Shango said:

really could you describe that? So far I think the singers could switch and noone would realise. And, you could hear a CHIC instrumental and know it's them. So, in which way do you think the vocals are their trademark?

graecophilos said:

Yeah, Nile Rodgers' guitar-chops, Bernard's basslines and the string-arrangements are indeed other strong elements in the Chic-mix.
If you listen to a few of my earlier-posted clips, then you can hear that there's a syncopated vocal-harmony where the ladies and some gents (Fonzi Thornton in many cases) sing in this typical rhythmic flow.
Although he mainly sang background vocals and composed for Chic, Fonzi has always been part of the group's legacy since the early years, and still performs live with them.
He also composed and sang background for groups like the BB&Q Band, Change, Flowchart, Zinc, etc, so it's no coincidence why some tracks of them sound like Chic, lol.
Many of those projects were produced by the late Jaques Fred Petrus. The documented site about his work is a great reference.

Jamiroquai's 2002 single "You Give Me Something" is very Chic-inspired

graeco, were there any Chic influences on Hard Candy?

LiveToTell86 said:

The closest to a Chic-sounding track on 'Hard Candy' is "She's Not Me",mainly because of the guitar and bass.

SoulAlive said:

Ah okay, but that's also the closest thing to a Prince-sounding track (because of the guitar and Wendy), right?

LiveToTell86 said:

Yeah, She's Not Me comes close, but i don't think that's intentional. I think its biggest influence is Anita Ward's Ring My Bell. Both songs share the same two-chord-progression and the RMB melody has been basically reworked for SNM.
In fact I bet that Madonna and Pharrell must have listened to RMB a lot, I mean, they even wrote a song with the same name...

I agree, SNM is Prince-ish as well, but it draws from the late 70s/early 80s sound in general.

SoulAlive said:

In case you didn't know, Sister Sledge didn't become stars until they began working with Chic. Their biggest hits were produced by Chic including All American Girls. This isn't a sound alike song. Chic is actually playing the music.

dseann said:

that's wrong. Chic and the Sisters finished their work in 1980. AAG was produced by Michael Narada Walden (xcuse my spelling mistake)

graecophilos said:

Yep that's Narada and his band playing on that cut, with Randy "American Idol Dawg" Jackson on bass doing they're best Chic impression.

graecophilos said:

Yes I know the "RMB" reference, but I think the melody Madonna is singing in "SNM" is one of her strongest ever, so great!

LiveToTell86 said:

I don't think it's one of her strongest melodies ever, but I totally love SNM. Again, it's totally puzzling me how anybody could NOT adore the HC album.

graecophilos said:

I know, it's so weird. Especially that many called it her worst ever, yet it has some of her most instant stuff!

LiveToTell86 said:

I think it's just that most of her fans are between 25 and 35 yo. Most of them can't remember 1983, and how R'n'B Madonna's music was! Sure, her songs had a pop sensibility, but the production is pure dance. pure R'n'B form that time.
Steve Bray in general (as a black man) always provided some pop-soul to Madonna.

In those people's mind Madonna always has been Veronica Electronica, as if they didn't know Madonna practically did nothing than R'n'B (besides very few ballads) between 1990 and 1994! Listen to BS, Erotica, Rescue Me...

But many seem to feel more comfortable with the more electro stuff (which I like as well) and the pink leotard.

Anyway...

LiveToTell1986, you gotta listen to Keep On Runnin' From My Love by Stephanie Mills.
Reggie Lucas wrote that in 1982, could have been on M's first album!!

graecophilos said:

You mean "You Can't Run From My Love"? That's the one I found on YouTube. It sounds like "Physical Attraction"! Also, I know "Never Knew Love Like This Before" is almost the same as "Borderline". But Madonna disliked the production of the first album, no? That's why she went to Nile Rodgers (now we're on topic) because he preferred his style, and even some of the first album songs were mixed by Jellybean Benitez before its release. She explicitly dissed the debut album in the 80s a few times...

As for the fans, I noticed that for the average, Madonna is about Erotica, Ray Of Light and COADF with some of stuff here and there...

Stephen Bray really gave soul to Madonna, "Express Yourself" in its original version is so funky, I can't believe Shep Pettibone had to destroy it and since then his is the remembered version...

[Edited 4/24/09 10:27am]

graecophilos said:

I stand corrected. Who cares about spelling, you got your point across.