THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

677-Mass Production-Welcome to Our World (Of Merry Music)

1977-Number 44 single.

Best Bit-At 6.12. I hope these 1000+ songs introduce you to music that you would have never otherwise heard, or enjoyed. ‘WELCOME.’

Mass Production are a ‘Funk,’ and ‘Disco’ group, formed in the mid 1970’s, in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, in total there were 14 different members come and go, until they split in 1983. In 2017 some of the groups past members reformed to tour, and record, but at the time of writing, there has been no new material. For whatever reason Mass Production never quite achieved the same commercial success as their ‘Funk,’ and ‘Disco’ contemporaries, such as ‘Earth Wind & Fire,’ (see also best songs 916 and 462) ‘Crown Heights Affair,’ (see also best songs 852) or ‘Brass Construction,’ even so lovers of that style of music, do hold the group in the same high esteem.

The discography of Mass Production includes eight studio Albums rel;eased between 1976-1983, and one official compilation Album ‘Firecrackers: The Best of Mass Production,’ issued in 1996. Mass Production never achieved a hit single on the American ‘Billboard Hot 100,’ but they did have several hits on Billboards ‘Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs’ chart, with their track ‘Firecracker,’ which is their best known track in the States, peaking the highest at Number 4 on that chart. In 1989 the American ‘Hip-Hop’ group ‘2 Live Crew,’ sampled ‘Firecracker’ for their track ‘Me So Horny,’ which reached Number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Number 1 in the Netherlands. In the UK, Mass Production have charted within the top 100 twice, with this song ‘Welcome to Our World (Of Merry Music’) peaking at Number 44 in 1977, and ‘Shante,’ making Number 59 in 1980.

‘Welcome to Our World (Of Merry Music’) is the title track from Mass Production’s debut studio Album from 1976, and was written by the groups member Tyrone Williams, who was born on August 9th, 1954, and sang lead vocals, and also played keyboards on the Album. The other members of Mass Production who played on the track are, Kevin Douglas, (bass guitar) Ricardo Williams, (drums) Rodney Phelps, (lead guitar) Emanuel Redding, (percussion) LeCoy Bryant, (rhythm guitar) George McCoy, (saxophone) and James Drumgole (trumpet.)

Mass Production were signed to ‘Cotillion Records,’ for their recording career. ‘Cotillion Records’ had been formed as a subsidiary of ‘Atlantic Records,’ and from 1981, through until the label folded in 1985, it was also a part of ‘WEA,’ the ‘Warner Music Group. ‘Cotillion Records’ had been formed in 1968 as an outlet for ‘Pop, ‘R&B,’ and ‘Jazz.’ ‘Cotillion’s catalogue quickly expanded to include ‘Progressive Rock,’ ‘Folk-Rock,’ ‘Gospel,’ ‘Jazz,’ and ‘Comedy. It was in 1976, that the label started focusing on ‘Disco,’ and R&B.’ Some of the big names who recorded for the label include, the post-Curtis Mayfield Impressions, Sister Sledge, and The Fatback Band (see also best songs 798 and 217.) ‘Cotillion Records’ were also responsible for helping launch the career of Luther Vandross, (1951-2005) (see also best songs 974) who was in a three member group called ‘Luther,’ in the late 1970’s.

‘Welcome to our world of merry music, where everybody lends a helping hand. Spreading it in our message to the people, doing the best that we can.’