Ohio Players

Track Listings

1. Street Party

2. Little Soul Party

3. Thing Called Love

4. Man That I Am

5. My Neighbors

6. Find Someone to Love

7. You Don't Mean It

8. Trespassing

9. I've Got to Hold On

10. Here Today and Gone Tomorrow

Ohio Players,The Ohio Players,Platinum Disc,Funk,Pop,R&B,Soul,Urban

Ohio Players

Tracks:

Love Rollercoaster
I Want To Be Free
Fopp
Let's Do It (Interpolated With 'Let's Love')
Skin Tight
Fire
Sweet Sticky Thing
Jive Turkey
Who'd She Coo
Heaven Must Be Like This
O-H-I-O
Happy Holidays Pt.1

Customer Reviews:

Is it funky enough for ya?.......2007-07-29

I may be only 24 years old, but the Ohio Players are a great group. My favorite songs on this album are Fire, Skin Tight, and the hottest slow jam ever, Heaven Must be Like This. It is meant to make you jam. A true collector's item.

Memories.......2007-05-16

I moved to Chicago in the late 70's from Connecticut and I was blessed to work for the Ohio Players Personal Manager. I was 21 yrs old and it was my first job in the music industry. When I hear their music it brings back the exciting life that I lived and it brings back wonderful personal memories for me

True Funkmeisters.......2007-04-10

I was lucky enough to see these guys perform at a FREE outdoor concert in Lower Manhattan around 2002, and let me tell you, they were KICKIN' IT. The horn section was real tight, and the lead singer still has all the funk of his earlier years. It was truly a beautiful event!!!!!!!!

How can you NOT feel the funk of Roller Coaster or Skintight??!!

Ohio Playas.......2006-03-07

These are my homeboys from Ohio and they know how to throw a party! They have several CD's but this one does it for me with the two slow tracks I want to be Free and Heaven must be like this. Sugarfoot made a CD on his own which I like but I can't find. Does anyone know where to get it has songs on it like I'm your Sugar etc...

SERIOUSLY FUNKED UP!.......2005-05-21

This is one funked up album! I bought this cd, mainly for
Fire, and Love Rollercoaster. But Skin Tight, is really
great, and Sweet Sticky Thing is too! Almost every song
on here is good! If you have an ounce of soul in your
system, and you love funk, THIS IS A MUST HAVE!

Average customer rating:

Love Rollercoaster Scream
More on the Love Rollercoaster urban legend
What A Ride
Oh Honey
The Legend Of Love Rollercoaster

Honey
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Island / Mercury
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Fire
Skin Tight
Look out for #1
Right on Time
Too Hot to Handle

ASIN: B000001G07
Release Date: 1991-04-16

Tracks:

Honey
Fopp
Let's Do It (Interpolated With 'Let's Love')
Ain't Givin' Up No Ground
Sweet Sticky Thing
Love Rollercoaster
Alone

Customer Reviews:

Love Rollercoaster Scream.......2006-07-16

Great album to purchase. The scream also has two gun shots before it, not explaining a whole lot. The story I have is the model was returning to the studio to complain to the band manager after getting rashes from the fibreglass she was modeling on. She is met outside by a man that pulls the trigger twice and she screams once bleeding to death.

More on the Love Rollercoaster urban legend .......2006-04-10

First of all, the Playas were the personification of smooth funk in the 70s. Honey and Fire were a fantastic mix of the Ramsey Lewis/Herbie Hancock influences of this great era in music, when the American soul music community flexed its considerable creative muscle in a mash-up of rock, funk, jazz and dance.

I heard a slightly amplified version of the Love Rollercoaster scream back in the day. We bought vinyl back then. The size of the LP cover was a palette for some memorable artwork, but never as unforgettable to a [...] lad as that tri-fold inside cover shot of Playboy model Ester Cordet, just an unbelievably beautiful woman. The story goes that the honey they were using for the photo wasn't working well, so they switched to a polymer substance that took a great picture. Unfortunately, it also adhered the lovely Ms. Cordet to the floor, and she found herself in an unextricable situation. She wound up disfiguring herself horribly by having to rip her skin from the floor (apprarently they had no fingernail polish remover on hand), ending her promising career. When she appeared at the studio door during taping for Love Rollercoaster, she demanded millions in payment. The manager for the Playas took care of the issue by killing her with his bare hands; the scream was left in as the schedule wouldn't allow another retake of the song.

