RUFUS THOMAS - "Breakdown' & 'Funky Chicken' LIVE @ WATTSTAX 1973
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- Опубликовано: 24 ноя 2011
- Seriously Badass Pimp OWNING it.
RUFUS THOMAS
"Breakdown' & 'Funky Chicken'
LIVE @ WATTSTAX 1973
- I do not claim ownership or copyright of the material in anyway. It just needs to be seen. 
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I went to this concert ,I was 12 years and now I am 56. the good old days.
If u kno the lady n that red dress tell her she a winner lol
Michelle Mason where was this concert?
Lucky
It looks like a great concert :)
@@mrblomax1 , The Los Angeles Coliseum 1972. It was advertised and promoted on KGFJ radio station as: "The One Dollar Concert." Staxs Record charged only $1.00 per person. That's right, one buck.
No ticketmaster...@@demetriusdion286
I was out there on the that field looking up at Rufus Thomas in amazement, until that moment. I only heard him on the radio. I was 8 yrs old [58 now] and still remember it like yesterday! Was an awesome day all around.
wow!! what a testimony
The world's oldest teenager. He could relate to the old and the young...and everyone in between
1965 brother?
Whoa I can't imagine being there !
🔥🔥🙏✊
Everyone who was dancing....WAS KILLING IT !!!!!!
3 years later, but it's truly amazing.
🔥 🕺🏾🕺🏾🕺🏾you can’t watch this & not want to dance!!! A lot of cameos in this video if you pay attention! Fred “Rerun” Berry AKA Penguin & many others! LA Lockers too!!! Killing it!!! This was the foundation of boogaloo & “Popping” which came later! Amazing footage!!! Everyone was moving! Nobody was too cool to dance! As it should be!
55yr old white Australian person here. Thanks African -American people for Blues, Jazz, Rock n Roll, Funk, Hip Hop and beyond. The world would be a darker place without all that.
SALUTE MR. JOHN!!!!
So true. Happy to be a African American soul singer myself
The world would actually be lighter. Or does nobody else see the joke in that?
Hey John👏
Good ta see ya
American Soul brought
me here
the kids need to study this amazing stitch in time💯
@@gregorylagrange i c u
:D
MY PEOPLE WERE SO NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL DURING THIS ERA!!!!!
Well groomed 'fros, no Brazilian/Indian hair-hats, slender, no sagging pants, no clown makeup, no twerking, vulgar gestures, etc...literally the opposite of what we see today
@Run Joe....... FACTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now destroy them drug that was painful.
Oh yes
@@MagnusMedina Same for all races seems like, apart from the ‘fros. People are much fatter these days!
I literally cried while watching this. Because I know that this generation will never witness something this great ever again. The knowledge that black is beautiful as well as the unity that was displayed here. Having been born in '85, unfortunately I was not a part of this spectacular movement. But thanks to RUclips, I can experience it, and hold on to the wish that I could have been there!!!
I cried too.
@@dashaunsimmons7049 I still cry watching.
My generation got the torch aka millennials we not going for shit
This actually got me choked up. The part where they jump the fences. My black people are beautiful.
spontaneous joyous....yes brings tears to my eyes too❤️
" Ain't I'm clean?"....Rufus breakin' it down for real!!
He got that from the 'pusherman' song.
Simply beautiful. Black American culture is something else.
*was
Look at us......miss times like these when we were black AND proud
Just an observation: After watching this and a Woodstock video earlier I noticed how everyone looked so trim, healthy, and in shape back then. Something has happened to us, or been done to us, in the intervening years, and it’s pretty scary.
No processed food.
Iam thinkin the same thing..the food has changed us.... sad...sugar has become our nightmare..
They didn't Have GMO & Processed Food, Artificial Flavoring also Bio Engineerd Food back Then & Steroids in the Chicken Microwave food & Soy, Sugar,Salt & Everything 💯🤔
@@cantgetrightlife also the fact that people back then walked more instead of driving everywhere
A disturbing observation I noticed recently was how tall and slim people are over in the UK. Most of the food we got tasted so different that the guys complained. Real bread without all the chemicals is firm. Juice, sodas, and cereal have real sugar in it. I actually lost 15 lbs in a few months just by a change in diet. The food is doing it to us for sure.
