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From the Vault...
09/03/2000
#697 |
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info
Carl Douglas
"The Soul Of
The Kung Fu
Fighter"
© Sequel Records
Year of Release: 1998
Rating:
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track listing
Kung Fu Fighting
When You Got Love
I Want To Give You
My Everything
Too Hot To Handle
Changing Times
M.O.R.F.
Green Tangerines And
Wild Evergreens
Witchfinder General
Stand Up For Love
Mistakes Of Mine
Love Peace And
Happiness
Dance The Kung Fu
Blue Eyed Soul
(Instrumental)
Never Had
This Dream Before
I Don't Care
What People Say
I'll Bet Your Light
Girl You're So Fine
I'll Keep Lovin' You
Honest Women
Shanghai'd
Run Back
Kung Fu Fighting
(by Bus Stop
Featuring
Carl Douglas)
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WSVNRadio Archives
Carl Douglas related sites:
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Carl Douglas
"The Soul Of The Kung Fu Fighter"
In discovering the songs that reached #1 of the past, it's an often wonder
to listen to a group or artist's music, other than the number one song(s)
from their career. Take the case of Carl Douglas, who is most famous for only
one song, "Kung Fu Fighting." Many thought he was a one-hit wonder,
but in 1998, Sequel Records released a 22-song Greatest Hits compilation,
The Soul Of The Kung Fu Fighter, which defines Carl Douglas as more of
a 1970s Soul singer, rather than his novelty for the faze at the time his song
was popular, Kung Fu karate (due to the popularity of the David Carradine TV
series, Kung Fu).
This Greatest Hits compilation starts out with his most famous song, yet
when you hear the rest of this compilation, you become quite surprised, and
impressed...
"When You Got Love" and "I Want To Give You My Everything" truly
defines the true sound of 1970s Soul ballads. "Too Hot To Handle"
continues the soul sound, in a more funky beat, and could easily be compared
to the early Stevie Wonder or Sly & The Family Stone. "Changing Times"
is another great true Soul song, as in the likes of Al Green.
"M.O.R.F." definitely has the current sound that would become more
famous towards the end of the 1970s, Soul music mixed with Disco.
Having a more soulful ballad sound as its intro, it then kicks into a melody
similar to "Kung Fu Fighting" ==> "Green Tangerines And Wild
Evergreens." Funky Soul/Disco returns with "Witchfinder General."
Medium-tempo'd Soul returns with "Stand Up For Love" having a chorus
similar to the popular soul song, "Mr. Telephone Man." Al Green-type
soul also returns with "Mistakes Of Mine," combining soul and funk.
Soul with a touch of funk best describes "Love Peace And Happiness,"
similar to the early Stevie Wonder, and/or the soulfulness of Otis Redding.
With the popularity of "Kung Fu Fighting," a "sequel" was recorded
by Douglas, "Dance The Kung Fu;" and as it tried to recapture the
popularity of its predecessor, it didn't, yet most "sequels" to popular hits
don't, anyway.
"Blue Eyed Soul" is an instrumental, as it defines the mix of soul
and disco, with its "Shaft" guitar effects. The soul of Smokey Robinson
can be compared to "Never Had This Dream Before," another true 1970s Soul
ballad. Likewise, "I Don't Care What People Say" is another song in
the sound of 1970s soul, and also could be compared to the "soul" voice of
Tom Jones. "I'll Be Your Light" is another soulful tune, as it could
of been an easy song for any Motown artist.
A pop soul ditty, "Girl You're So Fine" has a more upbeat pop rock
sound. Another song having the familar melody of "Kung Fu Fighting,"
is heard in the song "I'll Keep Lovin' You." Another soul/Motown
sounding tune, "Honest Women" still continues Carl Douglas as a
contending soul singer with the rest of the well-known soul singers of the times.
"Shanghai'd" is another pop soul ditty, like "Girl You're So Fine."
"Run Back" has the pop/soul sound, and it could of been a song that the
Village People may have included as an album cut.
The album's last song, is by the group Bus Stop, "Kung Fu Fighting,"
released in 1998, where it sampled Carl Douglas' original, with a rap beat and
vocal by Bus Stop.
Carl Douglas may be best remembered for his #1 hit, "Kung Fu Fighting,"
a song where most would call a novelty, yet after listening to The Soul Of
The Kung Fu Fighter, Douglas is discovered as an excellent Soul singer,
and could of been as popular as his former counterparts of the 1970s, such as
artists Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and Al Green. Some of these songs could
easily have been popular, maybe even more popular than "Kung Fu Fighting."
Discovering Carl Douglas' music was surprising -- there weren't alot of songs
with the novelty style of his most famous hit, instead there were songs that
could easily fit in the standard soul music of the times. And discovering
an artist's music in this way, is truly rewarding, as we can easily say that
Carl Douglas was a great soul singer, and we wished that some of the songs
he recorded should of been classics as his fellow soul-mates.
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Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Sequel Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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