The One Giveth, The Count Taketh Away (Remastered) Bootsy Collins

• 1Shine-O-Mite (Rag Poping)04:33
• 2Landshark (Just When You Thought It Was Safe)04:04
• 3Countracula (This One's For You)03:15
• 4#1 Funkateer03:26
• 5Excon (Of Love)06:05
• 6So Nice You Name Him Twice03:51
• 7What's W-R-O-N-G Radio04:05
• 8Music To Smile By04:17
• 9Play On Playboy03:22
• 10Take A Lickin' And Keep On Kickin'04:21
• 11The Funky Funktioneer00:35
• Total Runtime41:54

Info for The One Giveth, The Count Taketh Away (Remastered)

With the release of the semi-autobiographically titled The One Giveth, The Count Taketh Away (1982), William 'Bootsy' Collins (bass/vocals) concluded his eight-year relationship as a Warner Brothers artist. Once again, Collins came armed with a cache of longtime associates, namely sibling Phelps 'Catfish' Collins (guitar), Bernie Worrell (keyboards), Robert 'P-Nut' Johnson (vocals), and Frankie 'Kash' Waddy (drums).

Plus, of course, the Horny Horn section with Collins' fellow James Brown and P-Funk alums Maceo Parker (sax) and Fred Wesley (trombone). An added surprise to the assembled ensemble are synth-funksters Midnight Star, who are credited on the rear LP jacket under the heading 'Vocalists who helped me make it' -- though not mentioned individually. Other than co-writing the sassy opener 'Shine-O-Myte (Rag Popping),' George Clinton is conspicuously absent, with Bootsy listed as producer. Worrell's keyboards bop and groove over Bootsy and chorus -- the latter of which sound like they are chanting in the linguistically tricky syllabic word game commonly referred to as 'Pig Latin.'

Collins' lead vocal proves he has lost none of the sly charm and trademark lyrical wit. His delivery of 'Shine-O-Myte' is a callback to the catch-phrase of Jimmie Walker's character J.J. Evans on the hit sitcom Good Times. Bootsy must have been spending too much time in front of the television, as 'Landshark (Just When You Thought It Was Safe)' is an unmistakable homage to Chevy Chase's parody during the first few seasons of Saturday Night Live. After quoting a few bars from John Williams' 'Main Theme' for the film Jaws (1975), a full blown funk-a-thon breaks out with a noticeable sonic nod to the P-Funk songbook staple 'Do That Stuff' from the Horny Horns. The age old concept of 'The One' [read: placing the emphasis on the first or downbeat] dates back to a technique that Bootsy first observed and then perfected during his tenure with James Brown.

Here he revisits it on the tongue-in-cheek cinematic spoof 'Countracula (This One's for You).' Other selections worthy of multiple spins are the askew ballad 'Ex-Con of Love,' and the slow churning 'So Nice You Name Him Twice.' Saving what is undeniably the strongest material for the closer, 'Take a Lickin' And Keep on Kickin'' -- sporting a title derived from yet another television slogan -- is a return to the full-blown party atmosphere that permeated Collins' earlier Rubber Band endeavors. Finally, the frisky and instrumental-centric 'Funky Funktioneer' could easily be mistaken for a Prince performance circa Controversy (1981), especially given Worrell's penchant for piercing synth keyboard stabs coupled with Bootsy's swooping and swirling basslines.' (Lindsay Planer, AMG)

Bootsy Collins, bass, guitar, drums, keyboards
Phelps Collins, guitar
Kevin Oliver, guitar
William 'Sugarfoot' Bonner, guitar
Joel Johnson, keyboards
Fred Wesley, horns
Maceo Parker, horns
Richard Griffith, horns
Godmoma, background vocals
Robert Johnson, background vocals
Garry Shider, background vocals
Ron Ford, background vocals
Jeanette McGruder, background vocals
Mallia Franklin, background vocals
H. Bissantz, background vocals
Midnight Star, background vocals

Produced by Bootsy Collins

Digitally remastered

Bootsy William Collins
(born William Collins, October 26, 1951, Cincinnati) is one of the all-time great funk and R&B bassists/singer/bandleader. He formed his first group, the Pacesetters, in 1968, featuring Phelps “Catfish” Collins (his brother; guitar), Frankie “Kash” Waddy (drums), and Philippe Wynne (later of The Spinners fame). From 1969 to 1971, the group functioned as James Brown’s backup band and was dubbed the J.B.’s. In 1972, Bootsy joined George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic. Collins and Clinton soon established a lifelong personal and musical friendship. He launched Bootsy’s Rubber Band as a spinoff of P-Funk in 1976, the band including his brother Phelps, Waddy (drums), Joel “Razor Sharp” Johnson (keyboards), Gary “Mudbone” Cooper (vocals), and Robert “P-Nut” Johnson (vocals), along with “the Horny Horns”. (He was sometimes billed alone as Bootsy, and sometimes as William “Bootsy” Collins.)

Collins’ inspired, clever progressions and patterns were a vital part of such records as “Get Up, I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine.” The group became the House Guests after departing the JB’s, until Collins joined Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic empire in 1971. He co-wrote “Tear the Roof Off the Sucker” with Clinton and Jerome Brailey and established himself so effectively that Clinton urged him to form his own band. Bootsy’s Rubber Band emerged in 1976, a spirited ensemble that included Collins’ brother Phelps (“Catfish”), as well as fellow James Brown bandmembers Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker, Joel Johnson, Gary Cooper, Rick Gardner, and Richard Griffiths. (Collins also featured his alter egos “Bootzilla” and “Casper, the Friendly Ghost” as part of the stage act.)

Their debut LP, Stretchin’ Out in Bootsy’s Rubber Band, and their second release, Ahh…The Name Is Bootsy, Baby! equalled anything issued during Clinton’s peak period for idiomatic diversity, clever, bizarre humor, and outrageous lyrics. Both Ahh… and the third LP, Bootsy? Player of the Year, earned gold records and made it into the Top 20 on the pop charts. The single “Bootzilla” was his lone R&B chart topper in 1978, although “The Pinocchio Theory” also made the Top Ten.

Collins recorded as both a solo artist and with the Rubber Band in the ’80s. He also did some special projects, such as a 1984 collaboration with Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads — using the name Bonzo Goes to Washington — that produced “5 Minutes (C-C-C-Club Mix),” featuring Ronald Reagan declaring nuclear war on the Soviet Union over a skittering rhythm track. In 1988, he returned on Columbia with the appropriately named What’s Bootsy Doin’? In 1989, Bootsy was a member of the Bootzilla Orchestra on Malcolm McLaren’s album Waltz Dancing. One year later, he became a featured guitarist and bassist with the dance music trio Deee-Lite, signed with 4th and Broadway, and also toured England with a group co-led by Parker and Wesley.

Bootsy’s New Rubber Band released Blasters of the Universe in 1994, and Fresh Outta ‘P’ University followed four years later. Numerous Collins live shows and reissues appeared as the 21st century opened, and in 2006, the bassist actually released a Christmas album, Christmas Is 4 Ever, on Shout Records. In 2011, a conceptual album, The Funk Capital of the World, landed, featuring everyone from Ice Cube to Samuel L. Jackson on the guest list.

This album contains no booklet.