That's when black people were a third of the population of L.A. now its barely 7%. Gentrification targeted black people so they would have difficulty controlling areas of major cities. I'm glad I am old enough to have experienced some of this growing up. I think it is more heartbreaking to have seen how great is was and now what it has become. I dont want to be nostalgic, we need to rebuild again.
we strong in atl thi
tho
I agree with you. I live in L.A.
What a time to be alive! Black & Proud ✊🏾
Moves me to tears......look at us then......and now.....
As a Mexican man, this is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen ❤
RED DRESS, RED DRESS- That is someone's grandmother, she was doin' it!!! AND THE POP AND LOCKERS!!!!
Redro1982
Redro1982 love that your probebly. Right. The way she was moving she inspired alot of procreation.
David Val idiot
Those 'sizzler' skirts was HOT back in those days!!!!!
In a retirement home lol
I was 14. On the list of the best concerts I've ever been to.
I am well jell. I got to see the Ramones at Brixton Academy when I was about 14, so it's not all bad.
I miss those days we were so black back then. Beautiful natural hair
Because we were outside playing.
How can anyone watch this and not be entertained.
When black people.... LOVED EACH OTHER...
Born2Win 316 those days are long gone.
That is definitely the truth!! Black people use to love one another and stick together but now they're just crabs in a bucket and don't want shit out of life. Where did my people go wrong...😔
gang bangin' was very real..but no crack.. LA native...
there was a code of ethics..
Now black ppl act like they scared of each other
7:02 - that little girl moves with more soul in those 3 seconds...than I've moved with in my entire life.
I've been listening to Rufus Thomas so much lately, I don't know why is he not revered as James Brown is. The man was pure funk!
For some reason lost to history, he was not invited on the '67 Stax European Tour or to the Monterey Pop Festival that same year. But for Rufus Thomas, revenge was a dish best served cold. After the dissolving of Atlantic Records' distribution deal with Stax and the loss of everything they had done up to that time, his recordings of "The Breakdown", the "Funky Chicken" and the "Funky Robot" brought Stax much needed revenue. He was the unquestioned star of Wattstax, both the live concert and the movie. And with those pink hot pants and white go-go boots, he was CLEAN. There are second acts in American life.
Yes sir
Black Unity at its finest.. God bring it back, I say please bring it back. Bless up everybody. ☝💃👯
We bring it back by rearing our children the right way, and taking them to church. That is what is missing in our families today. Everybody pitched in and raised these kids.
Wow! The sisters where gorgeous and in shape back then. Everyone is having fun and no hating on each other like today's youngsters do. This was before my time but I wish I was at the concert. Who is the beautiful young lady dancing in the polka dot mini skirt? She is beautiful! She looks like Beverly Johnson in her young days.
Neal Lambert yeah she hot and sexy to
You are right Cameron, she is hot and sexy. I bet she is still hot and sexy as of today.
wow that red dress!!
We overall are not as healthy. Notice regardless how many nutritional foods we have now people are still overweight? We've become way too lazy because of iPhones and computers. Remember before those things we actually walked over to friends houses or to events. We did more outdoor activities but now everything we can get at the computer. Latest products just aide in laziness.
Freeze frame @8:50
My cousin was Carl Perkins. When he passed, I was too young to attend the funeral. My dad told me stories about who all was there. George Harrison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and so many others. The one part of that story that sticks out in my mind the most is dad telling me about Rufus Thomas. Dad said the man showed up looking like a pimp with a big, mink fur coat and fedora. After watching this awesome video, I can only imagine. The man had style.
Man Rufus Thomas was 55 years old and confident as hell. 0:49 I aspire to be half that cool at his age ... charisma and talent off the charts.
