The Brothers Johnson- Strawberry Letter 23 REACTION & REVIEW

[@TessT101]

Brings me back to my childhood 🤩 soooooo good

[@DropAnchor1978]

That little bell motif is so haunting. I remember hearing it as a kid in 1977 on the radio. That guitar break is also amazing. I love how the song starts in a Major key then switches to a minor chord for the groove.

[@elysehfm8797]

Strawberry Letter 23 was written and preformed by Shuggie Otis at the tender age of 17. I grew up with the Brothers Johnson, though.

[@Mink-yu8nu]

I highly recommend giving the Shuggie Otis version a listen.

[@elysehfm8797]

@@Mink-yu8nu, I've heard it many times. Thanks! Or was that recommendation for JP?

[@Mink-yu8nu]

@@elysehfm8797 Sorry that recommendation was for JP. But always worth another listen?

[@elysehfm8797]

@@Mink-yu8nu, always! He may not see your rec., so put it in its own unique comment if you want him to see it for sure.

[@pilesovinyl]

Just a beautiful single, #5 in 77, and just a cool fun fact-I bought the picture sleeve 45 (remember those) and the picture sleeve was soaked in a strawberry scented liquid and it had a pretty definite strawberry scent, something I had never known any record to have. In 1977 this was one I couldn't get enough of hearing it on the radio and in the clubs.

[@jerrycote659]

Love this song so much. It’s such a gorgeous soundscape. What I love about the music catalog of Brothers Johnson is the variety of styles and genres. You really should react to these two songs from Brothers Johnson which were huge hits on the Pop Singles chart, R&B chart and Dance chart also. The songs are “I’ll Br Hood To You” and “STOMP”. Both are bangers in their own unique way just like “Strawberry Letter 23” is unique in its sound and mood.

[@Russ-gy7tx]

JP, The Brothers Johnson had two other hits "I'll Be Good To You" released in 1976, and "Stomp" released in 1980.

[@Coowallsky]

Also ""Get The Funk Out Ma Face"",

[@robertunwin1148]

I love how it turns into Yes for a bit at 2:59. 😀

[@Coowallsky]

Yes?

[@tomedmonson501]

That’s exactly how I’ve always viewed this song: a great, smooth yet funky song that’s interrupted by a Yes-style guitar break. Just from listening, you might think that Steve Howe was doing some session work. 😅

[@elysehfm8797]

@@Coowallsky, the band Yes. Roundabout?

[@Coowallsky]

@@elysehfm8797 Never got that vibe.

[@elysehfm8797]

@@Coowallsky, me neither, but I get it.

[@samguberman2288]

Got this one too, not heard it for ages, still sounds great. Excellent production. .

[@Coowallsky]

Lee Ritenour on the guitar solo.

[@jimbricker4982]

This is so 70s - in THE BEST way possible.

[@jamesadkisson7510]

Always liked this.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

It’s super sweet but so so good. When that lead guitar break down pops back into the main groove I was completely sold. Great reaction. Yeah maybe the last of the psychedelic sunshine pop songs to become a hit.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

Great song. I had the 45 rpm single when it came out. I also love the original version by Shuggie Otis.

[@michaelgray5100]

WOW! I haven't heard this song in a very long time. It's a really great song. Got that funky beat but other change ups as well. I'm now going to listen to their other big hits of "I'll Be Good To You" and "Stomp". I'm sure I've heard these other two as well just can't get the jingle in my head at the moment.

[@PaulRoehl-fi1iw]

One of favorite hits from that time when I was mid twenties.

[@joeyblowey123456]

STOMP! You have to react to STOMP! A monster of a jam.

[@Azabaxe80]

Of course I had heard of the Brothers Johnson, "Stomp" being one of those ubiquitous tracks during my early youth. This song, however, slipped through for decades for me and it didn't register until about 10 years ago when there was a buzz about it created by none other than Phish. _Huh?_ So, a brilliant co-worker of mine and her husband (one of those couples who are sickeningly perfect for each other in all possible good ways) were/are avid Phish heads and of course they went to about all 10 shows of that year's Phish New Year's residency at MSG. And this song was the buzz that year. And those two wouldn't stop talking about it. It helps that they (as now after all these years) were maddeningly in love with each other. I had to hear it. This is Phish, though, a band that you can't fully appreciate unless you're in a crowd in front of them and in some sort of altered state. So I went for the next best thing, the source. After finding out that it had been done back in the day by the Brothers Johnson I was intrigued. Well, when I heard this I was blown away. I got the romantic thing, but I wasn't expecting the instrumental prowess. This was, for lack of a better descriptor, Black prog rock. And then I understood why Phish did it. Oh, and that _"I wanna sex you up"_ melody line is just killer.

[@davidnelson6874]

This song is so brilliantly sublime. It may not be for everyone due to the fact it is so low key. It was a fairly big hit back in 1977 though. Love it.

[@trishgorman6456]

This is one of those songs that takes me right back to being 12 years old.

[@frugalseverin2282]

This is another track on the box set I keep recommending: "Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience" by Rhino. 6 CDs of classic soul/r&b music.

[@supasoulproductions]

Great song by Shuggie Otis! This version is really funky. Shuggie's original was a bit more laid back with psychedelic overtones.

[@Coowallsky]

He mentioned Shuggie in the video.

