Melvin Van Peebles was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. Over his career he recorded several albums with various musicians, and also recorded soundtracks.

Studio albums[edit]

Brer Soul (1968)
Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death (1970)
As Serious as a Heart-Attack (1971)
What the....You Mean I Can't Sing?! (1974)
Ghetto Gothic (1995)
Nahh... Nahh Mofo (2012)^[1]
The Last Transmission (2014, with The Heliocentrics)^[2]

Compilations[edit]

X-Rated By an All-White Jury (1997) – including Brer Soul, Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death and As Serious as a Heart-Attack

Soundtrack albums[edit]

Watermelon Man (1970)
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)
Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death (1972)
Don't Play Us Cheap (1972)

Details[edit]

La Permission[edit]

In 1968, Van Peebles released a 4 song EP in France to accompany the motion picture with the same name. ^[3]

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song[edit]

In 1971, to help promote his film, Van Peebles released this soundtrack album, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song which featured Earth, Wind & Fire.

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Melvin Van Peebles

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sweetback Losing His Cherry"	2:45
2.	"Sweetback Getting It Uptight And Preaching It So Hard The Bourgeois Reggin Angels In Heaven Turn Around"	5:00
3.	"Come On Feet Do Your Thing"	4:15
4.	"Sweetback's Theme"	7:36

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Hoppin' John"	2:25
2.	"Voices"	0:15
3.	"Mojo Woman"	3:47
4.	"Voices"	0:17
5.	"Reggins Hanging On In There As Best They Can"	2:58
6.	"Voices"	1:13
7.	"Won't Bleed Me"	2:41
8.	"The Man Tries Running His Usual Game but Sweetback's Jones Is So Strong He Wastes the Hounds (Yeah! Yeah! and Besides That He Will Be Comin' Back Takin' Names and Collecting Dues)"	4:25
Total length:		31:51

As Serious as a Heart-Attack[edit]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Melvin Van Peebles

Countryside
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Rufus & Ruby"
2.	"Mothers Prayer"
3.	"The Country Brother & The City Sister"
4.	"Chippin"

Cityside
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Just Don't Make No Sense"
2.	"Dearmistuh P"
3.	"Love, That's America"
4.	"I Remember"
5.	"My Pal Johnny"

Musicians[edit]

Rhetta Hughes - guest vocalist on "Mother's Prayer"
Doug Carn - keyboards
John Boudreaux Jr. - drums
Tom Scott, Albert Hall, Jr. - horns
William Henderson - strings
Clydie King, Venetta Fields, Rhetta Hughes, Jessica Smith - backing vocals

Engineers[edit]

Robert Appère - recording and mix
Dick Burns - mix
Produced And Conceived By Melvin Van Peebles
All Words And Music By Melvin Van Peebles
All Selections Published By Almo Music Corp./Yeah Inc., Ascap,
Except "Love That's, America," Colgems Music, Ascap
Art Direction: Roland Young
Album Design: Chuck Beeson
Photography: Jim McCrary

What the....You Mean I Can't Sing?![edit]

In 1974, Van Peebles released his first album that had less spoke word and a good deal of singing on the tracks.

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Melvin Van Peebles, except for "Superstition", written by Stevie Wonder

No.	Title	Length
1.	"A Birth Certificate Ain't Nothing But A Death Warrant Anyway"	3:57
2.	"So Many Bars"	4:11
3.	"Save The Watergate 500"	3:21
4.	"Superstition"	5:05
5.	"There"	3:58
6.	"Come On Write Me"	3:42
7.	"Eyes On The Rabbit"	5:09
8.	"My Love Belongs To You"	10:22
Total length:		39:48

Musicians[edit]

Melvin Van Peebles – lead vocals
Kenny Altman – bass
Bob Babbitt – bass
David Cohen – guitar
George David – guitar
Leopoldo Fleming – percussion
Jerry Friedman – guitar
Rhetta Hughes – background vocals
Tali Jackson – drums
Arthur Jenkins – keyboards
Bob Mann – guitar
Barbara Massey – background vocals
Andrew Smith – drums
Warren Smith – percussion
J. Steven Soles – guitar
Tasha Thomas – background vocals
Christie Thompson – keyboards
Harold Wheeler – arranger, conductor, keyboards

Production[edit]

Charles Blackwell – executive producer
Tony Bongiovi – remixing
Gary Hobish – remastering
Michael Myers – liner notes
Abdullah Rahman – artwork
Dave Rubin – cover design
Mark Rubin – cover design
Stephen Y. Scheaffer – engineer
LeBaron Taylor – executive producer
Pat Thomas – reissue producer
Melvin Van Peebles – liner notes, photography, producer

Ghetto Gothic[edit]

After over 20 years, in 1995, Van Peebles released an album, waiting so long because he waited "until I could do it correctly." ^[4]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Melvin Van Peebles

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Blinded By Your Stuff"	4:55
2.	"On 115"	2:49
3.	"My Love Belongs To You"	4:52
4.	"There"	4:49
5.	"Greasy Lightin'"	3:50
6.	"Lilly Done The Zampoughi Every Time I Pulled Her Coattail"	6:00
7.	"Same Ole Raggedy Song"	2:44
8.	"The Apple Stretching"	10:31
9.	"Just Don't Make No Sense"	5:50
10.	"Quittin Time"	5:59
Total length:		52:22