That little girl in the purple didn't let the adults have all the fun. She was doing the funky chicken. A great treat for family fun.
+Jerry Thomas I was there and I still remember it like it was yesterday, especially Rufus Thomas. I was 12 and it really was fun for all ages. Every now and then I watch this video to reminisce.
She was so cool with it, too...lol..
That was more like me back then.When I was little, I loved to dance :-)!!
Yes I thought the little girl was getting it too. So innocent!!
Jerry Thomas she was going in hard!!
Amazing. If people climbed a fence to dance on the pitch nowadays they'd all get teargassed and beaten. We live in shitty times.
The sister in the red polka dot dress is EVERYTHING 🔥
Yes! She is rocking the skimmers outfit
She is wearing a Sizzler dress outfit. My Auntie had a dress just like that in the late 60's or early 70's when I was a little kid.
What I liked most about this video is that back in that era ,black people really loved and took good care of their natural hair..
This is one of the most incredible videos I've ever seen and that is not an exaggeration... the music, the stage presence, the people dancing, and those boots holy shit. Not sure who put the video together but the footage is great.
This is a segment from a concert movie called WATTSTAX (1973), that chronicles the 1972 Watts Music Festival. It should be available on VOD and DVD.
He was 54 here. Still reached people of all ages
The Lord know who u is. PREACH!!
Right! So many ppl they look like specs, and yet everyone is so peaceful & joyous WOW
@@grandma4557 - that big ole grin in the beginning though. he knew he was still on it.
@@brmbkl 😂😂 right
"AINT I CLEAN" 😂
The World's Oldest Teenager! Rufus Thomss!
I was at the concert, and oh what a day. We had a fantastic time. So many of us able to come together and party.
people living during that time probably didnt realise that they were living in the best musical period this world has to offer, I dont think music will be as good as this again in this world
Now this is pure 100% joy.
Pablo Sergio Rivera Today's kids have been poisoned!!
Yesssss This was Absolutely the best times of our lives. Everyone was getting along at the concert and in our own Neighborhoods!!! The70's were he BEST!!!!
Shannon Harris yeah but I remember in 1977 I was going in the military and the recruiter drove us down a busy residential street in L.A. and for blocks on end I saw brothers just chillin and hanging out outside their residences on the week day I think it was Tuesday during working hours I think the time was about 1 or 2 in the afternoon. I said what is up with this?
Shannon Harris Yes
Let the church say amen
When he said "Ain't I clean?" I near bout fell out. Lord the 70s were something else
Damn ! I 💘 love my Black People.
This shows you what a Proud Race of people look like .
One day we'll be back together like this again maybe not in this life time But GOD has something Special in store for his people...LOVE , FAMILY , FRIENDS , PEACE , and Everlasting Happiness...
Never heard of Wattstax before. Looks like people were getting down and having fun.
Girl in red dress fill the rhythm.so real..Great show!!!
here's a 50 something year old rocking a crowd of 20 somethings. Sadly today 20 year olds only listen to other 20 year musicians, They are missing something,
so true
Sho you're right!!!
GREAT POINT
I never recovered from this,since seeing IT the first time.
The Man,the Outfit ,the music and His commanding Stage presence...Funked Up and Furious!! Thank you Black People! From some Whitie from Germany
if I had one wish to go to any concert in the whole of history, this would be the one.
When i'm sad, I watch this. And I stop being sad.
Valère BRISARD #Facts
That is so true
Me too. This and #Rerun dancing in that episode where he entered the dance contest. :-)
Fred "Rerun" Berry at the 4:10 mark
This will be my pep song
100,000 people being fully entertained by live...LIVE music. No computerized, digital entities ANYWHERE! The Bar Kay's - and ALL the entertainers, speakers, attendees, crew, etc... have my full respect for the job they did at this concert. 100,00 people were there to party & have a good time...and they did!!All with no violence to speak of. It will never be duplicated.
