Background Information
Champagne Poetry by Mac Miller is a posthumous single from his sixth studio album Circles. The song was released on January 17th 2020, two days ahead of the album’s release date. It is one of two collaborative singles featuring vocals from singer and producer, Thundercat. The song is a melancholy, dreamy, look down, piano-driven record with a minimal beat. It follows a melancholic introspective motif that Mac Miller commonly explored in his later work.
The record samples the song “Advice” by Stax Records artist Rance Allen Group. The funk and soul section of the track includes male vocalist reciting “words of wisdom”, offering factual advice to those in need. The part sampled in Champagne Poetry starts at 2:30, right after a long saxophone solo, and has the vocalist saying, “I’m gonna give you a word of advice, if you’re ever down and out, pour your troubles like champagne, until they all run out”.
The Music Video
The music video for Champagne Poetry was released on Mac Miller’s YouTube channel earlier this year. It was filmed at the renowned Sistine Chapel in Italy, a place of immense beauty. In the video, Thundercat is seen playing the keys, while Mac Miller is singing. Miller is seen at different sites from the chapel and taking in the beauty of the place. As he’s singing, the words from the song and the advice from the sampled track are translated from English to Italian by subtitles. In the end of the video, the two artists are seen in the chapel and Miller is seen gently tapping the floor with a mic – a tribute to the late rapper.
How the Sample Was Chosen
When asked about how and why they chose the Rance Allen Group sample, Thundercat spoke fondly of the track.“That was the spark and energy that inspired everything else. It felt right. We used it right away and it just felt right. It kept that energy to get it going”, Thundercat explains. He said they weren’t sure if they were going to get clearance to use it but they used it regardless and joked that they’d figure out the paperwork later which they eventually did.
The Rance Allen Group
The track “Advice” by the Rance Allen Group was released in 1977 as a single from their album Say My Friend. The album was a commercial success and was certified gold. The band, also known as The Rance Allen Group, is a gospel music band made up of two brothers (Rance and Tomiko) and their brother-in-law (Steve Crawley). They have released 18 studio albums and have sold over 5 million records in their career. Rance Allen, the band’s leader and founder, passed away at the age of 71 in October 2020.
Critical Reception
Upon release, the track received universal acclaim from critics. Billboard declared “With his spiritual soul and honeyed voice, Thundercat and Mac come together for a fusion of abstract melodies and effects with a hard hitting sample.” Stereogum described the track as “soaring ethereal production. Mac carries the track with a calm and steady flow”, praising his vocal performance. It has become one of the most popular tracks from Mac Miller’s Circles album.
Lyrical Meaning
The single is an introspective track looking at ways to cope with pain and sadness. The sampled lyrics give advice on how to handle negative feelings, whilst Mac Miller’s lyrics speak of finding ways to overcome depression, loneliness and pain. In an interview with Zane Lowe, he spoke of the track’s lyrical content and how it contrasted with the dreamy production. Miller said “…the way that it is so cool and so easy going, it’s like when people don’t feel good and they just sort of put up this façade. The fact that this beat is so silky and smooth feels like it envelops that.”
Consequences of Working with a Sample
Using music samples in the recording process is a common practice in hip-hop and other genres of music. It is often used as a form of collage, to create something new from old and existing material. However, it is not always an easy process. The original artist must be credited and the artist that sampled the song must receive the approval of the original artist and potentially pay a fee in order to use the song. This must be done in order to avoid legal action and potential copyright infringement.
Remixes and Cover Versions
There have been several remixes of Champagne Poetry, including versions by rapper Repo, indie producer Les Sapeurs and singer-songwriter Ski Mask. There have also been a handful of cover versions, including one by the Rance Allen Group themselves, and covers by artists such as Matt Simons. All of these covers and remixes attest to the song’s popularity and timelessness, and the influence of the sample used.
Production Team
The track was produced by Thundercat and Mac Miller, with additional production from Jon Brion. Brion, a talented, classically trained composer and producer, was a friend of Mac Miller and was instrumental in the creation of the Circles project. Brion had previously worked with Mac Miller on Mac’s fifth studio album The Divine Feminine and had also previously worked with other artists such as Fiona Apple and Kanye West.
Conclusion
Champagne Poetry is a beautiful and timeless record with a meaningful and relevant message. The sample chosen captures the essence of the track and helps drive the mood Mac Miller was going for with the track. While the production process was not always easy, the effort taken in securing the sample rights and having a team work on the project shows in the quality of the track. This record serves as yet another reminder of the enduring legacy Mac Miller left behind.
