Bruce Li and Bob James...

[Siu Lung]

I guess I should start this off by saying I am a HUGE Bruce Li (Ho Chung Dao) fan and recently acquired all of his starring role films (though I am still trying to acquire better versions of some of the films, e.g. the Japanese DVD for Bruce Lee, True Story. But I digress). When I first saw Bruce Lee Against Supermen (which I must say I kind of enjoy, because of the fact of how ridiculous it is), I noticed that they played Bob James' "Nautilus" almost immediately after the credit sequence. Now, hip hop fans recognize the song, as it has been sampled A LOT, most notably (to me, at least) Ghostface Killah's "Daytona 500" on Ironman.

"Nautilus"

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But upon my second viewing, I realized that the song playing during the credit sequence also had a Bob James flare to it. And since I am lucky enough to own all of Bob James' albums (though at that point I had only heard "Nautilus" and his other popularly sampled song, "Take Me to Mardi Gras"), I decided to peruse through the songs. Well, the first song on James' first album is the song!

"Valley of the Shadows"

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Here's a clip of the beginning of Bruce Lee Against Supermen, with both songs in the clip:

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So, that being said, I decided to check the other of the 70s albums by Bob James, and was rather surprised at how much I had already heard in kung fu movies as a kid.

This first one I have heard in a ridiculous amount of films, usually as some sort of chase song (though the first image that came to my head was John Liu running, so I guess it was used in Struggle Through Death). There is also a section in the middle I think was used a lot for dramatic scene changes as well. From Bob James' second album

"The Golden Apple"

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And then in his third album you get a few songs that were used in Bruce Lee True Story/ Bruce Lee The Man The Myth. Remember the title card sequence in the US version that goes to the street in Hong Kong? The intro to this song plays:

"One Mint Julep"

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It should also be noted other parts of this song are used in the movie as well (like the first Seattle scene)

This next song was used on Bruce's triumphant entrance to the fight with the Karate expert at the track (after Alan Hsu gets whooped on) AND at the part with the Big Boss premiere AND more of the song was used during the part where Bruce is training near the end:

"Westchester Lady"

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And this one was used when they showed the Coliseum, but it sounds like they sped it up a bit in the film:

"Storm King"

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Bob James' first three albums are aptly titled One(1974), Two(1975), and Three(1976).

So, as you can tell, I am always eager to learn where most of the lifted music in kung fu films come from (and as a fan of spaghetti westerns, I learned where a lot of the music comes from as it is). I am also an avid jazz fan, though now that I think of it, I am also a fan of most music from the 70s. I just wanted to share these bits of information with you.

[Phoenix]

Thanks for this post, Nautilus has been sampled countless times. It was even interpolated for Slick Rick's Children's Story.

[mpm74]

Siu Lung: To me, this is possibly the best 2nd post anyone has ever done. =D This is great stuff!

I seriously am into soundtracks, especially ones that have appeared in 70's kung fu cinema.

[Cactus]

Great post! I didn't realize Bob James and Bruce Li were such good friends!

[rdenn]

i always noticed those funk breaks in bruce li movies, i think ultramagnetic mcs used bob james first on the track "bait"

[shapes]

Great find, thanks for letting manz know, any idea what Bruce Li's Dynamo title theme is?

[bigrogie]

Very interesting post!

[mpm74]

Great find, thanks for letting manz know, any idea what Bruce Li's Dynamo title theme is?

Good question. That's one I'd like to know too.

[Siu Lung]

Shapes: I've always wanted to know what that song was that was used as the title track in Dynamo as well, if I can figure out a way to find out, I'll definitely post it. But in the meantime, here's the song that was used in the scenes where Li was with his girlfriend:

"Universal Mind" by Mystic Moods:

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[Jay Stone]

Great post. Not only did Ultramagnetics use Nautilus on Bait, but Ced Gee sampled that track for probably about ten different songs. Both for Ultramagnetic MCs and other artists he produced for. The track Delta Force is a great use of Nautilus...

