Song Lyric Sunday: Memphis Sound

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Memphis Sound, aka Memphis Soul, is the topic for this week’s SLS, as set out by Jim in his post, Bluff City. I wouldn’t put this near the top of my list of favourite genres but I’ve liked a lot of songs over the years which fit into it. Wikipedia describes it as ‘a shimmering, sultry style produced in the 1960s and 1970s at Stax Records and Hi Records in Memphis, Tennessee, featuring melodic unison horn lines, organ, guitar, bass, and a driving beat on the drums.’ They go on to add ‘Memphis Soul pulls stylistic influence from jazz, Motown, Rhythm and blues, gospel and Doo-wop music….brass and saxophones are common in much of Memphis Soul instrumentation.’ I’m playing you two examples of this, which are kind of linked. My lead track dates back to 1966, but this live performance is much later – he still had it, though:

When you get to perform at the White House you know you’ve made it! That was part of a show from early 2013, when Eddie Floyd was coming up for his 76th birthday – I hope I can still move and sing like that at his age (then again, I can’t now so I think it unlikely). Before I forget them, here are the lyrics:

I don’t want to lose you, this good thing
That I got ’cause if I do
I will surely
Surely lose a lot
‘Cause your love is better
Than any love I know
It’s like thunder and lightning
the way you love me is frightening
You better knock, knock on wood, baby

I’m not superstitious about ya
But I can’t take no chance
I got me spinnin’, baby
You know I’m in a trance
‘Cause your love is better
Than any love I know
It’s like thunder and lightning
the way you love me is frightening
You better knock, knock on wood, baby

It’s no secret about it
That woman is my loving cup
’cause she sees to it
That I get enough
Just one touch from here
You know it means so much
It’s like thunder and lightning
the way you love me is frightening
You better knock, knock on wood, baby

You better knock, knock, knock on wood…

Writer/s: Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper 
Publisher: Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

As the credits show, the song was written by Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd, apparently on a night of thunder and lightning, hence the reference to that in the lyrics. It was originally intended for Otis Redding but Eddie recorded it first, Stax Records liked it, so it was released as a single in September 1966. It made #1 on the US R&B singles chart, #28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached #19 in the UK. To my mind, those chart placings feel a bit low for a song I’ve always thought of as a pop classic. Otis did actually record the song in a duet version with Carla Thomas: this was released in September 1967 and peaked at #8 on the US R&B listings, #30 in the Hot 100 and at #35 in the UK. I found a couple of videos from around the time Eddie had his hit with the song, but couldn’t resist the one from the White House show, as it is just so very good.

I toyed with the idea of playing the Otis and Carla version too, but decided to play something different from Otis instead. No, not THAT one! This is one of his other hits, which I think is also a great example of Memphis soul:

That’s another one that I’ve always liked. It was a track on the second posthumous album of Otis’ music that was released – The Immortal Otis Redding – which came out in June 1968 and reached #3 in the US R&B albums chart, #58 on their main listings, and #19 in the UK. It was issued as a single at the same time, peaking at #38 in the R&B chart and at #51 on the Hot 100, but did much better here in the UK, where it reached #15. Again, to my mind, it is another piece of classic pop which I would have expected to have done better in the charts.

That’s it from me for today. Two classic pop hits: you can’t ask for much better, really. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and I’ll see you again for Tuesday Tunes. Another road trip this week 😉

32 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Memphis Sound”

  1. Pingback: The First Day After August | Take It Easy

    • Hi Shelbee. Thanks for dropping in. I’m glad you enjoyed the songs and the post: I always like to add in a bit of background if I can, and it’s good to know you appreciated it.

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  5. Great live act from Mr Floyd at 76; few outside of Jagger can/could muster up more than a shuffle when performing into their 70s. Otis, well we all know that was tragic, just as he seemed ready to step right up to the top rank. He had it all.

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  8. I was in the pharmacy the other day when the line seemed to be going much quicker than normal, so I stated that to the lady in front of me and then I said, “Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that, as I don’t want to jinx us.” She said you better knock on wood because that is done to reverse bad fortune or undo a jinx. I will always associate ‘Hard to handle’ with the grateful Dead when Pigpen was in the band. Nice choices today, Clive.

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    • We use the phrase here too, though for us it is more common as ‘touch wood.’ I guess we’re a gentler country! I think Otis’ original is still the best version of the song. Glad you liked the choices, Jim 👍

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  13. Great songs Clive and such great legendary artists! The Memphis style is so classic and timeless isn’t it?
    Knock on Wood has been recorded by many artists but it was nice to see Eddie Floyd singing his song so we’ll at nearly 76! I love the Bowie version recorded on his album ‘David Live’ recorded in Philadelphia. Not quite in the Memphis style but brilliant and featuring some great musicians who were familiar with the Memphis legacy.

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