That guitar break always reminded me of something Yes would do back in that era. Really cool to see them play this live...bass is deeply funky and the guitars are mesmerizing.
Lee Ritenour magic. He said that Quincy called him in to do that guitar break after a couple of days of recording because no one else could get the repetitions quite right. Listening to this live version without Lee performing, you can hear the subtle tempo change during the guitar break with the band having to speed up a bit toward the end.
I believe not everyone knows but this song was composed by Shuggie Ottis and recorded on his 1971 album. The guitar was also created and recorded by him, who was only 17 years old. His classic anthological guitar riff, on the Brothers Johnson recording, was played by guitarist Lee Ritenour.
As a 100% white boy I can truly appreciate this!! Git da funk outta my face, I'll be good to you, Strawberry letter 23. Just absolute genius. I'm so glad this was my soundtrack growing up. BTW.. Don Kirshner's rock concerts were the SHIT!!!! Nothing will ever capture the music and the times like this program. If you don't think so, just look it up. Unlike other shows (Top of the Pops, any Merv Griffins/Dinah Shores) there were no dubbing or pre-recording. Just live music!!!
When I used to hurt us on the radio as a kid the guitar break seem like it came from Mars I completely didn't expect it but you actually hear them do it live was amazing
WOW!!!!! This does the stunning record version proud! A little quicker, but performed so well. I'd have been buzzing with energy and pride had I been up there. The guitar break was spot on, even with added speed. A little hypnotic reverb swell at the end of the twin guitars would've been chef's kiss.
This was my father's (rip) favorite song of all time. Brings me back every time I hear it. A very underrated song and it brings a smile to me every time I hear it.
I have to give a whole bunch of credit to the Brothers Johnson!!!! What an excellent Performance!!!! GREAT bass line throughout (the guy is on fire), excellent guitars in the instrumental bridge, spot on backing vocals and overall, everything!!!! It's one thing to do it In the studio, but to replicate it live is where the real talent shines and these guys had it!!!!
When I try to imagine what heaven is like, I would have to say, it's probably like that guitar solo....floating....eclectic....euphoric...but most importantly....funky.
This is so amazing. Amazing song, amazing group, and an amazing live performance. Great talent on display. Nothing sampled or autotuned. This is how music should be. We'll probably never see it done right like this again in the R&B genre. So sad.
Probably because it only took 4 guys in Zep with only three playing instruments to create an iconic classic rock sound vs this with a dozen plus people on stage and loads of electronics😂
(Sigh). when's the last time you saw a live television performance that featured this kind of musicianship? Rather than bemoan today's music and performers, pity them - and especially their fans - because they don't get to see the talent that so many of us 70s babies took for granted.
does anyone have a stereo copy of this..kinda sounds like its behind a waterfall. very cool footage though. Don Kircschner should relase the whole vault imho like midnight special. Gotta Find the betamax stereo version of this performance. This is the only live version i can find on youtube before the band doubled the speed of the live version.
I tried learning bass by watching the Louis Johnson video. He and Larry Graham both use the thumb on the left hand to play the E string. A very difficult technique.
I am one of the biggest fans of the Brothers Johnson and in the studio they could do no wrong but for some reason when they performed "live" they could never quite recapture that sound they created in the studio, My brother and i always have this argument about some entertainers when in concert, at first i thought it was because of them being live but after seeing Stevie Wonder,George Duke,The Isleys and especially Luther Vandross in concert then i knew for a fact that the same sound in the studio could be repeated live for the artists i just named sounded exactly the same on stage as in the studio.....may Thunder Thumbs always rest in peace and may his spirit continue to live on
They did great live. But this song is/was a Quincy Jones PRODUCTION I'm pretty sure. Born to Run is electric in concert, but turntable and headphones is where the 17 buried guitars and glockenspiels, and 50 other instruments mixed perfectly shoot it out the speakers like a rocket. I think Prince was influenced by this song, "Pop Life" in that songs production.In his vocal delivery too. I love these lyrics I bought 2 45' records in my life. This one of them. I heard it at the roller rink, knocked me out. Still knocks me out. I still have to play it on you tube once a year at least. There has been no other song like it before or since. It is it's own thing.
studio music is completely different from live performance. i have been to many concerts and i actually enjoyed live music mostly more than the albums.
Other than the horrible horn sections, it was fascinating seeing the guitar riff live by the original artist and creator with accompanying guitarist: that is probably my all time favorite guitar riff on a song.
@@gypsycat26 Alex Weir...Of course...I actually bought a video of Alex explaining his rhythm playing and even on the video he was talking and acting as cool as...Thanks GC...
