I heard this Thursday from several sources, but I don’t have any further info right now. When I get more info I’ll pass it on.

Of course he was yet another of the big time DJ’s I used to listen to in NYC when I was a kid. But the rest of yall know Hank Spann too even if you never heard him on the radio.

WWRL Flyer f. Hank Spann.
Click For Larger View

He is the kinda “narrator” on the song SAME BEAT by the JB’s. In fact the song starts off with Hank Spann saying…

::THE JB’S LIVE AND BADDDDDDDD::

Followed by that NASTY GROOVE….
….then the infamous chicken (rooster???)

& Hank Spann says….

:::THIS IS SOLID FUNK::::

…..followed by the chicken (rooster?)….then more of that NASTY GROOVE

then…..Hank comes back in and says….

::::FOR THA PEOPLE::::::

And then out of nowhere

COMES…..THA….FUNK….BOMB

(that blew our minds the first time we heard it)

THE REVEREND JESSIE JACKSON

I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be unemployed
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be unskilled
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be uneducated
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

I may be in jail
But I am S-O-M-E-B-O-D-Y
(crowd cheers)

…and Hank comes back in and says

BADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

The title of this song may be a joke. A PLAY ON THE FACT THAT James Brown’s songs all sounded the same.

But it’s groove, message and it’s subversiveness are serious as a heart attack!!!

“Same Beat” is one of the greatest moments in the history of FUNK music.

…& mah man Hank Spann serves as our “tour guide” for the journey. Now we will have to get to the destination without him…

RIP Hank Spann

—————–
Bob Davis
earthjuice[at]prodigy.net
bobdavis[at]radioio.com
609-351-0154
——————

Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com

Hip Hop and Soul Music Director
www.radioio.com
——————-

Links For More Hank Spann Information:

The Urban Network’s Comments on Hank Spann

Alan Furst’s Program Director Blog

Radio Facts

Listen To Hank Spann Open his WWRL show on this Power House Radio Frankie Crocker Tribute Page