Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
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Darkest of night With the moon shining bright There's a set goin' strong Lotta things goin' on The man of the hour Has an air of great power The dudes have envied him for so long Oh, superfly You're gonna make your fortune by and by But if you lose, don't ask no questions why The only game you know is do or die Ah-ha-ha Hard to understand What a hell of a man This cat of the slum Had a mind, wasn't dumb But a weakness was shown 'Cause his hustle was wrong His mind was his own But the man lived alone Oh, superfly You're gonna make your fortune by and by But if you lose, don't ask no questions why The only game you know is do or die Ah-ha-ha The game he plays he plays for keeps Hustlin' times and ghetto streets Tryin' ta get over (That's what he tryin' to do, y'all) Taking all that he can take Gambling with the odds of fate Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Woo, superfly The aim of his role Was to move a lot of blow Ask him his dream What does it mean? He woudn't know "Can't be like the rest" Is the most he'll confess But the time's running out And there's no happiness Oh, superfly You're gonna make your fortune by and by But if you lose, don't ask no questions why The only game you know is do or die Ah-ha-ha Superfly Superfly Superfly Superfly Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over Tryin' ta get over
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Historical Context"Superfly" is a song and single by Curtis Mayfield, released in 1972, and is a part of the soundtrack for the Blaxploitation film of the same name, which Mayfield scored.
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Musical ImpactThe song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was #5 on the R&B chart, becoming a significant commercial success.
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Socio-Political ImpactThe lyrics to "Superfly" address the dark side of the drug culture, criticizing it rather than glorifying it, a stance that was pioneering and unusual for the time period in the music industry.
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Artistic CollaborationThe movie "Superfly" was one of the few films at the time where African-Americans had prominent roles, both in front of and behind the camera, which adds further significance to Mayfield's contribution on the film's soundtrack.
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Award Recognition"Superfly" has been recognized as one of the greatest songs of all time. In 2004, it was ranked #69 on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
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Cultural InfluenceThe song's influence is still seen today, with references in films, television shows, other songs, and even video games. The Superfly album, including the title track, has been sampled countless times in various hip hop tracks since the 1990s.
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Techniques of DeliveryMayfield's falsetto vocals, the soulful groove, and the socially conscious lyrics are all distinctive features of the song "Superfly."
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Innovative Sound DesignThe song features several overdubs, exemplifying Mayfield's innovative use of multi-tracking to create a richer sound texture.
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Song's LegacyThe album and "Superfly" the song, are credited with helping shape '70s soul and have been considered as precursors to the socially conscious hip hop music.
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Uncommon AspectUnlike most soundtracks, the "Superfly" album outsold the movie's box office earnings, standing as a testament to Mayfield's musical genius and the timeless appeal of the song.
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Citation
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"Superfly Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Jun 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/15064493/Curtis+Mayfield/Superfly>.
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