“Compared to What?”: When Music Was Still Changing the World
Plagued by decades of segregation and social injustice, the US society had started to change very slowly during the late 1950’s. By the beginning of the following decade, black leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King were showing the young generation the way to a better society, which found its expression in the Civil Right Movement. However, the expectations were very high and to many the promised change was not happening fast enough.
To make the matter worse, big events such as the riots in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles during the summer 1965 or the assassination of Dr. King in 1968 had made a dent in any hopes of fast change. Adding to the frustration, the war in Vietnam had also become a political issue of first importance, as thousands of young conscripts were dying every year.
Originally written by Eugene McDaniel (1935–2011), “Compared to What” was first recorded in 1969 in this particularly tense context. Interestingly enough, the track was released -almost coincidentally- on two separate LP’s that would mark their time.
The first version is the opening track of Roberta Flack’s debut album “First Take” released in June 1969 while the second version features as a live performance on the LP “Swiss Movement” recorded by Jazz veterans Les McCann and Eddie Harris at the Montreux Jazz Festival and released in October 1969.
Both versions are forceful and vivid, performed by artists who obviously knew too well what they were singing about.
Lyrics
The lyrics of the song express the malaise of the US society and the failings of the American dream. The song addresses in abrasive tones topics such as abortion, growing materialism or the Vietnam War with the sarcastic realization that the society and its leaders lack a clear vision of what should be changed.
Verse Excerpt:
The President, he’s got his war
Folks don’t know just what it’s for
Nobody gives us rhyme or reason
Have one doubt, they call it treason
We’re chicken-feathers, all without one nut. God damn it!
Tryin’ to make it real compared to what?
The Author and two Performers
The dual release did not happen out of the blue. As a matter of fact Les McCann had helped Roberta Flack join Atlantic Records a few months after attending one of Flack’s performance in a Jazz bar in Washington DC. McCann was effusive about Flack and arranged an audition with Joel Dorn, the famous producer of Atlantic Records. Moreover, McCann was close to Eugene McDaniels, the author of the song.
Eugene Mc Daniels
Eugene McDaniels had sung along with Les MacCann during the early 1960’s before embarking on a solo career as a singer and actor. The development of McDaniel’s artistic career somehow follows the evolution of the US society.
Fitted with a beautiful and clear voice, McDaniels started as a pop singer in the vein of The Marcels or Bobby Vee and had a few minor hits during the early sixties. By 1965, his singing career came to a halt as his singing style was getting out of fashion.
Following the assassination of Dr. King in 1968, McDaniels moved out of the US to Sweden and dedicated himself to writing songs which embraced a much larger agenda touching to political issues. McDaniels later mentioned that he had written “Compared to What” with McCann as a performer in mind and was very thankful for McCann’s encouragements in his career.
Nicknamed the “Left Reverend”, Eugene McDaniels also gave Roberta Flack the Nr.1 Hit Single “Feel Like Making Love” in 1974. During the seventies, he recorded under his name several Jazz Funk and Psychedelic Funk albums.
Les McCann
Meanwhile, Les McCann took a slightly different trajectory. Talented self-taught pianist, McCann was a regular in the Jazz circuits in the late 50’s and started recording in 1960. McCann was successful as crossover artist into R&B and has recorded over forty albums throughout his career.
His big breakthrough came with the album “Swiss Movement” he recorded with saxophonist Eddie Harris in 1969 at the Jazz Montreux Festival with the opening track …”Compared to What?”.
Although originally sung by Roberta Flack, the cover by McCann and Harris sold millions. Since then, “Compared to What?” has been covered over two hundred and eighty times. Among these are cover versions by world-class artists such as Ray Charles and Al Jarreau.
Roberta Flack
For all being a star in the US with her debut album, Roberta Flack shot to stardom after Clint Eastwood chose one of her songs to feature in “Play Misty For Me”, a movie he shot in 1972. The song “The First Time I Saw Your Face” provided her with instant exposure to a global audience.
A romantic ballad with poetic lyrics and neat arrangements, the song suits perfectly Flack’s voice. The singer is famous for other Nr. 1 Hit songs such as “Killing Me Softly With His Song” in 1973 or her duets with her college friend, Donny Hathaway.
Yet Roberta Flack’s road to fame was everything but easy. Born in 1940 in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina, Roberta moved with her family to Arlington nearby Washington DC when she was five. She grew up in a loving and musical working class family who encouraged her playing piano by the age of five.
Clearly gifted, Roberta Flack won a prestigious piano award at age thirteen for her interpretation of “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” and graduated from high school at age fifteen. This academic excellence earned her a scholarship to study piano at Howard University.
After switching from piano to voice, she graduated with a B.A. in music education in 1958. She had to put her studies on hold following the death of her father in 1959 and started teaching music to make a living.
Around 1960, Flack started performing part time in the jazz circuit of Washington DC. Being in high demand, she was encouraged in 1965 to take a full-time singing career. Flack was a regular performer at Mr. Henry’s, a Capitol Hill club when Les McCann noticed her during the summer of 1968.
Auditions quickly followed by a deal with Atlantic Records were quickly reached a few weeks later. In winter 1968, Flack redorded her debut album with “Compared to What?” as opening track. Roberta Flack was on track to becoming a major performer that would mark the seventies along with Dionne Warwick.
Two Performances
With Flacks at the piano, the song is carried by an extraordinary lineup composed of bass legend Ron Carter and of a drummer Ray Lucas, who rhythmically completes Carter’s bass lines.
The rich and deep voice of Roberta Flack ideally serves “Compared to What?”. She does justice to the lyrics through her interpretation, which sees Flack alternate tones between sarcasm and outright pain.
As for the musical backdrop, it begins between groove and gospel before shifting towards a light form of modal jazz toward the end of the track. At this stage the drum and the double bass start drifting away from the original beat by playing more notes, faster and at a different rhythm. This shift also contributes to add to the sense of confusion and urgency created by the lyrics.
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Les McCann and Eddie Harris version of “Compared to What?” is a fiery and high-energy rendition that is often mentioned as one of the best Jazz live performance to ever recorded.
Following that historical recording in June 1969, Les McCann also started singing more often, thus switching to his own made Jazz Soul. His raspy voice added to the drama of “Compared to What?” providing the singing with more credibility and earning the song its reputation of proto-rap.
The musicians were all fire that night with powerful solo execution from Eddie Harris at the trumpet and McCann at his piano. All the ingredients for a mythical recording were assembled.
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Beyond its groove and fiery lyrics, “Compared to What?” is a very special track. It shows artists and musicians of different genres evolve over time and getting confident in trying to improve the world with their craft. It also shows musicians breaking down barriers between genres and mixing up modal jazz with gospel.
Along with Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” in 1971, “Compared to What?” is a piece of modern music history.