Snopes.com does a nice job of explaining it away as one of the lead singers was simply hiutting a bizarre high note during the song, and Love rollercoaster being the ersatz example of funk that it was, the "scream" was left in. The rumor was started by a DC-area DJ, and record sales exploded. OP members were sworn to secrecy as the rumor, in part, fueled LP sales to the top of the charts. Not as sexy of a story, but as a former soul DJ, believable.

One might argue that this was a perfect storm for the Players-- an inspired LP cover, a reason to buy the damn album since you HAD to break the shrink wrap to get inside (you know!), an ethereally tight, sophisticated groove, and finally The Rumor. You couldn't repeat it if you tried. Good times all around.

What A Ride.......2006-01-24

"Love Rollercoaster" is such a great song, so good the Players would never be able to top no matter how hard they tried but there is so much more on this release. "Sweet Sticky Thing" is almost as good as Rollercoaster and has a little bit of everything, funk, soul, jazz. Throw in the funk-rock of "Fopp", the smooth title track and the amazing heartfelt ballad that closes it all out, "Alone" and you have the Players completing one of the best one ("Fire")-two ("Honey") punches in music. The Players releases after this had some moments but nothing can top this, their crowning achievement.

Oh Honey.......2005-10-05

If you are new to The Ohio Players, you are in for a treat!!! There is no better way to start your collection of Ohio Players albums/cds. "Honey" was/is the ultimate Ohio Players effort. "Love Rollercoaster" got the most play time on the radio, but "Sweet Sticky Thing" blows it out of the water. My opinion is very bias, I'd have to admit, but if you give it a listen you may feel the same way as well. "Sweet Sticky Thing" would play well on smooth jazz radio stations. The title track "Honey" is basic Ohio Players. It setes the tone for the rest of the album just as an opening track should. This missed on a lot of today's music. "Fopp" is the brake from the norm. Sugarfoot, the frontman for the Players gives you why he should never be excluded from any talk of who is the best guitarist. Jimi Hendriks would have been proud. The Players showed that they can do rock with anybody. These are just three of the tracks on this album. The album as a whole is well worth the money. I'm old school, for real. Take my word for it, "Get this album!!!

The Legend Of Love Rollercoaster.......2005-09-17

Here's how it goes.....
One day The Ohio Players were in the studio laying down Love Rollercoaster. In the other room, a photo shoot was taking place and the model was oozing honey all over herself. One shot required her to lay on a fiberglass surface and drip the substance over herself. As she did this, she realized she was stuck to the floor. The folks in the area had to tear her off of the surface, which resulted in the tearing of the skin off of her back and her legs and arms. She became so angry that she barged into the studio where The Ohio Players were laying down Love Rollercoaster and screamed her head off at the manager and threatened to sue the record company for everything they were worth. As the band was recording, the manager pulled out a knife on the model and basically stabbed her to death. The screaming was unknowingly recorded into the song, and was not discovered for a long time. That's what makes this album great for me, the mystery and secrets behind it. See if you can find it, it'll scare you silly.

Average customer rating:

tTY BESS(THE MUSIC MAN)
The begining of a new direction ! ! !
You can't forget Sugarfoot!
The Ohio Players: Tighter than ever!
Definitely an appropriate title for this funky classic

Skin Tight
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Island / Mercury
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Honey
Fire
Pain
Look out for #1
Right on Time

ASIN: B000001G03
Release Date: 1994-01-25

Tracks:

Skin Tight
Streakin' Cheek To Cheek
It's Your Night / Words Of Love
Jive Turkey
Heaven Must Be Like This
Is Anybody Gonna Be Saved?

Customer Reviews:

tTY BESS(THE MUSIC MAN).......2007-01-19

Classic cd! This is when the ohio players got the credit they long for.Skin tight need i say more and who could forget the timeless classic heaven must be like this!.But the song is anybody gonna be saved is another great song. so for the price you are not just getting a great cd but an all time classic enjoy!