Mar.26th: Happy birthday R&B-Funk-Soul-Blues Singer-Dancer Rufus C. Thomas Jr. (1917-2001) Grammy Hall of Fame, Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award, ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award, Blues Hall of Fame. Thank you and God bless. RIP. Thanks for the upload, ianwoodsman. Blessings
Back when we were BLACK !
Whatever that means.......
I JUST said that!
Death Wish...figure it out.
I still am. I will always be til eternity.
I really like this kind of music but im not black but what does it matter because all lives matter!
Look at how beautiful we are.
I wish that we had this kind of love today among us black people! all our women looking so beautiful and natural!
YES!!!!!
From this white man's perspective, 100% yes!!
Polka dot Queen breath fire into my soul!
Don't forget blue dress! 8:49
@@estebansteverincon7117 and the shorts at 9.24 :-) OH GOSH!
the Cam man was zooming in on her goods
I was resuscitated. Good Lord.
@@estebansteverincon7117 OMG yessss.
2:40 oh my 😋 she's beautiful.. 7:06 little mama killing it.. she's so cute 8:37 her outfit is cute. She's killing it 9:26 best part whole video 😵
This is probably one the best live performances I have ever seen. This old guy ROCKED! the crowd. He is no doubt a legend,
Watching this video touches my heart, beautiful black people just having fun. It's we can't be like that today. DAMN!
Such a beautiful people. I see nothing but magic in human form.
all their outfits are amazing ☺and they dancing like crazy. 😁They all look so happy
If there were ever an award for "coolest people", it would undoubtedly go to 70s black people.
Southpaw Study cool as hell!!
You know @Southpaw Study.
Southpaw Study so much unity and love
Southpaw Study. That's a FACT✊✊✊
No doubt about it
"Ain't I'm clean?"
legendary intro.
Yesyes
LOLL LOL
Ain't I'm clean!!! Love that uncle Rufus!!!
Too funny.!🤣🤣
That man has been blessed with more spiritual power then one man could have. Thank you Rufus your spirit lives on.
This is where I want to be. Watts STAX Can you imagine 70K people gettin' funky wit it? The party really starts at 5:00 and everybody rushes the stage. Everybody and their family/friends/crew starts getting down! Thank you for youtube and all this footage of old concerts there are tons of mixes to blend into this one and keep the beat drops PEACE
WattStax is an awesome film. I watch the DVD at least twice a year as a reminder of the unity, great music and stirring political times of the era.
My parents were there
hou are you? nos anos 73 rufus thomas e james brown eram as maiores feras do soul aqui no brazil.
Would love to see the whole movie.
....i remember my dad had the double album written on the front: WATTSTAX , THE LIVING WORD
Wow!!!! So beautiful....look at our ppl having real good times!!!! The beautiful 70s...beautiful times...
RUFUS ASKED ---AIN'T IM CLEAN?
I'm a mid-50s white Californian guy. And, I remember this time in our state. I think this video is really beautiful. Man...simpler times. Everybody is so beautiful and happy in this clip. I love it. I really do...
That's the way LA used to be... I was a little kid and I was there!!
I didn't see no light skin BLACK PEOPLE or babies ! This is when BLACK PEOPLE has BLACK skin ! 😂
ONE TRUE GOD
Lol
But let's not act as if gangs were not already operating in full effect in LA at that time. Come on now
@@kano3030ur comment is trash respectfully. Lightskinned folks been around smh
We didn't have much! Just a real good time, with real singers, instruments and talent!! Good old days!
+aquarianrealm sounds like you had it all.
soul!
aquarianrealm Looking back I would say we had it all compared to to days times best days of my live wish I could go back and do it all again x
Yeah, now a days you got these rappin' bastards who operate under the illusion of being intertaining. Lets see, they can't sing,play a instrument, can't dance! Yet a lot of people consider these so called entertainers SUPERSTARS! Makes you want to vomit!
Were you there?
