Uptight

Music by Booker T. Jones

 

 

 

 

 

The drama Uptight (1968) directed by Jules Dassin was a pioneer of the cinema dealing with black causes in American cinema of its time. In the social movements and protests of the period, the film engaged in social causes and forecasted the black power cinema to come.

In parallel, the soundtrack for Uptight, was one of the pioneers of soul music in film. Besides that, there´s the extra interest to be the only soundtrack done by legendary soul group Booter T. and the MGs. The soul touch of Booker T organ underlies the track since the opening, Johnny, I love You – with vocal by Booker T himself. Some passages could easily be on any album of the group as the ballad Tank's Lament, or the soul-pop Time Tight. Some atmospheric tracks lead the work to alternative proposals other than the usual pop construction. So Uptight explores the possibilities of soundtrack demand including dramatic tension in rhythmic progressions of We've Got Johnny Wells, blue lament in Blues in the Gutter, suspense in Run Run Tank, and psychedelic subtlety in Cleveland Now, with guitar, bongos and organ.