I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before but “funky” tunes come from a variety of sources, often unexpected. This 45 is evidence of that – though if you are a fan of TJW it may be less surprising at just how funky he can get!
Obviously most of you will be well aware of the hugely popular “Polk Salad Annie” and you may also know that he was a good mate of Elvis Presley (but don’t hold that against him – ha!). However, he was also fond of a bit of wah-wah and experimenting beyond the usual country or rock and roll and that’s where this release comes in.
Tucked away as the b-side to “Old Man Willis” “Elements And Things” is an absolute monster. The music in it is truly outstanding. From the opening bass, drums and geetar you just know it’s gonna be so damn funky and thankfully, it never lets up. There’s swirling organ, horns, loads of phasing, wah-wah and Tony Joe’s unmistakable vocals to keep you hooked. I only recently got a copy of this as it was only released on this French issue and hence took a while to track down. So glad I did as it is hot, hot!! Can’t wait to play it out on a big system.