TheGoodRev Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 So you all know Lee Dorsey for his 1966 hit "Workin' in a Coal Mine". So apparently Dorsey did a record in 1970 called Yes We Can with producer Allen Toussaint, who did a chunk of the writing, and most importantly, wrote and arranged the horn parts. The backing band on this record, as well as a series of non-LP singles of the same era, was none other than The Meters. One of these non-LP singles was a tune called "On Your Way Down", which was covered in 1971 by Little Feat. The Yes We Can record apparently found the ears of The Band's Rick Danko and Levon Helm, and it inspired them to hire Toussaint to write the horn parts for Life Is a Carnival, the first cut on their 1971 record Cahoots. In any event, thanks to the miracle of a roommate with an Oink account, I managed to get ahold of a 2000 reissue of Yes We Can which also includes a whole other Dorsey album featuring the Meters - 1978's Night People - as well as two non-LP singles, including the aforementioned "On Your Way Down". Not only is there a great variety of styles, sounds, and moods here, but Dorsey, Toussaint, and the Meters all make it sound easy, when it really was the most sophisticated funk and soul of its time. Maybe that sly sophistication is why the album sank commercially in 1970, maybe it's because the music was at once too earthy and elegant to compete with the sound of either Hi or Philadelphia International, maybe it just didn't get the right promotion, but the years have been nothing but kind to Yes We Can, which stands as one of the great soul albums. Enjoy: http://www.sendspace.com/file/f14w1d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagochips Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Downloading it now. Thanks for sharing. I do so love that Lee Dorsey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Thanks for this! I downloaded it and am really liking it! Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chameleon Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 I have that album and other Lee Dorsey records. His version of Allan Toussaint's "Sneaking Salley through the Alley", is killer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timouse Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 nice one, aaron. allen toussaint has a midas touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Gruvsten Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 mmmm lee dorsey is a fave - I remember on an old k-tel record when I was a kid the "Sitting in Ya-Ya' tune - loved his voice then and even more since re-discovering him... 'Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?' has gotta be one of the best fuggin' new orleans dirty funk songs ever...the bass is so damn snappy in that tune..,. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prost Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Nice! Downloading now....can't wait to listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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