The Funkiest Man Alive: The Stax Funk Sessions 1967-1975

Performer: Rufus Thomas
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Liner Note Author: Dean Rudland. Photographer: William R. Eastabrook. Originally released in the UK in 2002 under the title The Funkiest Man, this compilation came out in the U.S. in 2003 with the slightly different title Funkiest Man Alive. The tracks, song sequence, and liner notes on each release were identical, though the cover art was different. It gathers 18 of Rufus Thomas' funk-oriented songs from 1967-1975, though only a few '60s sides are here. His biggest funk hit of all, "Do the Funky Chicken," is not here, and though the liners point out that the song is available on other Stax compilations, why not put it on here anyway? In its favor, there's little overlap between this anthology and the Stax CD Funky Chicken, a reissue of his 1969 LP Do the Funky Chicken with seven bonus tracks from his 1968-1974 singles. This also has his three big followup hits to "Do the Funky Chicken": "(Do The) Push and Pull (Part 1)," "Do the Funky Penguin (Part 1)," and "The Breakdown (Part 1)." To its detriment, however, the novelty dance funk grooves just get unimaginative, even monotonous, in such a concentrated dose, getting into spin-offs like "Funky Robot (Part 1)," "Do the Double Bump," "The Funky Bird," "Funky Mississippi," and so forth. Rufus Thomas is cool, but he's not James Brown (though the scratchy guitar and jerky rhythms of 1972's "Itch and Scratch (Part 1)" certainly owe a lot to Brown), nor are the backup musicians. When it stretches back as far as 1967 for "Sophisticated Cissy," there's a refreshing injection of more soul-grounded chops, female backup vocals, and horns. Two of the songs, "I'm Getting Better" and "Memphis Train '75," were previously unreleased in the US. ~ Richie Unterberger

The Crown Prince of Dance, Rufus Thomas is one of the most significant figures in Memphis music history, and is also an important contributor to the development of early rock & roll, classic Southern soul, and funk. Thomas began singing in the 1940s and made his name as a radio DJ in Memphis before recording the classic Sun Records side "Bear Cat." Thomas signed on with the legendary Stax Records in the early '60s where he released a series of fun yet hard-hitting soul records, many of which--"Do the Funky Chicken," "Do the Penguin," "Walking the Dog"--were directives for the latest dance crazes. Although Thomas was a genial entertainer, he was also one mean soulster, a reputation he upheld dutifully until his death in 2001.

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