The begining of a new direction ! ! !.......2006-05-17

I've held off reviewing SKIN TIGHT all these years beacuse at one time this was an album you could take for granted EVERYBODY having, and not only that, being able to cop a certain infectious bass line off of it to boot. One might even call the famous vamp from SKIN TIGHT the ghettoe version of CHOP STICKS.... you just had to know it... - - yet I'm surprised that there are some people these days who aren't quite down with the Player's, even though they paved the path for everything that came after - - including Prince and today's nu-soul.

First - - the concept - - hard core funk, but with a bit of everything thrown in... especially Jazz and Gospel harmony, and even touches of the pop/rock of the era - - and all this done with a distinct flavor of a new type of '70s soul- - There were also slow jams here and there, but slow not in the sense of sweet and lush (like Barry White and Issac Hayes) but NASTY and HARDCORE (complete with the latest and funkiest analogue synths of the era including plenty of MOOG, CLAVs and ARPS). . . That was the player's unique formula, and today its not something new, its THE RULE, and there is no doubt that when you see all the groups today who got their stuff from Cameo and Prince, you definitely have to be aware that THEY in turn got it from SUGAR and the Players.

SKIN TIGHT (recorded circa 1974) marks the begining of the FUNKY SLOW JAM and the Ohio's unique brand of Jived out Funk with a wicked Jazz edge... The PLAYER'S were also unique because even though they were doing ultra hard core funk along with their label mates P-FUNK on the WESTBOUND label, they were still quite underground when (like P-Funk) they jumped to Polydor - - even for a group who's tunes had a lot of pop and disco crossover appeal (the lyrics were mostly about the three Fs... the first two being fun and funk - - but I forget the third...)

When you listen to this album its great... a real journey - - it can be dance music, just as much as backround, dreaming or whatchamacallit making music, and you can follow the journey from begining to end... a lot is happening and there's a sound and production style hard edged yet smooth that no other group quite had - - For this reason, SKIN TIGHT is one of those albums that belongs in every true funk and soul collector's album - - and yes, bass players need to be studying that famous vamp one and again - - hard to believe almost 32 years later ! ! !

Now as for me and my favorite Polydor era OP albums, although SKIN TIGHT and FIRE set the precedent, actually HONEY and CONTRADICTION are my faves (Honey also being my favorite of their distinctly recognizable album covers !)

You can't forget Sugarfoot!.......2003-03-01

Sugarfoot of the Ohio Players put out a solo album in the 1980's...does anyone out there know where I can purchase it?

The Ohio Players: Tighter than ever!.......2002-12-28

The Ohio Players took a big step up to a new level of funkiness with 'Skin Tight'. Not only did they make a move to a new record label, they also put out what was one of the best albums of 1974.
'Skin Tight' tapped into the jazz elements that were a big part of the Ohio Players' repertoire. This was the smoothest and funkiest album that the Players ever put out. Even though the Junie Morrison influence was missed, Billy Beck did a superb job not only with his keyboard work, but also with his fantastic range of falsetto singing (which he showcased on subsequent OP albums). 'Sugarfoot' Bonner put his indelible stamp on Funk music with his lead vocals on the title track. You can almost picture Larry Blackmon of Cameo and the lead singer of E.U. ("Doin' the Butt") listening intently to this record and taking notes. As far as ballads go, "Heaven Must Be Like This" ranks up there with the best. "Jive Turkey" is a hilarious Funk workout that'll have you singing along. "Streakin' Cheek To Cheek" is even Funkier. "It's Your Night" is a strip-you-down/sex-you-up ballad that's perfect for a candle-lit evening rendevous, and the piano rhapsody at the end of the song is breath-taking. The Players get downright churchified with the gospel-tinged "Is Anybody Gonna Be Saved?". Satch, Merv, and Pee-Wee's horn playing reached perfection on this LP, and Diamond was in rare form too. The underlying star of this album was bassist Marshall Jones. The bass-lines of "Skin Tight" were some of the best in R&B/Funk history. This was the closest that the Ohio Players came to putting out a genuine P-Funk album.

