The Raw and Revelatory Punk-Funk of Betty Davis

December 3rd, 2009 by Dave Allen

[I originally posted this in August of 2007. Updated now to include a NY Time Style Magazine overview of two more of her albums that will be re-released.]

Seattle’s Light In The Attic Records have dropped an album by Betty Davis that was recorded with Sly & The Family Stone’s rhythm section and was sharply produced by Sly Stone drummer Greg Errico. It also features backing vocals from Sylvester and the Pointer Sisters according to the sleeve notes. Some of the tracks were originally released in 1973 and the CD also includes bonus unreleased tracks from 1974.

More from the sleeve notes:

One can hardly imagine the genre-busting, culture-crossing musical magic of Outkast, Prince, Erykah Badu, Rick James, The Roots, or even the early Red Hot Chili Peppers without the influence of R&B pioneer Betty Davis. Her style of raw and revelatory punk-funk defies any notions that women can’t be visionaries in the worlds of rock and pop. In recent years, rappers from Ice Cube to Talib Kweli to Ludacris have rhymed over her intensely strong but sensual music.

There is one testimonial about Betty Davis that is universal: she was a woman ahead of her time. In our contemporary moment, this may not be as self-evident as it was thirty years ago – we live in an age that’s been profoundly changed by flamboyant flaunting of female sexuality: from Parlet to Madonna, Lil Kim to Kelis. Yet, back in 1973 when Betty Davis first showed up in her silver go-go boots, dazzling smile and towering Afro, who could you possibly have compared her to? Marva Whitney had the voice but not the independence. Labelle wouldn’t get sexy with their “Lady Marmalade” for another year while Millie Jackson wasn’t Feelin’ Bitchy until 1977. Even Tina Turner, the most obvious predecessor to Betty’s fierce style wasn’t completely out of Ike’s shadow until later in the decade.
And here’s what some folks had to say about Betty:

* If Betty were singing today she would be something like Madonna, something like Prince only as a woman. (Miles Davis)
* She introduced Miles to Hendrix’s music and got him interested in the hardcore rock stuff. (Herbie Hancock)
* Betty was a G for real. (Ice Cube)
* When I first saw her album cover, I fell in love. (Rick James)
* Warning: She is pure uncut funk way ahead of her time. (Prince Paul) (De La Soul, Handsome Boy Modeling School)
* She was the first Madonna, but Madonna is more like Marie Osmond compared to Betty Davis. Betty Davis was a real ferocious Black Panther woman. You couldn’t tame Betty Davis. (Santana)

Anyway judge for yourselves, I think Betty’s a bad ass lady.

Betty Davis – Anti-Love Song [MP3]