That makes sense. It would have been surprising if the instrumental coda would have been included on a single back in 1970.
Move On Up Curtis Mayfield has so many better songs than this. The groove is somewhat dull, which is a pretty big problem on a groove song. Especially one this long. It sounds too chaotic. Still a LOT better than half of what has come before in this thread. 3/5 I'm rating the songs against the other songs on the RS 500 list. Only "So What" and maybe "You're So Vain" would make my personal 500. So What - Miles Davis You're So Vain - Carly Simon Without You - Nilsson Oye Como Va - Santana I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops Baby Love - Supremes Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield Cross Road Blues - Robert Johnson Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Gos
"Move On Up" Trying to piece together this song's release history as a single was challenging, and I still don't think I have all the answers. When Curtis was released in 1970, the only single from the LP was an edited version of "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go," which peaked at #29 pop on January 16, 1971. A long gap followed before Curtis Mayfield released another 45 in the U.S.; it was a 3:07 mix of the then non-LP track "Beautiful Brother of Mine," backed with the Curtis LP cut "Give It Up," which failed to chart either pop or R&B. This version of "Brother" has since appeared on a deluxe edition of the next Mayfield album, Roots. It would be left to our British friends to see the potential in "Move On Up." In June 1971, Buddah U.K., distributed by Polydor, edited the nine-minute track to under three minutes and released it as the A-side of a 7-inch "maxi single." Both sides of the current American single were squeezed onto the B-side. And as noted, it became a substantial hit in the U.K. In 1974, Buddah, by then distributed by Pye, reissued the single, with only one B-side this time, as a tie-in to the U.K.-only album The Best of Curtis Mayfield. I think it contained the same edit as the 1971 single. This is the single edit: In the U.S., "Move On Up" appears to have been a stopgap that was shunted aside. When Roots came out in late 1971, the first single, "Get Down," stalled at #69 pop and #13 R&B. A second single, "We Got to Have Peace," followed, but it only Bubbled Under at #115 pop (it got to #32 R&B). A different edit of "Beautiful Brother of Mine" followed in late April 1972, but it didn't chart at all except #45 R&B. Meanwhile, Mayfield's soundtrack to the blaxploitation flick Super Fly was done -- it was promoted in the trades in a full-page Curtom ad in the May 27, 1972 Cash Box and probably elsewhere -- but the album was delayed because the film didn't come out until August. Not knowing how long the wait would be, Curtom released "Move On Up" (the same edit as on the U.K. 45) as both a double A-sided promo and as a stock single with "Underground" on the B-side. Based on the release date of Curtom 1973, a non-charted Impressions single, Curtom 1974 was likely released in June or July 1972. However, I can find no evidence that it was reviewed in any of the three trade magazines. When the album and its first single, "Freddie's Dead," were finally released in mid-July 1972, "Move On Up" was forgotten. It's fairly expensive today. --- Believe it or not, this morning is the first time I've ever heard this song. I don't own the Curtis album, and the song wasn't a hit. You can hear just about everything that came after it in 1970s soul/funk/R&B, from the horns (Earth, Wind & Fire) to the rat-a-tat guitar (the CBS-era Isley Brothers) to the overall feel (Gamble & Huff Philly soul). Even its length presaged the 12-inch single disco workouts; had the format existed at the time -- it wasn't introduced until 1975 for clubs and 1976 commercially -- "Move On Up" would have been a perfect extended jam that would have filled the dance floors and kept the dancers there the entire length. It wouldn't even have needed A Tom Moulton Mix! Maybe if I'd heard it earlier, I might be more enthusiastic about it. The problem is that I hear everything it influenced rather than appreciating it in a vacuum. I'm not sure how to rank it. The album version is too long, and I have no idea if the single edit is easy to find on CD. For now, it would be on the Not on a volume of A Few of My Favorite Things and won't include later list, but I could change my mind...
You're welcome! I'm aware that I have relatively narrow tastes when it comes to music but I'm enjoying the daily dose of listening to something I might not have done otherwise, on this thread. It's been interesting confronting my prejudices and looking for something positive in each song. Can't always find anything but I've been surprised a few times.
Move On Up A- The "minus" is for the length on the album, which IMO moves it just slightly down from immortal greatness, but it's an excellent song, IMO. Encapsulates so much that was so great about Curtis Mayfield's music.