Definitely an appropriate title for this funky classic.......2001-09-03

1974 was an interesting year for R&B music. You had elder statesmen like Marvin Gaye & Stevie Wonder helping to expand the boundaries with their experiments into sex & synthesizers, respectively. Bands like Parliament-Funkadelic & Earth, Wind & Fire were just beginning to get off the ground, while forefathers like Sly & The Family Stone and James Brown were seeing their better days far behind them. In the middle of all that came a band who had been playing the music game for over 15 years, yet it wasn't until then did they finally break through: The Ohio Players.

That's right, the Players had been at it since the late 1950s when funk music didn't even exist (even James Brown was still recording ballads at the time). By the early 1970s, with R&B music starting to take more & more risks, the Players decided to adapt accordingly & it paid off with them finally finding wide success.

Starting with their 1971 album PAIN, the Players immediately won a reputation for their hot cover art, usually being so S&M-inspired, that many music stores refused to carry the album. Albums like PLEASURE, ECSTASY, CLIMAX & ORGASM continued the tradition, but the hits came at a slower rate. Finally, "Funky Worm" became a left-field hit in 1973 & the Players left their original record label Westbound Records for the bigger Mercury Records. Their first album for the new company was 1974's SKIN TIGHT.

By this time, the covers had been cleaned up a bit, but were no less sexy. The music inside was just as hot, but SKIN TIGHT was different in the fact that it relied mostly on smooth grooves than a funky edge. Even the hit title track was a bit more polished than say "Fire" or "Love Rollercoaster" (those hits would came later), but it still had a danceable feel.

The title for the song & album was appropriate: SKIN, in the fact that most Players albums were written & played almost exclusively by the band themselves. Any sound was made by them, pretty much, and there were indeed 8 people credited with writing a song. How's that for democracy? TIGHT, for obvious reasons because the music was tight & groovy without being stuffy, just loose enough to make it sound effortless. Even the album's other major hit "Jive Turkey" was mellower than most of the Players' more famous output, but still just as dancefloor-ready.

Elsewhere, SKIN TIGHT is mostly about slower songs like the oh-so-jazzy "Heaven Must Be Like This" & "It's Your Night/Words Of Love". Because the Players' biggest hits were loud, screaming funk epics, it's often overlooked that they could create some good ballads, too. With the above songs, they create some great bedroom music that oozes sexuality from every pore. If you don't get turned on by this music, then how do you expect Viagra to work any better? The closest things to truly uptempo songs on SKIN TIGHT are the pulsating "Streakin' Cheek To Cheek" (remember that college trend from back in the day?) & the closing social awareness of "Is Anybody Gonna Be Saved?".

On the surface, six songs may not seem like a truly entertaining album, but the songs all clock in at over 5 minutes, so you certainly couldn't fit any more on there. Nevertheless, SKIN TIGHT showed that the Ohio Players were well on their way to mainstream success & also thanks to toning down their cover art, their music was about to get more attention, which it should have had all along.

Orgasm: The Very Best of the Westbound Years
Average customer rating:

PLAYERS DOIN' THEIR THING ON THIS COLLECTION!

enter the players

Vintage Funk from the Vaults of Westbound ! ! !

Must Have

You can't get any better than this!

Orgasm: The Very Best of the Westbound Years
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Southbound Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Funk on Fire: The Mercury Anthology

Honey

Skin Tight

Fire

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Ohio Players

ASIN: B0000072NP
Release Date: 1994-05-09

Tracks:

Pain
Pleasure
Ecstasy
Climax
Funky Worm
Player's Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)
Varee Is Love
Sllep Talk
Walt's First Trip
Laid It
What's Going On
Singing in the Morning
Food Stamps Y'all
I Want to Hear (From You)
Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One)

Album Description

1993 release on the Ace label, a retrospective featuring 14of the legendary soul group's best for the Westbound label,1972-1974. Includes the top 20 hit 'Funky Worm' & top 40'Ecstasy', plus the previously unreleased 'Ain't That Lovin'You (For More Reasons Than One)'. 15 tracks total.

