Any Major Flute Vol. 4
This is the fourth flute mix. When I first posted these eight years ago, I declared myself officially fluted out. But I think there should be at least a fifth mix. I bend my one-artist-per-series rule a bit: the Carpenters, Gil-Scott-Heron and The Beatles are allowed to reflute on this compilation.
As ever, CD-R length, flutilicious covers, PW same as always..
1. Carpenters – This Masquerade (1973)
Flute moment: 2:40 The flute is there right at the beginning, stays with us, and then, at 2:40, takes charge with a hard-rocking solo. Leon Russell’s original also has some flute, but nothing on this, one of the great flute tracks in pop.
2. Julie London – Light My Fire (1969)
Flute moment: 0:01 The only song featured twice, though quite a few might also have qualified. The flute sets Julie up to do with the song what the Doors couldn’t — make it as seductive as the words suggest. Go on, kiss somebody while the solo (starting at 1:58) plays.
3. Roberta Flack & Quincy Jones – On A Clear Day/Killer Joe (1973)
Flute moment: 5:04 Sammy Davis Jr introduces Roberta and Quincy at the Save The Children concert. Flack sings On A Clear Day better than Streisand ever did, and when Quincy’s Killer Joe comes in, the medley rocks. In between, there’s a one-minute flute solo.
4. Gil Scott-Heron – The Bottle (1975)
Flute moment: 2:49 Brian Jackson’s flute in Scott-Heron’s songs are the sound of the ’70s ghetto and blaxploitation. Introducing the solo, Gil calls on Stick to “hit me one more time”. Funny that the Poet Laureate of the ghetto, the English popsters and the whitebread siblings should share the honour of being featured twice in this series.
5. P.P. Arnold – It’ll Never Happen Again (1968)
Flute moment: 0:15 Vastly underrated soul singer, who should have been given the entire Bacharach catalogue to sing. The flute accompanies us throughout this gorgeous song.
6. The Beatles – The Fool On The Hill (1967)
Flute moment: 2:43 Flute AND recorder, Paul? Well, it works.
7. Gilbert Bécaud – Nathalie (1965)
Flute moment: 0:19 C’est la flute.
8. Cat Stevens – Katmandu (1970)
Flute moment: 1:43 Flute interlude by Peter Gabriel, fact fans.
9. The Four Tops – Still Water (Love) (1970)
Flute moment: There is none. The flute is floating in the background. I included the song only because it is so lovely.
10. Fantastic Four – I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love (1967)
Flute moment: 0:09 There is, however, flute on this 1967 soul track, which sounds a lot like a Four Tops song. Again, the flute gets no centrestage time, but among the backing instrumentation, it stands out.
11. Left Banke – Walk Away Renee (1966)
Flute moment: 1:22 On my first draft of this playlist, I unconsciously paired the Left Banke with the Four Tops, who covered Walk Away Renee to fine effect.
12. Boz Scaggs – Lowdown (1976)
Flute moment: 0:18 The song has a funky bassline, a great guitar part, and a fantastic flute riff which bosses the tune and occasionally heckles poor Boz…
13. Nicolette Larson – Lotta Love (1978)
Flute moment: 1:35 The flute solo takes us to the bridge.
14. Smokey Robinson – Quiet Storm (1975)
Flute moment: 1:52 The song that started a genre which provided the soundtrack for the conception of millions of babies. When Smokey commands: “Blow baby!”, he presumably means the flute.
15. Neil Sedaka – Bad Blood (1975)
Flute moment: 0:40 A pretty mediocre song is redeemed by a bit of fine flute.
16. The Blues Project – Flute Thing (1966)
Flute moment: the whole song. Well, it does take nine seconds for the flute to start. It is so flutish, the band needed no better title than Flute Thing.
