Jimmy Castor Bunch – Record-facts…

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“It’s Just Begun” is the second album by the Jimmy Castor Bunch, released in 1972 on RCA Records. “It’s Just Begun” and “Troglodyte (Cave Man)” have each become staples in hip-hop sampling. Songs from the album have been sampled more than twenty-five times.
The song is considered by some to be one of the first disco songs.

The album hit #11 on the R&B charts and #27 on the Billboard 200. “Troglodyte (Cave Man)” hit #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 R&B.

This 1972 outing set the tone for the Jimmy Castor Bunch’s 1970s success through an effective and distinctive mix of funk, pop hooks, social commentary, and gonzo comedy.
It’s Just Begun also helped the group score a million-selling crossover hit single with “Troglodyte.”
This memorably whacked-out funk jam is built on an infectious fuzz-guitar hook and features Castor detailing the romantic adventures of a caveman who meets up with Bertha Butt, a comic character that would continue to appear on his albums for many years to come.
The album also included a b-boy favorite in its title track, a salsa-inflected funk excursion whose breakbeats continued to be spun by DJs well into the 1980s.
Beyond these favorites, the group knocks out a relentless stream of thick, funky grooves as Jimmy Castor tackles everything from morality (“You Better Be Good (Or the Devil Gon’ Getcha)”) to philosophy (“L.T.D.,” which stands for life, truth, and death). To add variety, Castor also throws in “My Brightest Day,” a sweet, horn-accented ballad, and “I Promise to Remember,” an updated slice of doo wop that Castor originally penned for Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.
The album’s all-things-to-all-people sense of ambition occasionally overwhelms the final product: for instance, “Creation,” the dissonant orchestral instrumental that bookends the album, doesn’t really have any reason to be there. Despite these quibbles, It’s Just Begun is an important and influential release from a sadly underrated group and well worth a listen for anyone interested in the roots of 1970s funk.

Track listing

“Creation (Prologue)” (Gerry Thomas) – 1:34
“It’s Just Begun” (Gerry Thomas, Jimmy Castor, John Pruitt) – 3:43
“Troglodyte (Cave Man)” (Jimmy Castor Bunch) – 3:36
“You Better Be Good (Or the Devil Gon’ Getcha)” (Gerry Thomas, Jimmy Castor, John Pruitt) – 2:56
“Psyche” (Jimmy Castor Bunch) – 4:25
“L.T.D. (Life, Truth and Death)” (Gerry Thomas, Curtis Knight) – 7:20
“My Brightest Day” (Gerry Thomas, Jimmy Castor, John Pruitt) – 4:03
“Bad” (Gerry Thomas, Jimmy Castor, John Pruitt, Doug Gibson) – 3:04
“I Promise to Remember” (Jimmy Castor, Jimmy Smith) – 2:47
“Creation (Epilogue)” (Gerry Thomas) – 1:02

The Jimmy Castor Bunch

Jimmy Castor – Saxophone, Timbales, Vocals
Doug Gibson – Bass, Backing Vocals
Harry Jensen – Guitar
Lenny Fridie, Jr. – Congas
Gerry Thomas – Trumpet, Piano
Orchestra of 30 musicians in “Creation” (Prologue and Epilogue)

Companies, etc.

Copyright © – RCA Records
Mastered At – RCA Victor Studios, Nashville
Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Rockaway
Record Company – RCA Corporation

Credits

Arranged By – G. Thomas (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B5), J. Castor (tracks: A2, B3, B4), The Jimmy Castor Bunch (tracks: A3, A5)
Art Direction [Art Director] – Acy Lehman
Artwork [Artist] – Corrigan
Backing Vocals [Assisted By] – Doug Gibson (tracks: B1, B3)
Design [Designer] – Frank Mulvey
Engineer [Recording] – Jim Crotty
Liner Notes – Al Roberts
Producer [Produced By] – Castor-Pruitt Productions