SEE HERE NOW DATS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE.THE CROWD IS HYPE, NOT VIOLENT,THE MUSIC IS LIVE,NOT PRE-RECORDED,THE SINGING IS HOT,NOT VULGAR,PUT ALL DIS TOGETHER AND YOU GOT A CONCERT TO REMEMBER FOREVER,CAUSE IT WAS GOOD,NOT CAUSE IT MADE THE NEWS BECAUSE OF SOMETHING BAD.
Marcus Reeves AND THEN THEY DESTROYED THAT KIND of SOUL MUSIC TO PROMOTE JUST ONE STYLE CALL IT RAP RAPPE RAPE ANYWAY TODAY GREAT BLACKS SINGERS SEEMS TO HAVE VANISHED GREAT BLACK MUSICIENS SEEMS TO HAVE VANISHED , in fact is not true but the white supremacists has understood is not good to promote black icône singer like Michael Jackson etc who could all of sudden , turn muslim , or promote black power , like James Brown and others , now we have only some superficial black singer with no charisma ..., is my point of view but I wd appreciate to have some other point of view ... where are our NINA SIMONE , Aretha Franklin etc of today .... ( black VULGARITY IS MOSTLY PROMOTED in purpose )
Wish this music would come back!
Marcus Reeves RIGHT THE FUNK ON MY BRO!
Marcus Reeves ,
AIN'T I CLEAN?👅
When Black was really Beautiful! We owed it! Just GOOD fun, turn the clock and let's just enjoy ourselves again.
My people my people my people..... was having a good time ...... yesssss .love it.....
When I see this, it let's me know how long I been enyjoying concerts. I can remember like yesterday. I was 12 years old when my aunt Terry took me to the Los Angeles Coliseum to see the Watts Stax concert. Great Times...
Beautiful time, beautiful people. 💯🥰
NO WEAVES??? THANK GOD!!!
LOL on 6:13 when everybody runnin into the field one guy just couldn't resist the urge to start busting out an unending series back to back splits
Konata213 yeah man dude wasn't playing
This is one of the most positive videos I have seen in a long long time. The music itself ... just makes my body move, it's perfect ... but the video - seeing so many people get down and have a good time, all those smiling faces and killer dancing styles, plus the field takeover - it sends chills down my spine. I have been coming back to this vid for monhts and it always cheers me up.
Me too!!!! For many months!
Yes. And the clothes, too!
This video just proves that life is too short and precious to be taken so seriously. Everyone needs to have more fun like they are having here i love it. Music is something so powerful and when used in the right way can bring so much happiness into the world
beautiful to see what we use to have. I remember my mother and father during those times my dad was a agriculture contractor life was great, fast, and fun. I'm glad I got a chance to experience that
that lady in red dress with white spots oh my god :)
lol she's probably someones grandma
yea but back then...
+lamebubblesflysohigh she's probably a 70 year old grandma....looking 40 and still dancin'!
+lamebubblesflysohigh It's Chaka Khan, isn't it?
+John Castro -Nooo she's Not Chaka Khan.
what happened to us? we use to have so much fun and love for each other😊 its mess up how things are now in days😟
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ITS SAD!!!!!!!!
Fucking Nixon that what
Drugs. hate and . geed..has and continuing in a all time high, crack at a low .while prescription dugs has taken over the Nation ,(young kids ,) Sad but I will continue to Pray n help in anyway I can
What happened was Reagan becoming President along with Bush 1(1980-88), brought crack in the community and destroyed the school system too. That's what happened.
The real deal... we forgot our community, starting thinking individually instead of collectively, no trust for each other anymore :(. I was born in 1979 but I remember besides my mom, big mamas used to look after me and loved me. I was disciplined by them also. But it is a different time, world has become so cynical and ugly :(
OMFG Polka Dots 😍😍😍!!!
That's true American culture
This is when "we" were "us"
One word = beautiful
Beautiful Afro haircuts!
😆
they looks so sexy
kilimandjaromusic not rufus though 😂 but he fly as !
Here we are in 2017 people would have ran down to the stage looking in the artist face Worshipping them. People rush out just to dance. Love it good old times.
