The Words of Wisdom – Don’t Need Your Love b/w What You Do To Me

We have a sweet spot for Naptown here at Flea Market Funk. So many good records and artists have come out of the Nap, and when some goodness comes barreling out of this city, we just want to share it with you. With music preservers and trailblazers like the chaps at Naptown Soul Club (Shout out Antonio and Paren!) keeping the flame burning strong, it’s great to see a record label like Cannonball expounding on that tradition of keeping good, strong music alive and kicking out of this great city. This double side of funkiness comes from The Words of Wisdom. Helmed by Herman “Butch” Slaughter, who went from making his own tracks via tape machine at 12 years old to Baritone in school choirs to the creation of The Words of Wisdom with Karen Slaughter, Robert “Buck” Vaughn, Rosa Lunderman, and Mabel Heart. The band gained much traction right as the decade of the 1970s was ending and the 1980s was beginning. The band lasted up until about 1982 before disbanding. However, they recorded these two songs before that, and we are all grateful for that. Staples on the scene at the world-famous Lamp, they played alongside and are forever inscribed next to greats like The Fabulous Soul, The Vanguards, and many more. With members all but gone, Herman Slaughter stands alone to this day. Still active on the music scene, both of these tracks were finally dug up a few years ago. “Don’t Need Your Love” and “What You Do To Me” are two massive tracks that capture the funky period of time when the Lamp was “Naptown’s Motown” and the slap bass was hitting hard and steady. Listen to a snippet of both tracks below and order after the stream. More heat out of Naptown! Let’s hope these gems keep getting unearthed for the entire world to hear.