Saturday, March 7, 2009

Donny Hathaway - "What a Woman Really Means" (1973)


TRACK OF THE DAY


WAV - MP3

 A Donny Hathaway track from 1973 I'd never heard ? WTF ?

A few weeks back I was talking music with an old friend, and we got to talking about how much we both love Hathaway's final studio album, "Extension of a Man" from 1973.

There's a multi-layered melancholy when listening to it - the passion of his extraordinary voice, songwriting and arrangements mixes with the poignancy of the promise that it showed, in the knowledge of the fact that he jumped off a building six years later, deep in depression.

"Yes", said my friend, "that's why that extra track from the sessions on that Atlantic comp a few years ago was like a gift, so unexpected ... "

Extra track?

"The Atlantic Unearthed comp ... unreleased tracks from Atlantic artists".

Blink.

And so I discovered that I'd missed the 2006 release of a Donny Hathaway song, coming from the same sessions as one of my favourite 70s soul albums ... Maybe I'm the last person on earth to discover it, maybe not. I decided that if even one of you haven't heard it, it's worth a post. It wouldn't have been the best track if it had made the album, but it gets me when that chorus kicks in halfways through.

Download above, 320 MP3, or just have a listen.

"Extension of a Man" link goes to "Rare & Groove Jazz"
at

29 comments:

  1. ishMarch 7, 2009 at 2:54 PM

    Hmm I hadn't heard of that collection either. I guess that's what happens when we're too busy surfing the net for music rather than the shops. Thanks for the track.

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  2. MilesMarch 7, 2009 at 5:42 PM

    I am probably not the first to hear it, or to say it, but Stevie Wonder sure must've been listening to Donny when he moved from stoking the hit making machine to creating some real personal music (circa 'Music of My Mind' or the one before it). Great track here! Thanks for sharing it.

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  3. Weekend HippieMarch 7, 2009 at 7:15 PM

    "Extensions" lp was a favorite of mine way back when. We are left to wonder what Donny might have done in the 80's.

    Thanks for your great taste in music, and all your hard work!

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  4. katonahMarch 8, 2009 at 12:27 AM

    this tracks a real honey. been on the net about half an hour now, and this has been on repeat all the way
    thanks simon

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  5. FlabbergastMarch 9, 2009 at 4:53 AM

    Wow man, I also did not know about this track! As you probably know, Donny is also very dear to my heart,Extensions of Man in particular. You can find the whole thing over at

    http://flabbergasted-vibes.blogspot.com/search/label/Donny%20Hathaway

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  6. email@kontakt.czMarch 9, 2009 at 8:38 AM

    I too was unaware of this track. And what a marvellous surprise it is! Now I keep on listening to it over and over again. Thanks a lot.

    Radek.

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  7. the amBASSadorMarch 10, 2009 at 7:56 AM

    Simon,

    We must be on the same wavelength as my current post also features a lesser known Donny track (a live version of "Valdez in the Country"), his version from the same album "Extensions of a Man".

    Regarding what Miles said, I read somewhere that Stevie bought dozens of copies of Donny's first album "Everything is Everything" and gave them to everyone he knew telling them that this was the best thing out there. Stevie might have been inspired, but he sure was classy about it.

    If anyone checks out my blog, try to answer the question that Donny poses, what does Valdez in the country refer to?

    -Allen

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  8. UnknownMarch 10, 2009 at 11:19 AM

    Thank you so much for posting this. I've been looking for it forever.

    Donny lives in every soul lovers heart.

    Thanks again

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  9. taro nombeiMarch 10, 2009 at 1:56 PM

    me too - a big Donny fan, too.
    many thanks, Simon

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  10. AMMMarch 11, 2009 at 7:25 AM

    BLOODY HELL SIMON,WHAT A FIND!!!!
    MY,MY,SOMETHING ELSE BY THIS LEGEND I,VE DISCOVERED THANKS TO YOU M8!

    CHEERS!!!

