Tower Of Power - "So Very Hard To Go" (1973)

Tower of Power is an American R&B, soul and funk based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California that has been performing for over 40 years.

In 1970, Tower of Power (by then including trumpeter/arranger Greg Adams, and drummer David Garibaldi) signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and released their first album, East Bay Grease. Augmented by percussionist/conga/bongo player Brent Byars, they moved to Warner Bros. Records and 1972's Bump City and 1973's Tower of Power, were breakout albums for the band. The former album included "You're Still a Young Man", which peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. Emilio Castillo, who co-wrote "You're Still a Young Man", told Songfacts that the song was based on a true story concerning a former girlfriend who was six years older than him.

Tower of Power, released in the spring of 1973, was the third album for the band. This has been the group's most successful album to date. It peaked at #15 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and was RIAA certified as a gold record (for sales in excess of 500,000 copies). The album also spawned their most-successful single "So Very Hard To Go". Although the single peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, it landed in the Top 10 on the surveys of many West Coast Top 40 radio stations, hitting #1 on many of them. The album also charted two other singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "This Time It's Real" and "What Is Hip?" The latter is possibly their most enduring song.

1974's Back to Oakland spawned another hit, "Don't Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)", that reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100, plus "Time Will Tell", which charted at #69.

On some of their releases in the mid-1970s, such as Urban Renewal (1974), the band moved more toward funk than soul; however, they continued recording ballads as well. After vocalist Lenny Williams moved on, the band's days of chart radio airplay declined. During the late 1970s they briefly tried recording disco-sounding material. Leader Emilio Castillo said in an interview that the band's brief foray into quasi-disco music was at the request of Columbia Records, who had the band under contract at the time.

Tower of Power still tours extensively today, though there have been many changes over the years. At least 60 musicians have toured or recorded with the band over its 40-plus-year existence. These include current Saturday Night Live musical director/saxophonist Lenny Pickett, drummer David Garibaldi, bassist Rocco Prestia, organ master Chester Thompson, saxophonists Richard Elliot and Euge Groove, and guitarist Bruce Conte. Conte's cousin, BALCO founder Victor Conte, also played bass guitar in the band from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Former lead vocalist Rick Stevens (real name Donald Stevenson) was sentenced to life in prison on three counts of first-degree murder for crimes committed after leaving the band. Rufus Miller performed most of the lead vocals on 'East Bay Grease'. Bruce Conte rejoined the band in 2006, replacing veteran guitarist Jeff Tamelier. He departed after slightly more than a year, citing personal recording projects and health issues. Following Conte as guitarist was Charles Spikes (while auditions for a permanent player were held), then Mark Harper.

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[SuperOmnicron]

@deldena ..magnificent..re-discovered in the film "City of God" ... Oaktown love....unity.

[deldena]

I saw them in Oakland, back in the day. Awesome concert, awesome music and still has the power to pierce our hearts.

[gregrocker2]

Masterpiece.

[vingdynasty]

Thanks for posting that! LOVE IT

[67SOLDADO]

reminds me of child hood being out in tha garage with my dad n his freinds playin pool laughin and havin a good time

[Beebop008]

I've listened to this song so many times over the decades. I can just listen to it as is or just follow a section. Having said that... the piano player is amazing. I cannot recommend seeing them in concert enough.

[mikebarnes5194]

one of my all time favorite songs

[gotbud36pk]

@paularegec CHECK OUT MY POST I FEEL YOU FROM THE HEART LYRICS ARE DEEP....

[gotbud36pk]

SONG IS SO TRUE,TO THE HEART THAT I'M LIVING PROOF TO THE LYRICS AS I'M HEARING IT OVER AND OVER AN I WISH I DIDN'T LOVE HER SO......

[vh93jones]

The only words to describe this song are PURELY RIGHTEOUS. All late 90's and later no talent hacks need to study this strange new concept of a BAND!!!!! Thanks much to TheBacmaster for this........