Oct 262012
You know I’ve got a deep, some might say perverse love for Eric Burdon & War, but War itself, after Burdon left the band, was even better. Today, in an effort to petition for a Critical Upgrade, I declare War! In coming weeks there may be more evidence to submit.
This is one of the first War (sans Burdon) songs I loved. My baby brother and I used to get a kick out of it. I’ve always been a sucker for any bass riff along the lines of Spencer Davis Group‘s “Gimme Some Lovin’,” and this song’s core riff met that criterion. The overall effect of discovering War at the age of 11 was like seeing Fat Albert & the Junkyard Band come to life.
Where doe “Spill The Wine” fall?
Until then, I had never heard of The Animals, Eric Burdon, War, or whoever. After that single, it was all a matter of working backwards or strongheadedly forwards. Burdon sounded both “black” and psychedelic to my ears when “Spill The Wine” rocked out of my yellow Panasonic Toot-a-Loop radio.
I still get swoonily nostalgic when I think of a trip to Virginia Beach, going through puberty, during the summer of the Bicentennial, when I hear “Summer”.
“Cisco Kid”, “Low Rider”, “Slippin’ Into Darkness”….fuhgeddiboudit! Beyond words.
‘Ya want a contemporary update on that kind of latin/funk sound? Check out my local homeboy/pro skater, Tommy Guerrero.
Also, not a million miles away from The Meters.
“Spill the Wine” is where the magic of War begins!
YES, I was thinking that last night! I look forward to someone more knowledgeable, like BigSteve or geo, setting me wrong on this thought over some rhythmic technicality, but I hear what you’re hearing.
“Spill the Wine” Man, what a funky song. This song here really got me in the groove. Hard for me to explain but I really got into the funkiness of this sound “Me and Baby Brother” Some rock songs I like to listen to and some I like to get into.