[Cactus]

Let's just say Bob James was sampled by a LOT of rappers: http://www.the-breaks.com/search.php?term=bob+james&type=0

James, Bob

One: (CTI 1974)

* "Valley of the Shadows"

DJ Shadow - "DJ Shadow's Theme"

DJ Shadow - "Entropy"

Group Home - "The Realness"

K-Solo - "Everybody Knows Me"

Leaders of the New School - "Time Will Tell"

Sam Sever - "What's That Sound?"

Sixtoo - "The Canada Project"

Ugly Duckling - "If You Wanna Know"

* "In the Garden"

Coolio - "C U When I Get There"

Dr. Octagon - "I Got to Tell You"

* "Night on Bald Mountain"

Adam F - "Brand New Funk"

David Shire - "Night on Disco Mountain"

Deda - "Nasty Scene"

DJ Magic Mike - "Exile Via Freestyle"

Eric B and Rakim - "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em"

Ministere Amer - "Traitres"

* "Feel Like Making Love"

Mannish - "Tasha's Room"

Onyx - "Stik N Muve"

Papa Chuk - "Trunk of Funk"

Public Enemy - "Louder than a Bomb"

Youngstas - "Wild Child"

* "Nautilus"

A Tribe Called Quest - "Clap Your Hands"

Alkaholiks - "Daaam!"

All Natural - "Think Again"

Basement Khemist - "Correct Technique"

Camp Lo - "Black Nostaljack"

Chubb Rock - "Keep it Street"

DJ Food - "Spiral Dub"

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - "Jazzy's Groove"

Dream Warriors - "Voyage Through the Multiverse"

EPMD - "Brothers on My Jock"

Eric B and Rakim - "Follow the Leader"

Eric B and Rakim - "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em"

Freestylers - "Warning"

Geto Boys - "Snitches"

Ghostface Killah - "Daytona 500"

Group Home - "Inna Citi Life"

Ice T - "?"

JCD and the Dawg lb - "Over Pussy"

Jeru - "My Mind Spray"

Joe Budden - "Yo, Yo, Yo"

Jungle Brothers - "Book of Rhyme Pages"

K-Solo - "Everybody Knows Me"

Keith Murray - "The Rhyme"

King Sun - "Big Shots"

Kruder & Dorfmeister - "Original Bedroom Rockers"

Large Professor ft Pete Rock - "The Rap World"

Leaders of the New School - "Show Me a Hero"

Lord Shafiyq - "My Mic is on Fire"

Lyrical Prophecy - "You Can't Swing This"

Main Source - "Live at the Barbecue"

Mary J. Blige - "Just Mary"

Mary J. Blige ft Nas & DMX - "Sincerity"

Mekon - "Phatty's Lunch Box"

Mike Zoot - "Scene"

Naughty by Nature - "Cruddy Clique"

Nice & Smooth - "No Delayin'"

Onyx - "Black Vagina Finda"

Onyx - "Throw Ya Gunz"

Organized Konfusion - "Stray Bullet"

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "Take You There"

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "The Sun Won't Come Out"

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "What's Next on the Menu?"

Poison Clan - "Paper Chase"

Poor Righteous Teachers - "Word is Bond"

Project M - "The Place to Be"

Public Enemy - "Anti-Nigger Machine"

Puff Daddy ft Busta Rhymes and Notorious BIG - "Victory"

Queen Mother Rage - "Slippin' into Darkness"

Red Myers - "Shoplifter"

Run-DMC - "Beats to the Rhyme"

Run-DMC - "Groove to the Sound"

Salt-N-Pepa - "Doper than Dope"

Slick Rick - "Children's Story"

Soul II Soul - "Jazzie's Groove"

Tame One - "Torture Chamber"

The Roots ft Mos Def - "Double Trouble"

Threat - "Bust One Fa Me"

Tim Dog - "Bronx Nigga"

Tim Dog - "I'll Wax Anybody"

Tim Dog - "Low Down Nigga"

Ultramagnetic MCs - "Ced Gee (Delta Force One)"

