999,944: Herbie Mann - Push Push

Every once in a while, someone sends me one of those lists of "All time worst album covers." Most of them feature men trying hard to be suave or sexy and failing miserably, and no one fails more miserably than Herbie Mann on the cover of his 1971 release "Push Push." Sweaty, hairy, balding, and holding a flute against his greasy shoulder as if he just left an orgy where he had to check his flute at the door, ol' Herbie looks like the type of "Mann" who has heard the old "I Wouldn't Sleep with you if you were the last Mann in the world" line more than a few times. Which is too bad, because the cover probably kept a good chunk of people away from the funky, southern-fried grooves of the title track of "Push Push." While a piano lays down a heavy groove that sounds like it would make a great 1992 gangster rap sample, Herbie and Duane Allman trade off licks, reminding the world that the flute was once played by middle-aged men, and not just those girls in turtle necks that always seemed to be running for student council in your high school.

Duane Allman fits right in with his slide guitar as the band works itself (and, presumably, Herbie's underdeveloped chest) into a real sweat. This is jam-band music played by musicians who aren't too stoned to keep time, and Duane's "Allman" brothers could have learned a thing or two from the session musicians backing up him and Herbie. By the end of this song, you might just imagine oiling up and joining in Herbie's orgy, or at the very least taking the time to photoshop a turtle neck on to the album art for this song in your iPod, so that "Push Push" can play without causing you to throw up in your own mouth when you look down to check the song title.

Push Push - Herbie Mann