Superfly

“Super Fly” by Curtis Mayfield (1972) Now this is how urban ‘social justice’ music is done. A concept album with a coherent, humanistic concept. Soulful poetry painting vivid scenes of the heartbreaking reality of the pain and hopelessness of black ghetto life. No pontificating on ‘root cause’; no rage directed at dubious agents of evil; no thinly disguised Marxist political posing; no plea to do wrong in order to set things right. Mayfield touches the individual heart with moral guidance that is edifying and redemptive. “Freddie’s Dead” is so much more than funeral dirge or eulogy. From the abyss of urban lament, It announces salvation. And check out the rap in the intro to “No Thing on Me”. Beats anything I’ve heard from the 90s. And the music soars. Mayfield’s vocals push and pull real tears. Very well controlled falsetto transcends gendered chains. Instrumentals are arranged with symphonic expansiveness, and (even if somewhat dated) are richly varied—and exquisitely performed. The well executed mix draws the listener with relentless mystery. I wish “Junkie Chase” (at only 1:41) would go on for another ten minutes. But alas, real junkie chases probably don’t last that long. For those into folk rock, the acoustic guitar work (Mayfield?) on the intro to “Think” is very well done, setting up a pleasantly surprising stylistic transition. There is so much good music on this album. And this is not the voice of nostalgia speaking. This may shock you, but . . . 5/5

Thursday morning. Nearly the end of the week. Lounging on my velour recliner for a moment of contemplation, it's a sunny day and the light is streaming through the window highlighting the dust in the air. Rising out the seat, I glance in the mirror and my oversize collar is on point with the brown and yellow earth tones in the tie I picked out earlier. Aviators on and quickly check the moustache - nice. I leave for work, climb into the car and Curtis plays in the background on the 8-track. Sunlight glints on my glasses and I'm feeling the beats, one arm out the window as I drive. It's going to be a good day.

This was a great album. Smooth as butter, with surprising depth.

I'm glad this was our weekend album. There's just... so much. So many layers. Organ, hand drums, regular drums, distorted bass (and surely that's a whammy bar on the bass), spitting fuzz guitar, clean guitar with a wah (of course), any number of horns and strings, and... is that a fucking harp? Yes, yes it's a harp. And that's just the first minute of the first song. And it feels like they're all played by individual humans. All playing little bits and pieces, but also coming together in unison often enough that the songs feel like songs, not just jams. Somehow, even with all that instrumentation, it has a real live feel. There are mistakes here and there, and the vocals aren't the strongest, but I don't find they distract from the experience. They give it an energy. It feels alive. You're not listening to a product that has been painstakingly constructed and polished over months in a studio, you're in a room full of great musicians having a good time. The off the cuff feeling of the album comes with downsides. No Thing On Me feels cheesy, both lyrically and melodically. The wah in Give Me Your Love sounds like someone is strangling a duck. Both songs could have used more time in the oven, but I think more overall production time would have dulled some of the rawness that gives the rest of the album it's energy. So I'll take two (relative) duds if it gives me 7 songs that are brilliant, rich without being busy, dirty without being muddy, somehow simultaneously groovy and contemplative. I'll be listening to this for years to come.

Beautiful soul and funk sounds, and as a Chance fan it was cool to hear the origin of Pusha Man.

Where do you start to peel back the layers of this album?! The percussion, the guitar, the horns, the strings, the lyrical content, this is 36 minutes of absolute pure glory!

I was thinking to myself “I’ll bet there won’t be a soundtrack album on this list” but I had forgotten about this album. So bleeding good.

Interesting to learn that this album earned more than the corresponding movie. The sounds good, but I only got hooked by a couple of tracks, and eventually the falsetto got kind of old.

