description Pain Overview
Pain is a 1972 album by the Ohio Players and one of the Dayton band's early releases for Westbound Records. Its extended, groove-centered performances combine funk rhythms with psychedelic soul, blues, horns, and prominent percussion. The album helped define the rawer sound of the group's Westbound period before its later series of commercially successful recordings for Mercury Records.
insights Ranking position
Pain ranks #113 of 204 in the Funk Album ranking, behind Ecstasy, ahead of Light of Worlds.
help Pain FAQ
Which Ohio Players song is the centerpiece of Pain?
The extended title track, "Pain," is the album's central statement. It combines spoken and sung vocals with horns, percussion, guitar, and a slow-building funk groove.
Was Pain recorded before the Ohio Players joined Mercury Records?
Yes, Westbound Records released Pain in 1972. The band's more commercially polished Mercury period, including albums such as Fire and Honey, came later.
Why does Pain sound more psychedelic than later Ohio Players hits?
Its performances are longer and rougher, with bluesy guitar, heavy percussion, vocal effects, and less emphasis on concise pop structure. That approach typifies the group's early Westbound sound.
Is Pain connected to the Ohio Players' controversial album-cover style?
Yes, it belongs to the band's sequence of provocative Westbound releases created with striking cover imagery. The 1972 album predates the equally recognizable Mercury-era covers for Fire and Honey.
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