Gene Anderson - "The Devil Made Me Do It"

Hey, a happy Friday to everyone! I hadn't intended to take so long between posts but it just sort of worked out that way. Anyway, to celebrate the upcoming weekend, I thought that I'd blog something good and funky for the first time in awhile.

"The Devil Made Me Do It" is another St. Louis record show find, in fact one of the best things that I got there. I haven't been able to track down much information on Gene Anderson, other than his career seems to have spanned the 1960's and 1970's, recording for several different labels. Today's record dates from around 1971, give or take a year. Anderson co-wrote and co-produced it with none other than Alvin Cash, meaning you know it's bound to be a good one.

"The Devil Made Me Do It" starts off with a sinister laugh and someone asking, "Why did you do that"? A "female" voice replies, "The devil made me do that"! Horns play the opening notes from Beethoven's 5th as Anderson lets out a scream. We're then on our way, with Anderson going on about different girls he's taken to dances and the steps they're doing. At the end of each verse, that voice is back, asking, "Why did you do that?", with the corresponding response. I can't remember hearing too many soul dance records that I thought were any more fun than this. Fun and funky, I guess you could say and a great screamer to boot.

The flipside is an instrumental version of the song, titled "Funky Beethoven", named after those famous opening notes. I noted in my rather meager research that both sides have been comped at least once. I'd love to know more about Gene Anderson. Some of the soul and funk enthusiasts out there must be able to add something.