LP Review: Rags to Rufus
Released: 1974
LP Charts: #4 R&B, #4 pop
A prescient album title as Rags to Rufus contained Rufus’s first hit singles and wound up going gold. Not even knowing that though, just looking at the writing credits showed that this album was already likely to be a huge improvement over Rufus. Only one song that I know of is a cover. Everything else be originals. Also, the band wisened up and gave all the lead vocals over to Chaka Khan.
AS THE RUFUS TURNS (where we keep track of band members)
The band lineup was the same as it was on Rufus.
Kevin Murphy (keyboards)
Chaka Khan (vocals)
Al Ciner (guitar)
Ron Stockert (vocals and keyboards)
Dennis Belfield (bass)
André Fischer (drums)
The album kicks off with the raunchy rock classic “You Got the Love” (#1 R&B, #11 pop), written by Chaka and Ray Parker Jr. The future ghostbustin’ machine also played rhythm guitar on the song. It’s a great sign when the very first song on this album completely blows away anything that appeared on Rufus.
The band then immediately falls back into their old bag with “I Got The Right Street (But The Wrong Direction)”. Despite being written by the soon-to-be-deposed Ron Stockert, the bluesy song is the best thing he ever gave the band.
“Walkin’ In the Sun” is a mundane ballad with fake-deep lyrics. (“Even a blind man can tell when he’s walking in the sun.”)
Things pick back up with “Rags to Rufus”, a muddy instrumental that’s heavy on the bass. It also has some unnecessary zippin’ and zappin’ synthesizers akin to Billy Preston’s work on “Space Race”.
“Swing Down Sweet Chariot” is the only song where Khan has to share lead vocals as it’s a duet with Stockert. It’s an average interpretation of the gospel inspired standard. I do wish “Sideways” were a full-fledged song instead of an instrumental interlude. Between the rumbling bass and clavinet, it’s delightfully filthy.
“Ain't Nothin' But A Maybe” is the one cover song as Khan once more digs into an Ashford & Simpson selection.
And now we arrive at the song that gave Rufus their big break: “Tell Me Something Good” (#3 R&B, #3 pop). Impressed by the band’s cover of “Maybe Your Baby” (or more likely impressed by Khan’s vocals on the cover), Stevie Wonder wrote the track specifically for them (her). It’s one of the best sexy funk grooves ever devised.
Stevie Wonder sure was a nice man to be just giving away songs this good.
The album closes with a trio of songs written by the band’s bassist, Belfield. “Look Through My Eyes” is an uptempo wah wah guitar ballad. “In Love We Grow” is a snail-paced piano ballad. “Smokin’ Room” is an acoustic guitar ballad and the best of the bunch.
ALBUM GRADE: B-
A major improvement from their debut as the average quality of Rags to Rufus is decidedly higher than Rufus. But there’s no doubt the grade here relies heavily upon the twin classics of “You Got the Love” and “Tell Me Something Good”.
Song Scores
You Got the Love: 9/10
I Got The Right Street (But The Wrong Direction): 6.5/10
Walkin’ In the Sun: 4/10
Rags to Rufus: 6.5/10
Swing Down Sweet Chariot: 5/10
Sideways: 6.5/10
Ain't Nothin' But A Maybe: 7/10
Tell Me Something Good: 9/10
Look Through My Eyes: 7/10
In Love We Grow: 5/10
Smokin’ Room: 7/10