10at10 Club

Main Discussion Area => In Memoriam, Happy Birthday => Topic started by: Wayback on October 14, 2010, 08:47:38 PM

Title: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: Wayback on October 14, 2010, 08:47:38 PM
General Johnson dies at 67; lead singer of 1970s soul group The Chairmen of the Board, had a Top 10 hit in '70 with 'Give Me Just a Little More Time.'  A songwriter and producer, he wrote 'Patches,' which was a hit for Clarence Carter, and hits for Freda Payne and the Honey Cone.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-general-johnson-20101015,0,7832206.story
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: RGMike on October 14, 2010, 09:07:51 PM
Damn, I just posted his cover of "Rockaway Beach" the other day in the Internet radio thread.  One of the great idiosyncratic voices in Soul.

Here's a great rare clip of him doing "Dangling on a String":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkhnm4JXPOA

But hey -- when you dance to the music, don'cha know you gots to pay to the piper -- ass yo' Mama!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGQizt8o6gU

I didn't realize he wrote "Bring the Boys Home"!
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: RGMike on October 15, 2010, 09:12:53 AM
Listening to that Carolina Beach Music station -- needless to say they're playing a lot of Gen'l  Johnson/COTB today.
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: RGMike on October 15, 2010, 11:04:18 AM
Listening to that Carolina Beach Music station -- needless to say they're playing a lot of Gen'l  Johnson/COTB today.

listening to the COTB best-of; their version of "Patches" is a bit less saccharine than the Clarence Carter hit, and now I realize -- duh! -- that the melody to the chorus is remarkably similar to that of "Dangling on a String".

Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: urth on October 16, 2010, 01:16:49 AM
So how many soul stars have names that are military ranks? So far I can think of two others: Major Harris (Love Won't Let Me Wait) and Major Lance (The Monkey Time).
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: Gazoo on October 16, 2010, 07:21:27 AM
So how many soul stars have names that are military ranks? So far I can think of two others: Major Harris (Love Won't Let Me Wait) and Major Lance (The Monkey Time).

Ha, that would make a good My Three Songs.  I can't think of any others.
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: sundaygal on October 16, 2010, 07:28:36 AM
So how many soul stars have names that are military ranks? So far I can think of two others: Major Harris (Love Won't Let Me Wait) and Major Lance (The Monkey Time).

Ha, that would make a good My Three Songs.  I can't think of any others.

The Commodores! (Does that count?)
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: Wayback on October 16, 2010, 07:58:25 AM
So how many soul stars have names that are military ranks? So far I can think of two others: Major Harris (Love Won't Let Me Wait) and Major Lance (The Monkey Time).
Ha, that would make a good My Three Songs.  I can't think of any others.
The Commodores! (Does that count?)
Not just soul but music acts in general(pun intended): Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen!
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: RGMike on October 17, 2010, 05:25:08 PM
So how many soul stars have names that are military ranks? So far I can think of two others: Major Harris (Love Won't Let Me Wait) and Major Lance (The Monkey Time).
Ha, that would make a good My Three Songs.  I can't think of any others.
The Commodores! (Does that count?)
Not just soul but music acts in general(pun intended): Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen!

I think they all should've gotten together to do a cover of "Private Dancer"
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: sundaygal on October 17, 2010, 08:39:14 PM
So how many soul stars have names that are military ranks? So far I can think of two others: Major Harris (Love Won't Let Me Wait) and Major Lance (The Monkey Time).
Ha, that would make a good My Three Songs.  I can't think of any others.
The Commodores! (Does that count?)
Not just soul but music acts in general(pun intended): Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen!

I think they all should've gotten together to do a cover of "Private Dancer"
Or...I Love A Man In A Uniform - Gang Of Four   ;)
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: Wayback on October 17, 2010, 09:23:11 PM
So how many soul stars have names that are military ranks? So far I can think of two others: Major Harris (Love Won't Let Me Wait) and Major Lance (The Monkey Time).
Ha, that would make a good My Three Songs.  I can't think of any others.
The Commodores! (Does that count?)
Not just soul but music acts in general (pun intended): Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen!
I think they all should've gotten together to do a cover of "Private Dancer"
Or...I Love A Man In A Uniform - Gang Of Four   ;)
OK, if we're gonna go in that direction: Generals & Majors- XTC, Major Tom- Peter Schilling, I'm Your Captain- Grand Funk, Captain of Her Heart- Double, Der Kommissar- Falco/After The Fire, Private Eyes- H&O ;-)
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: Gazoo on October 17, 2010, 11:06:41 PM
I am so stealing "Private Dancer" for a someday script.
Title: Re: RIP General Johnson, 'Chairmen of the Board', 67
Post by: urth on October 17, 2010, 11:09:04 PM
I am so stealing "Private Dancer" for a someday script.

Sounds like one of the numerous silly names from Catch 22.