Guilty as charged

It’s fairly obvious why I picked up this album the other day.

Some covers you simply cannot resist.

Yep, it’s “Fire,” by the Ohio Players. Truth be told, I knew exactly one song off this album before I bought it. You know the one.

In fact, my exceedingly modest knowledge of the Ohio Players consisted of the singles “Fire” and “Love Rollercoaster” plus any older stuff posted by Larry over at Funky 16 Corners or by Vincent over at Fufu Stew.

It’s been delightful to discover the rest of the vintage funk and R&B from the gents who came out of Dayton, Ohio, as the Ohio Untouchables in 1959. There’s a lot more to “Fire” than “Fire.” Hope you’ll enjoy exploring this 1974 classic as much as I did.

I was surprised to see that “Fire,” the album, was No. 1 on both the pop and R&B charts. We heard “Fire,” the single, on the radio and later in the clubs (yes, the discos), but none of us had the album. Guess we just weren’t sophisticated enough.

There’s plenty of nasty wah-wah guitar up front and some fine horn charts in the back of the second tune offered here tonight. Oh, but on the first tune, where there’s fire, there’s …

“Smoke” and “Runnin’ From the Devil,” the Ohio Players, from “Fire,” 1974.