Alright, this is the second of two Curtis Mayfield albums I've gotten on my journey after There's No Place Like America Today. This one is the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, of which I've heard the title track before but have not seen the movie yet. I'm approaching this release like I did with Issac Hayes's soundtrack for Shaft, in that I am determining if the music can hold on its own without the need for any visual media attached to it. In that regard, does Super Fly's soundtrack stand well? The answer to that question is a resounding yes. Not only is this album instrumentally firing on all cylinders with Curtis's knack for writing progressive funk jams, but lyrically he takes the time to paint the scene for what life was like for black people in 1970s America that sadly still rings true today. Living out in the slums, financially struggling, with little consideration or help from those in political power. It sounds like the kind of environment that preys on innocent souls, and what more potent bait than the allure of drugs - heroin, weed, cocaine. The Pusherman becomes a big player, and Curtis does not romanticize this living. From the death of the lackey dealer on "Freddie's Dead", the twisting nature of greed on "Eddie You Should Know Better", and the desperation for escapism that's found through lust and drugs on "Give Me Your Love (Love Song)" and "No Thing On Me (Cocaine Song)", all culminating in the title track where the titular Super Fly here is someone who looks to be better than the environment he was raised in. Even if I don't know who Eddie and Freddie are or the Super Fly, Curtis portrayed them as archetypes that people can identify and relate to. In that sense, you probably don't need the movie to get the messaging across. All's to say that Super Fly the soundtrack goes incredibly hard, and does not require watching a movie to truly appreciate it.

Feel like a Little Child Runnin’ Wild listening to this. Felt, Superfly!

No começo pensei em dar 4 estrelas mas depois percebi sua grandeza , ótimo disco

Incredible. The production and instrumentals along with Curtis Mayfield's voice and lyrics just takes you to this really blissful place that's vulnerable and embraces it. It's by no means a downer either, because it can set the mood for a really great party.

I'm a big fan of this album. Think Mayfield is a genius, great concept album soundtrack and love the use of strings.

Funky, groovy fun. Loved it.

Didn't get much time with this today thanks to a kids party superbug, but I really enjoyed what I could pay attention to while drifting in and out of consciousness. Simple grooves worked to funky perfection with Mayfield's characteristically-great vocals and lyrics.

Went into this expecting a 4/5 since I've really enjoyed what I've heard from Curtis Mayfield before, but also expecting it to show some age. It absolutely didn't. Soulful, funky, amazing. Title track and Freddie's Dead being my standouts. I'll have to listen again to see if I want to playlist anything, but this is an amazing record. Edit: After sitting on this for a while, knocking it down to a 4. Still a fantastic record, but haven't really felt like going back to it since I got it.

"Pusherman" should be sooo cringey but it slaps so hard. All of the instrumentation on this album is fun and groovy and interesting. It feels like listening to a layer cake of different sounds that go together great but are also good for picking apart and listening for little bits at a time. Sonically beautiful! In the list with Tarzan for "soundtracks where a guy really didn't have to go that hard at all but he did and it's excellent"

A plush pillow for the weary head of the ghetto's victims.

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this but I was really bored.

THAT'S one hell of a FUNKY album!

Et movie soundtrack som gjorde det bedre end selveste filmen. Det er en af de første soul agtig albums. Blender pshycedilic soul funk og cinematic orchestration. Det er progressive soul. Det er blevet sampled af store kunstnere som chance the rapper biggie, Jay z og beyonce. Det er virkelig godt. Tror det er en 4,5

Peak pimping soul music. The grooves and vocals just mesh so well together. If this wasn’t the soundtrack for an action movie, I would have said it should be. If you like funk and soul, you’ll like this. If you don’t like that type of sound, you may still like this. Choice cut: Pusher Man

With this soundtrack in tow, anyone can be superfly!

Funky and fun. This album was consistent with its delivery of a catchy beat and some sweet falsetto. Many of the songs sounded very similar, so I am only feeling three stars.

Not my favorite genre

70's porno music mixed with a low budget heist film 3 ⭐️

A couple good songs and a bunch of ok songs. It is a fun listen, but I don't think it is good enough for a 4. Fun Fact: the intro to Superfly was sampled for the Beastie Boy's song Egg Man.

Just not my cup of tea. I understand it is a reflection of lifelong decisions to make good decisions in the worst of situations, but it is a subject that just don’t find myself attuned to. It’s weird that this album soundtrack is supposed to imbue soul, but I find it utterly soulless with how repetitive it is.

I'm pretty sure I saw this movie back in the early 80s, but I've never sat down and listened to the soundtrack. I'd put this up on the same shelf as Marvin Gaye's *What's Goin' On.* They're both great explorations of the scene in the early 70s. Now that I think about it, they would probably make a great double album together.

