Monday, December 7, 2009

H2H#4 - One nation under a groove Vs. Do what you wanna do

Something a bit different. Outside the comfort zone of some no doubt, but that's half the fun of H2H. Two records released within 12 months of eachother. Both kept me on the dancefloor at the time. People still call them classics. But which one cuts the most mustard in 2009? Which one survived the test of time best?

There are no videos to distract. Only the tracks. Just as it should be really.

One nation under a groove - Funkadelic



Do what you wanna do - T Connection



De-groovy?

6 comments:

ejaydee said...

This is an H2H where I don't need to listen to the tracks. Both classics indeed, but I'll go with T-Connection. I remember I found out about it by asking the DJ what it was.

sourpus said...

ejay. Glad you felt the urge to join in and make your assessment. I would add that the point of H2H for me IS to reassess that which you think you know sometimes; to listen again and see if anything is changed in the light of a new day. Fair enough if nothing's changed though.

lambretinha said...

I think I'm going with T-Connection too, but for different reasons (in fact, the opposite to the reason you're putting up the H2H series, sourpus -great job, by the way!!-)
While "One Nation... is a regular staple on my iPod, and I've been listening to it regularly for years now, "Do what..." I had completely forgotten about... so much, in fact, that I don't know the last time I had listened to this track. And my God, it's a killer!

ejaydee said...

Fair point sourpus, so I re-listened properly, and for a while I thought One Nation was going to edge it, but it sort of loses pizzazz after the 4-5 minute mark (after dohweeohdoooooohs). T-Connection's tighter groove and keyboard make it the overall winner, although it wouyld be fairer to both to organise a special H2H on the dancefloor.

sourpus said...

I must say, your arguements are strong on the T Connection front. How well I remember this twelve inch version with its funky drum feature really prominent. Quite sent me at the time.

Interestingly, and perhaps a bit more controversially, ive also been thinking about 'Do what you wanna do' in particular and thinking about how it has influenced modern dancefloor music and pop. In particular, how the vocabulary making up the music of successful songs like this T Connection (and One nation, come top think of it) and necessary for their propper appreciation, have been more-than-somewhat cheapened (Doesnt it happen to all popular forms in the end? - think of the direction C&W took since the late 70's and 80's when it started making heaps of cash, or the way Rock has gradually been watered down to feature certain 'successful', dancefloor filling, and, most of all, money-making sounds over and over again;
some would just call it the law of diminishing returns, but im not so sure myself) by endless recycling of what 'worked'.

Makes me think anyway.

steenbeck said...

Couldn't choose, I like them both, and so does Isaac, he's dancing with a snow monster from Star Wars.