8 replies to this topic

[MBlues]

Two days ago, I watched "Respect Yourself:The Stax Records Story", and this was one of the songs they played on there, and the main melody is exactly like the part after the horns in "I Can't Turn You Loose", so shouldn't the title on Blues Brothers albums say "I Can't Turn You Loose/Time Is Tight"? Since it's like a medley of both of those songs? I don't get it.

[Cropper Classic]

From the archives:

Jehovah_of_Jive
10th Feb 2005, 04:52 PM

'Cant Turn You Loose' was released by Otis Redding in 1966, 'Time is Tight' by Booker T and the MGs was released in 1969. So indeed, the MGs could well have adapted the riff with a different melody line over the top.

[Vinnie Blues]

It's what they did actually. I think they're the only ones to play it like this. Last summer I saw them in concert and they still play it with the 'Time Is Tight' riff.

I have another version played by the Bar-Kays of 'I Can't Turn You Loose', taken during the 1972 Wattstax Festival in LA. They played and sung the song (with the lyrics) in tribute to Otis Redding, but at the same speed than the piece played during the mall chase and the BB concerts openings. When I thought that only the BB Band played it faster than everything !

We have to keep in mind that S. Cropper and D. Dunn were both players of the BB band and Stax studio musicians. They played a lot for Otis Redding, S. Cropper had even created 'Sitting on the Dock of the Bay' with Otis Redding.

[ChAnOoD_bLuEs]

Cropper Classic said:

From the archives:

Jehovah_of_Jive
10th Feb 2005, 04:52 PM

'Cant Turn You Loose' was released by Otis Redding in 1966, 'Time is Tight' by Booker T and the MGs was released in 1969. So indeed, the MGs could well have adapted the riff with a different melody line over the top.

According to Steve Cropper, the riff from I Can´t Turn You Loose was a riff from Booker T. & The Mg´s. Otis added the horns and lyrics to it and release it as "I Can´t Turn You Loose". So, "Time Is Tight" is the older brother of "I Can´t Turn You Loose" but it was released later.

[MBlues]

ChAnOoD_bLuEs said:

According to Steve Cropper, the riff from I Can´t Turn You Loose was a riff from Booker T. & The Mg´s. Otis added the horns and lyrics to it and release it as "I Can´t Turn You Loose". So, "Time Is Tight" is the older brother of "I Can´t Turn You Loose" but it was released later.

Didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

[Cropper Classic]

Both tunes kick a$$ so it's a no lose either way!

I don't know why I said that but I love both songs.

[Dauber]

I think the reason "Time Is Tight" isn't listed on Briefcase Full Of Blues is that on that version, the organ riff that we all know as "Time Is Tight" isn't there.

[Vinnie Blues]

I do not agree fully, I listened to the intro again of Briefcase Full of Blues and I can hear the organ riff. At one moment, I can hear distinctely 6 notes (while in the movie Murph plays 8 notes) going up the scale, played on the Hammond organ. True that the riff is not played completely but we cannot say it is totally absent either.

[Scott]

I can hear Paul Shafer playing some of the notes very quietly in the background, but only after Dan/Elwood has started talking. There is no lead-in like Murph plays in the movie.