This record has been called the Black Sgt Pepper’s. There’s not really a direct comparison, but this record is just as important in the cultural landscape. It’s effect on Soul, Funk and Hip-Hop is monumental. This record kind of blew my mind and set me on the path to discovering more and more soul music (this record along with Al Green’s Greatest Hits). An undeniable classic. Still haven’t seen the movie.

this was actually fire i was considering adding some of these to my playlist because they slap hard icl 🔥

This doesn't feel like an album; it's a whole soundscape, a cinematic experience. You don't even have to "like" all the songs; they just take you somewhere that only they can take you.

Something that always gets me about the funk and soul music coming out of this era is how *free* it feels. It's loose but everyone feels fully engaged and each instrument and note *matters*. Curtis, like Stevie Wonder and Al Green and all the rest, channels his vocals from some deep place that sounds like they're all being made up for the very first time but that every throwaway change of energy or volume or extra oomph is thoughtfully considered, like he's less performing than letting it erupt from some visceral place in his psyche. If this is rehearsed to the point of perfection, no one is giving less than 100%. It's really magical. And even with all of those many, many instruments and elements going on, the arrangements and mixing are perfect -- drawing your attention right where it needs to be, and hiding little surprises and fills deep in the mix for discovery upon repeat listens. Completely unrelated: is this the only movie soundtrack I've listened to dozens of times without ever bothering to actually see the movie it's soundtracking? I wonder how would my appreciation of it change if I understood where it was situated.

Não conhecia este álbum e ainda não vi o filme (honestamente, acho que a única música que conhecida do Curtis Mayfield era o Move on Up) e ADOREI!!! Que vibe, que ritmo, que boa onda, que tudo!

What an awesome little slice of soul. Super clean, punchy, expensive product. Great playing. Tastefully put together through and through. Interesting lyrical themes.

Funky Soul

Incredible record - concept album, adaptation almost - feels like a complete story. Instruments are perfect, vocals so smooth. Minimalistic funk sound with percussion and a strong atmosphere throughout.

A perfect album of funk and soul. It’s concise and it gets across its messages successfully. Every song on the album is a work of musical genius. The lyrics provide a look at the struggles of the poor and drug addiction and selling. The album is tied together with recurring lyrical themes such as the title character, the “Pusherman”, “junkies”, and “The Man”. The last 3 tracks do so much to tie everything up, with No Thing on Me functioning as a sort of thesis statement, followed by Think, an instrumental that allows you do what the title tells you to, think. Finally, the title track lends a nice wrap-up to the album. 5/5

Production, vocals, instrumentals, songwriting…all great. Will buy on wax.

Amazing social commentary. Amazing music, amazing vocals. All around amazing.

Own it

I'm dancing, I really like this, I like the softness of his voice, with the relative calmness throughout some songs, mixed with slap in your face instrumentals. The subject matters are interesting, just really well done. I can't believe this is a movie soundtrack.

incr

Insane banger! Just realized I haven’t even seen this movie yet - wtf! But I did see the remake in theaters and it was great… also a great soundtrack… More songs should announce their subtext like No Thing On Me (Cocaine Song) does. Third Eye Blind could have called it Semi-Charmed Life (Crystal Meth Song)

this was one of my first CDs and just some of the absolute most badass music ever made... i absolutely loveeee this era of orchestral soul music with the nasty ass horns. btw i legit think this and curtis are two of the best albums ever... just undeniably cool

Align with the time, but relevant still today. I dig it.

I love this album so much. The opening track is so lush and rich. He was on fire! I’m almost afraid to watch the film because these songs work perfectly as stand alones.

A brilliant beautiful album.

What a hell of a man and an album

So tight

So cool, just so cool. "Pusherman" might be the coolest song ever made. This is what you want when you're after an album with a social justice lens. The music can also be good! 5/5.

I've always loved this album.

For what it is, it's a 5. Maybe not as good as What's goin on, but very close to it. Looved the rhythm section. Maybe not a big fan of the huge orchestra, but as a soundtrack this shit slaps

All the thumbs up!

I love this album. I still listen to it on occasion. Curtis Mayfield did an outstanding job on the soundtrack which is why it still sounds good today.

This was fuuunnn!

this was like an espresso and a cigarette at a warm European café

Could listen to it everyday

Super Fly is pure soul-funk perfection. Every track grooves, with no weak moments, just smooth, powerful music from start to finish.

