Origins: The Samples From Danny Brown's "OLD"

OLD is Detroit emcee Danny Brown's third studio project, released on October 8th via Fool's Gold Records. The audience rating on our review of the album stands at 85%, and we feel it's one of the better offerings of 2013, both sonically and lyrically. The production was handled by Paul White, A-Trak, SKYWLKR, Oh No, Corin Roddick, Rustie, JMIKE, Darq E Freaker and BadBadNotGood, a diverse group of musicians hailing from the U.S., Canada and the U.K. who've soundtracked a dark, psychedelic trip inside the mind of one of the game's most original poets. 

Danny summed up OLD's production in a recent interview with XXL, and we couldn't have put it better ourselves: "I made XXX with the aim of getting great reviews. And when I started making OLD, I was trying to think of artists that came back from getting great reviews and made an album that was just as good – or better! The only group I could really come up with was Radiohead. So if XXX was my OK Computer, then I’d have to make my Kid A next. So I studied Kid A, and I took away that it’s not so much about the lyrics as it is about the way the beats feel, so what drives this album is the production. I wanted to have the most amazing beats, but I still want them to sound minimal - it’s still gotta sound like a Danny Brown beat. It can’t sound like no fucking Kanye orchestra shit. That ain't me. That’s why I took so long with making this album. I was waiting for the perfect beats. And I got 'em."

Indeed. To our knowledge, 10 of the album's 19 tracks either sample or directly reference other songs. Let us know if we missed anything and we'll be sure to make the additions. You'll find our list is complete with both the new tracks and those they were sourced from. 

*Read all the words to OLD at gotbars.com. 

"Side A (Old)", produced by Paul White, contains a distorted vocal sample from Danny's own track "New Era", from his 2010 project The Hybrid. "And I reps this shit right now, forever" can be heard at the 0:41 mark on the original and the 1:41 mark on the new song. The sample choice is itself a reference to the old Danny Brown, subtly introducing this central theme. Read the rest of the "Side A" lyrics at gotbars.com. 

Although it doesn't seem to contain any direct samples, Danny has described "The Return" (produced by Paul White) as a remake of Outkast's "Return of the 'G'", from their 1998 album Aquemini. "We remade the OutKast song - it's part two," explained Danny in a July interview with Danish hip-hop site DrozDailySteezin. Although Big Boi and Three Stacks have yet to officially acknowledge the track, we're pretty sure they'd approve. 

"Wonderbread", also produced by Paul White, contains a direct sample of Franco-British psychedelic rock group Gong's "Castle In The Sky", from their 1973 record Angel's Egg, which is wavy, to say the least. The sampled riff can be heard at the 12:05 mark on the original, and begins at the 0:10 mark on"Wonderbread", lingering throughout. 

"Dope Fiend Rental", produced by Danny's go-to producer and tour DJ SKYWLKR, samples R&B vocal group The Moments (aka Ray, Goodman & Brown)'s "What's Your Name", from their 1974 project Those Sexy Moments. 

"Torture", produced by Oh No, contains a direct sample of Belgian rock group Georgia Brown's "Pollution", from their 1973 record Pollution / Glory To The Music. OLD's production process clearly involved some heavy crate digging. The sample can be heard at the 1:14 mark on the original and throughout the entirety of "Torture". 

"Lonely", produced by Paul White once again, contains samples from French singer-songwriter Morice Benin's "Apocalypse", from his 1980 record of the same name. You'll hear them at the 0:35 and 4:27 marks on the original track, and throughout the entirety of "Lonely". 

Also, although not a direct sample, Danny quotes A$AP Rocky's "Demons" (from his 2011 debut mixtape Live.Love.A$AP) at the 0:12 mark with the line "hipster by heart, but I can tell you how the streets feel". 

"Lonely", produced by Paul White yet again, directly samples British progressive rock band The Alan Parsons Project's "The Raven", from their 1976 debut album Tales Of Mystery And Imagination, a musical interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe's best work. Listen for the sampled elements at the 0:03 and 2:03 marks on the original song, and throughout "Lonely".

Those familiar with Poe's poem "The Raven" should appreciate the significance of the sample - we've included it in full below for those who aren't. 

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door
''Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door 
Only this, and nothing more'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor
Eagerly I wished the morrow - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore
Nameless here for evermore

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
''Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door
This it is, and nothing more'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer
'Sir,' said I, 'or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door
Darkness there, and nothing more

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, 'Lenore'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, 'Lenore'
Merely this and nothing more

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before
'Surely,' said I, 'surely that is something at my window lattice
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door
Perched, and sat, and nothing more

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore
'Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, 'art sure no craven
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door
With such name as 'Nevermore'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered
Till I scarcely more than muttered 'Other friends have flown before
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before
Then the bird said, 'Nevermore'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken
'Doubtless,' said I, 'what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore"'

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking 'Nevermore'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor
'Wretch,' I cried, 'thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'

'Prophet!' said I, 'thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'

'Prophet!' said I, 'thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'

'Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting
'Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore

-Edgar Allan Poe, 'The Raven' 

"Red 2 Go", produced by Oh No, samples multiple aspects of Zambian rock group Amanaz' "Green Apple", from their 1974 record Africa. Listen for the most prominent element at the 0:39 mark on the original track, and throughout "Red 2 Go". This is further evidence of a dedicated crate-digging approach. 

"Dip", produced by SKYWLKR, contains a distorted vocal sample from the hook of Freak Nasty's hit single "Da' Dip", included on his 1996 album Controversee...That's Life...And That's the Way It Is. 

Also, "Dip" lyrically references Jay Z and Kanye West's "Niggas In Paris", from their 2012 collaborative album Watch The Throne. Danny can be heard repeating "don't let me get in my zone" throughout the track, words which Kanye begins chanting at the 2:58 mark on the original track. Read the rest of the "Dip" lyrics at gotbars.com. 

Finally, "Smokin' & Drinkin'", produced by Fools Gold labelhead A-Trak, contains an element from Ray Charles' "Bye Bye Love", from his 1962 record Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music. This is definitely the most minimal sample we've discussed, as it's simply the ad-lib "yep" heard at the beginning of the original song. It can be heard throughout "Smokin' & Drinkin'". 

[VIA]