Do It A Capella

December 4, 2015 10:02 AM

In 1990 PBS Great Performances broadcast Do it A Capella, a Spike Lee - produced special featuring "some of the finest rock/popular/doo-wop groups in the world. . . a watershed event bringing the renaissance of a cappella to the public consciousness."

There's a lot of Spike Lee talking at the beginning, but after about the 20 minute mark, it's all music, interspersed with a few interview.

The Line-Up

• Rockapella -- Zombie Jamboree [5:38]
• True Image -- I Need You [8:30]
• Mint Juleps -- Don't Let Your Heart [11:42]
• Persuasions -- Looking For An Echo [15:15]
• Take 6 -- Get Away Jordan [20:20]
• Take 6 -- Something Within Me [25:17]
• Rockapella -- Flat Tire [29:05]
• Rockapella / True Image -- Under The Boardwalk [33:08]
• Mint Juleps -- Higher And Higher [36:44]
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- Phansi Em Godini (Down In The Mines) [44:57]
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo / Mint Juleps -- Mbube / Wimoweh / Lion Sleeps Tonight [46:18]
• True Image -- Trickle, Trickle [51:14]
• True Image -- Yes We Can Can [53:42]
• Mint Juleps -- I Want To Live Easy [55:38]
• Mint Juleps -- Set Me Free [59:20]
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- Ukhalangami (You Cry For Me) [1:00:17]
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- N'kosi Sikeleli Afrika (God Bless Africa) [1:05:15]
• Rockapella -- Pretty Woman [1:08:00]
• Persuasions -- Up On The Roof [1:13:10]

posted by Herodios (13 comments total)

Both the video and audio quality of this Vimeo copy are not great, but it may be the only place currently online you can check it out. If you dig what you hear -- well, 'tis the season, eh? Laserdisc, VHS, and CD versions of the show exist, and all the groups had albums out.

I was inspired, of course, by HuronBob's Persuasions post. Thanks, Bob. As you know, The Persuasions are here, too.

Highlights -- well, all the musical performances are highlights. The Persuasions are great, Rockapella are unctious and poppy, Take 6 and True Image are showey and technical.

My favourites are the UK-based Mint Juleps. The four Charles sisters: Sandra, Debbie, Lizzie, and Marica plus school friends Julie Isaac and Debbie Longworth are fantastic here, and Lee gives them -- and the audience -- plenty space. The Juleps put out a couple of albums in the day and then -- disappeared? They should have been huge.

Finally, I challenge anyone to experience The Mint Juleps / Ladysmith Black Mambazo performance of Mbube / Wimoweh / Lion Sleeps Tonight without squeezing out a tear. You see and hear the African Diaspora in less than five minutes.
 
posted by Herodios at 10:04 AM on December 4, 2015

#2 pencil!!!!!!
posted by ian1977 at 10:11 AM on December 4, 2015

Holy shit, my childhood! I watched my parents' VHS copy of this so many million times and did the dance to N'Kosi Sikelili Afrika along with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Between this and the Pete Seeger, I completely confused my poor preschool teachers when I tried to tell them about my favorite songs.

I have a few hours to kill between events this afternoon, I know what I'm gonna do with that time now!
posted by ActionPopulated at 10:14 AM on December 4, 2015

I used to have this on cassette! Loved the hell out of it. Thanks for posting!
posted by Shepherd at 10:17 AM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

Been looking for a copy of this for a while, much appreciated!
posted by Ndwright at 10:18 AM on December 4, 2015

A-Ca-awesome!
posted by wabbittwax at 10:25 AM on December 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

You know, I was actually considering posting this a capella rendition of Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark this morning, so I'll just throw it in here. It's by metalcapella specialists Van Canto (yes, they do use drums, but otherwise just voices).
posted by Wolfdog at 10:31 AM on December 4, 2015

No The Bobs??
posted by ericbop at 11:37 AM on December 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

Sean Altman of Rockapella is still performing in NYC with the Loser's Lounge, there's hardly more fun to be had.
posted by nicwolff at 12:55 PM on December 4, 2015

I had the album for this and I loved it sooooooo much! I haven't been able to find it again. :(
posted by charred husk at 1:27 PM on December 4, 2015

Oh look it's in the second link. :)

Happy birthday to me.
posted by charred husk at 1:29 PM on December 4, 2015

wait a minute

WAIT

A MINUTE

IS THAT WHY CARMEN SANDIEGO

WAIT

I need a moment to process this
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:53 PM on December 4, 2015

Don't miss Samuel L. Jackson about 15 minutes in as a janitor, complaining about Spike and Debbie walking on his freshly mopped floor.
posted by phoebus at 9:30 PM on December 4, 2015