Ultramagnetic MCs - "Moe Love on the One & Two"

Ultramagnetic MCs - "Raise it Up"

Two: (CTI 1975)

* "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" (Drums)

2 Live Crew - "Megamixx II"

2 Live Crew - "Who's Fucking Who?"

Alkaholiks - "Who Dem Niggas"

Awesome II - "Ahooga"

Beastie Boys - "Hold it Now, Hit It"

Biz Markie - "Cool V's Tribute to Scratching"

Black Rock & Ron - "You Can't Do Me None"

Caron Wheeler - "Livin' in the Light"

Chemical Brothers - "Dig Your Own Hole"

Dan the Automator - "Music to be Murdered By"

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - "Hip Hop Dancer's Theme"

Ed OG - "Feel Like a Nut"

Eric B and Rakim - "Don't Sweat the Technique"

Eric B and Rakim - "Eric B Made My Day"

Eric B and Rakim - "The Punisher"

Ghostface Killah ft Method Man, Raekwon & Superb - "Flowers"

Gina Thompson - "The Things That You Do"

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - "Freelance"

Gravediggaz - "Pass the Shovel"

Heavy D - "Nuttin' But Love"

Ice Cube - "I Wanna Kill Sam"

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - "Deathwish"

Kwame - "Itz Oh Kay"

Kwame - "Ownlee Eue"

LL Cool J - "Rock the Bells"

Mantronix - "Get Stupid"

Mantronix - "King of the Beats"

Miles Davis - "Work It"

Naughty by Nature - "Let the Ho's Go"

Nightmares on Wax - "Coming Down"

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "Lots of Lovin'"

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "The Sun Won't Come Out"

PM Dawn - "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss"

Poison Clan - "Action"

Prince Johnny C - "Comin' to Get Ya"

Public Enemy - "1 Million Bottlebags"

Run-DMC - "Peter Piper"

Slick Rick - "The Moment I Feared"

Succuss N Effect - "Real Deal"

Terminator X - "Ain't Got Nuttin'"

TKA - "Maria"

UBC - "Harlem $2.50 Pyramid"

World Class Wreckin' Cru - "Cabbage Patch"

X-Ecutioners - "Mad Flava"

* "I Feel a Song (In My heart)"

Daddy-O - "?"

King Just - "Pain"

Miilkbone - "Mindgamez"

* "The Golden Apple"

Group Home - "Baby Pa"

* "Farandole (L'Arlesienne Suite #2)"

Company Flow - "Krazy Kings"

DJ Magic Mike - "Class is in Session"

DJ Static - "Mr. Fantastic"

Ministere Amer - "Traitres"

Powerule - "Back"

UNKLE - "Lonely Soul"

Xzibit - "Recycled Assassins"

* "You're as Right as Rain"

Boogie Down Productions - "Questions and Answers"

King Sun - "Big Shots"

Kwest - "Lubrication"

Three: (CTI 1976)

* "One Mint Julep"

Organized Konfusion - "P.S. 48"

Professor X - "The Definition of a Sissy"

Snoop Dogg ft Slick Rick - "Lodi Dodi 98"

* "Women of Ireland"

Abstract Rude - "Who's Mic is This?"

* "Storm King" (Intro)

Anotha Level - "What's That Cha Say?"

Brother Ali - "Ali Boombaye"

Ed OG - "Feel Like a Nut"

Grand Daddy IU - "Mass Destruction"

New Edition - "Hit Me Off"

NWA - "Alwayz into Somethin'"

Private Investigators - "Walk On"

Red Foo & Dre Kroon - "Life is a Game of Chess"

The New Style - "Smooth Mood"

* "Westchester Lady"

Abstract Rude ft Tribe Unique - "Who's Mic is This?"

