It begins with a simple 4/4 beat and a sinewy bass line, followed by some piano and organ chords. But the first real hook is the top-line melody played on steel drums -- not exactly the most commercial thing to do in 1978 -- and while I can't remember the first time I heard "Every Kinda People" by Robert Palmer, I do know that the younger me (a) wanted to hear that song again, and (b) wanted to hear more from this Robert Palmer guy. And in time, boy, did I ever.
There was never a point in time when it was cool to be a Robert Palmer fan; often, when people asked what I was listening to, an admission of Clues or Pride would elicit at best a guttural "huh?" and at worst a dismissive "ugh." Even during his commercial peak in the mid-to-late '80s, his ubiquity never quite translated to critical accolades. But when you dug below the lacquered black-clad models in his most famous videos, when you saw past the smart suits and swirled smoke smirk, there was artistry to be found. And after his passing over a decade ago, in 2003 at the age of 54 of a heart attack, that artistry has all but vanished, ground down to a footnote on "Totally Eighties" playlists.
Over the next few months -- maybe longer -- I'd like to rescue Robert Palmer from the ignominy of lip-synched videos and one-hit-wonder status for the slim handful of readers I've accumulated at this blog. One song at a time, I'll try to convey my respect and joy for the work of an almost-forgotten musical hedonist and synthesist. My hope is to make at least one person feel how I felt, way back when, making my introduction into a world of sonic possibility, with Robert Palmer as my personal guide and bon vivant. Join me, won't you?
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