Musicians[edit]

Melvin Van Peebles – vocals
Anthony Aiello – saxophone
Lamar Alsop – viola
Seymour Barab – cello
Julien Barber – viola
Katreese Barnes – background vocals
Warren Benbow – drums
Don Blackman – organ, piano
Roger Byam – saxophone
Barry Finclair – violin
Kenneth Gordon – violin
Natalie Kriegler – violin
Spaceman Patterson – bass, guitar, baritone horn, pocket trumpet
Dunn Pearson, Jr. – keyboards
Angel Rogers – background vocals
Norma Jean Wright – background vocals

Production[edit]

Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander – engineer
Nelson George – liner notes
Butch Jones – engineer
Mark Partis – engineer
William Patterson – arranger, associate producer, programming
Dunn Pearson, Jr. – arranger, associate producer, programming
Mark Schaffel – engineer
Tommy Steele – art direction
Mark Stichman – engineer
Ezra Tucker – illustrations
Melvin Van Peebles – arranger, producer
Harley White – remixing

Nahh... Nahh Mofo[edit]

Van Peebles released a limited vinyl album for his eightieth birthday. ^[5] It featured his current band at the time, widLaxative. It was distributed at his birthday celebration at the Film Forum. ^[6]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Melvin Van Peebles

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sweetback Medley"	2:33
2.	"Quittin' Time"	7:43
3.	"My Love Belongs To You"	7:44
4.	"Love Me Some Highway"	4:00
5.	"intro"	0:48
6.	"Opportunity"	4:13

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"intro"	0:39
2.	"The World's All Stagee"	5:38
3.	"The Apple Stretching"	5:32
4.	"Lilly Done The Zampoughi Every Time I Pulled Her Coattail"	11:10

Credits[edit]

Baritone Saxophone – Paula Henderson
Bass – Jared Nickerson
Cello – Will Martina
Drums – Chris Eddleton
Keyboards – Bruce Mack
Lead Vocals – Melvin Van Peebles
Mastered By – Tony Dawsey
Mixed By – Alex Lozupone
Music By – Melvin Van Peebles
Recorded By – Alex Lozupone
Technician [Polished By] – Billy "Spaceman" Patterson
Words By – Melvin Van Peebles
Samaritans: Mikel Banks, Andre Lasalle, Michael Kammers
Mike Sargent - Front Cover
Amy Gail - Original Logo
Alex Lozupone - Rear Photo

The Last Transmission[edit]

Van Peebles' last recorded release was a concept album with The Heliocentrics) released in 2014. ^[7]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Melvin Van Peebles

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Prologue"
2.	"Big Bang Reincarnation"
3.	"Searching For Signs Of Live"
4.	"Blue Mist"
5.	"The Cavern"
6.	"Transformation Part 1"

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Transformation Part 2"
2.	"Telepathic Routine"
3.	"The Dance"
4.	"Trust The Cosmos (Believe In The Universe)"
5.	"Infinite List (Toss The Dice)"
6.	"Epilogue"

Credits[edit]

Art Direction – Errol F. Richardson
Bass Clarinet – Shabaka Hutchings
Composed By, Arranged By, Performer – The Heliocentrics
Electronics – Tom Hodges
Executive Producer – Eothen Alapatt
Guitar – Adrian Owusu
Lyrics By, Performer, Vocals – Melvin Van Peebles
astered By – Guy Davie
Mixed By – Spaceman Patterson
Percussion, Vibraphone, Flute, Other [Metalllic Objects] – Jack Yglesias
Photography By – Eric Coleman
Piano, Keyboards, Effects – Ollie Parfitt*
Recorded By, Mixed By, Producer, Bass, Other [Radio, Atmospherics] – Jake Ferguson
Recorded By, Mixed By, Producer, Drums, Percussion, Guitar, Piano, Effects [Oscillator] – Malcom Catto
Theremin – Susi O'Neil

References[edit]

^ "Melvin Van Peebles Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
^ "Heliocentrics & Melvin Van Peebles – The Last Transmission". Rappcats. October 1, 2014. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
^ https://blaxploitation.com/s_364.html
^ Bessman, Jim (March 4, 1995). "Capitol's Melvin Van Peebles Issues 1st Album In 20 Years". Billboard. 107 (9): 8, 86. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/melvin-van-peebles-life-more-creative
^ https://staxrecords.com/artist/melvin-van-peebles/
^ https://www.popmatters.com/187076-the-heliocentrics-melvin-van-peebles-the-last-transmission-2495601187.html

[1] "Melvin Van Peebles Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved February 10, 2013.

[2] "Heliocentrics & Melvin Van Peebles – The Last Transmission". Rappcats. October 1, 2014. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2019.

[3] ttps://blaxploitation.com/s_364.html

[Bessman-4] Bessman, Jim (March 4, 1995). "Capitol's Melvin Van Peebles Issues 1st Album In 20 Years". Billboard. 107 (9): 8, 86. ISSN 0006-2510.

[5] ttps://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/melvin-van-peebles-life-more-creative

[6] ttps://staxrecords.com/artist/melvin-van-peebles/

[7] ttps://www.popmatters.com/187076-the-heliocentrics-melvin-van-peebles-the-last-transmission-2495601187.html

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