Black Power Songs

Recently, as I hope everyone reading this realizes, the 44th president of the United States of America was inaugurated into office. He is also (again, hopefully really fucking obviously, I’m not trying to be super insightful here) the first black man to ever hold the title. Watching the ceremony I was near moved to tears on several occasions. Watching his sincerity, and beautiful inauguration ceremony that featured many amazing characters from Stevie Wonder, to Etta James, MLK’s son and the first openly (openly being the key word here,) gay cardinal of the catholic church. With this, I thought, for such a beautiful ceremony and moment of history amongst the quagmire of horse shit we currently face, I should do a playlist of the 20 most beautiful songs I have ever heard… then I changed the channel. News coverage on all of the major networks was the same. Fox interviewed any black man they could get their hands on, and asked them if they ever thought they’d see this day. People questioned the remaining validity of racism in a climate where I know of numerous people who didn’t support Obama merely because his middle name was Hussein. So, it is in that spirit (and really also because I just needed a good excuse,) that I make this week’s playlist the twenty best black power / civil rights anthems of all times. I will do this from two perspectives, one as how these songs are relative to our new commander in chief, but I will also let out my inner honkey hating black panther on some of these tracks. Enjoy, you cracker sons of bitches.

Chuck

1. Sam Cooke “A Change is Gonna Come”: When Sam Cooke originally wrote this song and played it for a friend of his, the friend told him it was an amazing song but not to release it because he felt the song carried an impending sense of doom with it. Cooke died shortly after the song was released. Since then, the song has went on to become a classic song of the civil rights movement and a song that signifies hope and change, things that I hope our new president can provide.

2. Public Enemy “Fight the Power”: This is the song that originally made me fall in love with Public Enemy. I heard this song and immediately thought, “Man that guy hates whitey, he doesn’t even like Elvis. I must hear more.” This song is just plain and straightforwardly about fighting the institution of the white man that holds you down, I can dig.

3. Rage Against the Machine “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5_GRR5Ua0k”: No, this song isn’t about some sort of rodeo featuring people with down syndrome, though I am extremely tempted to go write said song immediately. This song is about Los Angeles’ famous Rodeo drive with it’s privileged, and spoiled celebutants and it’s stark contrast to the numerous ghettos that surround it.

4. Curtis Mayfield “Mighty, Mighty Spade & Whitey”: Curtis is basically just saying here if you’re black or you’re white “there really ain’t no difference” we just need to change the country and bring up some new leaders. Again, wholly appropriate.

5. The Red Hot Chili Peppers “The Power of Equality”: With an amount of angry vitriol that could rival that of Chuck D, Kiedis and crew lay the smack down to racists and skin heads with a fierceness. In regards to the new president, and to quote Mr. Kiedis, I hope Barack is “not another mother fucking politician doing nothing but selling for his own ambition.”

6. Schooly D “Am I Black Enough For You?”: Taking samples from the original Billy Paul song of the same name it samples, Schooly D answers the question that millions of black men and women have had to answer who didn’t meet the stereotypes that were expected of them by honkies who accused them of being uncle Tom’s. One of the things that impressed me about Obama is that he had to undergo both accusations that he was both not black enough and too black, which is probably why he mentioned several times how much he likes Ludicrous, but also famously and comically tried going bowling.

7. Stevie Wonder “Living for the City”: I’m talking about the rarely heard long version of the song here too, the one with the “get on the bus nigger” interlude in the middle of it. Anyways, this is a song about how hard it is to get accustomed to the big city when you are a low income black family, a theme that was apparently quite popular in the seventies.

8. Ray Charles “Look What They’ve Done to My Song, Ma”: I knew Matt would put “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on his list, so I went with this one. Both are amazing and beautiful songs off of Ray’s little known civil rights album, Message to the People. It’s basically about the man messing with your shit.

9. James Brown “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)”: I used to have the really bad habit of walking around and singing this at the top of my lungs. Anyways, it’s just a nice simple mantra, even if you aren’t black. It’s a mantra I think I’ve inadvertently adopted for myself over the years, which is basically just “own up to what you are.” If you’re black, be black and proud. If you’re a bastard, or if you like really flamboyant music like Mika, own up and be proud of it. And yes, I did just compare the struggles of the African American population to liking overly poppy and flamboyant music.

