City Life | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Studio | Sound Factory (Hollywood) | |||
Genre | Jazz-funk [1] | |||
Label | Fantasy | |||
Producer | Donald Byrd | |||
The Blackbyrds chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [2] |
City Life is the third studio album by the American rhythm and blues and jazz-funk fusion group the Blackbyrds. It was produced by Donald Byrd and includes the popular singles "Happy Music" and "Rock Creek Park." "Happy Music" was first given a limited released as a six-minute remix on 12-inch vinyl for club deejays, [3] then in early 1976 was released on standard 7-inch vinyl. "Rock Creek Park" has been sampled repeatedly by hip hop musicians. [4]
Three members of the band had left sometime after the completion of the previous album: Allan Barnes, Barney Perry, and Perk Jacobs. Guitarist Orville Saunders was brought on in place of Perry, who had left the band to form his own group, Malone & Barnes and Spontaneous Simplicity, while saxophonist Stephen Johnson replaced Barnes.
Song credits and timings taken from original LP. [5]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Rock Creek Park" | Joe Hall, Keith Killgo, Kevin Toney, Orville Saunders, Stephen Johnson | 4:35 |
2. | "Thankful 'Bout Yourself" | Saunders | 5:11 |
3. | "City Life" | Toney | 5:22 |
4. | "All I Ask" | Toney | 3:50 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
5. | "Happy Music" | Donald Byrd | 4:32 |
6. | "Love So Fine" | Hall | 5:00 |
7. | "Flying High" | Killgo | 3:29 |
8. | "Hash and Eggs" | Fonce Mizell, Larry Mizell | 5:06 |
The original LP doesn't credit any musicians individually and instead gives a general "very special thanks" to them. Vocals for the album are also uncredited.
Chart (1976) | Peak position |
---|---|
Billboard Top LPs | 16 |
Top Soul LPs | 3 |
Jazz LPs | 1 |
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1975 | "City Life" | Disco Singles | 4 |
"Flying High" | Billboard Hot 100 | 70 | |
Hot Soul Singles | 22 | ||
1976 | "Happy Music" | Billboard Hot 100 | 19 |
Hot Soul Singles | 3 | ||
Disco Singles | 6 | ||
"Rock Creek Park" | Billboard Hot 100 | 93 | |
Hot Soul Singles | 37 | ||
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