Hey there, >bounce/oz readers! I’m AaronM, a new addition to the site. You may know my writing from Metal Lungies, the blog of the Sound of Young America, Maximum Fun, or my own blog Canned Thinking. Anyway, enough self-promotion for now. Let me set into my topic for today.
Well, the titular instrument at the top of this post is what I’m covering today. I was reminded of the strange power of the talkbox when I saw the fantastic music video for Snoop’s new song, “Sensual Seduction“. The video pays affectionate tribute to the low production values of late ’70s/early ’80s music videos, complete with Zapp & Roger-esque costumes and split images ala “When Doves Cry.” Snoop spends most of the song singing through a talk box to produce that vocoder-sounding singing.
Of course, one of the most famous instances of talkbox use was on the song this blog takes its title from. Zapp’s “More Bounce to the Ounce” is a funk classic and has been heavily sampled in hundreds of songs, including EPMD’s “You Gots To Chill” and Snoop himself on the self-explanatory “Snoop Bounce.”
Wikipedia also has a nice writeup of the basics of the ‘box, along with a short, interesting history. Definitely worth a read.
A talk box is a musical sound effects device that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by changing the shape of his or her mouth.
The effect can be used to shape the frequency content of the sound and to apply speech sounds (in the same way as singing) onto a musical instrument, typically a guitar (its non-guitar use is often confused with the vocoder) and keyboards.
Here are a few more recent talk box classics. Whether on the hook or used for main vox, the talk box is always a welcome addition to any jam.
Chromeo Fancy Footwork Fancy Footwork, 2007
An irresistible jammie by fellow Jewish Canadian electro lovers. Encourages men to impress girls by dancing to “show her that you’re not that shy.”
Daft Punk Digital Love Discovery, 2001
A really sweet ballad, with a catchy backing track sampled from synthesizer guru George Duke’s
“I Love You More.” Love songs are sweeter when sung through a talk box, it’s true.
Kool G Rap & Capone-N-Noreaga My Life (Remix) Soundbombing 3, 2002
CNN pay tribute to the Kool Genius in a nice collaboration. The remix, done by VIC, has some lovely pumping horns on the beat and a SMOOTH talk box chorus by someone named G-Wise. A nice summer jam for partying gangsters and wiseguys.
Snoop Dogg Sensual Seduction Ego Trippin’, 2008
I think you already know.
Prince is 49 today, and even though he’s weird and churchy and wears orthopedic shoes, I would still hit that without hesitation. And even though it would be difficult, I would even keep the swearing to a minimum, ’cause I know he’s not down with the profanity any more.
Happy birthday, Prince!
Prince Le Grind 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton The Black Album (Bootleg), 1987 Prince pulled this album from distribution two weeks before its release in 1987, either because he saw the damn devil, or he had some bad X, depending on who you ask. It’s his loosest, darkest and funkiest album, and this girl’s favorite. It was finally released in 1994, but by that time, any Prince fan worth his assless pants already had two copies.
Back in the day, “Le Grind” was the funkiest dance cut this side of Rick James, but the real joint on this album is “2 Nigs.” It’s a classic Revolution jam that you never want to end. And just when you get to a part that makes you say “good God!”, it gets even funkier.
I know folks get mad and say The Black Album was thrown together, and isn’t up to the Rude Boy’s usual standards, but to those people I have only this to say: Prince Does Not Make Mistakes. Y’all better keep it cute, or put it on mute.
The Time Tricky Ice Cream Castles 45, B-Side, 1984 Oh my damn. Morris Day and Prince eating chicken and hating on George Clinton. I’m about to take a mop and a bucket to those drums, they’re so damn funky.
And today, this girl finally got her paper straight. I got a new job, y’all. Oh, don’t get mad. Not everybody’s meant to be a high roller; you got to be dedicated to the life.
Look, I didn’t get up in this game by reading your “books” or taking “classes.” Hell naw. I learned my interactive strategy on the streets, wildin’ with my agency thugs. That’s how real I am.
So to celebrate, I give you my favorite employment-related cuts:
Amerie Gotta Work Because I Love It (Mixtape), 2007 Girlie R&B usually bores me to death; I don’t know why I love this little girl so much right now. But she’s very un-Beyonc\351, in that sister can sang. Without shrieking. This cut has her killin’ it over a hot drum break.
Big Daddy Kane I Get the Job Done It’s a Big Daddy Thing, 1989 Long live the Kane - he really knows the value of a hard day’s work. Especially when it entails working your woman over on the down low.
Kool Moe Dee I Go to Work Knowledge is King, 1989 1989 was a good year for rappers declaring their dedication to work. Sadly, Kool Moe Dee didn’t work hard enough to win his beef with LL Cool J, though. Maybe he should have put in a little overtime after 1990.
Prince Let’s Work Controversy, 1981 Possibly one of the funkiest party jammies ever. Just flip this on and try not to work it out.
It’s another Wisconsin winter day and I’m about to bug out. Every morning, the gray sky makes my brain feel more and more like mashed potatoes, and I can’t stop eating cheetos.
And whenever I’ve got a head full of starches, I try to think of a time when I felt bliss. So today, I’m thinking about the most breathtaking concert I’ve ever seen.
Now, it goes without saying that Prince threw his shit down at that show; after all, his shows set the standard by which all other shows are measured. And he hadn’t yet started his crazy Jesus period, so you know he kept it freaky.
But I will never forget how Miss Chaka turned it out. From the moment she took the stage, her enormous voice filled the valley, and her performance was pure paradise. For her part, she seemed effortless, as if she did this sort of thing every day, before breakfast.
Here are my favorites; have yourself a little Chaka, and pass the cheetos. Ahhhh.
Rufus & Chaka Khan Tell Me Something Good Rags to Rufus, 1974
Dayum, that’s the funk right there.
Sweet Thing 1975
Just like the title says, sweet. Written by Stevie Wonder, impossible to sing.
It’s another Wisconsin winter day and I’m about to bug out. Every morning, the gray sky makes my brain feel more and more like mashed potatoes, and I can’t stop eating cheetos.