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  11. Simon666March 11, 2009 at 12:59 PM

    Thanks for the comments guys, I always forget to check when I haven't posted links in the comments.
    Hey Ambassador, I've got that one on vinyl too, great record ..

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  12. JTFMarch 11, 2009 at 1:08 PM

    This is a reat song (although anything by Donny qualifies as such!)

    It absolutely wipes the floor with the released versions (not by Donny)

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  13. the sound of lifeMarch 11, 2009 at 11:03 PM

    thank you for this Simon, Donny's soul is incredibly missed but his presence is still felt! (and never forgotten)

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  14. taro nombeiMarch 12, 2009 at 4:07 AM

    hey Simon,
    did you check out soul-sides, March 9?
    Curtom's funk cuts: Donny Hathaway and June Conquest: I Thank You
    I for one never heard this before...
    Some other great stuff on the same post too
    cheers
    RS

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  15. Simon666March 12, 2009 at 8:29 AM

    Thanks TN, I'd missed that.

    What i REALLY want from SoulSides is tickets to that insane-looking Arthur Verocai concert :

    http://soul-sides.com/2009/03/timeless-iii-arthur-verocai-this-sunday.html

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  16. yungbdaproducerMarch 13, 2009 at 6:02 PM

    simon man donny hathaway damn kid i neva heard this track and i have bout donny cds and vinyld but thanks i get sad everytime thinking what would make dis man kill hisself

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  17. Simon666March 14, 2009 at 12:10 AM

    Depression is a terrible thing ...

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  18. Junior FullerMarch 29, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    After a few years of listening to Stevie Wonder I discovered the great Donny Hathaway through his work with Roberta Flack. Here i was thinking i had heard everything (even the Comeback Charlston Blue OST). Thanks for sharing this i had no idea.

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  19. OldHippieRickMay 11, 2009 at 5:46 AM

    Thanks for the share.Donny really was an American treasure and has been sadly missed buy many.What a great tune :-)

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  20. UnknownMay 25, 2009 at 1:39 AM

    I thought I had all his song then i found this.. In extreme shock. Also, check out www.myspace.com/therealdonnyhathaway

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  21. BrandonJuly 1, 2009 at 8:28 AM

    New to me too. My favourite vocalist - I just wished we could hear more of his music. Thank you for bring this to our attention. There is an alternative mix of "Love Love Love" on a compilation called "You better believe It! Vol 1" which is worth checking out.

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  22. Simon666July 1, 2009 at 8:11 PM

    Thanks Brandon, I'll definitely check it out :)

    Here's a link everyone :

    http://deaconblues1103.blogspot.com/2007/05/you-better-believe-it-vol-1-rare-modern.html

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  23. UnknownSeptember 6, 2009 at 11:03 AM

    What a great song. Waht a great voice. If you want to know more about Donny, check this great site www.donnyhathaway.info ! Thanks JB

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  24. theninthplanetOctober 2, 2009 at 10:19 PM

    How did I miss this? I really thought I'd heard everything by him. Fantastic. Thanks for posting it. As you said - probably wouldn't have been the best track on the album but quite honestly I'd happily listen to semi audible recordings of DH humming while he has a shave so I'm very happy!

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  25. UnknownFebruary 20, 2010 at 9:36 AM

    7 unreleased new tracks are coming in France next month. Check this site to learn more www.donnyhathaway.info

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  26. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2010 at 11:36 AM

    Great track,great site.There are people listening to real music

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  27. chris_cMarch 20, 2013 at 4:56 AM

    thanks! for all the cool cool music, you're a star man!

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  28. Simon666March 21, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    You're welcome Chris, thanks for the comments :)

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  29. BillJuly 12, 2014 at 9:59 AM

    This is a major find for me... I grew up not really knowing much about Donny... OK, the fact is I'm a white guy and we didn't hear much of Donny on the white radio stations, outside of the later duets with Roberta Flack. But recently I've gone back and gotten kinda obsessed with his music... got the recent box set and the whole 9.

    So this is a major treat for me... and, thanks for re-posting it here, and in WAV! You rock, Simon!

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