10. The Isley Brothers “Fight the Power, Pt. 1”: I’m honestly not sure if this is a song about fighting the white man who keeps you held back or about sticking it to people who tell you to turn your music down. Either way, I hate both equally. Also, this song one of the funkiest songs in history and was clearly an early influence of Prince, just so you know.

11. Sly and the Family Stone “Don’t Call Me Nigger, Whitey”: Sly’s lesser known, but still great proclamation against using derogatory terms against people of any color. For those unfamiliar with the song the rest of the chorus is, “Don’t call me whitey nigger.” Simple, but direct.

12. Grady Tate “Be Black”: This song basically just says, fuck it man be black. Thank you Grady Tate, I think I will.

13. The Roots “The Next Movement”: While not strictly a black power or civil rights song, this track illustrates what I hope the new administration can become. No, this will not be the end of racism, but hopefully it can be a new movement towards equality and the next step towards the mountain top, set it in motion.

14. Darongo “Let My People Go”: This is just another great mid-seventies funk civil rights jam. Lesser known than most of these songs, but it has a sick bass line and murky groove.

15. Aretha Franklin “Young, Gifted and Black”: Mr. President, the floor is yours.

16. Melvin Van Peebles “Won’t Bleed Me”: This song starts out with someone screaming “Believe motherfucker!” This song is from Sweet Sweetback’s Badass Song, one of the greatest blacksploitation movies of all time, so of course this song has to be included. Not to mention the song if rife with great lyrics, such as “you don’t smile right, you be dead!”

17. Donnie “Our New National Anthem”: Donnie isn’t very well known, but he is sure as hell talented. He is a modern artist, but he does classic old school R&B in the style of Marvin and Stevie. Someone told me once he was the cousin or nephew of Marvin Gaye, I don’t know if that’s true, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were.

18. Public Enemy “By the Time I Get to Arizona”: This is a song all about going to Arizona to kick some ass because for awhile the state refused to recognize Martin Luther King day. This song also prominently features Sista Soulja who infamously said “If Black people kill Black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?”

19. Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit”: You hear of a lot about books that were so inflammatory and ground breaking that they were banned for years on end, this song is in the same category. On first listen, you think the song is just some innocuous song about the south, then you realize it is about the brutal hangings of colored people that went on for so many years. I am completely unable to listen to this song without getting a cold chill down my spine, and not just a short cold chill, as I listen to the song and type, it has been playing for a minute and a half and it just keeps getting worse by the second. The tone of the song is almost a dirge and the lyrics manage to describe a scene more graphic and horrid than most things you would see in the latest sequel to Saw.

20. Marvin Gaye “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”: Another song about the struggles of lower class blacks in the city, but for awhile there in the seventies it was really quite the neck in neck contest of who could do it better, Marvin or Stevie. For what it’s worth, this is probably my favorite of the two (don’t ask why I put the other one first, I don’t know,) Marvin’s phrasing and the feeling of subdued rage and urge to scream in the song just hit’s a little closer to home for me, because in all honesty, who hasn’t been there?

Matt

1. Say it Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)- James Brown
The DEFINITIVE recording of a Black Power Anthem, there's nothing I can add to the heaps of praise laid at the feet of this track since it's inception. This song doesn't ask for respect, it demands it.

2. We Shall Overcome - traditional
This hymn was adopted by many in the Civil rights movement and has a resurgence of late with election of Barack Obama in 2008.A powerful song intended for group choruses, this song has many uses, but one meaning is that together, we can do what we need to overcome the obstacles.

3. Lift Every Voice and Sing - Ray Charles
This song was adopted by many for an anthem in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, mostly recognized with a slower, more dirge-worthy arrangement. Charles takes a slow track and livens it up the way only he can. Starting off with a slow burn and by the end of the track Charles and his backup singers are burning the house down.

4. Soul Man - Sam and Dave
One of Stax record's biggest hits, this song was composed quickly and widely adapted in the late 60's. Especially around Tennessee where Stax was based, this song was cited by many as something to live up to, to be known as a "Soul Man".