17. Genesis – Get ’Em Out by Friday (1972)
Flute moment: 1:59 It starts off terribly prog-rockish. But it gets bearably pleasant when the flute comes in to accompany Peter
Gabriel (who presumably is not playing the flute at the same time). Then, after two minutes it becomes proggish again, and when the song slows down next, no flute! I blame Phil Collins, the bald man’s Bono. Happily, the flute returns at 4:57, for more than a minute.
Any Major Flute Vol. 1
Any Major Flute Vol. 2
Any Major Flute Vol. 3
love the flute mixes – really great
have you got –
sitting in the park by georgie fame?
i was wondering..ever contemplate an any major harmonica series?..love ur blog!
I was thinking exactly that yesterday when I thought of Stevie Wonders Fingertips Part 2. It took me about half a year to shortlist flute songs. It’ll probably take longer to put together a list of not too obvious harmonica songs, from a group of zillions.
A truly dire instrument, but I’m with you on PP Arnold. W.
Thanks for Lists Vol 1-4!! You’ve got a lot of great entries and some pretty deep cuts. It’s a long story how I got on the subject, but I was putting my own list together and yours spotlighted a bunch I had forgotten. I know you’ve said you won’t do a Volume 5, but perhaps you’ll reconsider after hearing what you’ve missed :-). Apologies for #1, but the rest are legit.
1. Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick (1972). OK, I know you weren’t including Tull/Anderson, and I think I understand why. But the lilting riff between verse lines is easily the most recognizable flute in rock & roll history. This is the only Tull entry I’ll submit.
2. Jackson 5 – Rockin’ Robin ( ). tweet – tweet – tweet! “Rockin Robin” – tweet – – tweedle-ee-deet!! Need I say more?
3. Firefall – You Are the Woman (1976). Someone mentioned “Strange Way”, but you need the album version for that. This cheery intro riff is probably the most recognizable entry in the 70’s pop category.
4. Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven (1971). Okay, so they’re recorders (Four bass recorders, to be exact). I still think they should be included.
5. Moody Blues – Nights in White Satin (1967). You mentioned Moody Blues in a comment but I don’t see any on your lists.
6. Eric Burdon/War – Spill the Wine (1970). Somebody already mentioned this one.
7. Van Morrison – Moondance (1970). You included “Everyone”, but I believe this was more of a hit.
8. Carpenters – It’s Going To Take Some Time This Time (1972). You had two Carpenters songs, and it’s hard to argue with “Masquerade”. But I think this was the only actual released single that fits the category. Plus the solo really kicks, in this otherwise sweetly melancholy song.
9. Marshall Tucker Band – Heard it in a Love Song (1977). Again, you’ve got MTB, but this was the one I remember.
10. Dixie Chicks – Ready to Run (1999). You mentioned a lack of country songs; this was a pretty big crossover hit. It’s actually credited as a “tin whistle”.
Oh, some good stuff there, and some to investigate. Funny enough, today I heard JT Taylor’s “Long Hot Summrnight” on the radio and thought of the flute mixes…
@halfhearteddude But please, my god, don’t torture me with Stairway To Heaven.
I’ve enjoyed all your flute mixes, but this one is my favorite so far. Funny, “Still Water (Love)” is one of my favorite Four Tops song, but as often as I’ve heard it I never took notice of the flute, as you say, “floating in the background.” In tribute to soul singer Cuba Gooding, who passed away recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of The Main Ingredient recently and was struck by how much the flute is featured in many of their songs. Their early hits like “You’ve Been My Inspiration” and their cover of Curtis Mayfield’s gem “I’m So Proud” features the flute prominently. Those two songs don’t feature Cuba in the lead, but “Everybody Plays the Fool,” does, and again there’s a flute.
Love the blog!
How do we get Any Major Flute Vol. 1? Is it gone forever?
missing link for flute1 found:
http://www23.zippyshare.com/v/9LqFq2Qe/file.html
ty !
Hermann
“Phil Collins, the bald man’s Bono”
This is both true and hilarious! Another wonderful compilation. Thank you!
Jacques Dutronc – Il est cinq heures, Paris s’éveille
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G4EQjFUZOc