The Mojo Men
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 in San Francisco, California, United States |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, albums |
The Mojo Men were a rock group originating from San Francisco, active between 1965 and 1969. Their most successful single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart was a rendition of Buffalo Springfield's "Sit Down, I Think I Love You", which reached number 36 in 1967.
History
In 1964, vocalist and bassist Jim Alaimo (born James Charles Alamio; 1938–1992), guitarist Paul Curcio, drummer Dennis DeCarr (Potokar), and keyboardist Don Metchick relocated from Florida to San Francisco to establish the band. There, they met Sylvester Stewart (later known as Sly Stone), a producer at Autumn Records recognized for his work with The Beau Brummels and The Vejtables. Stewart produced early tracks for the group under the name Sly and the Mojo Men, though these recordings were never released. He continued collaborating as songwriter and producer on their initial charting singles "Dance with Me" (1965) and "She's My Baby" (1966).
Following DeCarr's departure in 1966, drummer and vocalist Jan Errico joined the lineup. The band transitioned from Autumn Records to Reprise Records, evolving their sound from garage rock influenced by the British Invasion towards pop and folk rock. Their 1967 Baroque pop interpretation of "Sit Down, I Think I Love You", arranged by Van Dyke Parks, became their only single to reach the top 40. After Metchick left in 1968, the remaining trio shortened their name first to The Mojo, then simply Mojo, releasing their only studio album, Mojo Magic, through GRT Records. The group ultimately disbanded in 1969.
Their rendition of "Sit Down, I Think I Love You" was included on the seminal 1972 garage rock compilation Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968. Between 1995 and 2003, Sundazed Music issued three compilations featuring The Mojo Men’s work, while Big Beat Records released Not Too Old to Start Cryin': The Lost 1966 Masters in 2008. Additionally, Kanye West sampled "She's My Baby" on his track "Hell of a Life" from the 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
Paul Curcio later established Music America Studios in Rochester, New York, where he produced Metallica’s debut album Kill 'Em All (1983). He passed away on September 10, 2018, at age 74.
Studio album
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1968 | Mojo Magic
|
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Whys Ain't Supposed To Be
|
| 1995 | Sit Down... It's The Mojo Men
|
| 2003 | There Goes My Mind
|
| 2008 | Not Too Old to Start Cryin': The Lost 1966 Masters
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard | U.S. Cashbox | Canada | ||
| 1965 | "Off the Hook" |
— | — | — |
| "Dance with Me" |
61 | 98 | 23 | |
| 1966 | "She's My Baby" |
— | — | — |
| 1967 | "Sit Down, I Think I Love You" |
36 | 39 | 26 |
| "Me About You" |
83 | 93 | 70 | |
| 1968 | "What Ever Happened To Happy" |
— | — | — |
| "New York City" |
— | — | — | |
| "Should I Cry" |
— | — | — | |
| "Don't Be Cruel" |
— | — | — | |
| 1969 | "I Can't Let Go" |
— | — | — |
| "Candle to Burn" |
— | — | — | |
| "Everyday Love" |
— | — | — | |