Keep on Movin'!

Inez & Charlie Foxx & Their Mockin' Band - Speed Ticket

This morning finds the Stepfather of Soul feeling very ebullient, having completed his summer exams and finally able to enjoy some time off before diving into the next (and final) year of law school, so the only appropriate thing to post is something "get down"-worthy!

Inez and Charlie Foxx were the "Carpenters" of R&B, recording a nice string of records from 1963 to 1969 including hits like "Mockingbird," soul fan favorites like "(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days" and "Come By Here" and today's selection, one of their more funkier numbers and the duo's last 45 before Inez went solo (her final LP, At Memphis, was released on Volt in 1973 - one number, "The Lady, The Doctor & The Prescription," has been featured in a prior post). "Speed Ticket" is a hard-driving instrumental over which the Foxxes do a little skit about Charlie driving waaaaaay too fast, to Inez's chagrin. Truthfully, it's pretty corny, but for some strange reason it works. Maybe it's because the groove is so strong. Or maybe it's because Inez also provides a great background vocal that is in counterpoint to her lines in the sketch. While Inez is complaining about how fast Charlie is going (and threatening not to bail Charlie out if he ends up going to jail, the threat of which appears at multiple points in the tune with some siren sound effects that are thrown in the mix), in the background she's wailing "keep on moo-oo-oo-vin'" and "don't stop." It's a strange tune, to be sure, but it's a good groover for me to celebrate with!