Arthur Adams – you’ve got the floor –  Oct 1981

It was one of the standout music singles of 1981. I remember hearing this for the first time under the bedsheets of my bed would you believe it?

Yes, it’s true. I was listening to Tony Prince on Radio Luxemburg when I was in bed with a radio underneath the bedcovers.

I loved his show, and already he had played some great tunes within his set.

However, he played a tune that was so captivating at the time that I prayed that when I eventually went to sleep. I would then wake up and still be able to remember the title of the tune so that I could go about it and write it down. I would then be in the position to be able to purchase the tune by the end of the week.

The 12-inch single that I went ahead to purchase all those years ago was – Arthur Adams –“You Got the floor”.

Now within the year 2016/2017 – I am looking at the 12-inch single that I have stored in the record boxes in the loft area of my home.

I was within that cleaning mode yet again, and at the same time getting rid of old Bric and Brac that were now not needed. And I was tempted to open up one of those boxes and search through.

I was stopped in my tracks when I reached the 12-inch called Arthur Adams – “You’ve got the floor” – within my box.

I remember when I first heard it as mentioned above. And the shop that I bought it from at the time – was Andies Records here in Ipswich Town, England.

That following Saturday, here in Ipswich the Song had made the decks of every major Club DJ within the town, and everyone was in love with it.

At the time, England, or clubland England was in the hold of music and culture of JAZZ FUNK. And this single came out at the right time and the right place.

This single came out of the blue as the artist that created this single called Arthur Adams was an out-and-out blues musician and blues guitarist who was inspired by BB King and other 1950 musicians.

However, he certainly surprised everyone when bought out  You've Got the floor which reached number 1 on the UK disco chart that year and 38 on the UK singles chart.

However, within the UK this 12" single track also reached number 1 in the UK's disco chart the same year.

Arthur Adams - You Got The Floor Original 12-inch Version 1981

I loved the synth sound on this single at the time. I was really impressed by how many jazz-funk tunes were including this sound within their single releases.

I also loved the bassline and drum during the opening passages at the start of the single. So simple and yet so effective. I liked the vocals of Arthur Adams.

Nothing special and yet his voice was perfect for this single. And finally, that saxophone solo within the single is so cool. The saxophone solo on this same single in fact was done by John C. Peskin. 

That sax solo just fits like a glove, and even helps the single sound even better! A good idea by Arthur Adams to allow John C. Peskin to feature in this way on this track.

I’m in jazz Funk fan heaven right now just holding this single in my hands again.

It just sounded so different from all the music at the time coming from the jazz/funk and disco music scene.

The record originally appeared on the small US label Inculcation owned by actor Bernie Hamilton, who produced the track.

The single was a must-have for all of us UK Jazz/Funk fans at the time.

And for those that came from this time from around the world. It’s very unlikely that this single will ever be forgotten by those that heard it at that time.

You would have thought that single would have made Mr. Adams stay within this new niche; which saw him secure the biggest musical hit of his career.

However, once a bluesman. Always been a bluesman. And he returned to that musical scene very shortly afterward.

He works occasionally as a session guitarist for various groups. After tiring of session work. in 1985 Adams became the bassist for Nina Simone on her 1995 European tour as well as recording and contributed songs to the Nina's Back album.

In 1986, he recorded a session for a Church's Fried Chicken commercial, with harpist Chris Smith.

By 1987, Adams was fronting his own blues band and again performing live. He wrote two songs, which appeared on B.B. King's 1992 album There is Always One More Time.

Adams became a bandleader at B. B. King's blues club in Los Angeles, often performing with drummer James Gadson.

Adams recorded a version of Ann Peebles's soul classic "I Can't Stand the Rain" for the movie Town And Country, starring Goldie Hawn

He performed at the St. Louis Blues Heritage Festival in August 1997, and in November at the Utrecht Blues Estafette in The Netherlands.

In 1999, he released the album Back on Track, his first solo release in 20 years.

B.B. King even guested on the album on guitar. This was his first release on the Blind Pig record label. Adams wrote eight out of the eleven tracks combining the three styles of gospel, blues, and soul.

Tracks include two duets with King ("Got You Next To Me" and "The Long Haul") – both composed by Adams and Will Jennings.

In 2004, we learn that he released Soul of the Blues.

However, he and this single will never be forgotten was released in 1981. Mr. Adams certainly had got the floor that for sure.

Well, that's all folks for me now anyway.

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