With all of the bullsh*t that's going on today, I almost forgot just how much fun we used to have. I'm not one to talk about the "good old days" too much, but damn, I miss the good old days.
thejazzman210 NO I NEVER FORGOT THE GREAT TIMES WE HAD GROWING UP. NEVER
That was amazing, no egos just nothing but love.
lmao people with no ego don't dress like that.
The Death Twitch Well said
Welovit
All love
The Death Twitch m9
I'm proud to be a
Black man.
Gregory Eweka Me Too.
How did you achieve that, Gregory?
are u igbo my brother
i may be white on the outside!
Me too and i`m not even black lol!!!
TODAY IN MUSIC HISTORY
50 YEARS AGO TODAY (August 20, 1972):
Wattstax was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California. The benefit concert, organized by Stax Records, was held in remembrance and awareness of the 7th anniversary of the 6-day Watts
The concert was released on film a year later.
[08/20/2022]
The 1970s were the funk era.I love it when people enjoy themselves & forget their troubles 4 few hours.
Black people were & are superior 2 none blacks.We will overcome our struggles when we unite.
Viva blacks people.
This was my era!! Back then we loved to have fun & dance! Thanks for sharing this video!!
my black people knew how to have so much fun back then 😢
Freeway Rick Ross and his white counterparts destroyed ALL of this !!!!!
_%Wolf poetryTay "BROWN PEOPLE
I miss those days so much!
Everyone is having a good time , those days many folks danced and stayed in shape , no shooting or trouble going on , like one big dance party , simpler times and good music ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Nothing but fun, fun, fun, no fighting, no guns shooting, just lots of dancing and having a good damn time❤👍🏾✅
There definitely was fighting. The crips was there fighting and robbing niggas. My gpop was there
the truth is they jumped the fence cause they needed room to boogie. this was fun to watch
Good old days when everybody was skinny lol
So true! It's unreal how many people were fit and fine back then.
Gang violence started and we stop coming outside and ended up dancing with the refrigerator !!!! And eating that funky chicken !!! 😂
LOL
Rosee Negri you are so right. I stopped sugar and high fructose corn syrup and lost 20lb. Now I can fit my old 32 inch waist pants!
Andrew mess cause we were dancing it's a great and beautiful thing
We've fallen a long ways since these times of unity.
Sister looked beautiful in the Fro's. Wish they would come back. 70's a great period especially for music
The Breakdown was the first disco dance we learned (1971-pre-disco) and I still have my high school notebook where I painted BREAKDOWN on the cover. My mother thought it meant I was having a breakdown and she's wasn't too happy. lol. Next up was the Funky Chicken, the Push and Pull (others called it 'the Bump') and the Funky Penguin. He and James Brown were the bomb!
WOW
yesss that sistah in the red dress is very beautiful. GOSHOMIGHTY, she can make a hard rock smile
she had me memorized no joke. No doubt could be my grandmother but Lord of mercy they could dance 😎😁
William Mason I CAN DIG IT.
And I'm a 80's kid and i ain't just buttering up to the OG'S
she´s got eternal beauty.... I wonder who she is
Look at how beautiful my people is Good Music Funky Fresh outfits having fun no drama men respecting women’s personal space cheering them on while they dance natural beauty all around just pure vibes
THERE ARE NONE LIKES
Its insane how on point the performers had to be..... No autotune, no samplers... nothing.
This is so inspiring, where have we gone wrong with stadium concerts? Being a left handed guitarist, I love that the base and rhythm guitarists are both left handed. I don't think I've ever seen that before.
I know what you mean, being left-handed myself, but if you look at the sign behind Rufus at about 0:50, you’ll see that it’s actually mirrored, so someone reversed the film
This is reversed
I'm a left handed drummer I noticed the drummer is also
My father was a left handed guitarist.
This is amazing on so many levels. So fresh!!
What a pity I was only 5 years old and in Australia when this concert happened. What a total blast. Such an awesomely funky scene. 'Do the Breakdown'!!!!
Rufus Thomas Entrance Was Everything !!