âHey, Daryl! Phil! Get a load of this!â neighed Ed as he stared over Bess and Elsie’s fence onto the country road. âDo they really think theyâre capable of running? On two legs?? If that don’t beat all!â
âWhat the heck are they doing?â asked Daryl.
âTheyâre jogging; humans run around all bandy-legged with arms flailing, getting sweaty, going nowhere in particular and looking pretty dumb while doing it.â Ed explained.
Phil trotted over. âYeah. I read about these idiots in âHorse Beautifulâ. Itâs some kind of craze, far as I can tell …. some sort of asinine exercise routine.â
âWhoa, whoa, whoa! Look at what we got coming this way, gentlemen. Now thatâs some fine-looking little filly!â exclaimed Ed.
âCheck out those tiny shorts sheâs wearing. She can ride me bareback any time she wants!â Phil declared.
âMan, now thatâs one stacked number! I could watch her jog and bounce around all day!â Daryl smacked his lips.
âHey! What are you three stud farm rejects doing all this way from the barn?â It was Barkley, the yellow lab who lived on the ranch. âFarmer Brownâs gonna have a cow if he hears you jumped the fence again! Best get yourselves back home before someone notices youâre gone. Câmon! Giddy-up, boys!â
âBuzz kill!â snorted Ed and the trio took off.
âBunch of jackasses!â Barkley yowled indignantly. âWell, good riddance to them and woof to you, my sexy lady. You jog by here often? Have I got a bone for you!â
Written for Glynâs Mixed Music Bag week #22 where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter I or J.
There is only one band in the history of American music that had a proven influence on both The Beatles and the rapper Ice Cube and had a hit in six straight decades, from the â50s to the â00s. That band is the mighty Isley Brothers, one the most influential bands in American musical history.
Formed in the mid-â50s as a teenage gospel quartet by the four eldest Isley Brothers (OâKelly, Rudolph, Ronald and Vernon), the original group quit performing when Vernon was tragically killed at age 13 while riding his bike. In 1957, at the urging of their parents, the remaining three brothers moved to New York City to make it as a R&R band. The first song they wrote together was something called âShout!ââ a massive smash that had multiple lives thanks to its inclusion on the Animal House soundtrack â and is probably playing at an event near you, right now.
From that first single and album in 1959, the Isley Brothers repeatedly redefined what their music was and what it was called; they dominated the black music charts like no band before or since. The Isley Brothers can count both Jimi Hendrix (who toured with them in the early â60s) and Elton John (whose band backed the Isleys up in the UK) as backing musicians. They have arguably the most legendary run of albums in R&B history. After early R&R success (and an incredible detour with Motown), the band released all of their albums independently on their own T-Neck Records, reinventing R&B over and over again in the process.
In 1973, the younger brothers Ernie and Marvin joined the band alongside their brother in law, Chris Jasper. Ernie Isley is one of the most well-known and respected guitarists and song writers in the history of the business and together the brothers wrote and produced many of the hits that we know and love today.
The Isley Brothers were inducted into theRock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, in a class with their old backing guitarist, Jimi Hendrix. The band received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2014 and have sold millions of records the world over; 16 of their albums hit the Top 40 and all of them are powerhouses on the R&B charts. They have bridged cultural differences by blending Soul and R&B with Funk, bringing a new style of music to the mainstream and having a lasting impact on countless artists to follow. Their music has transcended through generations and their reach has extended to the modern day where their music is frequently sampled all throughout hip hop and modern pop. They are, in many respects, the most important and influential band in the history of American music, the only band who could be sampled by Notorious B.I.G. and covered by The Yardbirds! What a career!
Released in 1959, “Shout!” is an electrifying anthem that broke the mold of R&R and R&B, becoming an enduring symbol of musical joy and freedom. The song’s inception, inspired by a live improvisation on Jackie Wilson’s “Lonely Teardrops,” captured a spontaneous burst of energy and emotion. The studio recording, characterized by its gospel-infused harmonies and a simple yet profound chorus urged listeners to release their inhibitions and “shout a little bit louder nowâ.
Though “Shout” didn’t immediately climb the charts, its influence and popularity grew over time, becoming a live performance staple for the Isley Brothers. Covered by numerous artists across a variety of genres, “Shout” has demonstrated its versatile appeal and enduring legacy. It’s more than just a song âŠ. it’s an anthem of liberation and celebration.
Here now are the Isley Brothers with their iconic recording of âShout!â
The Elephant's Trunk 