Album Details

These Dayton Funk Masters Spent Time During the 1970' Signed to the Westward Label. This Item Presents the Best Tracks to Come from that Era, Including 'climax', 'funky Worm', a Cover of the Marvin Gaye Smash 'what's Going On', the Previously Unreleased 'ain't that Lovin' You (For More Reasons Than One)' and Eleven More.

Customer Reviews:

PLAYERS DOIN' THEIR THING ON THIS COLLECTION! .......2007-02-14

The Players may've been around since the 50's as a doo wop group, but these songs are where the group makes their "real debut" in r&b. Orgasm shows that the Ohio Players were an innovative funk band in their own right. At their best, they were clearly up to par with Funkadelic, Kool and the Gang, and the JB's.

If you listen to their songs on the surface, they don't seem all that unique. But their songs often had a sleazy edge that separated them from their comtemporaries (which is obvious from their playboy-ish album covers). Tracks like "Climax" drips with sexuality and "Laid It" can be a theme song for a Players Ball convention.

Overall these songs may not sound as fully realized as their Mercury records recordings, the seeds they were planting for commercial success makes this cd an essential purchase. If you already own the "Funk on Fire anthology", you need this to make your Ohio Players collection complete.

If you're havin' any doubts about purchasing this batch of funk, follow the advice that funky Granny gives in "Funky Worm"....... DON'T FIGHT THE FEELIN!

enter the players.......2001-10-25

good cd for the funklovers only, not as popular as skin tight, and fire but all op fans should have this plus funky worm was sampled to death, this features junie morrison way fo he went funkadelic, the tracks for those who cannot understand is a group in their prime trying lots of experimenting, and creativity along with it, unsung heroes of rock, and fusion,while the players played every style of music known to man in one song at that, and the songs are quality. this was one of few groups who could give funkadelic, a run for their money.

Vintage Funk from the Vaults of Westbound ! ! !.......2000-10-22

Its hard to believe that The Ohio Players and Funkadelic were once label mates... with the exception of the Junie Morrison connection. And like Funkadelic and a lot of other groups that left that label for bigger fame, the band might have gotten more polished, but NOT more funky.

Listen to this album to hear a band less dominated by Sugar's trademark voice and the trademark ARP string ensemble, but a very urban sounding funk band crossing various musical thresholds... the horns are agressive, Junie's organ sizzles... the tunes bump, the album covers titilate (wonder whatever happened to the bald chick ?)... There's nothing soft... Tune like Pain, Pleasure and the Funky Worm make you want to bump.

If you like this album, keep an eye out for Junie's solo albums (which seem to go in and out of print) and other groups from that label including THE COUNTS, Funkadelic, Eddie Hazel and occasional WESTBOUND compilations !

Must Have.......2000-03-03

I Just got this from Amazon and was floored by the Funk.I have most of their stuff from the Mercury Era but this Disc is Just as Tight.The Grooves are Just as Tight.Funky Worm&Pain Are Slamming.this Band was as Bad as any Group from Back in the day.there music is Timeless.

You can't get any better than this!.......1999-08-04

Finally, after all these years! All of the songs that put funk where it is today. Back then music was music and the Ohio Players lead the way. Every song on this cd is a hit! (or at least should've been). "Pain", "Pleasure" and "Funky Worm" are still slammin' nearly 30 years later. These guys were ahead of their time!

Average customer rating:

Great R&B Album, One Of The Best
One of the best classic 70's funk albums
One of the best funk albums ever produced in the 1970's
Blazin' Hot!!!
fire fo sho nuff burning here

Fire
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Island / Mercury
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

$7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 R&B | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Honey
Skin Tight
Look out for #1
Pain
Right on Time

ASIN: B000001G05
Release Date: 1991-04-16

Tracks:

Fire
Together
Runnin' From The Devil
I Want To Be Free
Smoke
It's All Over
What The Hell
Together/Feelings

Customer Reviews:

Great R&B Album, One Of The Best.......2005-02-17

I was blown away when I first heard this album in 1974. Not only is this album unbelievably funky but the ballads are incredible.

