Norman Whitfield RIP

[Billybob Dylan]

Davey The Fat Boy and I often talk about how brilliant and underappreciated Norman Whitfield was; simply a phenomenal producer and writer. For a guy that either wrote and/or produced such classics as Marvin Gaye's 'Pride and Joy,' all of The Temptations' greatest psychedelic soul hits, and Edwin Starr's 'War,' Whitfield deserves more attention as a musical giant.

RIP.

Well said.

[Kenji]

the fucking Car Wash soundtrack (criminally underrated, says me)....

I agree completely. And not just the hit, but the less-heard album tracks like "Zig Zag" and "I Wanna Get Next To You" also.

I'm listening to "Car Wash" OST now (first time) - it's INCREDIBLE!*



*It's wrong - it's more amazing than incredible!

"Sunrise" is HUGE!

[king feeb]

the fucking Car Wash soundtrack (criminally underrated, says me)....

I agree completely. And not just the hit, but the less-heard album tracks like "Zig Zag" and "I Wanna Get Next To You" also.

I'm listening to "Car Wash" OST now (first time) - it's INCREDIBLE!*



*It's wrong - it's more amazing than incredible!

"Sunrise" is HUGE!

I love this record. It's been a fave since my college days in the late 70s. Not a bad track on it... and it's a double album!

How about "Zig Zag"? Has there ever been a sneakier, more lowdown funk track?

[Matt Wilson]

I love his stuff with the Temptations.
The late '60s/early '70s post Sly, Whitfield recordings are the best things both the group and Norman ever recorded.

[The Modernist]

Amazing this only crawled on to two pages when you look how long some of the other RIP threads have been. Says it all really.

[shortfatb]

The good news is that Norman Wisdom is still with us.

[Jimbly]

The good news is that Norman Wisdom is still with us.

If only in body

[Davey the Fat Boy]

The guy was such a giant. Arguably up there with the Phil Spectors and Brian Wilsons of the world - yet seldom afforded that level of respect. As a songwriter alone he earned his way onto pops Mount Rushmore - but then you have to factor in the fact that he was arguably R&B's greatest producer.

The Car Wash Soundtrack is indeed an underrated gem, but it only scratches the surface of the great work Whitfield left behind that is routinely overlooked in favor of his genius work with The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Rare Earth, etc. Obviously there is the The Undisputed Truth's output as exhibit A, but also albums like these ought to be heard by everyone on this board who cared enough to open this thread:

[Billybob Dylan]

RIP Mr. Whitfield. You will be missed.

[Mr Maps]

This year sucks, who's next?

RIP Mr Whitfield.

[doctorlouie]

RIP Norman.

One of the two or three great producers. And one with a vision, too.

That list of songs posted above is about as good a headstone as anyones.

The sad thing is that we're going to have to get used to our heroes passing.

[Jeff K]

This year sucks, who's next?

RIP Mr Whitfield.

Actually it was last year. I was surprised by the lack of interest towards this thread when I posted it back in September.

I also must get that Car Wash soundtrack one of these days.

[king feeb]

I also must get that Car Wash soundtrack one of these days.

Yeah, I don't have the CD either. I still have my double-vinyl... but it's all beat up and some pot seeds fell out when I opened the gatefold!

[Jeff K]

I also must get that Car Wash soundtrack one of these days.

Yeah, I don't have the CD either. I still have my double-vinyl... but it's all beat up and some pot seeds fell out when I opened the gatefold!

I always had Rose Royce pegged as funk-lite but I would imagine it's more of a Norman Whitfield affair than anything else.

[king feeb]

I also must get that Car Wash soundtrack one of these days.

Yeah, I don't have the CD either. I still have my double-vinyl... but it's all beat up and some pot seeds fell out when I opened the gatefold!

I always had Rose Royce pegged as funk-lite but I would imagine it's more of a Norman Whitfield affair than anything else.

The album does have its lighter moments (the beautiful "I Wanna Get Next To You"), and it isn't as heavily funky as The Jimmy Castor Bunch, The Bar Kays or their ilk. But the songs are great, the band is tight, and, of course, the arrangements and production are just The Best.

I have to admit that my impressions are mixed with an amount of nostalgia, because that was a popular party album back in the day, and I have a lot of happy memories associated with it.

[Kenji]

I always had Rose Royce pegged as funk-lite but I would imagine it's more of a Norman Whitfield affair than anything else.

The album does have its lighter moments (the beautiful "I Wanna Get Next To You"), and it isn't as heavily funky as The Jimmy Castor Bunch, The Bar Kays or their ilk. But the songs are great, the band is tight, and, of course, the arrangements and production are just The Best.

I have to admit that my impressions are mixed with an amount of nostalgia, because that was a popular party album back in the day, and I have a lot of happy memories associated with it.

I envy you it was your party album at that time king feeb but I think it isn't "nostalgia" you love it (only)...

I heard it for first time ever yesterday and I loved it!

Also Jeff K, I thought Rose Royce is "funk-lite" too and it's why I didn't hear the album until yesterday! You are right it's Norman's album! king feeb is right the arrangements and production are "The Best"...

[the masked man]

I didn't realise he did 'Car Wash' - I loved that song when I was about 13!

Actually, a good number of my favourite Motown songs seem to have come from his pen. RIP.

[toomanyhatz]

I got the Car Wash soundtrack from itunes- I normally don't do so but I didn't think I could get the CD any cheaper ($7.99) and figured there wasn't much to the packaging anyway.

It's pretty hard funk, most of it- not light at all. The title track is "soundtracky" if you will, but on hearing it with more familiarity with the Whitfield sound, it's more obviously "him" than I've ever noticed before. Even "I Wanna Get Next to You" bears the hallmarks.

Oh, and "You Gotta Believe" with the Pointer Sisters, smolders.