SHOTGUN
“Shotgun” is a 1965 single by Junior Walker & the All Stars, which was written and composed by Walker and produced by Berry Gordy Jr. and Lawrence Horn. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B Singles chart for four non-consecutive weeks and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending 3 April 1965. Guitarist Jimi Hendrix performed the song live with the All Stars. “Shotgun” uses only one chord throughout the entire song – A-flat seventh. Other songs featuring this same structure (or non-structure) are “Chain of Fools” and “Land of 1000 Dances”. (More from Wikipedia)
One of the Motown artists that I discovered more or less by accident is Jr. Walker and the All-Stars. I knew their big hit “Shotgun” of course, but I picked up a double album called Anthology (1974) on Motown Records cheap, and it was great all the way through. Jr. Walker’s distinctive style on the saxophone drives their sound. Wikipedia says that Jr. Walker and the All-Stars is one of Motown’s “signature acts”, and I was certainly happy to discover more of that great music.
(April 2015/1)