I think the word "underrated" is used way too often and I have never used it while commenting on YT, but I will say it here - This ensemble truly was underrated. Why just look at this performance, (objectively), and you can see and hear it. These guys were serious musicians.
one of the brothers - louis - recorded with michael jackson for thriller and many other famous musicians. quincy jones recorded their album. they were famous and had some chart hits. i would not call them underrated by any means. "Johnson also worked with Andrae Crouch, Angela Bofill, Aretha Franklin, Billy Preston, Bill Withers, Björk, Dave Grusin, David Diggs, Deniece Williams, Donna Summer, Donn Thomas, Gábor Szabó, Herbie Hancock, Hiroshima, Irene Cara, the Jacksons, James Ingram, Karen Carpenter, Kent Jordan, Kenny Loggins, Leon Haywood, Lesley Gore, Makoto Izumitani, Natalie Cole, Paul McCartney, Peabo Bryson, Peggy Lee, Phil Collins, Pointer Sisters, Rene & Angela, the Ritz, Rufus, Sérgio Mendes, Side Effect, Sister Sledge, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Sweet Comfort Band, Temptations, Toshiki Kadomatsu and The Supremes." that is the creme de la creme of music right there.
...you're right. I didn't even know Shuggie existed or that he originally wrote Strawberry Letter until last year. ...but I do like Shuggie's version as well.
Louis Johnson is an effing monsta!
They dont make this shit no more kiddies...stone cold classic
Stop using evil barbaric language great vision by Brother Johnson.
That guitar break always reminded me of something Yes would do back in that era. Really cool to see them play this live...bass is deeply funky and the guitars are mesmerizing.
Cosmic and spacey stuff!
Lee Ritenour magic. He said that Quincy called him in to do that guitar break after a couple of days of recording because no one else could get the repetitions quite right. Listening to this live version without Lee performing, you can hear the subtle tempo change during the guitar break with the band having to speed up a bit toward the end.
Yeah, that part is very interesting. The song in general is clearly in the Funk style, but this bridge section sounds like prog-rock! Very cool!
Lighting Licks and Thunder Thumbs. Sooo much talent...
Phenomenal . . . this song is very difficult to perform live & have it sound anything like the recorded version!
This song jayum to the 10th ! Black community staple music. If you’ve been to a BBQ without hearing this it didn’t count
I believe not everyone knows but this song was composed by Shuggie Ottis and recorded on his 1971 album. The guitar was also created and recorded by him, who was only 17 years old. His classic anthological guitar riff, on the Brothers Johnson recording, was played by guitarist Lee Ritenour.
Thanks for the 411.
Correct ✅
dude on the cowbell knew he was apart of something big
I got a fever…
😂
RIP Louis Johnson...the baddest bass player ever! Gone way too soon.
i dig all the name basslappers but thgunder thumbs Johnson iz on top
I was just about to post the same comment. His playing was something very special.
Shannon K. Seriously, that music man bass is icon and will never be forgotten
💫✨✨✨✨✨✨✨🎶🎶🎶🎶👌💬💬💬💬💬💬💬🌜🖤🌛
I love James Jamerson, but Louis Johnson was a monsta!
My jam from childhood! This is great! They sound the same live as in the recording! Excellent!
I want this music era back .... Now.
Me too 😢
MASTERPIECE LOCK IT UP IN A TIME CAPSULE SEND TO THE STARS 🎉🎉🎉
One of the best 70s jams ever RIP Louis Johnson 💙 2024 still listening 🎶
I was 17 when this song first came out...I didn't care for it...but years later, I saw it for the masterpiece it was...
Your the same age as me
Buddy sets the bass on fire in this song. One of the greatest bass lines of all time.
As a 100% white boy I can truly appreciate this!! Git da funk outta my face, I'll be good to you, Strawberry letter 23. Just absolute genius. I'm so glad this was my soundtrack growing up. BTW.. Don Kirshner's rock concerts were the SHIT!!!! Nothing will ever capture the music and the times like this program. If you don't think so, just look it up. Unlike other shows (Top of the Pops, any Merv Griffins/Dinah Shores) there were no dubbing or pre-recording. Just live music!!!
👍right on white boy, just like Meee..❤❤👍👍☮️☮️☮️☮️
Childhood memories, hazy hot summer nights. Love it!
This is my jam! And my man on bass was on fire!
When I used to hurt us on the radio as a kid the guitar break seem like it came from Mars I completely didn't expect it but you actually hear them do it live was amazing
GREAT SONG, BRINGS BACK MEMORIES. THAT IS WHAT TALENT LOOKS LIKE. AWESOME!
WOW!!!!! This does the stunning record version proud! A little quicker, but performed so well. I'd have been buzzing with energy and pride had I been up there. The guitar break was spot on, even with added speed. A little hypnotic reverb swell at the end of the twin guitars would've been chef's kiss.