One of the best classic 70's funk albums.......2004-07-08

The Ohio Players' album "Fire" is an extroardinary and excellent funky album that tends to be one of my favorite albums of all time. If you like the funk-rock single "Fire", then The Ohio Players album "Fire" is worth listening too.

One of the best funk albums ever produced in the 1970's.......2004-07-07

The Ohio Players' album "Fire" is an excellent funky album, and is one of my favorite album collections at home. If you like the funk-rock single "Fire", the Ohio Players' album "Fire" is worth listening too.

Blazin' Hot!!!.......2004-06-25

These guys sure can FUNK IT UP!'Fire' is not only one of their best albums but contains some seriously dangerous funk
in the classic title song,"Runnin' From The Devil" and the deep
"Smoke".Of course "I Want To Be Free" is one of the SICKEST
slow grooves I've ever heard,notably in it's general absence of
a beat!But those kinds of precious little afterthoughts are a big part about what makes this and the Ohio Players first three
Mercury albums so specially grooving and fun to hear!

fire fo sho nuff burning here.......2002-04-13

the ohio players came tight on this joint here if you like funk rock check out fire, and what the hell only funkadelic can funk harder than this. I want to be free is a all time classic. If you like the OP's add this to your collection.

Average customer rating:

The Players Rock The House!

Pain
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Westbound Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Pleasure
Ecstasy
Skin Tight/Fire
Honey/Contradiction
Small Talk

ASIN: B000MTOL40
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

Pain [Mono Version]
Never Had a Dream
Players Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)
I Wanna Hear from You
Reds
Singing in the Morning
Climax aka Theme from 69 [*]
What's Going On? [Mono Version][*]
Time and Space [Mono Version][#][*]
Feelin' Alright [Mono Version][*]
If You Were My Woman [Mono Version][#][*]
Ain't That Loving You [Mono Version][*]
Proud Mary [Mono Version][*]

Album Description

Creatively, commercially, and conceptually, Pain was a major step forward for the Ohio Players. This 1971 album was quite a departure from their previous work -- in the late-'60s, the Midwesterners' forte had been raw, hard-edged Southern-style soul along the lines of Sam & Dave, Rufus Thomas, and Wilson Pickett. But with Pain, they became a lot more experimental and unveiled an interesting, distinctive brand of funk that incorporated elements of jazz and blues as well as rock. The jazz influence is especially strong on "Never Had a Dream," "Singing in the Morning," and the hit title song, while "The Reds" is a progressive blues number that draws on jazz as well as psychedelic rock. It was with Pain, the Players' first album for Westbound, that they unveiled their goofy Granny character, which the funksters continued to have fun with on their subsequent Westbound releases but discontinued when they moved to Mercury with 1974's Skin Tight. And it was with Pain that they became famous (some would say infamous) for their erotic LP covers. Employing S&M/bondage imagery, Pain's front cover was considered shocking in 1971. Although the Velvet Underground had written songs about S&M, and the British spy thriller The Avengers frequently hinted at kinky sex -- Diana Rigg's Emma Peel character often dressed like a dominatrix -- S&M and fetishism were very taboo subjects for Middle America in 1971. And not surprisingly, some retailers refused to carry Pain. But the album, although not huge, was a decent seller. With Pain, the Ohio Players' Westbound period was off to an impressive and creative start. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

This 2007 reissue includes seven additional tracks, in-depth sleeve notes, and a full-color 12-page booklet.

Customer Reviews:

