The Impressions: "It's Alright" (1963)

Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler were both steeped in gospel and sang in the same group. By 1958, they had joined a band called the Roosters and were subsequently renamed Jerry Butler and the Impressions. Curtis did most of the writing, but Jerry was at first, the star. They had a smash hit the same year with "Your Precious Love" and another song that would crack the top 30. Jerry subsequently left, taking Curtis to play guitar for his solo act, but Curtis went back and reformed the Impressions. 

In 1961, "Gypsy Woman" would chart at #2 and was their biggest hit to date. After that however, little happened and personnel changes would affect the group.

But Curtis was not done. Moving the group to Chicago, they worked with a new producer who helped them achieve a more soulful gospel sound. This led to "It's Alright", which would become a number one hit on the R & B charts and cross over and pop at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. This would be one of six songs they would place on the R & B charts.

It is a simple song of encouragement and perseverance. Perhaps the first song to hint of Mayfield's impending social activism that would be reflected in all of his work when he went solo in 1970.

When you wake up early in the morning
Feelin' sad like so many of us do
Hum a little soul
Make life your goal
And surely something's got to come to you
And say it's all right (it's all right)Say it's all right (it's all right)
It's all right, have a good time
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right

There are many who feel that the drum playing on "It's Alright" is among the best drum R & B performances ever. It contains triplets on the hi- hat and  and fast rolls across the kit. What is curious is that nobody seems to know for sure who it was! Some claim it was Maurice White who did studio work for the Impressions as well as others and would be part of Earth, Wind and Fire.
Many people were influenced by Mayfield's work and that included Bob Marley and the Wailers who covered several of his songs. He is hailed as a Soul and Funk pioneer, and is even referred to as the founder of Psychedelic Soul. This can be easily observed on his masterful soundtrack for the movie "Superfly".

According to Wikipedia. "Two significant characteristics distinguish Mayfield's sound. First, he taught himself how to play guitar, tuning it to the black keys of the piano, thus giving him an open F-sharp tuning—F#, A#, C#, F#, A#, F#---that he used throughout his career. Second, he primarily sang in falsetto register, adding another flavor to his music. This was not unique in itself, but most singers sing primarily in the modal register."

While Jerry Butler and Mayfield went on to successful solo careers, the Impressions carried on and all of them have received prestigious awards and hall of fame credentials.

On August 13, 1990, Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him at an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York.  He was unable to play guitar, but he wrote, sang, and directed the recording of his last album, New World Order. Mayfield's vocals were painstakingly recorded, usually line-by-line while lying on his back. He was diagnosed with diabetes and died on December 26, 1999.

Prior to his death, (1993), Huey Lewis and the News recorded a cover of "It's All Right" for People Get Ready: A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield. Their rendition peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. It is such a great cover from this blues band turned pop, that we are including it here. This particular version by them is from a live and superbly recorded concert in Japan (1993).