Jam (Let's Take It To The Streets)
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Album Summary
Five Special was a funk and soul outfit that came up during the late 1970s groove era, and 'Jam (Let's Take It To The Streets)' dropped in 1980 as a single release on Elektra Records, capturing that raw, communal energy that defined the tail end of the decade's dance floor movement. The track was engineered to hit in both mono and stereo formats — a nod to the broadcasting realities of the time, where radio stations and jukeboxes were still running the full spectrum of playback technology. The production leaned hard into that tight, percussive funk pocket that was keeping bodies moving from the block parties to the discotheques, and the dual-format release tells you everything about how seriously the label took getting this record heard on as many speakers as possible.
Reception
- The single circulated within funk and soul circles during a transitional moment in Black music, arriving just as disco was fading and the streets were hungry for something with more grit and groove.
- The record did not break into mainstream pop chart territory in any widely documented fashion, but it found its audience in the dance-driven markets where Five Special had been building a following.
Significance
- The dual mono and stereo pressing of 'Jam (Let's Take It To The Streets)' reflects the broadcasting culture of the early 1980s, where getting a record placed on both AM and FM radio required catering to different technical standards — this was a band and label that understood the hustle of the airwaves.
- 'Jam (Let's Take It To The Streets)' represents the spirit of communal funk at a time when the genre was evolving, carrying the torch of participatory, crowd-inviting music that spoke directly to the lived experience of urban Black communities.
- Five Special occupied that vital space between the polished disco era and the rawer funk and early R&B sounds that would define the early 1980s, and this record stands as a document of that cultural crossroads.
Tracklist
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A Jam (Let's Take It To The Streets) (Mono) —
3:45
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A Jam (Let's Take It To The Streets) (Stereo) —
3:45
Artist Details
Five Special was a smooth and soulful funk outfit that emerged from the vibrant Washington D.C. music scene in the early 1980s, blending tight harmonies with irresistible grooves that made dance floors move from coast to coast. The group carved out their place in the soul landscape with their standout single "Why Leave Us Alone," a silky slow jam that showcased their vocal chemistry and ear for melody. Though they never quite broke into the mainstream spotlight the way their talent deserved, Five Special remains a beloved gem for true connoisseurs of that golden era of R&B and funk.