Excellent.

Just masterful musicianship. Every note in every song feels exactly right. Awesome

I wondered if there was ever gonna be an album on this list that I knew really well. I listened to the shit out of this when I was in college. Love Curtis Mayfield.

A classic album that belongs in my Tidal library. Five stars.

Great listening

Funky, smooth, great lyrics. Easy 5

I love funk so this is the perfect album for me. Silky smooth woth these beautiful orchestral moments which creates a mood of sudden grandiosity. I felt transported to a different (and more sublime) world while listening to this album. Weaving in and out of a delicate, intricate daydream--it reminds me of slowly drifting off during a sunset. Pure bliss. Little Child Runnin' Wild and Freddie's Dead are probably my favorite tracks but I loved them all.

A genius. So much subtle instrumentation working seamlessly together like a wristwatch. Every note has soul. Musicians at the top of their game.

Incredible funk

One of the greatest soundtracks of all time!

I had this album already saved in my yt music library But never heard full album before Amazing Great vibe First five stars

5 stars A funky masterpiece. Great front to back. No complaints.

Loved the movie. Love the music. SUPERFLY

CH aime le African funk/soul music....

J'adore Curtis Mayfield. Une des meilleures bandes sonores de tous les temps?? Dans le film, on voit Curtis qui joue Pusherman dans un petit bar.

J’ai ADORÉ! C’est riche, ça groove, c’est bourré d’instruments, la voix doucereuse de Curtis est envoûtante. De ma compréhension c’était culturellement important, voir que c’était une soundtrack de film blaxploitation! Je devrais en réecouter dans les prochains jours

Love this album. Curtis Mayfield is a genius

The sound of the 70s and a perfect sound track.

Classic

Its just excellent isnt it.

Great opening song - bongos, organ, drums, snarly guitar, horns, strings then sweet vocals. Sadly does not quite sustain over the whole album - I guess as its a soundtrack so quality dips a little in places - but overall there are enough bangers (Little child runnin, pusherman & superfly (so good its on the album twice!) to just nudge it into a 5.

Superfly You had noo right, son, noo right at all. To make such a great soundtrack for a not so great film. Little Child Runnin’ Wild is a superb opener, the drum and horn hits followed by the string stabs is excellent, setting up the whole album. Pusherman and Freddie’s Dead are, along with Superfly, I suppose are two of his best known songs and of course they are both bangers. The main riff of Freddie’s Dead repeated on bass in the breakdown part is just fantastic. Junkie Chase is possibly the only track that really feels like incidental music for the film, Think, the other instrumental feels more like a song or piece of music that can stand alone from visuals. I really like the little harp notes on Give Me Your Love, and the riff strings and wah wah all lock in brilliantly. Eddie You Should Know Better’s intro feels quite soundtracky, but once the lyrics kicks in it’s another superb, sad and bleak bit of soul, similar to No Thing On Me. And then the title track, which remains superb no matter how many times you hear it. It might be easy to see this as a kitschy 70s wah wah, afro wigs at Flares, watching blaxploitation films ironically kind of thing, but the lyrics are pretty blunt social commentary and it fits in with his other albums in the early 70s, like There’s No Place Like America Today we had back in November It’s a great album, irrespective of its soundtrack origins, with three of his best songs alongside some lesser known gems, and it’s all tied together by superb playing and that amazing, mellifluous, warm voice. And it’s all done in 36 minutes. 🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰 Playlist submission: Pusherman

This is like honey being poured in the ear for an economical 36 minutes. Lush strings, soaring falsetto, and jazz-tinged drums all combined to create a landmark. The album generally manages to eschew your typical Blaxploitation soundtrack cliches; by which I mean Shaft wah-guitar everywhere, and an aggressive edge. Ok, 'Junkie Chase' comes close to a man in flares running into cardboard boxes down an alley, but even then there's such a tightness and composure to the band, that it's hard not to marvel at it. The arrangements are so well done - take 'Cocaine Song' which in my view is even better than The Pina Colada Song - touches of delicate brass, flute, jazz piano - a sax solo that fits inside this particular dream. It's a wonder. The likes of 'Eddie You Should Know Better' and 'Freddie's Dead' are dreamy slices of stringed soul. The latter in particular is quite reminiscent of What's Going On (the album), and they share similar social commentary. Marvin may have asked What's Going On, but Curtis said well here's what's happening! Do you know what I mean though? Wrapping up with the strutting 'Superfly' bassline, Curtis continues his gentle delivery with a hard-hitting impact. But my highest praise is saved for 'Think', a stunning instrumental, that just ever so briefly recalls 'I Can't Help Falling in Love' before building into the most fantastic atmosphere, with some delicate woodwind, even some xylophone in there - uplifting and tragic at the same time. Although I'm probably now gonna find out this is played over the scene where the crack whore sucks off Pusherman in a church, it's really beautiful nonetheless.

