Eddie Harris – It’s All Right Now
Eddie Harris – Why Do You Hurt Me
Eddie Harris – That Is Why You’re Overweight
This record from Eddie Harris isn’t particularly difficult to find. Like a lot of records from this same period of time, the work is generally lightly regarded, especially up against those classic records Harris put out in the mid-1960s. “Overweight” does have some really nice cuts though and showcases Harris’ playful side that was on display quite a bit during the mid 1970s.
I first ran into this at Groove Merchant shortly after having moved to the Bay Area back in 1999. The LP carried one of Cool Chris’ notes mentioning that “It’s All Right” was a sure shot party starter. Chris is rarely wrong and he was dead on about this one. With that sly funky mid tempo groove, simple vocals, mostly just being “It’s All Right Now” mixed in with some chatter, and even a little soul clap, this one has been a stable of my sets when I spin out for 10 years now.
The title track has a slower, more bluesy vibe to it, with some wicked amplified sax sounds and truly silly lyrics about all the food that Eddie Harris has been eating lately, while the chorus of singers let him know that “That Is Why You’re Overweight”. Though it was written in the mid 1970s, this could be a perfect, albeit ironic, theme song for America in 2010. I also dig the cool vibes of the Sly Stone inspired “Who Do You Hurt Me,” though I can’t really recommend much of the rest of the LP, thankfully this one is fairly easy to track down and for reasonable prices. It’s definitely worth the search for “It’s All Right” alone.
Cheers,
Michael