The Purdie Shuffle.
Five songs you already know.
To date, I know of five famous songs that have a specific, recognizable drumbeat based on something known as "The Purdie Shuffle". If you know of any others, please comment below.
The first time I heard the Purdie Shuffle, I had no idea what it was. I was 14-years-old. I didn't really know that it was a uniquely special rhythm. All I knew was that it had a cool "groove" to it; one like I had never heard before. Honestly, It was all the same to me back then as I was only just beginning to learn how to play the guitar and learn about music.
As many of you know, my all-time absolute favorite album is "Steely Dan - Aja".
Aja was released in 1977 - and it possessed seven magical songs that have long since stood the test of time. One of those songs is called, "Home at last". It wasn't a song that really ever made it to the radio, (unless it was on a late-night, underground FM station). In many ways, you'd really have to be an aficionado of Steely Dan music to know that this song is on that famous album.
Steely Dan - "Home at Last" (Aja - 1977)
“Home at last” is a 12/8 shuffle with a twist. Since I am not a drummer, I will not embarrass myself by trying to explain the actual drum pattern. You’ll just have to listen to it. This particular shuffle was named after the drummer who laid it down on this track - Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. When you listen to this song, it starts off with the piano intro for eight bars. You can immediately hear a certain type of shuffle feel in the rhythm that is clearly different from a basic blues shuffle. When the rest of the band comes in at the ninth bar, you can already feel that this rhythm is unique. It's a steady, swaying, laid-back shuffle that would be found again in another song from Steely Dan, three years later.
Led Zeppelin - "Fool in the Rain" (In through the out door - 1979)
I remember going to the records and tapes store in the mall sometime in 1979, and buying "Led Zeppelin - In through the out door". I bought the cassette tape, (which I still have), simply because I didn't own a record player at the time. One of the songs on this album is called "Fool in the rain".
John Bonham was clearly influenced by "Home at last", as he emulates the same shuffle pattern in this song, only slightly faster, at around 132bpm. Since this is much more of a rock song than “Home at last”, Bonham's drums are way out front in comparison to Purdie's drums.
The Police - "Walking on the Moon" (Reggatta de Blanc - 1979)
In 1979, I was learning how to play the bass guitar to rock and jazz fusion songs. I was not really interested in listening to the latest craze in "new wave" music from bands like The Police. The only songs I even knew were the ones that made it to the radio -and even then I paid very little attention. It wasn't until a few years later that I finally understood and began to truly appreciate the talent in this band. Most people who listen to "Walking on the Moon", listened to the vocals and the unique sound of the slap back, delayed echo guitars played by Andy Summers. However, the monster drumming that was played by Stewart Copeland, was something like I had never heard before. He somehow took the influence of the Purdie shuffle and added a sort of Reggae back beat to it.
Steely Dan - "Babylon Sisters" (Gaucho - 1980)
"Babylon Sisters" is once again a shuffle feel with that famously unique rhythm played by Bernard Purdie. Clearly, Steely Dan was onto something when they thought about the rhythm feel for this particular song. This song is slower than the first three songs listed above, but it's still the same Purdie shuffle. The first time I heard this song was some time in the late 1980's. I happened upon the vinyl record album sometime around 1993, when I was wandering around a flea market, and I saw it sitting in a box with a few dozen other records that were for sale. I immediately grabbed it. I think I paid $5.00 for it.
Toto - "Rosanna" - (IV - 1982)
The incredibly famous, incomparable, legendary drummer that is Jeff Porcaro, admitted in an interview that he had the Purdie shuffle in mind for this famous song. "Rosanna" is clearly a faster tempo than all of the other songs. The drums start out the song and stay way out front. Everyone who ever hears this song, immediately turns up the volume within a few measures as they wait for the piano to begin. Such a fantastic album all the way around.
Jeff can be heard on hundreds of other famous albums. he was one of the greatest drummers ever. If you weren't paying attention to Jeff's drums in this song, you might miss the Purdie shuffle influence that he perfected in this classic hit.
Rest in Peace, Jeff.
So, that's my short list of five incredible songs that are all based on the rhythm of the Purdie shuffle. Great songs. Comment below what you think about this list and anything else you'd like to add.