Guest post by Nathan Arizona
It seems wrong to put a movie-prop statue right next to a major collection of great art, yet there’s Rocky at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In fact, he’ll be moving from his place near the bottom of the steps to an even more prominent spot at the top later this year. Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone recently won a debased Kennedy Center honor, so maybe it’ll be gilded and called the Trump Rocky statue.
In Rocky’s spot below they plan to put a statue of a mediocre R&B singer whose music career went nowhere.
On the other hand, Joe Frazier had a pretty good main career as a boxer. He was the Heavyweight Champion of the World. The real world, not a movie. Nobody cares that he didn’t become the next James Brown. If you have to put a pugilist in bronze on the art museum’s steps, this beloved Philadelphian is a good choice.
The city’s art commission, likely with tourism and political calculation in mind, recently cast the votes to move Joe from the South Philly sports complex, where Rocky also used to reside. It’s a good spot for both.
Frazier launched his music career in the early ’70s at the peak of his boxing glory, but in that field he lacked a knockout punch (or even much of a jab). He did make a few records and he appeared on TV variety shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and others who weren’t booking him for his voice.
But Smokin’ Joe could recognize a good song, like the one he performed on the Ed Sullivan show, “Knock on Wood.” It was a hit for Eddie Floyd on the Stax label in 1966. Floyd and Stax legend Steve Cropper wrote the song. It was originally meant for Otis Redding, but after the Stax brass heard Floyd’s demo they decided it suited him better. The song’s many covers included a disco hit for Amii Stewart in 1979.
Here’s Joe Frazier’s stab at it on Ed Sullivan with his backup band. He was a pretty good mover in both careers.
This is Floyd with his 1966 hit. He’s backed by Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Isaac Hayes and other members of the Stax house band.
Floyd could still bring it when he performed the song at the White House back when presidents had good taste.
