Bill CosbyDisco Bill - 1977

There is a reason this was The Coz's last "singing" album (until the '90s, anyway). I'm pretty sure this one is supposed to be funny, but I could be wrong.

Aside from long-time-Cosby-collaborator Stu Gardner and Wah Wah Watson, there really aren't any names of note on this. Even the writing credits are all Cosby-Gardner, except "One, Two, Three", which might be a Holland-Dozier-Holland song or might be a Len Barry song. None of that matters because Bill really does a very loose cover and ends up making the song all his own.

Yeah, this is a novelty record, but I really find myself listening to it quite often. It makes me laugh and makes me wanna groove. Tell me "Section #9" isn't a little bit funky. "Boogie On Your Face", "What Ya Think 'Bout Lickin' My Chicken" and the Barry White style talk down of "A Simple Love Affair" all make me laugh out loud.

If anyone out there is getting rid of (or selling) a copy of Badfoot Brown & the Bunions Bradford Funeral Marching Band LP please let me know. I should like to purchase it, maybe?

Let's Boogie.

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Track listing:

Side A:
1. A Simple Love Affair
2. What Ya Think 'Bout Lickin' My Chicken
3. Rudy
4. Boogie on Your Face
5. Happy Birthday Momma

Side B:
1. That's How I Met Your Mother
2. One, Two, Three
3. Section #9
4. A Nasty Birthday
5. What's in a Slang

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Bill CosbyHooray For The Salvation Army Band! - 1968

I really don't know what to say about this record. It's so strange, but not. Bill recruited a super funky band, The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, to play songs by some amazing writers (Lennon/McCartney, Dozier/Holland, Jagger/Richards, Hayes/Porter, Toussaint and and maybe some Hendrix) and does some silly kind of ad-libs over 'em. What's not to like? The whole thing.

I'm torn about if this is a joke or not. It might be Bill doing what Eddie Murphy said to Rick James; something to the effect of, "You can just do whatever you want over a funky beat and the kids will buy it". Just listen to his version of the classic "Funky Broadway", which he changes to "Funk North Philladelphia". It also might be the 'Coz really trying to be Funky. I keep going back and forth.

However this is meant to be taken, it is essential listening for anyone interested in anything funky, strange or celebrity.

Thanks to Frank for hooking me up with this one.

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Track listing:

Side A:
1. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. Sunny
3. Reach Out (I'll Be There)
4. (I'm A) Road Runner
5. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
6. Get Out of My Life, Woman

Side B:
1. Hooray for the Salvation Army Band
2. Funky North Philadelphia
3. Hold On, I'm a Comin'
4. Ursalena
5. Time Brings About a Change
6. Stop, Look & Listen

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