New York Citi Peech Boys* ‎– Life Is Something Special

An electro-funk-soul honky-tonk workout which formed the staple of the Paradise Garage soundtrack, steeped in postivity which obviously rubbed off on a certain friend who moved many a mile north to escape the obvious all encompassing power (good or bad) of Larry Levan's lifeforce and create his own phenomenon - Spinning on the altar of positivity to this day thirty years on. That's some lifeforce.

It's the B-Side which puts you in the moment on this masterpiece. Levan's tutelage at the loft and reverence & awareness of atmospherics and dub is clear, which still powers Body & Soul to this day, the only missing piece being the handclaps - the most underrated instrument in all of his effects armory.

Listen to the acapella. Snatches have been used in many pop house anthems and it's incredible how many people have made money in the last 20 years off the back of Larry Levan's genius.

I'd love to see a film on the life story of this guy. In fact, I'd love to MAKE a film on the life story of this guy. Chris Rock though, not Will Smith.

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More recently I discovered that, mis a part the use of samples of Bernard Fowler's "Life Is Something Special"'s acappella by Coco Steel & Lovebomb (in "Feel It!", "Work It") and Joey Negro (with "Do What You Feel"), we can feeeel the influences of this classic on the initial part ("This...is something...special...for you" (in a Circulation tune and in the Unconditional's hit "Magic Feet").
Two essential producers of the Drum & Bass World, Markus Intalex and LTJ Bukem, also made use of the classical acappella: in one hand, Intalex & ST Files through "Nightfall", and in the other Mr. GoodLookingOrganisation on "Brothers With Soul".
During the eighties, DJs used to play this acappella combined with other tunes. That was the case of Farley Jackmaster Funk, who opened his 1987 gig at WBMX (Chicago) with a marvelous sequence using Fowler's lyrics.
"Muuuuusic iiiiis so speciaaaaal"!

One of the main oeuvres from the band of Larry Levan and keyboardist Michael de Benedictus, “Life Is Something Special” stands as one of the real classics of the beginning of the eighties, specially because of its historical acapella, whose vocals belong to the band singer Bernard Fowler. The samples of the expressions “Feel It!” and “Work It!” were used many years later by the duo Chris Mellor & Lene of Coco Steel & Lovebomb - which released “Feel It!” and “Touch It” (both in 1991 by Instant Records / WARP). The acapella was also largely used in the sets of the House pioneers (such as Farley Jackmaster Funk in his 1987 WBMX gig at Chicago). The tune became one of the underground club anthems, played in the Paradise Garage (New York, USA) and the Hacienda (Manchester, UK).