Holy Ghost [Original Extended Mix] - The Bar-Kays (1978)

"Holy Ghost" was a hit single by The Bar-Kays, from their 1978 album "Money Talks". The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group who began performing in 1966 and continue to perform today, although with only one original member. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" in 1967, and "Son Of Shaft" in 1972. Although The Bar-Kays stuck with Stax Records until its demise in 1976, the label stopped releasing the group's recordings after 1973. However, when they re-emerged as a success on the Mercury label with hits like "Shake Your Rump To The Funk", some unreleased recordings they made between 1974 and 1976 were released as an album entitled "Money Talks". Although this repackaging was obviously designed to cash in on the group's success, "Money Talks" stands up as a solid and consistent album in its own right. This material lays the groundwork for The Bar-Kays' post-Stax style by trading live-in-the-studio jams for a carefully produced sound and blending in standout pop hooks into the funky grooves. The best example of this is "Holy Ghost", a hard-grooving monster of a jam where elaborate horn arrangements dance around a thick synthesizer bassline as lead singer Larry Dodson lays down a salacious vocal about his lover's otherworldly romantic skills. It became a big R&B hit when released as a single in 1978, reaching #9 on the Soul Singles chart, and was later sampled by M/A/R/R/S on their club classic "Pump Up The Volume". The Bar-Kays began in Memphis, Tennessee as a studio session musician group, backing major artists at Stax Records. They were chosen in 1967 by Otis Redding to play as his backing band. On December 10, 1967, Redding, his manager, and Bar-Kays members Jimmy King (b. 1949; guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (b. 1948; electric organ), Phalon Jones (b. 1949; saxophone), and Carl Cunningham (b. 1949; drums) died in a plane crash in Lake Monona while on their way to a performance in Madison, Wisconsin. Trumpeter Ben Cauley survived the crash and bassist James Alexander was on another plane, since there were eight members in Redding's party and the chartered plane could only hold seven. Cauley and Alexander rebuilt the group. The re-formed band consisted of Cauley; Alexander; Harvey Henderson, saxophone; Michael Toles, guitar; Ronnie Gorden, organ; Willie Hall, drums and later Larry Dodson, lead vocals. The group backed dozens of major Stax artists on recordings afterwards, including Isaac Hayes's "Hot Buttered Soul". Cauley left the group in 1971, with Lloyd Smith joining in 1973 and the band changed musical direction during that decade to have a successful funk music career on Mercury Records. The Bar-Kays continued to have hits on the R&B charts well into the 1980s. Marcus Price was also a member of the Bar-Kays, until he was murdered coming from rehearsal in 1984, a crime never solved by the Memphis police. The band took a hiatus in the late 1980s, but regrouped in 1991, with Alexander once again being the only original member involved. Alexander's son is the award-winning rapper and record producer, Phalon 'Jazze Pha' Alexander, who was named after Phalon Jones. This channel is dedicated to all the great 'old school' R&B music I grew up with, the stuff that originally made me tap my feet and want to be a DJ. Funk, soul, disco, R&B, dance, hip-hop, pop . . . 60s, 70s, 80s . . . whatever you call it, it's all 'Old School' and it's all here!

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Category:

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[Kevingoblu]

Back when house parties were HOUSE PARTIES.....fun with no guns!

[Cranberry333]

one of those funk songs that REALLY does make you make a face like sum'n stank - LOL

[MrJHC413]

This Is A Great Song, House Parties Was The Shit Back In The Day, No Guns, Just Much Weed, & M D 20 20, Old School All Day !!

[18ktgold]

Funky.....!!!!!

[1voodoostick]

That drum pattern is real funk!

[MrBillc1023]

Truly, one of the funkiest groups to walk the face of the earth. Although they were sometimes accused of copying the more successful groups of their time such as Earth, Wind and Fire, Cameo and most especially Rick James nobody did it like they did. Their groove was truly original. I remember partying so hard off this jam at the club in Memphis that the walls were sweating! .

[monindy]

love bar kays!

[OreDaiyoWarioDaiyo]

0:50 Megaman Victory theme???

[MrAmanij716]

That bass is truly kickin ass and taking names

[sani509]

@whoadude1959 aww suga! u should of been with us when this came out! we had the walls of the club sweatin! lol

[whoadude1959]

I found this song when it was mentioned by The Sugarhill Gang in Rapper's Delight.....one of my happiest discoveries!