Betty Davis – They Say I’m Different

Description

One can hardly imagine the genre-busting, culture-crossing musical magic of Outkast, Prince, Erykah Badu, Rick James, The Roots, or even the early Red Hot Chili Peppers without the influence of R&B pioneer Betty Davis. Her style of raw and revelatory punk-funk defies any notions that women cant be visionaries in the worlds of rock and pop. In recent years, rappers from Ice Cube to Talib Kweli to Ludacris have rhymed over her intensely strong but sensual music.

There is one testimonial about Betty Davis that is universal: she was a woman ahead of her time. In our contemporary moment, this may not be as self-evident as it was thirty years ago we live in an age thats been profoundly changed by flamboyant flaunting of female sexuality: from Parlet to Madonna, Lil Kim to Kelis. Yet, back in 1973 when Betty Davis first showed up in her silver go-go boots, dazzling smile and towering Afro, who could you possibly have compared her to? Marva Whitney had the voice but not the independence. Labelle wouldnt get sexy with their Lady Marmalade for another year while Millie Jackson wasnt Feelin Bitchy until 1977. Even Tina Turner, the most obvious predecessor to Bettys fierce style wasnt completely out of Ikes shadow until later in the decade.

Ms. Daviss unique story, still sadly mostly unknown, is unlike any other in popular music. Betty wrote the song Uptown for the Chambers Brothers before marrying Miles Davis in the late 60s, influencing him with psychedelic rock, and introducing him to Jimi Hendrix personally inspiring the classic album Bitches Brew.

But her songwriting ability was way ahead of its time as well. Betty not only wrote every song she ever recorded and produced every album after her first, but the young woman penned the tunes that got The Commodores signed to Motown. The Detroit label soon came calling, pitching a Motown songwriting deal, which Betty turned down. Motown wanted to own everything. Heading to the UK, Marc Bolan of T. Rex urged the creative dynamo to start writing for herself. A common thread throughout Bettys career would be her unbending Do-It-Yourself ethic, which made her quickly turn down anyone who didnt fit with the vision. She would eventually say no to Eric Clapton as her album producer, seeing him as too banal.

Her 1974 sophomore album They Say Im Different features a worthy-of-framing futuristic cover challenging David Bowies science fiction funk with real rocking soul-fire, kicked off with the savagely sexual Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him (later sampled by Ice Cube). Her follow up is full of classic cuts like Dont Call Her No Tramp and the hilarious, hard, deep funk of He Was A Big Freak.

Tracklist:

Shoo-B-Doop And Cop Him
He Was A Big Freak
Your Mama Wants Ya Back
Don’t Call Her No Tramp
Git In There
They Say I’m Different
70’s Blues
Special People