Rufusized [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]

Track Listings

1. Once You Get Started

2. Somebodys Watching You

3. Pack D My Bags

4. Your Smile

5. Rufusized

6. Im A Woman (Im A Backbone)

7. Right Is Right

8. Half Moon

9. Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)

10. Stop On By

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Digitally Remastered Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase.

Rufusized,Rufus,Chaka Khan,Universal Japan,Pop,R&B,R&B/Soul,Rock/Pop

Tracks:

Once You Get Started
Somebody's Watching You
Rufusized
Pack'd My Bags
Your Smile
I'm A Woman (I'm A Backbone)
Right Is Right
Half Moon
Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)
Stop On By

Customer Reviews:

Joyful funk!.......2007-05-05

What I love about this album is its sheer joy. From the first couple of bars of the opening song, "Once You Get Started", right through to the fade out & fade back in trickery towards the end of the final track, the monster hit "Stop On By", the only thing I hear on this CD is sheer unbridled joy. It always makes me smile and no matter how low I'm feeling, I'm always cheered up after listening to it.

These are the early days (It's still Rufus 'featuring' Chaka Khan; it would later become Rufus '&' Chaka Khan) and Chaka's voice still has a raw edge to it. When he does duet with her, Tony Maiden's voice is an excellent foil for hers.

Produced by Bob Monaco and arranged by Rufus, this is mid-70s funk at its very best. There are dance tracks ("Once You Get Started", "Half Moon" and "Stop On By"), mid-tempo tracks ("Somebody's Watching You", "I'm A Woman", "Right Is Right" and "Please Pardon Me"), and ballads ("Pack'd My Bags" and the achingly beautiful "Your Smile" - check out the string arrangement towards the end!). They even throw in an instrumental track ("Rufusized") for good measure.

I'm a crazy Chaka Khan fan anyway and love practically everything she's ever done but I was playing this one just the other day and thought I'd share a review of it. I can't recommend it highly enough. I also can't believe it was recorded 33 years ago now. My goodness.

Where I Fell In Love With "The Khan"!! .......2006-02-04

As a child of 10 in late 1974, I first heard the funky
and melodious voice of a true original and soul diva
named Chaka Khan and I was tranformed!
Now I grew up already knowing the sounds of Gladys,
Aretha, Mahalia and other powerhouse singers by this time
and so when Chaka hit it was like a tidal wave of sound!
A new soul sista was staking her claim and she was going
to be around for awhile!--(as it turned out!)
Of course, I was already familiar with
"Tell Me Something Good", "Smokin' Room",
"Ain't Nothin' But A Maybe" and "In Love We Grow"
from the preceeding album "Rags To Rufus"
which my mother owned and played frequently.
But there was something about "Rufusized" that just
sunk into my psyche and my soul that still remains
to this day!---It's just bad to death!

I love every song on here of course, but the ones
that still send me to this day are
"Once You Get Started", "Please Pardon Me",
"Pack'd My Bags", "Stop On By" and her searing rendition
of Janis Joplin's "Half Moon"!!...Just crazy funky!

Another goodie on this album is Chaka's funk-rocky
ode to feminism "I'm A Woman (I'm A Backbone)" which
is never talked about that much when Chaka fans or
Rufus featuring Chaka fans discuss her music, but it
is a potent vocal and lyrical performance just the same!
This pre-dated the Ashford & Simpson penned classic
"I'm Every Woman" from Chaka's debut solo effort by 4 years.
Ray Parker Jr., who would later come to prominence
with his group RAYDIO and in his own solo endeavors,
was co-writer and provided some incendiary funky rock
guitar licks along with Rufus guitarist Tony Maiden.
He was also co-writer on an earlier Rufus funk-rock
classic which proceeded this album called
"You Got The Love", from "Rags To Rufus", which
is much more well-known and discussed by
Rufus & Chaka fans alike.

Now, some 32 yrs later at age 42,I have all of the
classic albums of my childhood and teen years on
remastered CD's and I have every Rufus album from
"Rags To Rufus" to "Live and Stompin' At The Savoy"...
and there all good, but again, there's something about
"Rufusized" that still gets me to this day!
A definite "must-have" for any fan of Chaka's
or lover of pure 70's funk!

Rufusized..........2005-11-19

"Once you get started," "Please pardon me," and "Stop on By" was enough for me to purchase this album! Get yourself a copy at a good price, pop it in and enjoy it! This is classic Funk! Five stars...

Still Love It 100 Years Later!.......2005-05-07

My Mother bought this for me when I was in high school. I played it all the time. I liked Rufus because they were so gritty like Sly & The Family Stone. A lot of the R&B at the time was sweet and fluffy, which was fine too, but when you wanted some funk, this was a great start. I also have "The Very Best of Rufus" which has the wonderful song "You Got The Love" which has always been a favorite of mine. I always wanted to: Look like Vanessa Williams and sing like Chaka Khan. Man! what a powerful voice. This CD is a classic.

I GOT THE HOLY GHOST POWER FROM LISTENING TO THIS!.......2005-01-29

Man, this is one solid, consistent and powerful album by Rufus. I think of all the Rufus records, this one is by far superb. Others might say that the Rufus album that came out in 1977 is by far the best..I can't think of the name of it but it had a song on there called, "Hollywood." On this particular disk, "Half Moon," "Right is Right" and "Somebody's Watching You" really just moved the heck out of me. Man, it was like being in a church revival down in Mississippi! I think these songs would actually have a church rocking! This is true R&B music and it goes to show you that perfection is at the utmost with this album. The one song that really did it for me was, "Please Pardon Me(You Remind Me of A Friend)." It is breathtaking in its scope and is one incredible mid-tempo ballad. The song is just as lovely as a painting in a museum. I really love the long piano solo on "Pack'd My Bags." After the piano solo ends, the song goes into a typical R&B feel. Overall, I would put as many stars on this record. Truly one incredible experience. This record is Chaka Khan at her best. Trust Me.