“Impeach the President” – 1973-Style. Did I Hear Somebody Say “Amen Brother?”
Recently, a friend sent me a Facebook message, asking if I was familiar with the song “Impeach the President.” It is important to note here, regardless of your political inclinations, that this was a 1973 single by The Honey Drippers. In and of itself, it is an amusing ditty relating to Richard M. Nixon, who avoided impeachment (and the subsequent trial) by resigning on August 9, 1974.
YouTube to the rescue. First item I spotted while listening to the Honey Drippers was “Impeach the President (Drum Break — Loop).”
Inevitably, the next item was “45 Songs That Sample ‘Impeach the President’.”
Which got me thinking about “Amen Brother” by The Winstons, which was derived from The Impressions’ tune “Amen,” which was penned by Curtis Mayfield and Johnny Pate.
And its famous drum break, which became known as The Amen Break.
And “Top 5 Most Famous Uses of the Amen Break.”
And an incredible in-depth look at that drum break, perhaps the most sampled in music history.
And here you are, down the rabbit hole with me!