Ali Thomson: Take A Little Rhythm

Here’s a one-hit-wonder that reminds me of my time at WAMX (the original one at 94.1) in Ashland, KY. Released in 1980, Ali Thomson’s “Take a Little Rhythm” was his only single to chart on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the top 40. Thomson, a native of Scotland, was the younger brother of Dougie Thomson who played bass in Supertramp.

“Take a Little Rhythm” has a killer sax solo and the occasional usage of one my favorite percussion instruments – the vibraslap. The acoustic guitar is crisp, the bass engaging, and tasteful, yet occasional, fills from a Rhodes piano.

The overall production on this song is great. It’s too bad that it only peaked at #15. Thomson, who spends most of his musical time as a songwriter, re-recorded “Take A Little Rhythm” in 1996. Unfortunately, the remake failed in capturing the magic created by the original release on A&M Records.