I Was Sneaking Down a Long Lonesome Road

Spirit: "The Other Song"
From Son of Spirit [Mercury, 1975]

I think a lot of people are thanking Diplo and Tripledouble for dropping the insanely dope AEIOU Two last year, an eclectic journey through beats and breaks that sheds light on what makes this whole digging thing worthwhile. Although every track they used is heat, one of them in particular stands out and has lead to a number of heads hitting up message boards frantically searching for the song's identity. I was surprised to find out it was a track by Spirit, a rock band from the Bay Area that experimented with psychedlia, jazz, funk, and blues to create a unique sound for themselves during the early 70's. After lead singer Jay Ferguson left the band, members Randy California and Ed Cassidy perservered and released Son of Spirit under Spirit's name, but unfortunately this release was shunned into obscurity due in large part to the band's new genetic makeup. The track Diplo and Tripledouble used is called "The Other Song", an incredible mix of psych, blues, jazz, and funk. The slow pacing and hypnotic guitar playing allows for some especially eerie vocals, eventually evolving into a more upbeat jazz number before falling back again. While I can't really recommend the album as a whole, this track alone is so worth the purchase. Essential.