The Players Rock The House!.......2007-06-05

Well 'Pain' is NOT the Ohio Players' first album but it is their debut on Westbound and really is a turning point for them.Now if you already have the next two Westbound albums Pleasure and Ecstasy then you probably already understand what this album sounds like.Musically it showcases the instrumentation of a 60's Stax-type soul ensamble with a heavy funk groove on top,and arrangements that spin out into jazz and even blues along the way.The big reason for this might have a lot to do with the presense of Walter "Junie" Morrison who really mixes it up with the title track-one of the best examples of the primative,piano based soulful funk the Ohio Players specialized in during this time."Players Balling" isn't going to disappoint anyone either and even "Never Had A Dream" shows the bands capacity to throw down a great romantic soul ballad-something all too many funk bands never managed too well sometimes.As far as the bonus cuts go the big treat is "Climax",another unbeatable slice of funk.Four cover songs are presented-all of them done in a far spacier style then the originals but by far the most compelling is "Proud Mary"-a deeper,more gutteral take that sounds NOTHING like either Creedence or Ike & Tina's big hit versions of the song.I highly recommend that Ohio Players,and funk fans in general make this album (namely this particular remaster) one of their very first purchases of the genre because it says so much about the early development of classic funk bands,much the same way as the debuts of War,Mandrill,Tower Of Power and Earth Wind & Fire at about the same time will do when you hear those.Even further the ideal approch would be to purchase all the Ohio Players Westbound reissues in chronological order,starting with this one and just dig right in.

Average customer rating:

Pleasure
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Westbound Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ecstasy
Pain
Skin Tight
Fire
Honey

ASIN: B000MTOL4A
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

Pleasure
Laid It
Pride and Vanity
Walt's First Trip
Varee Is Love
Walked Away from You
Paint Me
Funky Worm
Our Love Has Died
Ruffell Foot [*]
What It Is [*]
Rooster Poot [*]
Gone Forever [*]
Dimensions in Time [*]
Introducing the Players [*]
Satan's Boogie [*]

Album Description

When the Ohio Players recorded their second Westbound album, Pleasure, in 1972, they weren't as big as they would be from 1974-1976. But their popularity was growing -- slowly but surely -- and those who were hip to the band recognized it as one of the most cutting-edge acts in the funk field. A lot of bands were providing funk in 1972, but not many of them used jazz progressions as creatively as the Players used them on "Laid It," "Walked Away from You," and Pleasure's title song. Those tracks are gems, and the Players are equally captivating on the sweet soul ballad "Varee Is Love." But the best known tune on the album is the goofy "Funky Worm," which employed the Players' amusing Granny character and was, in 1972, their biggest hit to date. Long after the band's popularity faded, "Funky Worm" would live on in the '80s and '90s thanks to the various hip-hoppers who sampled its irresistible bassline. Like Pain in 1971, Pleasure had a kinky cover that generated some controversy -- the same bald woman who brandished a bullwhip and wore dominatrix attire on the front cover of Pain was chained up on the cover of Pleasure. Some folks found the Players' kinky LP covers intriguing, while others were shocked and offended. And the Players, having struggled in the '60s, were happy to be noticed. But ultimately, it is the quality of the music -- not the bondage-minded cover -- that makes Pleasure a funk classic. - Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

This 2007 reissue includes seven bonus tracks, in-depth sleeve notes, and a full-color 12-page booklet.

Gold
Average customer rating:

Great Compilation!!!!!

hard funk

Let us now praise Ohio Players

This Is It

Gold
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music
General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music
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Orgasm: The Very Best of the Westbound Years

Ol' School

Fire

Honey

Graduation

ASIN: B000001FCE
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Feel The Beat (Everybody Disco)
Love Rollercoaster
I Want To Be Free
Fopp
Far East Mississippi
Skin Tight
Fire
Sweet Sticky Thing
Jive Turkey
Only A Child Can Love
Who'd She Coo?

Amazon.com

The Ohio Players put up one of the wildest fronts of the 1970s' funk bands: towering Afros, raunchy rhythms with guitars cranked as loud as horns, kinky album covers. While never quite as inspiredly free-associative as James Brown at his best, their chanted catch phrases bridged the gap between threateningly tough and playground-ready. Gold collects high points that are still a joy to hear--can it be?--a quarter century after the band's peak. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Great Compilation!!!!!.......2004-09-02

I love this album this is a great compilation of the Ohio Players it is missing a few songs but overall I really do like it. I think that it is great material done by some great musicians. I enjoy this album it conatins many of my favorites. But it is missing "Heaven" isn't on here. But, I enjoy the other songs on here as well it is a treat and a must have for any Ohio Players fan. My favorites are : Free, Skin Tight, Love Rollercoaster, and many other great songs. I would recommend any fan of the Ohio Players to buy this album.

hard funk.......1999-11-22

this group gives up the goods on this gem.this group was as good as any funk band from the 70's.fire,roller coaster,skin tight are mad jams.i want to be free with baddest drum opening ever on record.the horns were funky.sugarfoot is a genius.the band paved the way for other funk groups out of ohio.this music is still banging.

