LP Review: Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)
Lightning in a funky disco bottle
Released: November 30, 1974
Runtime: 38:00
I’m no music expert, just an enthusiast and half-assed historian.
With that caveat, Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied), the debut album from B.T. Express, has always resonated with me as one of the most important LPs in the evolution of funk and disco. Yet doesn’t really get its due.
Except for an awesome Burger King commercial that I swear existed in the late 1990s that I can find no evidence of. Maybe it was all a dream…
Anyways, originally known as Brooklyn Transit Express, this New York outfit produced an usual piece of music here. Despite being composed of almost all dance songs it is distressingly brooding and ominous courtesy of some deep bass lines. Helping that cause out are some strings that conjure dread instead of whimsy. Odd for a disco album, but variety is the spice of life.
There’s also a peppy flute that weaves in and out throughout the album to lighten the mood from time to time.
There’s also an unmistakable influence of psychedelic rock and soul in this quasi-masterpiece, which is what gives it that edge. Fuzz guitar crops up in several spots as the most obvious hint of this. The lyrical content (along with the overall grimy feel of this album) marks it as a step-child of Norman Whitfield’s early 1970s productions for the Temptations and Undisputed Truth.
As you can tell, I love this album. And it was a big seller for good reasons. You can pinpoint its influences, but it also stood out from the crowd when it was released late in 1974.
It took a minute, but the disc reached #1 on the R&B and #5 on the pop album charts in early 1975 ultimately earning certified gold status. Two of its songs hit #1 on the R&B singles chart while also surging to the top 5 of Billboard’s pop register. They both also earned gold status.
B.T. Express never again had this kind of success.
And to be truthful, this album seems like lightning in a bottle because it pretty much was. B.T. Express initially recorded those two hit singles (detailed below) and were then rushed into the studio to record a full album after those tracks tore up the charts. No wonder all the songs resemble one another quite a bit. These were young musicians urged to “say the line” over and over.
Good thing it was a fantastic “line”. So fantastic that the band would try re-creating and recycling it with diminishing returns over the ensuing years. Eventually the one-liner loses its juice and B.T. Express never quite found another to take its place.
This album was one stunning piece of work, though.
#1—Express
Sheeeeeeeeit, what a way to introduce your band to the world. An eponymous track that absolutely slaps. It’s got a train whistle and sweeping strings; a guitar that mimics the warning bells of a train track crossing; a thunderous thumpin’ bass; a simple but catchy as hell horn line; and bare minimum lyrics letting you know “heeeeeere comes the express”.
Given that Soul Train was a cultural phenomenon at this point in time, it’s the perfect tune to chug a long to in a Soul Train line.
“Express” is a good song in any era, but it also happened to hit at the right time.
It became just the second song to reach #1 on the brand new Billboard dance charts, which debuted in the fall of 1974. Designed to track which songs were most popular in the clubs and discos, Gloria Gaynor’s anthem “Never Can Say Goodbye” was the inaugural chart-topper. It held the top spot for four weeks before “Express” took over for a well-deserved five-week run at the summit.
“Express” also topped the R&B singles chart and reached #4 pop.
Score: 10/10
Merits Induction to the Soulfinger Music Hall of Fame
#2—If It Don't Turn You On (You Oughta Leave It Alone)
Look, B.T. Express had a sound and they’re gonna run it into the ground for all it’s worth. And it’s worth gold on this track. Especially that slick guitar lick that ticks throughout this gangsta song.
Gangsta in feel, not in message. The message is actually pretty good for anyone, gangstas included. Essentially, everything ain’t for everybody. So if it ain’t your thing, just keep it movin’ till you find your bag.
(Also, this song is clearly about sex without explicitly being about sex.)
Score: 9/10
#3—Once You Get It
The second in what turns out to be a troika of message/sex songs, “Once You Get It” is about making sure that when you find your bag, don’t let nobody snatch it from you. Also, whereas the guitar lick in the previous song was slick, this one is liquid.
I can dig it.
Score: 8/10
#4—Everything Good to You (Ain't Always Good for You)
Well, well, well. Looks like B.T. switches things up on you to close out the troika. Just cuz you found something good don’t mean you oughta hold on to it. In fact, it could be evil designed to look good specifically to fool your dumb ass.
It’s like a respectable version of Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison”.
Weakest song on the album, though.
Score: 6/10
#5—Mental Telepathy
Here’s that psychedelic influence coming out in full force. The band tries to reach a higher level of consciousness, but I’m just digging the strings and sultry sax.
Also, the one song on the album not designed for dancing. I’ll forgive them this transgression just once.
Score: 7/10
#6—Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)
This slammin’ and jammin’ title track is one of the most sampled songs in music history. It’s absolutely fire.
Except for one thing… it has an organ interlude (again, hello psychedelia!) that isn’t bad, it just doesn’t fit with the rest of the song and disrupts the pace of the tune. If not for that organ this would be a perfect 10.
Oh and this song is totally a funky hippie jam. It’s ostensibly about sex, but could be about any endeavor!
Everybody knows what they like to do
Whatever it is, do it, as long as it pleases you
Just take some time and relax your mind
Then do it, do it, do it 'till you're satisfied
Go on and do it, now
Do it, do it 'til you're satisfied
(Whatever it is)
But it’s totally about sex. And the record buying public likes sex!
This song topped the R&B singles chart, almost did the same on the pop chart “stalling out” at #2, and hit #8 on the disco/dance chart.
Score: 9/10
#7—Do You Like It
Again, the psychedelia is in effect as this bad boy opens up with a delicious flute. It then ditches that zen for some mellow funky goodness. And I love how they ain’t trying to be thoughtful with the lyrics here. Simple shit for a dance floor.
Score: 8/10
#8—That's What I Want for You Baby
This is what suffices for a slow number on this album. It also can’t decide whether it wants to be disco-funk or funk-rock. Whatever the ultimate genre definition, it’s a jam.
Score: 8/10
#9—This House Is Smokin'
Look, this ain’t nothing but an extended drum break with some chants, horn hits, and saxophone solo thrown on for 2:16.
And it’s awesome.
You don’t need complexity when you got simple greatness.
Score: 8/10
ALBUM GRADE: A-
I will grant that this album is predicated on a particular groove or two, but they milk that shit for all it’s worth, in my opinion.
If you don’t find that particular groove awe-inspiring, then obviously you don’t need a whole album from this band. “Express”, “Do It”, and “This House Is Smokin’” will suffice for you… you funkless miserable person, you.
But if you dig it, then hot damn, you got about 40 minutes of disco funky action dipped in psychedelic goodness!
One of my absolute favorite albums.
Love these reviews. I am re-listening as I see you post album reviews. WIth B.T. the 1974 eponymous debut I think of is "The Blackbyrds". Love this confluence of funk, non synth horns and that bit of psychedelia that gets lost as we progress into the late 70's - 80's.