5. Don’t Call Me Nigger, Whitey - Sly and The Family Stone
A very overt statement, this song is unique not only because of it's title (which is repeated in the chorus) but also because it's not one-sided. The chorus starts off with the title, but follows it quickly with "Don’t call me Whitey, Nigger" The track talks about the fighting between the races, and doesn't say that one side is better than the other.

6. Mississippi Goddamn - Nina Simone
A "song for a musical that hasn't been written yet", this track is Simone's visceral reaction to the murder of Emmett Till. This roaring number details the exploits of bigotry all over the South, pulling no punches. It's experienced a sad renaissance with the Jena 6 trial as of late.

7. Respect Yourself - Staple Singers
This track is an excellent example of the Staple Singers' mix of Gospel and R&B. Used in both the Obama and Sharpton election campaigns, and certainly many local ones as well, this track still resonates. As long as the listener can focus on the original and not the Bruce Willis cover from the 80's, everything should be just fine.

8. Chocolate City - Parliament Funkadelic
A mostly spoken word story of the social status of black living in the 70's, this track combines sparse funk with social consciousness. Not the easiest to sing along to, but a very straight-forward and slightly sarcastic look at race relations of the time. Combining the background vocal with "Gaining on Me" while listing Chocolate Cities around the Country. True statements abound, especially the concept of Chocolate Cities and their Vanilla Suburbs.

9. Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
A call to arms for many people, and a dream actualized by the most recent Presidential election. This song is classic and is a reminder of a not too distant history and gives hope for the future.

10. One Nation Under a Groove - Parliament Funkadelic
With the call of "One Nation Under a Groove" and "No One can Stop us Now", this ode to Funk in all it's glory is instantly danceable and insanely complex. it's also a great tune and has been played at more than one rally for successful black politicians. Not every important song has to be overly dramatic, and this one proves it by being downright silly while still grooving like a mother. As Mr. Clinton says "Here's My Chance to Dance My Way out of Constriction"



Top 5 Greatest Soul Artists of All Time
Chuck
1. Otis Redding
2. Ray Charles
3. Aretha Franklin
4. Sam Cooke
5. James Brown

Matt
1.Otis Redding
His voice is full of happiness and pain, and because of a pretty meteoric rise at a young age, there’s a little bit of fear too. But Got-Damn Otis is the SPIRIT of Soul. The smoothness of Sam Cooke and the wildness of Wilson Pickett wrapped into one. Otis died too young, but what he did in that window changed one record company (Stax) and the sound of the 60's by himself
2.Ray Charles
Ray may have the greatest voice of any singer that I've heard and can make any song or genre of music soulful. "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" proved that, as have many covers of other genres (Not Easy Being Green from Kermit the Frog comes to mind).His funk stage in the 1970's is seriously underrated as well. Ray is a little bit of jazz, a dash of country, a dose of pop, but all soul.
3.Stevie Wonder
Like his Idol Ray Charles, he put out his Tribute to Uncle Ray album as Little Stevie Wonder. Wonder dabbles in many different styles and succeeds in most. Though I have serious problems with 90% of his output in the 1980's (Still had a great voice, horrible music though), Stevie has an amazing voice and embodies R&B and funk.
4.Al Green
Green may have the smoothest voice in all of R&B. In the Hi Record Studio, Green could do no wrong, even when the lyrics bordered on the schmaltzy. There's no doubt the Good Reverend means every word he sings. And unlike many of his contemporaries, his records are still Superb. His most recent record Lay it Down, released in 2008 and produced by Roots Drummer ?uestlove, ranks as high as his classic albums from the 70's.
5.Sly and the Family Stone
The first successful multi-racial group, Sly Stone and his group combined the optimism of the 60's with the drug haze of the 70's.The compositions were both simple in message and complex in creation. The utter happiness that shined through their first few releases is balanced perfectly by the drug and paranoia filled haze of their 70's work. The group even helped invent a style of dirty funk with classics like "If You Want Me to Stay" and "Family Affair". They were utterly prolific in their output.