(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go

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"(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go"
Single by Curtis Mayfield
from the album Curtis
B-side "The Makings of You"
ReleasedNovember 1970
Recorded1970
Genre Acid funk, [1] psychedelic soul [2]
Length3:26 (single version)
7:50 (album version)
Label Curtom CR-1955
Songwriter(s) Curtis Mayfield
Producer(s) Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield singles chronology
"(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go"
(1970)
"Move On Up"
(1971)

"(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" is a funk/soul song originally recorded by Curtis Mayfield for his album Curtis (1970). The song was meant to serve as a warning regarding the state of race relations and the tempest growing in America's inner cities.

Contents

Summary

The song begins with a woman proclaiming the virtues of the Bible's "Book of Revelation" over an introduction of fuzz-bass guitar and conga drums. Mayfield then shouts out to the audience with a large echo overdub, saying "Don't worry, If there's a Hell below, we're all gonna go!" followed by a scream. The song then breaks out with a heavy fuzz bass, Latin percussion, wah-wah guitar and strings.

Albums

The song is performed live on the album Curtis/Live! (1971) and Live in Europe (1987). Studio out-takes of the song have been added to the CD re-issue of the album.

Charts

Chart (1970-1971)Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [3] 29
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles3

Covers and use

Punk rock band Antiseen have covered the song on their EP Hell. Narada Michael Walden performs this song on A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield .

The Afghan Whigs covered this song on their 1998 live EP Live at Howlin' Wolf.

D12 samples this song on "That's How" from their album Devil's Night . Kanye West samples the introduction to this song on "Jesus Walks", from his album The College Dropout . N.W.A also interpolates the introduction to this song on "Niggaz 4 Life" from their album Efil4zaggin .

The track was featured in the 1997 Girl Skateboards video Mouse. [4]

The instrumental beginning was featured in season 2 episode 20 of Fresh Off the Boat entitled "Hi, My Name Is...".

The song was also featured in the 1995 film Dead Presidents .

In 2017, the song was used as the opening credits theme song for the first season of the HBO drama The Deuce . [5]

The Detroit rapper and producer Black Milk released a 2014 album with the referential name If There's a Hell Below . He samples the song on "What It's Worth" from that album. [6]

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References

  1. "Curtis Mayfield – 10 of the best". TheGuardian.com . 5 August 2015.
  2. Lynskey, Dorian (21 May 2014). "Psychedelic soul: 10 of the best". The Guardian . Guardian News and Media . Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  3. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  4. "Girl – Mouse – Skatevideosite" . Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  5. "The Deuce Season 2: What Is the New Theme Song?". Vulture. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  6. "whoSampled If There's A Hell Below by Black Milk Samples". whoSampled. Retrieved 22 September 2020.