Thanks to a friend, I’ve been introduced to variety of new music recently. Stuff that I’d have a hard time finding on my own.
One of the artists that I really like is RJD2. He started mixing in Columbus, OH, and then joined a rap group called MHz. Although RJD2’s genre is listed as Hip-hop, he has an eclectic release of music. Soul, Techno, hip-hop, house… Most people who have watched TV have heard his music as the the theme to a commercial or two.
My favorite song is “Smoke and Mirrors” because there is an old sample of a rhythm and blues song. It sounds almost like Jimmy Hendrix in the sample. However, it’s obvious when looking for the lyrics that it is not.
I’ve been trying to figure out who RJD2 sampled in Smoke and Mirrors ever since I first heard the song on a wonderful warm night heading into Portland, Oregon for dinner at Pok Pok. It’s baffled me, and a number of people in forums all over the web. No one seems to know who the sample is.
It’s been bugging me that I couldn’t find the name of the artist who was sampled. I mean, Holy crap, it’s the is the 21st century! Stuff like that should be the first link in Google!
Finally, with the help of NPR, this chapter in my life’s book is finished.
Last night I was listening to Remembering Bill Moss and Capsoul Records, capsoul being Columbus’s motown alternative, and wouldn’t you know it here comes the riff and the lyrics:
maybe sunshine, maybe rain
but as for me, I’ll wait and see
and maybe it’ll bring my love to me
There it is. It was an artist who was signed up with capsoul records in Ohio. It turned out to be: Marion Black – Who knows.
I’ll bet that RJD2 picked up some EP in a record store in Ohio and has had it stashed away in his collection.
who knows what tomorrow will bring
maybe sunshine, maybe rain
but as for me, I’ll wait and see
and maybe it’ll bring my love to me
who knows, who knows, who knows any better than I
that it’s she who is keeping me alive
keeping the little girl as my goal
makes my life worth living, you know
another day, another day, just another day, I want to live
to share the love that only she can give
and if she don’t, come on home
I pray the lord will help me carry on
another day, another day, just another day
Thanks so much for finding this, I’ve been looking everywhere.
You’re not alone! I’ve been looking for the artist who sings this song since I first heard it in the credits of the movie “Who Killed the Electric Car”
I like the original lyrics a lot! I was so surprised when you told me that you found out where those lyrics were from. Especially after searching all over the internet and in blogs. You’re lucky that you were listening to NPR at the right time.
We should buy the Eccentric Soul album that has that song on it. It looks like a pretty good blues album. I wonder if the rest of Marion Black’s stuff sounds like Jimi Hendrix.
hey, thanks a lot from germany as well!
and… i heard the sample in an episode of “weed”… first season, episode 6!
great song!
Fantastic!!!
That has been bothering me since I first heard “Smoke & Mirrors”
Cheers.
Brilliant sample spotting! Thanks 🙂
This blog entry is in fact the second link on Google search. Good job Eric!
There is also a version more reggae made by “Marion Black” on the first volume of Weeds a TV show.
I’m so glad u started this thing. Now I know who in the heck this cat is. When i first heard the sample of Marion Black in RJD2 two things blew me away, one being the sound and feel of that song hearing the haunting blues voice and the second being that the first time I heard that song my mother walked in as it played to tell me my older brother had passed away. I played the RJD2 track at his funeral only to somehow let my brother and everyone hear that message that Black sung.
Really helpful! Thanks a load man!
Who killed the electric car. Awesome song to end an awesome documentary. Thanks 😉
THANKS! — was introduced to RJD2 a while back but just now started really scoping his work (amazing).
Thank you dude. Great discovery, great song!
RJd2 is superschweet. discovered them on pandora (love the rob dougan station).
check out RJD2 – Weather People
“Stuff like that should be the first link in Google!” Thank to you, now is the first link you get. Epic song, makes me wanna live forever! Thank you a lot! Cheers from brazil!
I was gonna sarcastically remark that there’s such a thing as http://www.whosampled.com, but the song isn’t even on there! However, the song and its’ samples are mentioned on
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/mobile/wikilink/?page=Deadringer_%28album%29
and
http://www.thefullwiki.org/Deadringer_%28album%29
Gwen… The fullwiki only updated that page in 2009 – two years after my post. Brooklyn museum only created that wiki in the last year…
As far as I can tell i am the first person to blog about it.