"Ain't I clean? Bad machine Super cool, super mean Dealin' good, for The Man Superfly, here I stand Secret stash, heavy bread Baddest bitches in the bed." Right on, baby! My favorite soul singer of all time.

This might just be the coolest album I've ever listened to. I want to watch the movie now.

5 stars, brilliant.

One of my best discoveries in recent years. Only second time hearing it.

Gotta be a top 10 Soundtrack Album of All Time! Favorite Track: Pusherman

This is one of those albums that every time I hear, I think "wow what a great album"

SO COOL.

Halfway through the first song, I was ready for this to be maybe the best album we've covered. It didn't quite get there, but its still a masterpiece. I should watch Superfly. And now storytime: In high school I posted a Facebook status (as was the style at the time) which said "Curtis Mayfield sounds like a more feminine Nina Simone" and my Uncle Pete replied "We need to talk". Album Cover: (A+)

Supafly!

Entirely too funky. A delight.

a juicy slab of scorching yet tender soul funk. i’ve never seen the movie and i feel like i don’t have to. his storytelling, both vocal and instrumental, give me all i need. it’s sequenced perfectly. provides exposition, tension, conflict, and resolution. you want this record. you want to put it on and nestle into its grooves. you want him to tell you how it was, how it is, in his dulcet falsetto. you want to listen close for the harp and bells and bass lines and every wah-wah note. you want the orchestral swells and that damn flute. you wish that was you scraping the guiro on the title track. holy christ, what a title track. if that doesn't make you move, you dead. american music. the kind of musical stew that only could have come out of this imperfect, possibly doomed experiment. multicultural, and born of inequality, struggle, and striving for something better. so cool and unique and funky that it makes the rest of the world wish it was theirs to claim, despite the fact that its subject matter shows the deep imperfections of this place. the lyrics are notable because they're real. the sketches of hustlers and pushermen and heroes and villains aren't caricatures, but sound unforced, natural, true. everything i've ever heard from or read about curtis mayfield indicates he was the best kind of american and a dude. curtis moves people. their hearts, minds, and asses. be honest. he moved at least one of those for you while you listened. don’t overthink it. this is a 5.

I listen to the South all weekend long it’s powerful. I need to see the movie. Read the plot and synopsis. I think it would help me more. Wish I could edit sorry, Zak. I can only speak on this as an album of music and not a soundtrack for now then. The lyrics in this album are so in your face no innuendos here. Curtis transports you into the Superfly world Freddy’s dad is an incredible song the way he dances around different topics always bringing us back to the fact that Freddie died incredible storytelling plus catchy as hell. I think I listen to it about three times and each time it was like the first time I was listening the groove in this album is so infectious great for cleaning the house

I scooped this record at an estate sale down the street from me a couple months ago. Jacket was a little beat, and it was priced slightly too high, but I walked all the way over there and rummaged through a bunch of shitty music, I had to walk away with something - and I'm glad that I did its a beautiful, addictive, extremely playable record. it effortlessly cool. its good shit. its super fly its a 5.

Classic album. Full of great songs

I absolutely loved it. Every song seems to be great. Even more impressive is that "Superfly" is a soundtrack to a film of the same name. Film soundtracks tend to suck with a few exceptions. I'm so glad I experienced it. 5 stars for "Superfly".

"Curtis it's just a B movie about a pimp, you don't have to go crazy and record one of the best soundtracks of all time."

One of these days I'm going to watch the movie, amazing album, love me some wah-wah with horns backing it up 5/5

9/10 Haven’t watched the movie