Funky Sounds Nurtured in the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Smell of Rock

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Funky Sounds Nurtured in the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Smell of Rock
Studio album by
Eric Mercury
Released1971
Label Enterprise ENS 1020
Producer Steve Cropper
Eric Mercury chronology
Electric Black Man
(1969)		Funky Sounds Nurtured in the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Smell of Rock
(1971)		Love Is Taking Over
(1973)

Funky Sounds Nurtured in the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Smell of Rock is a 1971 album by Eric Mercury. It registering on the RPM 100 Albums chart in Canada. It contains the hit single, "I Can Smell That Funky Music".

Contents

Background

The album was produced by Steve Cropper who also handled the arrangements. It was released on Enterprise ENS-1020 in August / September 1971. [1] [2] It is sometimes referred to as Funky Sounds [3] and Funky Rock. [4]

Reception

In the 4 September 1971 issue of Record World , the reviewer believes Mercury "should have no trouble going that much further when word of the album gets around." [5]

In the 4 December 1971 issue of RPM Weekly , the reviewer wrote that Mercury's voice is much improved and soulful and thought the album would "smash his way up the charts with no trouble". [6] It was also written in the same issue that was proving his point with his Enterprise single and album. [7]

According to the 11 March 1972 issue of RPM Weekly, Stax-Enterprise artist, Eric Mercury's album had favorable reviews throughout the United States. There were now plans for Mercury and Steve Cropper to produce a second album for the label in Toronto, and he would be the first Stax act to do this. [8]

Airplay

It was reported by Record World in the magazine's 4 September issue that the album was getting airplay at four FM stations. [9]

It was reported in the 18 December 1971 issue of RPM Weekly that with the single "I Can Smell That Funky Music" experiencing a national breakout in Canada, Eric Mercury and Allan Katz, the national advertising chief for Polydor, the distributor for Enterprise Records had just completed their trip through Central & Western Canada. In addition to success of the single, the album was getting heavy air play from several progressive FM stations. [10]

Charts

For the week of 18 December 1971, Funky Sounds debuted at No. 95 in the RPM Weekly RPM 100 Albums chart. [11] The album peaked at No. 58 for the week of 26 February 1972. [12] [13] It was still in the chart for the week of 1 March. [14]

Tracks

Side A

  1. "I Can Smell That Funky Music", Eddie Floyd, Mack Rice, Steve Cropper – 3:49
  2. "Like It Should Be", William Smith – 3:37
  3. "Stop Looking Down", Mary Williams, Steve Cropper – 3:00
  4. "It's Time for Me to Love You", Eric Mercury, Steve Cropper – 9:23

Side B

  1. "Don't Stop the Feeling", Mack Rice, Steve Cropper, Tommy Tate – 3:07
  2. "Wrap Me in a Map", Eric Mercury, Steve Cropper – 3:53
  3. "Listen With Your Eyes", Carson Whitsett, Eric Mercury – 3:18
  4. "A Gift to You", Mary Williams, Mack Rice, Steve Cropper – 3:43
  5. "Over In Arkansas", Eric Mercury, Mary Williams, Steve Cropper – 4:24

References

  1. ↑ Record World, September 4, 1971 – Page 8 ALBUM PRODUCT, FUNKY SOUNDS NURTURED IN THE FERTILE SOIL OF MEMPHIS THAT SMELL OF ROCK ERIC MERCURY-Enterprise ENS 1020x (Stax)
  2. ↑ Both Sides Now Publications – Enterprise Album Discography by David Edwards and Mike Callahan, ENS-1020 – Funky Sounds – Eric Mercury (1971)
  3. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 16 No. 18 December 18, 1971 – Page 14 RPM100 ALBUMS December 18, 1971, This week 95, 1 week Ago ..., 2 weeks ago ..., FUNKY SOUNDS... Eric Mercury-Enterprise-ENS1020-Q
  4. ↑ Record World, September 4, 1971 – Page 24 THE FM AIRPLAY REPORT, WBUS-FM/MIAMI, FUNKY ROCK-Eric Mercury-Enterprise
  5. ↑ Record World, September 4, 1971 – Page 8 ALBUM PRODUCT, FUNKY SOUNDS NURTURED IN THE FERTILE SOIL OF MEMPHIS THAT SMELL OF ROCK ERIC MERCURY-Enterprise ENS 1020x (Stax)
  6. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 16. No. 16 December 4, 1971 – Page 10 NEW ALBUMS, FUNKY SOUNDS NURTURED IN THE FERTILE SOIL OF MEMPHIS THAT SMELL OF ROCK – Eric Mercury (Enterprise) ENS 1020-Q
  7. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 16. No. 16 December 4, 1971 – Page 17 Eric Mercury, described as the "originator of Canadian soul"
    is proving his point with new Enterprise single and album.
  8. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 17 No. 4 March 11, 1972 – Page 31 ERIC MERCURY STIRS LOS ANGELES PRESS
  9. ↑ Record World, September 4, 1971 – Page 24 THE FM AIRPLAY REPORT
  10. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 16 No. 18 December 18, 1971 – Page 10 MERCURY'S "FUNKY MUSIC" A NATIONAL BREAKOUT
  11. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 16 No. 18 December 18, 1971 – Page 14 RPM100 ALBUMS December 18, 1971, This week 95, 1 week Ago ..., 2 weeks ago ..., FUNKY SOUNDS... Eric Mercury-Enterprise-ENS1020-Q
  12. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 17 No. 2 February 26, 1972 – Pages 17 – 18 RPM100 ALBUMS February 26, 1972, This week 58, 1 week ago 67, 2 weeks ago 70, FUNKY SOUNDS Eric Mercury-Enterprise-ENS1020-Q
  13. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 17 No. 3 March 4, 1972 – Pages 17 – 18 RPM100 ALBUMS March 4, 1972, This week 75, 1 week ago 58, 2 weeks ago 67 FUNKY SOUNDS Eric Mercury-Enterprise-ENS1020-Q
  14. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 17 No. 4 March 11, 1972 – Pages 17 – 18 RPM100 ALBUMS March 11, 1972, This week 89, 1 week ago 75, 2 weeks ago 58 FUNKY SOUNDS Eric Mercury-Enterprise-ENS1020-Q
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