Old School Friday

What a week this has been. Last week I was searching for some inspiration. This week I think I wore myself out! I don't know how to quit you! 

This week's theme is SOUL TRAIN. Everybody do the intro together now...

Wasn't it just providence that I mentioned the demise of Soul Train and other key aspects of our African-American heritage? Once these jewels are gone they're gone for good. We MUST preserve our unique contributions of "Blackness" to the world. It seems increasingly that so many OTHER people want to cop our style and pass a watered down version of it as theirs..and we LET THEM.

Enough! 

Ok, I'm trying to keep it light. There was enough tough love talk this week. I'm going to go back to "beating up" white people and politics, lol! Have a great weekend.  

One of the best segments of Soul Train was the dance line.  Show offs! All the things we take for granted because we assume the circumstances will always be ideal. I've really come to appreciate Old School Fridays because we're archiving some of the best parts of ourselves in a manner of speaking by honoring and remembering significant cultural touchstones.

Old School Friday

Oh man this week's theme is Blogger's Choice. I had to play this video from the 2004 BET Awards. Even though I don't watch them anymore and BET has been permanently banned I was looking for live footage of the song "Fire & Desire" and this was all I could find. Where's the user generated content when you need it!! Anyway this is the most requested R&B ballad in history and deservedly so. When Rick & Teena sang this song you BELIEVED THEM! I couldn't bear the idea of somebody else butchering this song with a lousy remake...so unless somebody's gonna outdo the original vocals and put their foot in it - just leave it ALONE.

So even though Rick James and Teena Marie were a HAM it still has great significance.

I also can't think of any other white female singer who can do soul music at the level of Teena Marie. Not Amy Winehouse, not what's her name...Joss Stone...not anybody. Sorry. Maybe had Eva Cassidy still been around AND had wanted to do R&B. Speaking of you'd be hard-pressed to find a black female singer that can properly do soul music today. Meaning...just the vocal and a great song about love and relationships. No music video gyrations, no Auto-tune, no sex you up nonsense. 

Now having said that there are some really great non-major label, non-overly commercialized artists who can actually sing out there and they should be supported.

Ok now I'm closing with a video and singer sure to throw you a bit, but I've always loved the haunting quality of Lisa Hannigan's voice so here's one of her videos. It's neither soul nor old skool. I'm exercising my right to contradict myself all in the same post! So there...