QUESTLOVE'S MUSIC IS HISTORY: THE ALBUM VERSION

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: January 31, 1972 Recorded: 1971 Label: Hi Records Side 1 1. Let's Stay Together 2. La-La For You 3. So You're Leaving* 4. What Is This Feeling 5. Old Time Lovin' Side 2 1. I've Never Found a Girl (Who Loves Me Like You Do) 2. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart 3. Judy 4. It Ain't No Fun To Me *- Questlove- "Norman Whitfield did such an amazing job with the Temptations that I started to associate the vocal "boo-boo-boo"s with him rather than Sly, who he took them from.  In this song, there's a little breakdown where Al Green modernizes his sound by going for that kind of vocal pattern.  That's the only sign that he's current in the context of the Hi Records sounds."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Recorded: 1976 Released: 1978 Label: Milestone Records Side 1 1. Look Into His Eyes* 2. Juicy 3. Hidden Within 4. You On My Mind Side 2 1. What Can I Say? 2. Bahama Mama 3. That's What She Said 4. You Are My Heart *- Questlove- "I mostly focus on the spiraling vocal turnaround at the end, because J Dilla used it as an interlude on one of his beat tapes.  I will forever know it based on that, on the last minute thirty.  The beginning of the song really doesn't matter to me."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: July 10, 1990 Recorded: 1981-1990 Label: Paisley Park/Reprise Records Side 1 1. Dreamland 2. Pandemonium 3. Sexy Socialites 4. Jerk Out 5. Yount 6. Blondie 7. Donald Trump (Black Version) 8. Chocolate* Side 2 1. Cooking Class 2. Skillet 3. It's Your World 4. Sometimes I Get Lonely 5. Data Bank 6. My Summertime Thang 7. Pretty Little Women *- Questlove- "On D'Angelo records, we would program a click track and then drunkenly dance around the metronome to build up rhythm.  Prince does the opposite.  Everything is airtight but then he'll go for the human element on something as simple as handclaps . "

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: September 24, 1991 Recorded: April-June 1991 Label: Warner Bros. Records Side 1 1. The Power of Equality 2. If You Have To Ask 3. Breaking The Girl* 4. Funky Monks 5. Suck My Kiss Side 2 1. I Could Have Lied 2. Mellowship Slinky In B Major 3. The Righteous & The Wicked 4. Give It Away Side 3 1. Blood Sugar Sex Magik 2. Under The Bridge 3. Naked in the Rain 4. Apache Rose Peacock Side 4 1. The Greeting Song 2. My Lovely Man 3. Sir Psycho Sexy 4. They're Red Hot *-Questlove- "The song is fine but the chorus is great.  For me, it's something about the background vocals; the angelic singing stands bright--kind of the opposite of the punk-rappy in-yo-face-funk they are known for.  I tend to like the Peppers' quieter moments--I feel the same way about "Californication."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: February 24, 1975 Recorded: July 1970-February 1974 Label: Swan Song Records Side 1 1. Custard Pie 2. The Rover 3. In My Time Of Dying* Side 2 1. Houses of the Holy 2. Trampled Under Foot 3. Kashmir Side 3 1. In the Light 2. Bron-Yr-Aur 3. Down By the Sea Side 4. Ten Years Gone Side 4 1. Night Flight 2. The Wanton Song 3. Boogie with Stu 4. Black Country Woman 5. Sick Again *-Questlove- "Toward the end, right before the breakdown, there's a part that locks into an incredible rhythm.  You don't know who's driving, whether it's Bonham or Page--I see it as a horse race, and they're neck and neck.  It's like the song itself is having an orgasm, even without Robert Plant actually verbalizing the way he does."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: September 1968 Recorded: May 1968 Label: Epic Records Side 1 1. Dynamite! 2. Chicken 3. Plastic Jim 4. Fun 5. Into My Own Thing 6. Harmony Side 2 1. Life 2. Love City 3. I'm An Animal* 4. M'Lady 5. Jane is a Groupee *- Questlove- "This album is full of short songs, AM-ready.  This is one of the longer ones, but I wish it was even longer.  I want to know what happens in the fade to make sure no humans were harmed after whatever it was that was let loose in the studio.  It feels like there are some jazz chops at work."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: September 1980 Recorded: 1980 Label: Columbia Records Side 1 1. Spiraling Prism 2. Calypso* 3. Just Around the Corner Side 2 1. 4 AM 2. Shiftless Shuffle 3. Textures *- Questlove- "When D'Angelo was recording Voodoo , he made a bridge out of the intro of this song, though the song with it didn't make it onto the album. Years after that I finally got Mr. Hands .  It's the classic Miles lineup playing here (along with Sheila E. on percussion) and Herbie does something similar to what Miles did in "Nefertiti," stays stable and lets Tony and Ron run rampant.  Great song, but the melody was so hypnotic I didn't want to leave it for the Brazilian coda, which kind of gets dropped on your head like an ACME anvil.  When I hear it all I can think of is Tom Willis on The Jeffersons , and that little cha-cha dance he did."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: October 10, 1983 Recorded: 1983 Label: Virgin/Epic Records Side 1 1. Karma Chameleon 2. It's a Miracle 3. Black Money 4. Changing Every Day 5. That's The Way (I'm Only Trying To Help You) Side 2 1. Church of the Poison Mind 2. Miss Me Blind* 3. Mister Man 4. Stormkeeper 5. Victims *-Questlove- "This is their third single, and it's the one that got me.  Specifically, the instrumental breakdown right before the last verse.  Roy Hay is killing it on acoustic guitar, which is rare for a funk song.  Usually you just go for it, all electric.  The acoustic is very rare: maybe the Jackson 5's "Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don't Say No)" and this."