otb christmas - Rotary Connection - Peace At Least

Here's a link to Minnie Riperton - Unsung story

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FE3D7F75F0133019&search_query=min...

Happy Holidays Brothers and Sisters (or as I like to sayHappy Holy Daze.) Let me start off by saying I really really hope Santa brings me a copy of this album for Christmas :)

But I digress.

Todays topic of discussion comes from the legendary Rotary Connection, who discovered way back in 68′ the secret behind Santa Claus is.

(gasp) HE SMOKES MISTLETOE!!!

Actually, it makes all of the sense in the world.

1) Living at the north pole.
2) Riding HIGH on his sleigh.
3) Leaving milk and cookies for him (aka the munchies).
4) His JOLLY behavior.

Think about it ( I mean, really think about it and tell me Im wrong)

Three points of interest which makes this particular song/album/and legacy of interest.

1) Sidney Barnes is the lead singer on the cut, and is also the one of the legendary songwriting partners of George Clinton and the Parliafunkadelicment Thang Inc, a huge part of the northern soul movement. Never mind the stuff that he did at Golden World.

2) That female voice is the legenday Minnie Ripperton and if youre not familiar with her, you should be! Start with Come to my Garden (1970) with the Ramsey Lewis Trio as the backing band (featuring a very young Maurice White on drums).

and

3) Charles Stepney (arranger, composer and producer) Now, if yall dont know about Charles, then you wouldnt know that Charles is the secret behind Earth, Wind & Fire, period. Check out every Rotary Connection album and the first Minnie album and youll find out why Maurice (as EWF alumni would suggest) was the quarterback and Charles was the coach of that band until his untimely death in 76′.


Peace at least - One of the best and most unusual Christmas songs ever made. It is about Santa Claus smoking mistletoe and the album cover has him dressed like a hippie smoking a bong. It is from the group Rotary Connection's 1968 Christmas album "Peace" that the late Minnie Riperton was a member of before her solo career. Minnie is best known for her smash hit "Loving You'. She is also known for her abilities in the Whistle Register and possessed a five-octave vocal range but some say it was a six-octave.


Article pulled from - ickmusic.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• otb
• christmas
• 2009

[QueenCloudzie]

I remember the guy playing Santa on the cover. He owned the Head Shop on Lincoln Ave., in Chicago

[poundcake67]

Haha that's funny! Well he looked great

[bastlake]

Would be great to hear an instrumental version of this, love how rich and full the sound gets by the end

[poundcake67]

Man talk about a dream come true!

[SOULINTEGRITY]

Fantastic group - Sidney Barnes etc. SOLID

[genman57]

@QueenCloudzie Yeah Man! I bumped into Minnie during a concert at Aron Russo's Electric Theater on Clark Street.. I told her she was great (but she already knew that!)..but she was very gracious and just said Thank You!!

[ckswright18]

OK. This is one of my all time favorites. Listened to it as a child. "What would ever happen, if he gave some to the kids!!". LOL.

[150thumper]

Merry Christmas ! Thanks Poundcake!

[Gaylel1]

That is Maya;s mother\\\\\

That is Maya's mother, folks! She must be smiling down at her right now and her success on SNL......But this record is rarely played on R&B formats and that is too bad. One of the rare gems.

[stevieplez2]

Yeah this is powerful, it takes me back to my child hood...

[stevieplez2]

Hey what's the name of the song by Rotary Connection, that says santa clause "smokes mistle toe" i been tryna find that one for decades now... OH snap this is it.... WOW Thanx...

[Nitaz8]

i love yhis group

[phatphrequency]

I have been a fan since 93 but this band was not only the start of Minnies career but also it was the brainchild of Charles Stepney without whom Maurice White would never have created EWF check the credits on Spirit by EWF

[MRAm33t]

I remember this song....played on FM 105.1 KBCA in Los Angeles circa 1960's. They also played Sidewalk Santa Claus I think by the same group? Would love to hear that song again!