Adam F - "Circles"

Bumble BHE - "Wake up from an Amerikkkan Dream"

Dilated Peoples - "Weed vs. Beer"

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - "A Touch of Jazz"

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - "Here We Go Again"

Foreplay - "Play Lady Play"

Low Profile - "No Mercy"

Massive Attack - "Unfinished Symphony"

Sven Van Hees - "Tabla Rasa"

Four: (CTI 1977)

* "El Verano"

Cocoa Brovaz - "Blown Away"

Masta Ace - "NY Confidential"

* "Treasure Island"

DJ Spooky ft Organized Konfusion - "Murder by Syntax"

Dose One - "As for Bias"

Sie - "Message from Jupiter"

* "Tappan Zee"

Arrested Development - "People Everyday"

Common - "Two Scoops of Raisins"

Gospel Gangstas - "Vengeance is Mine"

Rappin' 4-Tay - "Sucka Free"

Warren G - "I Shot the Sheriff"

Heads: (CTI 1977)

* "One Loving Night"

DJ Clue - "?"

Lost Boys - "Beasts from the East"

* "Night Crawler"

Mic Geronimo - "Wherever You Are"

Touchdown: (Columbia 1978)

* "I Want to Thank You (Very Much)"

D-Sisve - "Popped"

Louis Logic - "Factotum"

* "Angela"

Souls of Mischief - "Cabfare"

* "Carribean Nights"

Redman - "I Can't Wait"

Lucky Seven: (CTI 1979)

* "Blue Lick"

Digable Planets - "Jettin'"

DJ Honda - "Team Players"

Grav - "Intro"

Jedi - "Malka Skai des Commores"

KRS-One - "Team Players"

* "Look-Alike"

Edan - "MC's Smoke Crack"

Gang Starr - "The ? Remainz"

Geto Boys - "Gangsta (Put Me Down)"

Kwame - "The Rhythm"

Pete Rock - "Play Dis Only at Night"

Sign of the Times: (Tappan Zee 1981)

* "Sign of the Times"

De la Soul - "Keepin' the Faith"

Warren G - "Regulate"

Hands Down: (CBS 1982)

* "Shamboozie"

Rakim - "Guess Who's Back"

James, Bob & Klugh, Earl

One on One: (Columbia 1979)

* "Love Lips"

Mr. Lif - "Ol' Crew"

Onyx - "Last Dayz"

* "Winding River"

Buddah Monk - "Gots Like Come on Thru"

Cool: (Warner Bros 1992)

* "Sponge"

Nas - "Watch Dem Niggas"

[shapes]

Siu Lung, wicked find on that mystic moods. Together brothers was used when ku feng was training li

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjZ9uEdoZi4&feature=channel_video_title

[Siu Lung]

Good one, shapes! I always wanted to know what that song was!

So, with all this, I think we should start a classic kung fu library music thread (stickied, of course) and post the songs that were lifted and used in kung fu film. What do you guys say?

[Daigoro]

Believe it or not, in the movie Stranger from Shaolin John Barry's 1976 score for King Kong is used (T10 Black Out in NY).

[Daigoro]

Actually, I'll have to check out again to see if i recognize anything else. The tracks in Stranger from Shaolin are all deep and dramatic. I never forgot when i was watching it how moving that film was in particular. The musical elements in that movie IS a score, not just ''sound effects''.

[moska]

Together brothers was used when ku feng was training li

Thanks for this find! The whole Together Brothers soundtrack seems to be full of very familiar cues from My Name Called Bruce, Diamond Fight, Asso Asia / IFD films etc. etc. It's like, if you buy that on a record, you get a dozen soundtracks at a price of one. It might be more complicated to find the original film...

Thanks for the poster of Mystic Moods track too. It does also play on Jaws of the Dragon "James Nam spending time with his girlfriend" montage.

[Siu Lung]

Great find, thanks for letting manz know, any idea what Bruce Li's Dynamo title theme is?

It's been a while, but here you go, the song used as the theme in Dynamo, Zen Kwun Do Strikes in Paris, Enter Three Dragons, etc.:

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[Killer Meteor]

Does anyone know what the tune is that plays in Exit The Dragon when Bruce Li fight Lung Fei on the rooftop?