The bass guitar 🎸 intro is stone cold 🥶 🙌🏾
This was my father's (rip) favorite song of all time. Brings me back every time I hear it. A very underrated song and it brings a smile to me every time I hear it.
I have to give a whole bunch of credit to the Brothers Johnson!!!! What an excellent Performance!!!! GREAT bass line throughout (the guy is on fire), excellent guitars in the instrumental bridge, spot on backing vocals and overall, everything!!!! It's one thing to do it In the studio, but to replicate it live is where the real talent shines and these guys had it!!!!
Louis Johnson was a monstrosity! No one better.
OMG. Relax
I wish people still dressed this way
Wish I was born during that time 🤩
Absolutely beautiful!! Genuine musicians and artists, now why can't we have bands like this today?!!
Good Lord,this is SO freaking good.These guys were so underrated
🔥🔥🔥 That bass in the pocket with the drums? Ohhh!! That's some NAStY sht!!! I played the first minute 50x. STANK!!!!
First heard this in Jackie brown and was blown away
As was Beaumont
Louis Johnson one of the bass greats. Up there with Jamerson
Oldies School's music 🎵🎶🎵
Louis steals the show!!!
When I try to imagine what heaven is like, I would have to say, it's probably like that guitar solo....floating....eclectic....euphoric...but most importantly....funky.
This is so amazing. Amazing song, amazing group, and an amazing live performance. Great talent on display. Nothing sampled or autotuned. This is how music should be. We'll probably never see it done right like this again in the R&B genre. So sad.
I just loved these guys
Brings back A LOT of memories! Great live performance!
A brilliant song. Love the original but the Brothers J added something (unlike most covers). Great live performance.
Earth, Wind and Johnson
when your own drummer amazed by your guitar solo and look to the other guy while playing and say "FIRE" !
So if you ever Need a definition of the phrase “slappin that bass”. This is your instructional video. Also props to those amazing 70s jumpsuit LOL
Louis Johnson should’ve had a camera dedicated to him for the entire song. RIP Thunder Thumbs!
Much luv from Brazil....
OMG amazing live version. Grew up listening to TBJ. RIP Louis
Amazing song 🎵 ❤🎵
*That Pacino trumpet playin pink jumpsuit bearded fella though...............*
It is crazy how they dressed back then. Like, that was NORMAL back then, ha.
😂😂😂😂
That fro was dope as hell.
I just love the breakdown of this joint the guitar's are of the chain and the bass.
SMOOTH......
I just learned how hard it was for them to learn this song. And all this time I thought this was their original 😂
Don't call yourself having arthritis trying to play that guitar solo part lol.
Respect to Shuggie and George!
That guitar solo was my Dad Alex Weir
@@ryanweir365 your dad is a legend.
@@ryanweir365-Your dad is bad ass 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽 !!!
This was impressive.
George Johnson plays the guitar left handed , reminds me of JIMI HENDRIX.
Exactly! And he was so fine! Such a beautiful man. Awesome voice.
Thought the breakdown at 2:09 was keyboards until I saw this. Wow. Great live version.
Some nice clean arpeggio work, isn't it?
@@GrunATL Yes George Johnson
bro same here! but is it really the guitar on the album track?
Yeah that is pretty impressive, that they not only played all that on guitar but also SYNCED their riffs so perfectly.
@@exterminator_1986 Now that I listen to the original, all I hear is guitar. Pretty amazing!
George had the best fro ever
@Lamont Wilson So did Neal Schon!
Lamont Wilson That’s for sure! 😃
This song exists yet there are still people analyzing Stairway to Heaven.
😂😂😂😂❤
Probably because it only took 4 guys in Zep with only three playing instruments to create an iconic classic rock sound vs this with a dozen plus people on stage and loads of electronics😂
You can really hear that bass on this one. Love it.
The epitome of cool!!!!
Just a classic song
Now thats talent
Beating the shit out that cowbell!!!! Chris walken is proud
Arghh the seventies was such a flamboyant era
THE KINGS OF SUPER COOL !
(Sigh). when's the last time you saw a live television performance that featured this kind of musicianship? Rather than bemoan today's music and performers, pity them - and especially their fans - because they don't get to see the talent that so many of us 70s babies took for granted.
Classics 💜🎶
The studio version is a masterpiece
Whoa, you never see the Shure SM59 anymore.
does anyone have a stereo copy of this..kinda sounds like its behind a waterfall. very cool footage though. Don Kircschner should relase the whole vault imho like midnight special. Gotta Find the betamax stereo version of this performance. This is the only live version i can find on youtube before the band doubled the speed of the live version.
Bass grove is insane
I tried learning bass by watching the Louis Johnson video. He and Larry Graham both use the thumb on the left hand to play the E string. A very difficult technique.