[@yes_head]

A big influence on Prince. Shuggie Otis' 1971 original is also very cool.

[@lifespanofafry1534]

Ha! Listened to this today 🤣🥰

[@JustJP]

Good timing!

[@mrjimifletcher]

I've got Tarantino's Jackie Brown to thank for introducing me to this absolutely stellar song, played as Ordell takes Beaumont for a ride. The section from 2:59 to 3:44 is absolute heaven, I wish it could go on even longer!

[@danbal4185]

Such a perfect scene, that grin on his face while wearing his gloves...the most underrated Tarantino movie.

[@blitztim6416]

I’m hearing ‘I Wanna Sex You Up’ by Color Me Bad’. Think they used some elements of this song. Yeah, I liked this song from the first time I heard it. Years ago.

[@gregpusczek4473]

Psychedelic funk brilliant

[@gregpusczek4473]

Much later than the great Chambers Brothers Time has come today

[@danbal4185]

I've discovered this gem (and many others) thanks to Quentin Tarantino and his 1997 masterpiece Jackie Brown.

[@jaybird4093]

❤️ BJ esp Louis “Thunder Thumbs”. The track “Stomp” is in my top 100 alltime. Listen to the uncut version for some nasty slapping and popping on the bass.

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

Great listen, but i prefer the Shuggie Otis version!

[@AnthonySturdivant-tu1li]

They were a funk group. I recall you listening to Parliament several times. You would love Munchies for Your Love by Bootsy Collins.

[@sarahzentexas]

Stone cold classic ❤

[@stephenpesta1550]

Timeless middle school radio hit and a song I never got tired of hearing. Guess I’ve been throwning this song on playlists for 45 years now. Yikes!

[@-davidolivares]

Had this 8tracky plus they played it at the club. I was a dancing’ foooooooooool, I may be totally wrong but I’m a…

[@-davidolivares]

also… imagine if you will, people trying to dance to the guitar solo… fascinating.

[@159awi]

Check out Stomp. Another great one by The Brothers Johnson.

[@joeyblowey123456]

STOMP is a monster of a jam. Never fails to put me in a great mood.

[@majorgruber5925]

Holy crap - had to drive my aged mother 100 miles this morning for a CAT scan, and the whole time I had this song playing inside my head. When I finally IDed it as the Brothers Johnson, I was aghast. Why was a 1970's AM radio song playing in my noggin? It was you, JP. Not sure whether to curse you or not. So I'll hit the "Like" button instead. KZbin psychic transmissions, me thinks.

[@JustJP]

Psychic transmission indeed🔮 hope your mom is doing ok MG

[@gablen23]

Jackie Brown has an amazing soundtrack!

[@Richard_Jones]

The great Steve Gadd on the drums here.

[@Richard_Jones]

Apologies, memory failed me there.

[@Coowallsky]

Harvey Mason on drums.

[@TZ61]

Love this Shuggie Otis cover, but I may like 'I'll Be Good to You' even better.

[@Mink-yu8nu]

You might recognise the intro from The Jackie Brown soundtrack.

[@genecase9464]

Ya, they never actually say "Strwberry Letter Twenty-THREE but I never knew why before . This was a cover but this is my favorite version . Quincy sprinkled his magic dust all over it. It was also a crossover song hitting both the R&B and Rock charts. And it sounded incredible on my car stereo!

[@thebrysmith3]

You definitely to hit Shuggie's original version.

[@TheoZoffrok]

Fab song, certainly underrated. May I be the first of no doubt many to point you in the direction of the original, by the wayward prodigy Shuggie Otis, who was only a teenager when he wrote and recorded it. His version is less polished than the Brothers Johnson's - and to me it has the edge in soulfulness.

[@elysehfm8797]

You can be the second. 😉

[@Coowallsky]

He mentioned Shuggie in the video.

[@summertime_blooz]

Could be an EWF track. It's that good.

[@summertime_blooz]

This is a good 'un.

[@gsprings43]

dave grusin on the keys i think

[@orla556]

Love this version but I prefer the Shuggie Otis original, much more tender and innocent...wrote it and performed all the instruments aged 17 !

[@JoeCruz-hs2yt]

now react to their tune ain't we fuckin now !

[@a.k.1740]

I'm not fond of this track, which I find lukewarm. As jfergs pointed out earlier, it's only the bridge that stands out, but the rest of the piece is just dragging, poppy funk. In any case, I never found this Brothers Johnson album exciting, any more than their debut album Look Out for #1 with the exception of the track "Get The Funk Out Ma Face". I find their third album Blam! and their fourth Light Up the Night more fun, with things like "Ain't We Funkin' Now", "Ride-O-Rocket", "Mista' Cool", "Stomp!", "Light Up the Night", "You Make Me Wanna Wiggle"...

[@sicko_the_ew]

"Power Station Psychefunk"? (Not to be taken too seriously. It just seems to me they also listened to whatever inspired Kraftwerk - which is a power station, and then to collage the words up a bit more, I scavenged your psychedelic observation and some of the more sensible comments hereinunder. )

[@jfergs.3302]

I liked the break, but as for the rest... A soppy, diluted sort of funk I'm just not keen on.

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

Try the original Shuggie Otis version. 😎

[@jfergs.3302]

@@Owlstretchingtime78 The original version definitely sounds better, I agree. This lightweight funkification of it just doesn't work for me at all.