Artists
Musicians featured in this piece are:
Tim Hauser – vocals
Laurel Massé – vocals
Alan Paul – vocals
Janis Siegel – vocals
Don Grolnick – clavinet
Richard Tee – electric piano
Jerry Friedman – guitar
Andy Muson – bass guitar
Roy Markowitz – drums
Daniel Ben Zebulon – congas
Written by Allen Toussaint. Produced by Tim Hauser & Ahmet Ertegun, musical direction and arrangements by Ira Newborn, recorded at Atlantic Studios, New York City, 1975. Released as track 11 on The Manhattan Transfer (Atlantic Records, April 1975).
“Occapella” is a cover of an Allen Toussaint composition, bringing New Orleans R&B flavor into the eclectic mix of swing, doo-wop, and gospel styles that defined the group’s self-titled second album.
The Manhattan Transfer – Occapella Lyrics
There’s music in the streets
And music in the air
A little ol’ soul beat
Dancin everywhere
I would tell the whole world
I’d tell ’em if I could
To add a little song into each life
And make it finger poppin’ good
Whoa, whoa
Oh pardon me but you could use it
We’re gonna make a little music
You got soul now don’t you lose it
We’re gonna make a little music
Everything’s gonna be mellow
We would just sing it occapella
Everything’s gonna be mellow
Listen while we sing it occapella
Whoa, whoa
There’s music in the streets
And music in the air
A little ol’ soul beat
Dancin everywhere
I would tell the whole world
I’d tell ’em if I could
To add a little song into each life
And make it finger poppin’ good
To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 15 program and the full program, click here.