BeatSession 08|01|11 (Amy Winehouse Tribute)

Original Samples:

Me and Mr. Jones by Amy Winehouse

and/or

He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss) by The Crystals

Frank (adj.) Open, honest, and direct in speech or writing.

Frank was such a fitting title to her debut album. Aside from it being a reference to one of her heroes, Frank Sinatra, it also described her sound: lyrically and musically honest. It was lyrically honest in that she would always write autobiographically about her experiences with failed relationships, love, addiction, and things that conflict her. It was musically honest in that her love for jazz, hip hop, and 1960s girl groups remained the foundation of her music regardless of what was considered the POPular sound.

I wanted to keep this entry brief. There’s been enough mention about her bouts with addiction. While the media was romanticizing her death with mentions of her induction into the 27 Club, more moving were the personal accounts by people that knew Amy. On the days just before her death, those close to her said she was laying low at her London home and spending time with her mother. Her friends say that behind the beehive and heavy eyeliner was a girl who loved to cook and spent most days at home writing. Here’s a collection of some of my favorite tributes to her and also some good interviews:

► For Amy by Russell Brand
► Questlove’s Celebrity Encounter
► Amy Winehouse’s Best Hip Hop Moments
► 2003 Interview at 19 Yrs Old
► 2004 Interview
► 2007 Interview

This week, we sampled two tracks which is unprecedented on WBS. It felt fitting to sample “Me and Mr. Jones” (her tribute to Mr. Nasir Jones) and also one of her favorite songs, “He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)” by The Crystals. While the latter was banned and protested in 1962 for promoting domestic violence, check out the 2007 interview where Amy mentions the song and how she’s that certain percentage of people that understand that song.

She’ll truly be missed. Here’s one of my favorite tracks off her second album, Back to Black, which contains a sample of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” .

peace, @illa0804/@generationill

Featured Beats and Producers:

Jonez Joint For Amy Mr. Klimatic (Toledo, OH)

Past Time by Blackph03nix (London, England)

All I Need Is Mr Jones- for Amy by Paze Infinite (Queens, NY)

Amy Winehouse Tribute by LazaMusic (Holland)

Somerset, NJ by Bruce Juice (Orlando, FL)

Me In Mr. Jones World by NeV (Augusta, GA)

Me and Mrs. Couch by Sideways (Portland, OR)

Prophecy (Nastradamus Remix) by Francis Peralta (Toronto, Canada)

It’s Me and… by C. Bran (Charlotte, NC)

Dimensions by 25/8 (Miami, FL)

Like That (Goodbye, Amy) by Jason Leary (Conway, SC)

He by Jason Leary (Conway, SC)

Optimus Grime by Francis Peralta (Toronto, Canada)

Lunge by Dingo (Detroit, MI)

The Fuckery by The Lone Stranger (Orlando, FL)

Red by Dingo (Detroit, MI)

Dust Off The SP1200 by Sideways (Portland, OR)

Untitled by thadizzie1 (San Francisco, CA)

Redemption Series #3 by Chrizo (Las Piñas, Philippines)