I'm a long time R&B lover and I never thought I'd hear a version that could rival the original Stevie Wonder cut "Boogie On Reggae Woman". When I first heard Dillard, Hartford and Dillard's version I cracked up. It was so unique I went out and bought the Flying Fish records recording on vinyl. Now some 25 to 30 years after hearing DH&D's version again, I am impressed with the recording. Now it's not so amusing as it impressive how they preserved the cookin' feel of the tune and with a banjo! Admittedly, it's not similar to any other recording I've heard by DH&D's. The bass is clearly electric and with the same rhythm guitar percussion part and then backing female vocals — it's a fun song they recorded. I'm sure that DH&D fans don't appreciate it, but it cooks and I'm glad I could find the double album containing it (Glitter Grass/Permanent Wave) at Amazon.

It's possible, albeit unlikely there is more than one version recorded, that the version reviewed previously is not the same version on the afore mentioned double album CD that I have heard.

This is awful - just plain awful. All of the funk and energy of the original Stevie Wonder tune has been wrought out of this version and left on the floor. Hartford just does not have the voice or arrangement to pull this off. I had to almost laugh when he sang, "I like to do it to you till you holler for more." Ugh! Dump it!

Interesting Bio on AMG. Would have never guessed he wrote Gentle on my Mind Oh, and I agree with the consensus - this is not very enjoyable.

Y'know, I can get behind some of the bizarre covers and stuff that radioparadise comes out with. I particularly enjoy the bluegrass version of Metallica's Unforgiven. But this is just.... This is just.... Words fail. It's just bad. It sucks. I have a degree in music, and I can see someone with a tin ear maybe enjoying it, but otherwise? Nuh-uh. It's just plain bad. All counts, thumbs down.

Mildly amusing the first time around. Now it's just stupid.

8O 8O Someone gave this a 10?!?!?! 8O 8O =;

8O

In the name of all that's holy what is this man doing? Stevie with added Dukes of Hazzard style? :P

It doesn't even sound like he's trying. Was this some sort of contractual obligation cut?

Pretty damn funny. Plus that a nice little gutar solo there toward the end. I'm continually surprised at the lack of humor from some RP listeners.

Aww come on...it's not that bad. Y'all think I'm crazy? Maybe I just like Hartford too much. Prefer Phish's version in the end though.

indigo_xia wrote: I'd second that. The style of the song is totally different from what I expected when I saw the title, but its still kind of likeable.

this is really really awful.

OMG! Never heard this, but I do dig JH. Coming after "Living For the City" by Stevie makes this especially hilarious. Hooot!

drH wrote: I was going to say "Don't you mean what was Hartford smoking? but I think we all know the answer to that question.

Can we make today the very last time this piece of crap is played on RP? I do not see a choice for minus numbers in the rating choices, so i give it an undeserved 1. Way too good for this supposed "song" IMHO, but it is the lowest I can go.

This is really strange, but kinda likeable. Weird.

Wierd. What was Hartford thinking?

Peyote wrote: Variety is the spice of life, right? I'll take Hartford over John Prine, not a huge gap, just my prefrence. And While I'll give Mike Cross a listen (not familiar) I can't stand Coe. At least not what I've heard of him. The problem to me is this song is not really a good representation of Hartford's strongest work. It's obviously done as a joke lambasting the "Nashville Style" of the '70's. Hartford was very anti-Nashville, even writing a song crucifying the system for attempting to tear down the Rhyman when they built Opryland. There are numerous songs better suited to showcase Hartford's tallent, but only a very few have been added to the RP playlist and they seem to be getting superceded by this tune, probably due to Bill's affinity for unusual covers. Judging John Hartford by this song alone is like judging Frank Zappa based solely on "Valley Girl" not exactly a realistic picture of the artists work as a whole.

JohnMac wrote: Yeh, your right. He's Willie's long lost tone deaf quarter-cousin from Morocco that he had to put on the show.

and you play this right after a stevie song? ouch.... but don't go disrespecting willie by putting this guy on his show!

Art_Carnage wrote: Yeh, is this the "Willy Nelson & Friends Good-Time Variety Hour" or what?

Ummm, yuk.

Stinks. Really, really stinks. :P Sounds like something off a lame 70s variety show.

Hairfarmer wrote: Dude you're scaring me 8O ......Prine blows this guy away, and David Allan Coe!! How 'Bout Mike Cross? Remember him? Upload some of his stuff......

It doesn't have the same funkadelia, but not too bad. I think the song would be much better without the backup singers.

oh no. do not like this one bit.

No. I don't like this - Stevie's version is preferable, IMO.

Well, that was interesting.

Damn! I missed it. My first upload to get played and I missed it by 20 minutes. Hey at least it got added Then again, maybe It wasn't me. #-o This was the next one I was going to try though, I ripped about 10 Hartford tunes last night.