backing band for Lovelace Watkins' Ed Sullivan Show appearance. Other than that, not much footage exists. I've heard of a documentary that's being done on him. We'll see. He deserves serious study. The liner notes to his cds are quite good. Eulalah also told me that she recently received a call confirming that a long awaited anthology will be out next year. Let's keep our fingers crossed. His daughter, Lalah, has an album entitled "Outrun The Sky". It comes out September 28, 2004. She's got Donny's vocal DNA all up in her. Believe dat!! He's def the GREATEST male soul singer that eva lived IMHO. His voice is like a big warm hug from an old dear friend. Lets talk about the brotha ya'll!  | |
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Supernova said: Harlepolis said: He's def the GREATEST male soul singer that eva lived IMHO.
...a case could be made.
His voice is like a big warm hug from an old dear friend.
That, it IS. How many people could sing the theme song from "Maude" and make it better than it would have been without his voice? One of the very few tv theme songs I always dug. I recently picked up These Songs For You Live, and it's very cool. I've had Extension of a Man for a long time, but I need to get the one before that, I think it was his debut album. Like all deaths that take someone out in their prime (or earlier), his death makes you wonder "What could have been?". People always talk about Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell duets, but for me Roberta and Donny set a standard. I think he and Stevie influenced each other a great deal, and in turn people like Bilal, D'Angelo, Van Hunt, etc. | |
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Supernova said: Harlepolis said: He's def the GREATEST male soul singer that eva lived IMHO.
...a case could be made. Its not a critical opinion, its a personal opinion. Wanna hear what else? I think that Chaka Khan is the GREATEST female fusion & soul artist,,,,,that too could be made 4 a case
Anyway, I was listening to the unreleased live version of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brotha" from "These Songs For You Live" and what I heard was a true testimony that he WAS influenced by Art Tatum/Erroll Garner. The way he did those ivory solo runs are just heavenly, you hear the waterfalls(as corny as it sounds). So much in4mation & depth in his piano playing which lead me to say that he's VERY underrated keys player. | |
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manray10 said: Eulalah also told me that she recently received a call confirming that a long awaited anthology will be out next year. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I hate to be the one carrying the bad news but A.Scott Galloway(the anthology's coordinator & liner notes writer) stated that the anthology(which they already worked on, including all kinds of stuff from demo tapes to non-released outtakes) will be shelved becoz of Roberta Flack involvment. See, Roberta BOUGHT her masters and wouldn't let her songs to be used in the anthology and becoz of that it will be shelved. Something to that effect. [This message was edited Fri Aug 6 9:36:45 2004 by Harlepolis] | |
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Donny Hathaway's voice has long been my favorite in soul music. His was a very warm voice, but it also had a heavy sadness to it that could take you sky high and bring you right down with him when he was down on life. This joy and tragedy duality is what makes listening to his music after his death all the more heart-wrenching. He had some great albums, but I don't think he lived long enough or was able to conquer his demons before he put his best out. | |
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I miss Donny so much! It hurts me that he is not still here. What a powerful mark he would have made!!!! In his short lifetime he still did to me. His electrifying, moving, powerful voice spoke volumes. That sexy bass voice he so originally defined was great. He left us with such phenomenal music. RIP Donny! Lennytunia | |
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Harlepolis said: manray10 said: Eulalah also told me that she recently received a call confirming that a long awaited anthology will be out next year. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I hate to be the one carrying the bad news but A.Scott Galloway(the anthology's coordinator & liner notes writer) stated that the anthology(which they already worked on, including all kinds of stuff from demo tapes to non-released outtakes) will be shelved becoz of Roberta Flack involvment. See, Roberta BOUGHT her masters and wouldn't let her songs to be used in the anthology and becoz of that it will be shelved. Something to that effect. [This message was edited Fri Aug 6 9:36:45 2004 by Harlepolis] I heard that too. But The conversation I had with Donny's wife was on Monday, August 2, 2004. Maybe there have been some recent developments. I hope so. | |
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Amen to all that's been said in recognition of Donny's immense talent!
His eponymous album is my favourite, 'cos for me it just don't get much better than 'A Song For You', 'She Is My Lady' and 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother'.... The way he sings the bridge of the latter, in particular, just brings out the whole sentiment of the song so strongly... Just beau-tee-full...! Would have it played at my funeral... (if it's been rereleased in the ultra-hi-tech, total 3D, interactive sound format that folks will be using in 70 yrs time, that is...!) 
I have to show some love for a couple of other classic tunes though: Love, Love, Love [..."awwwww, baby". Showing respect for Marvin - niice!] I Know It's You [...tender, intense, sincere - a truly great love song] To Be Young, Gifted & Black [...love the way he just lets this unfold at its own pace ...you can just sit back and drink it all up!] I haven't got either the 'In Performance' or the 'These Songs For You Live' albums... but they're on my list!! Does anyone know much about the circumstances surrounding his death? I know he was suffering from some kind of mental illness, but was it this or other things that drove him to suicide? [This message was edited Fri Aug 6 15:31:37 2004 by deebee] "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin | |
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