Some have mentioned it as well but Move On Up has a groove that can continue for hours if it's up to me. It's an excellent funky soul song. Love Curtis' smooth voice. The horns with the busy percussion give the song an amazing groove. On the album version it all seems to be over around 3:50 but just before any disappointment can set in about its early ending the percussion picks up again. Yes! Let's go on! Move on up indeed! Edit: OK, I've decided to also try to rank some of the songs. I'm only ranking songs I have in my possession (though I also think I know some others quite well) and keep it to a top 10. 1. Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up 2. Lady Gaga - Bad Romance 3. Robert Johnson - Cross Road Blues 4. Miles Davis - So What? 5. Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation 6. Supremes - Baby Love 7. The Four Tops – I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) 8. Pixies - Where is My Mind? 9. Kanye West - Stronger 10. Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed
474. Curtis Mayfield, “Move On Up” Good song, but not something that keeps me awake at night. There are already 9 songs on the list that I like better. 3.5/5. Probably heresy, but I prefer the version by The Jam, which I must admit I am more familiar with. 1. Pixies - Where Is My Mind? 2. Carly Simon - You're So Vain 3. Breeders - Cannonball 4. Supremes - Baby Love 5. The Go-Gos - Our Lips Are Sealed 6. Four Tops - I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) 7. Robert Johnson - Cross Road Blues 8. Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 9. Santana - Oye Como Va 10. Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up 11. Weezer - Buddy Holly 12. Nilsson - Without You 13. Biz Markie - Just A Friend 14. Kanye West - Stronger 15. Solange - Cranes In The Sky
While we're on Move On Up, it should be noted that My Morning Jacket went through a period where they were doing (surprisingly faithful) covers of it during their live sets. I can't say I ever heard them actually improve on the original, but it's cool that these guys were trying (and if you like rock and don't know MMJ - check them out!), and that they brought out real horns. Move On Up - My Morning Jacket - 10.23.10 EU and Beyond - YouTube
It's interesting that despite this, you seem to be one of the most open-minded people on the board when it comes to indulging others' opinions.
I love Curtis - singer, writer, guitar, producer, the whole package. And I like Move On Up more than some here, but it's hardly my favorite by him. And it does go on a little much, but so do lots of rock tracks beloved here. Top 500 for me? Hmm, maybe. Top half of this pile so far for sure.
I've got Move On Up cranked as I post. Unlike in most cases, since the song traverses nine minutes, I had time enough to read the posts (mostly in favour, with a couple of dissents toward the end) before starting my own. I think it's alright, and perhaps my oft-bestowed "lukewarm" would be slightly under what I actually think. It's lively and percussive, and has a real "groove", with all of the upside and downside of that. It's very, very samey, same chord sequences, more or less same arrangement save for the middle bit where it kind of starts from scratch again. If you don't like the groove, you're not a fan, but if you do, then the song is wonderful! (I usually think of Baby Don't Go by Sonny and Cher and Have I the Right by the Honeycombs as a couple of my very favourite examples of "groove" songs) Another positive is that I can't find fault with Curtis's vocals (as if I ever can). All in all, and I feel like giving this one a numerical rating, I'd put it around 7.2 out of 10. But that doesn't mean I'd be rushing off to listen to it every day, maybe not even once every five years ...
I love Curtis Mayfield. “Move On Up” isn’t one of my favorites of his, but it’s a good track and I can see why it would be on a list like this. I haven’t spent a lot of time scrutinizing the list, but I really hope we see more Curtis. Without You - Nilsson Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield So What - Miles Davis Baby Love - Supremes I Can’t Help Myself - Four Tops You're So Vain - Carly Simon Where Is My Mind? - Pixies Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go Go’s Oye Coma Va - Santana Buddy Holly - Weezer Pancho And Lefty - Townes Van Zandt Just A Friend - Biz Markie Cross Road Blues - Robert Johnson Cranes In The Sky - Solange Sunday Morning Coming Down - Kris Kristofferson House Of Balloons - The Weeknd Cannonball - Breeders Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson Truth Hurts - Lizzo Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper Stronger - Kanye West Bad Romance - Lady Gaga Back That Azz Up - Juvenile feat Lil Wayne and Mannie Fresh 212 - Azelia Banks A Milli - Lil Wayne Welcome To The Jungle Old Town Road
#473. Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man” (1968) Written by Billy Sherrill and Tammy Wynette Wikipedia says: "Stand by Your Man" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tammy Wynette, co-written by Wynette with Billy Sherrill. It was released on September 20, 1968 as the first single and title track from the album Stand by Your Man. It proved to be the most successful record of Wynette's career, and is one of the most familiar songs in the history of country music. The song was placed at number one on CMT's list of the Top 100 Country Music Songs. Released as a single, it stayed number one on the U.S. country charts for three weeks. "Stand by Your Man" crossed over to the U.S. pop charts, peaking at number nineteen. It elevated Wynette—then one of many somewhat successful female country recording artists—to superstar status. It reached number one in the UK Singles Chart when the record was released in the United Kingdom in 1975, and also reached number one in the Netherlands. An album of the same name—which was also quite successful—was released in 1968. The song earned Wynette the 1970 Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female—her second Grammy win in that category—and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Vocal accompaniment is provided by The Jordanaires, who provided background vocals on most of Wynette's hit recordings. The song was selected by the Library of Congress as a 2010 addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