Amazing!
Funky. That bass.
Did George have the perfect Afro or what
Awesome song
EPIC
Loved them.
Thanks for posting!
I dare you to pull up the (psychedelic) lyrics to this one, and try to sing along. Good luck.
2024
I am one of the biggest fans of the Brothers Johnson and in the studio they could do no wrong but for some reason when they performed "live" they could never quite recapture that sound they created in the studio, My brother and i always have this argument about some entertainers when in concert, at first i thought it was because of them being live but after seeing Stevie Wonder,George Duke,The Isleys and especially Luther Vandross in concert then i knew for a fact that the same sound in the studio could be repeated live for the artists i just named sounded exactly the same on stage as in the studio.....may Thunder Thumbs always rest in peace and may his spirit continue to live on
They did great live. But this song is/was a Quincy Jones PRODUCTION I'm pretty sure. Born to Run is electric in concert, but turntable and headphones is where the 17 buried guitars and glockenspiels, and 50 other instruments mixed perfectly shoot it out the speakers like a rocket. I think Prince was influenced by this song, "Pop Life" in that songs production.In his vocal delivery too. I love these lyrics I bought 2 45' records in my life. This one of them. I heard it at the roller rink, knocked me out. Still knocks me out. I still have to play it on you tube once a year at least. There has been no other song like it before or since. It is it's own thing.
studio music is completely different from live performance. i have been to many concerts and i actually enjoyed live music mostly more than the albums.
A great song blueprint is when you can breathe more life into it live. You don't need to repeat the studio version. This is a sick version Epic funk.
Yes!
Guy in pink: That feeling when youre the only white that got invited to the cookout 😂
😂😂😂😂😆
The drummer is also white though.
He’s actually Latino- his name is Ray Gomez.
Yeah "KEEP THE FUNK ALIVE"
2 words.
Bad. Ass.
It IS cool!
Other than the horrible horn sections, it was fascinating seeing the guitar riff live by the original artist and creator with accompanying guitarist: that is probably my all time favorite guitar riff on a song.
Pretty incredible guitar harmonizing live. You would never see that level of skill today
Nice
And me again.
a shuggie otis CLASSIC
Both Bothers Gone way too soon
Lee Ritnour is a master
Forgotten the guys name playing the Strat...??...But he also did a stint with Talking Heads...Great rhythm player...!!
Cliff, that's Alex Weir. He's a cousin to George and Luis. He played with both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club too.
@@gypsycat26 Alex Weir...Of course...I actually bought a video of Alex explaining his rhythm playing and even on the video he was talking and acting as cool as...Thanks GC...
Esa guitarra en el intermedio es para fumarse un troncho y volar..solo dejarte llevar
I think the word "underrated" is used way too often and I have never used it while commenting on YT, but I will say it here - This ensemble truly was underrated. Why just look at this performance, (objectively), and you can see and hear it. These guys were serious musicians.
one of the brothers - louis - recorded with michael jackson for thriller and many other famous musicians. quincy jones recorded their album. they were famous and had some chart hits. i would not call them underrated by any means. "Johnson also worked with Andrae Crouch, Angela Bofill, Aretha Franklin, Billy Preston, Bill Withers, Björk, Dave Grusin, David Diggs, Deniece Williams, Donna Summer, Donn Thomas, Gábor Szabó, Herbie Hancock, Hiroshima, Irene Cara, the Jacksons, James Ingram, Karen Carpenter, Kent Jordan, Kenny Loggins, Leon Haywood, Lesley Gore, Makoto Izumitani, Natalie Cole, Paul McCartney, Peabo Bryson, Peggy Lee, Phil Collins, Pointer Sisters, Rene & Angela, the Ritz, Rufus, Sérgio Mendes, Side Effect, Sister Sledge, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Sweet Comfort Band, Temptations, Toshiki Kadomatsu and The Supremes." that is the creme de la creme of music right there.
Can somebody tell me where is the saxophone player and what's his name 🎷
Shuggys tune
What is the name of the idiophone at :10 , (not the cowbell) ?
In the year 1977 BR (before rap), when black guys could actually play instruments.
Funk'n
This is an example of when a cover is superior to the original. Sorry, Shuggie... it just is.
Air Zeus Shuggie didn’t mind, he was paided very well !!! I believe him & George are close to each other also !!!
Beg to differ. The original is the best. And the amazing thing is that Shuggie was a teenager when he composed his masterpiece.
@@paulfield1 Both versions are classic. For me though, this version is magical. The production is sheer perfection in my opinion.
Funky Town is another example. I love Lipps Inc.'s original, but Pseudo Echo perfected it.
...you're right. I didn't even know Shuggie existed or that he originally wrote Strawberry Letter until last year. ...but I do like Shuggie's version as well.