Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. DXIII--Atlanta Rhythm Section: Champagne Jam

 Yeah, it's late.  Let's just say I've been spending a lot of time looking at a Bluesky....

The first time I wrote about this week's band, I noted how a one-dollar greatest hits CD from a used book sale turned me into a big fan of the group. I didn't mention, though, how listening to the album reminded me of how much I love musical instruments--guitars, drums, pianos, organs, horns, et al--and in turn, how much I love music.  You're never too old for a refresher course on life....

As I detailed above, I wrote about the Atlanta Rhythm Section in Vol. CCLXXI, and sadly, the only news I have to report is that instead of two remaining original members still living, we're down to one, Rodney Justo.  On the bright side, though, Mr. Justo is still touring with the remnants of ARS to the delight of their multitude of fans who are also still living....

Fun Fact:  In the very definition of anonymity, of the twenty-five musicians who have been a part of the Atlanta Rhythm Section in their fifty-four-year history, only five of them have rated a Wikipedia entry.  Ah, well, one supposes the perks of being a professional musician far outweigh an entry in a digital encyclopedia.

"Champagne Jam" was the fourth song on their 1978 release, entitled, oddly enough, Champagne Jam.  While the song was not released as a single (should have been!), the album was the best-selling and highest charting of their career, eventually selling over a million copies and peaking at #7 on the Billboard 200.

I'm not sure how many bands have written a song about the joys of jamming, but the Atlanta Rhythm section sure has, and it's nothing if not, uh...joyful.  Every band member gets to shine their instrument for a few bars while lead vocalist Ronnie Hammond delivers a raucous funk filled description of the proceedings.  An ode to the delights of musicianship, this one is F-U-N, and in the end, isn't that what jamming is all about?

Lyric Sheet:  "Come on Mama, give me a break/Me and the boys are gonna stay out late/I can't help it, it's in my bones/We'll be jamming all night long..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCLXXI--Atlanta Rhythm Section: Do It or Die

Thanks to this week's tune, I picked up a copy of Atlanta Rhythm Section's greatest hits at a library sale for a buck.  I'd never been all that crazy about the band other than that particular tune, so imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks later I threw it in the CD player in my car figuring I'd listen to it a time or two and then file it away forever...and ended up spending the next six months listening to it.  I literally could not wait to get into my car every day to listen to it--hell, I still have it in my car just in case I get a hankering for a listen again.

The Atlanta Rhythm Section (ARS) were formed in 1971 from the ashes of the Candymen and the Classics IV as a session band for Studio One in Doraville, Georgia.  I'd be hard pressed to find a band that was more generic--true to being session musicians, there really isn't a band member who stands out as a leader (in fact, twenty four people have at one time or another been a member of ARS).  Their first five releases sold just slightly more than my first five releases (that would be zero copies sold for me), but their sixth and seventh albums became hits, both hitting the top twenty.  Their next would peak at #26...and that would be it for commercial success for ARS, though the band is still touring to this day.  For their career they have released 13 albums, two live albums, and six compilations.  They also released 15 singles, five of which cracked the top twenty.  The band still features a couple of the original members, though sadly six former members have gone to the Great Rock and Roll Concert in the Sky.  I should also mention that on the coolness quotient, the name "Atlanta Rhythm Section" scores quite high in my book...

"Do It or Die" was released as a single in 1979 from their album Underdog.  It was actually a bigger hit than I remember it being, reaching #19 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Do It or Die" is a nice slice of Southern Rock pop, a reminder (especially relevant in these coronavirus trying times) that even when the dice are coming up craps, one needs to keep on playing to have a chance to win.  Lead singer Ronnie Hammond sings it with the soft confidence of someone who's been through rough times and lived to see the other side.  The rest of the band provides a subtle background with some fine guitar and organ work, as well as backing vocals that are a gentle breeze for Hammond's vocals to float upon.  Yeah, it's a little sappy, but in the end it's a surprisingly good song from a surprisingly good band.

Lyric Sheet:  "Life is a gamble all along/Winners are losers who keep rollin' on/So go on and roll the dice/You only live twice/Do it or die..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump,

emaycee