RS #473 Tammy Wynette – “Stand by Your Man” [from Stand by Your Man] Aside from Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” is probably the most iconic classic country track sung by a female . . . which unfortunately makes it difficult for me to assess it outside of all of the cliched, stereotypical, often sarcastic etc. employments of it as a cultural trope. I just can’t hear it without all of that baggage. And that’s underscored when I listen to the rest of the Stand by Your Man album, which still sounds fresh to my ears in contradistinction. I’ve known the album for a long time, but I’ve never played it do death. On the other hand, it’s maybe weird that I don’t quite have the same issues with something like “Ring of Fire”—although in that case, I think it’s partially because there are so many cover versions that I’ve heard just as much as the original. But I also don’t have the same issues, at least not to the same extent, with “Crazy,” and in that case I have heard the original way more than any cover version. What I have to do is try to listen to “Stand by Your Man” more analytically, and when I do that, a couple things stand out to me as unusual—well, aside from the fact that I can hardly imagine anyone writing these lyrics much past the early 1960s. One, it’s very unusual that we have a two and a half-minute tune where we don’t get to the first iteration of the chorus until the halfway point, and then it’s basically just all chorus. So we get about a minute and twenty seconds of verse followed by a minute and twenty seconds of chorus. Two, the arrangement is fairly simple, especially during the verse half, but what’s not at all simple are Wynette’s vocals. The track is a showcase for just how versatile Wynette is as a singer, where she’s doing everything from understated sprechstimme to basically belting it out Broadway style. It’s a great tune, and one that would definitely be high on a list of iconic, influential tracks. But outside of that it wouldn’t make my top 500. My track pick for the Stand by Your Man album might be “It Keeps Slipping My Mind.” Wynette is currently a 5th tier, top 1001-2500 artist for me. My top 10 songs so far, plus 5 lower-ranked songs to show the placing of the current track: 1. “Move On Up” – Curtis Mayfield 2. "Time After Time" - Cyndi Lauper 3. “Rhythm Nation” – Janet Jackson 4. "Without You" – Nilsson 5. "You're So Vain" - Carly Simon 6. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” – Four Tops 7. “Oye Como Va” - Santana 8. "Baby Love" – Supremes 9. “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” – Kris Kristofferson 10. “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga . . . 19. "Stronger" - Kanye West 20. "Old Town Road" - Lil Nas X / Billy Ray Cyrus 21. “Stand by Your Man” – Tammy Wynette 22. “Cross Road Blues” – Robert Johnson 23. “Pancho And Lefty" - Townes Van Zandt
There seemed to be a lot of these "it's better to be with a scoundrel than to be alone" songs in the late 60s/early 70s. They all seem pretty cringy at this late date, but this one is redeemed by the "after all, he's just a man" line and the beautiful melody.
“Stand By Your Man” 2/5 – It’s OK, but there are countless other country songs that are infinitely superior. Top 10: 1. Cannonball – Breeders 2. Our Lips Are Sealed – Go-Go’s 3. You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4. Move On Up – Curtis Mayfield 5. Oye Como Va - Santana 6. I Can’t Help Myself – Four Tops 7. Where Is My Mind? - Pixies 8. Baby Love - Supremes 9. Without You – Nilsson 10. Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down – Kris Kristofferson
"Stand By Your Man" One of the best country songs of all time, in the same league as "He Stopped Loving Her Today," "Hello Darlin'," "Ring of Fire," "Riders in the Sky," and a rotating list of others. The story of how the song came to be is interesting in itself. Tammy Wynette was riding high with the recent #1 country hit "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," in which the singer spells out big words so her young son won't understand what is really going on, that Daddy is leaving for good. It's a really touching song that deserved its hit status. But there had yet to be a follow-up single. Billy Sherrill thought the phrase "stand by your man" was a good basis for a song; he'd been carrying a scrap of paper with that phrase on it with him for something like a year. On August 13, 1968 (or August 26 -- sources vary), Wynette was in Columbia's Studio B in Nashville with Sherrill, bassist Bob Moore, steel guitarist Pete Drake, the Jordanaires, and several others. They cut two songs, "I Stayed Long Enough" and "It Never Entered My Mind," and once they were done to everyone's satisfaction, the band was given a 20-minute break. A third song was supposed to be taped that day, but at the time, there was no third song. During the break, Sherrill and Wynette went upstairs. Sherrill pulled out the