Let us now praise Ohio Players.......1999-07-08

Ahh 70's funk. Earth, Wind and Fire, P-Funk, War, AWB, Slave,and of course, the unmatched musicianship, expressiveness, anda**-shakin' GROOVE of Ohio Players. Sure there's a few tracks I'd like to have from Honey and Fire, but nothing you can't live without, and as for what they DID include on Gold, there's not a clinker here. "Skin Tight" is just as good as it gets, did you here that dropped beat at the end of the chorus?! Damn, that's some funky s***! "Fire" was like the new national anthem when it came out. I remember tuning that radio dial, with my ear up close, listening for that siren -- SOMEBODY'S got to be playing Fire, cuz I want to hear it right f***ing now! "Yeaaah unh-huh... FIH-YUH!!"

Whew! They don't make bass players and drummers like those guys any more. They don't exist. Horn players? Forget it. And those vocals! That falsetto dude ripped a hole in my speaker. I remember seeing Ohio Players on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. Now we got MTV. Sigh... END

This Is It.......1998-05-18

This collection of the Ohio Players' old-school funky best should be in every collection...the music is tight, the singing is loose, and the songs burn. "Fopp" is the classic here, but together with "Skin Tight," "Sweet Sticky Thing," amd eight more makes a killer party album that'll get the right parts bumping all night long.

Average customer rating:

Honey/Contradiction
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Beat Goes On
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

R&B | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Skin Tight/Fire
Pain
Inside You/Real Deal
Pleasure
Ecstasy

ASIN: B000PUB23O
Release Date: 2007-06-25

Tracks:

Honey
Fopp
Let's Love
Ain't Givin' Up No Ground
Sweet Sticky Thing
Love Rollercoaster
Alone
Contradiction
Precious Love
Little Lady Maria
Far East Mississippi
Who'd She Coo?
My Life
Tell the Truth
My Ladies Run Me Crazy
Bi-Centennial

Album Description

Digitally remastered two-fer from the '70s funky Soulsters featuring two of their most popular albums on one disc. Honey was originally released in 1975, followed by Contradiction which was released in '76. BGO. 2007.

Album Details

2007 Digitally Remastered Edition of Two Original R&B Album Classics Combined on to a Single CD. 1975's "Honey" features the Group's Most Popular Single "Love Rollercoaster" (Which Hit Number One around the World), "Sweet Sticky Thing" and "Fopp", While "Contradiction" Peaked at Number 12 in 1976 and Spawned the R&B No. One Single "Who'd She Coo".

Average customer rating:

Skin Tight/Fire
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Beat Goes On
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

R&B | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Honey/Contradiction
Pleasure
Pain
Ecstasy
Inside You/Real Deal

ASIN: B000MTOL6S
Release Date: 2007-04-02

Tracks:

Skin Tight
Streakin' Cheek to Cheek
It's Your Night/Words of Love
Jive Turkey
Heaven Must Be Like This
Is Anybody Gonna Be Saved?
Fire
Together
Runnin' from the Devil
I Want to Be Free
Smoke
It's All Over
What the Hell
Together/Feelings

Album Description

2007 digitally remastered two-fer from this funky and soulful '70s outfit combines their first two albums for Mercury Records on one CD. Ohio Players enjoyed huge US and European success with their unique brand of music. Skin Tight was released in 1974, followed one year later by Fire. Both albums were very successful, no doubt helped by their sexually provocative covers. The CD comes housed in a slip case and features extensive liner notes. BGO.

Album Details

2007 Digitally Remastered Issue of the Legendary Funk Band's Most Popular Albums Combined Together on to a Single CD. "Skin Tight" Cast Waves all Over the Pop Spectrum with It's Popularity on Both the R&B and Pop Charts, but "Fire" Reinforced the Group's Berth in the All-time Funk Hall of Fame! Includes Extensive Sleeve Notes and Details.

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