Boz Scaggs had a HUGE one two punch with these two songs, "Lowdown" and "Lido" which were both big hits from his 1976 album "Silk Degrees". Boz did what I call "double duty"; having two songs where one hits big on black (r&b) radio and the other hits big on white (rock) radio. That was the the goal and the trend in the 70's and this was no exception. "Lowdown" was a HUGE hit on black radio and "Lido" was big as well on white rock stations. I've always dug both songs, but man, "Lowdown" gives me goosebumps if I haven't heard it in awhile. I usually bump this in my ride. The tag at the end of this song has some of the greatest interplay between guitar, bass and drums. "Lido" is cool too. Lyrically, it reminds me of "Take The Money And Run" by The Steve Miller Band, who also did "double duty" as well. Anyway, who here digs "Lowdown" and "Lido"?

Yeah!! I still pull out that album, from time to time....


I also liked the songs "We're All Alone" and "What Can I Say"....

paligap said:

Yep, those are good, too. Hell, I dig the whole album, really.

blackguitaristz said:

Me too, Black...

And a beautiful cover.

blackguitaristz said:

I liked Lowdown b/c it had a funky baseline with a cool slight untempo beat.

Hotlegs said:

Didn't think this was a white dude, until I saw him perform
this song on Saturday Night Live....

As a kid I just knew Lowdown was by one of the Neville Brothers. I think that one shocked me just as much as when I realized Teena Marie was white.

psykosoul said:

omg, same here...

I'm glad you mentioned "Lowdown". Now I know what I want to pick up from the record store this weekend.

Love "Lowdown". Hate "Lido Shuffle".

I hope you don't forget JoJo, that's another funky jam. You can go back a few years to his debut and listen to Lend me A Dime, a stone blues groove with Duane Allman, when I heard that song for the first time, I just had to find it at the record store, bought it immediately.

UncleGrandpa said:

Oh yeah, I forgot about that cut. I haven't heard that one in a longtime. You are right about it. It was a mid tempo funky jazzy jam.

This is a spectacular album by a spectacular artist.I was just listening to it a few weeks ago.In 2001,Boz released an album titled 'Dig' which is his strongest work since 'Silk Degrees'.I love this guy's voice...it's so distinctive and soulful.Last year,he released an excellent "Live" album and DVD.

DavidEye said:

I agree 100%.

UncleGrandpa said:

Hell nah. How can you forget about "Jojo"? "Jojo" is the jam. My point of this thread was mainly about how Boz on this album did a "double duty" with having two hits for two different radio formats.

blackguitaristz said:

I can dig It!!

"Lido" - is that the 1 with the "oh oh OH o-oh" part after Lido??
if so, I did not know that was Boz..


then for "Jojo".. isn't there a slow jam called "Jojo" from Kenny Loggins??
in that song the singer says "you're such a beautiful baby.."
or am I (again) confused??


then.. "saving the best for last"..
Lowdown is STILL the jam.
like hotlegs said, the bassline to this song is 1 of the funkiest you can hear, it really adds something to the song. the song definitely has a "mid-70s" feel to it, but it holds up well when I play it today - & I play it regularly.

in honor of this classic, here are the lyrics
for your listening & viewing pleasure :


Lowdown

Baby's into running around
Hanging with the crowd
Putting your business in the street talking out loud
Saying you bought her this and that
And how much you done spent
I swear she must believe it's all heaven sent
Hey boy you better bring the chick around
To the sad truth the dirty lowdown

(Who I wonder who) taught her how to talk like that
(Who I wonder who) gave her that big idea

Nothing you can't handle nothing you ain't got
Put the money on the table and drive it off the lot
Turn on that ole lovelight and turn a maybe to a yes
Same old schoolboy game got you into this mess
Hey son better get back to town
Face the sad old truth the dirty lowdown

(Who I wonder who) put those ideas in your head
(Who I wonder who) yeah
Come on back down little son
Dig the low low low low lowdown

You ain't got to be so bad got to be so cold
This dog eat dog existence sure is getting old
Got to have a Jones for this Jones for that
This running with the Joneses boy
Just ain't where it's at
You gonna come back around
To the sad sad truth the dirty lowdown

(Who I wonder who) got you thinking like that boy
(Who I wonder who)
(Who I wonder who said who I wonder who)
Oh look out for that lowdown
That dirty dirty dirty dirty lowdown
(Who I wonder who ohh ohh)
Got you thinking like that