paper scrap, and Tammy thought it was a great idea for a song. In 15 minutes, Wynette wrote the words. Sherrill welded them to a melody that he admitted he stole from a work by Richard Strauss of "Also sprach Zarathustra" fame, and the song "Stand By Your Man" was born. It was recorded in only three takes once everyone regrouped from their break. They had their #1 follow-up single. Amazingly, considering how relatively down-home country the arrangement is, "Stand By Your Man" crossed over to the pop charts, where it peaked at #19 and spent 16 weeks in the Hot 100, a near-eternity in 1969. (It's sometimes written that its chart popularity was aided by its appearance in the film Five Easy Pieces, but that movie wasn't in theaters until September 1970, by which time "Stand By Your Man" was an oldie.) It was by far Wynette's biggest pop hit, unless you count her guest appearance on "Justified and Ancient" by the KLF, which crossed over from Mu Mu Land. It also got to #11 on the Easy Listening chart, which for its era might be even stranger than making Top 20 pop. Finally, when Wynette died in 1998, "Stand By Your Man" returned to the then airplay-only country charts, where it peaked at #56 -- amazing for a 30-year-old song from a different era. Sherrill said in interviews that it was an anti-Women's Lib song, but Wynette's delivery completely undermines his premise. After all, she wrote most of the lyrics! Though she sings the title line with gusto, it's the way she sings the verse that renders "Stand By Your Man" the masterpiece that it is. "Sometimes it's hard to be ... a woman," Wynette starts with the characteristic teardrop in her voice, and when she mentions that her man has foibles (it doesn't specifically mention cheating, though one can imply it if one chooses; the cheatin' song has been a staple of country music since at least World War II), she sums it all up by singing in that heartbreak voice, "After all, he's just a man." In other words, if you really love your husband or mate, you'll overlook the small stuff. In real life, Wynette was married five times and divorced four, which adds to the irony that "Stand By Your Man" became her signature song. I first heard the song early on in my life, though I can't pinpoint when. I didn't come to appreciate it until I was an adult. Today? Re-read my opening paragraph. Of course, it's on A Few of My Favorite Things, Volume 15 (track 8). If I had the franchise and voted in the RS poll, it would be awfully close to my top 50. I'd really have to think long and hard about it.
Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man I rate Tammy Wynette as one of the finest vocalists in traditional country (only second to Patsy Cline), and "Stand By Your Man" is no doubt among her most iconic songs. But even when I heard it almost 50 years ago for the first time, when it hit the #1 spot in my native country the netherlands, it sounded rather old-fashioned to me. "D.I.V.O.R.C.E", her other hit from the same period, is way more touching. 3 / 5
473. Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man” What to say? The cringy lyrics are off-putting if I were to take them seriously. However, since the song has become a gay anthem, at least in parts of Europe (alongside the even more cringeworthy Charlene song "I've Been To Paradise"), they make me chuckle, but not more than that. Musically it's totally not my thing.
A few days behind: #475 Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation Very 'of its era' dance R&B song. Overproduced to within an inch of its life, and stripped damn near all of the funk out of the Sly Stone track sampled. It's ok but I wouldn't seek to listen to this song nor Janet Jackson in general. #474 Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up A classic feel-good entry. Cracking tribal rhythm underpins this song, with Mayfield gliding easily over that rhythm and using his falsetto effectively. I hadn't previously heard the extended version of this song and I don't mind it at all. It doesn't sit high in my list, but an excellent song nevertheless. #473 Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man My appreciation for country music, vocals and style is limited, and this goes far beyond that tolerance level.
Stand By Your Man (Tammy Wynette) This song is so iconic and such a staple of country music of its era. Thus it is deserving of being in this countdown. Would it be one of my own top 500? No, but I'm not a big country music fan. (3/5) Rating the songs so far: 1. You're So Vain - Carly Simon 2. Buddy Holly-Weezer 3. Cannonball-Breeders 4. I Can't Help Myself-Four Tops 5. Move On Up-Curtis Mayfield 6. Oy Como Va-Santana 7. Baby Love - Supremes 8. Without You - Nilsson 9. Our Lips Are Sealed-Go Go's 10. Sunday Morning Coming Down-Kris Krisofferson 11. Cross Road Blues-Robert Johnson 12. Pancho And Lefty-Townes Van Zandt 13. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper 14. So What-Miles Davis 15. Stand By Your Man-Tammy Wynette 16. Just A Friend-Biz Markie 17. Bad Romance-Lady Gaga 18. Rhythm Nation-Janet Jackson 19. 212-Azelia Banks 20. Cranes In The Sky -Solange 21.Where Is My Mind?-Pixies 22. Welcome To The Jungle-Guns N' Roses 23. Old Town Road-Lil Naz 24. Truth Hurts-Lizzo 25. House Of Balloons-The Weeknd 26. Stronger-Kayne West 27. Back That Azz Up-Juvenile 28. A Milli-Lil Wayne Once I get to a top 40 I'm not going to drop the bottom songs if a new song places higher. RS still hasn't included a top 500 songs from the 2000's in my opinion. Only #1-#3 are definite top 500 with 4-11 contenders were I making my own list. #19-#28 would not even be considered for my top 50,000 songs!
