Monthly Archives: February 2023

Song of the Week – Alright, Kendrick Lamar

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In my final recognition of Black History Month, today’s SotW is “Alright” from Kendrick Lamar’s seminal album To Pimp a Butterfly.

“Alright” was released as a single in 2015, about a half year after the August 2014 protests broke out in Ferguson, MI, related to the killing of the teenage Michael Brown by a police officer.  The song confronts the friction between police and the residents of black communities – like Compton, CA, where he grew up – that they serve and has become the unofficial anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement.  (The video for “Alright” accentuates this.)

Lamar is no ordinary lyricist.  He has a very high intellect that shines through the references he chooses to communicate his message.  Take, for instance, the rapid fire lyrics of the second verse of “Alright.”

What you want you, a house? You, a car?
40 acres and a mule? A piano, a guitar?
Anything, see my name is Lucy, I’m your dog
Motherfucker, you can live at the mall
I can see the evil, I can tell it I know when it’s illegal
I don’t think about it, I deposit every other zero
Thinkin’ of my partner put the candy, paint it on the regal
Diggin’ in my pocket ain’t a profit, big enough to feed you
Every day my logic, get another dollar just to keep you
In the presence of your chico ah!
I don’t talk about it, be about it, every day I see cool
If I got it then you know you got it, Heaven, I can reach you
Pat Dawg, Pat Dawg, Pat Dawg, my dog, that’s all
Bick back and Chad, I trap the bag for y’all
I rap, I black on track so rest assured
My rights, my wrongs, I write ’til I’m right with God

An essay by Kyle Flick dissects the verse:

In this verse, Kendrick illustrates a battle he has with Lucy (Lucifer) as he offers Kendrick everything he could want. Kendrick stands before Cerberus, the hound that guards Hell, and he is beckoning him to come in and speak with Lucy. Kendrick mentions 40 acres and a mule, which is what the government originally promised recently freed slaves but never ended up giving it. Lucy offers Kendrick any material object he could want, trying to tempt him into coming to his side and ignore the opposite, God. Kendrick knows that the devil is evil but he is nonetheless being persuaded by Lucy to give into his greed. Kendrick wants to live like the rich rappers he listened to as a teen and Lucy is using this to his advantage to try and get Kendrick to come to his side. Kendrick realizes though that nothing will be able to satisfy his greed which Lucy embodies. He is becoming consumed with getting as much money as he can, falling into Lucy’s trap. Finally, Kendrick says, “Ah!” he realizes he is falling into his vice of greed and materialism and was very close to accepting Lucy’s offer.

Despite the intense language, imagery, and subject matter, the song is intended to convey hope and optimism – “we gon’ be alright.”

To Pimp a Butterfly reached #1 on the Billboard 200 upon its debut in 2015. A 2019 article in The Guardian, titled The 100 best albums of the 20th century, placed it at #4.  It also took the #19 slot in 2020 when Rolling Stone updated their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Compared to What, Roberta Flack

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Today’s SotW installment continues the series of posts in recognition of Black History Month.

I recently watched the PBS American Masters documentary about Roberta Flack.  It was very enjoyable and informative.  While I was well aware of her solo hits (“First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, “Killing Me Softly”, “Feel Like Makin’ Love”) and duets with Donny Hathaway (“Where Is the Love”), I didn’t realize how much of her repertoire was dedicated to the confronting social issues affecting the Black community.

Flack was a serious woman.  She was educated at HBCU Howard University (entering at the age of 15!) and studied music (piano and voice), before becoming a teacher.

Her musical career began in Washington, DC, where she held residencies at the Tivoli Club, the 1520 Club, and later, Mr. Henry’s.  She was “discovered” by Les McCann who helped connect her to Atlantic Records for a recording contract.

“Compared to What” was written by Eugene McDaniels, who was featured in a SotW earlier this month.  The recording was Flack’s first single.  Her release was first, but a later version recorded by McCann with Eddie Harris became more popular.

Lyrically, “Compared to What” is a protest of the social conditions that existed in late 60s/early 70s America – especially the Vietnam war.

Said the President, he’s got his war
Folks don’t know just what it’s for
No one gives us rhyme or reason
You have one doubt, they call it treason
I said we’re chicken feathers, all without one gut.
Tryin’ to make it real, but compared to what?

And

Unreal values, crass distortion
Unwed mothers need abortion

The timeless relevance of the lyrics is astounding!

The American Masters documentary is streaming if you want to see it:

American Masters – Roberta Flack

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – The Message, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

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This weekend marks the 15-year anniversary of the Song of the Week.  15 years!!!  It started humbly the weekend of February 9-10, 2008.  I sent out The Beatles’ “All My Loving” from the Ed Sullivan Show and “Sexy Sadie” from the White Album.  I didn’t explain that my selections were chosen to celebrate the anniversary of the Beatles’ debut performance in America, launching the British Invasion; and the passing of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whom “Sexy Sadie” was written about, and who had died earlier that week.  I assumed everyone would figure that out.

When I started this I had no plan for how long it would continue.  But if you had asked me that first week if I would still be doing it 15 years later, that would have been unimaginable.  I’ll keep on writing until I run out of ideas.  I hope you continue to read.

Now today’s song of the week.

“The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five was one of the first songs to utilize rap music to deliver a political message.  Urban ghettos like the Bronx in New York City were badly ignored under Ronald Reagan’s spending priorities and budget cuts in the early 80s.  “The Message” called out the reality of life in these inner-city neighborhoods in stark detail.  “Broken glass”, homelessness, drugs, prostitution, filth, noise, poor education, unemployment…  it’s all in there.

The situation all comes together in the line “It’s like a jungle, sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.”

“The Message” is consistently listed as one of the “Greatest Songs of… whatever.”  Dave Marsh scored it at #87 in his 1989 list of the 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.  Rolling Stone’s 2012 list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time voted it #1.  In 2018, liveabout.com gave “The Message” the #3 slot on their list of The 100 Best Rap Songs of All Time.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Freedom Death Dance, Eugene McDaniels

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February is Black History Month.  In honor of that, I’ll feature an artist who made music that contributed to raising issues affecting the black community over 50 years ago – Eugene (Gene) McDaniels.

McDaniels had been in the music business since the early ‘60s when he recorded his first hit, “One Hundred Pounds of Clay” (#3).  Other hits followed, including “Tower of Strength”, co-written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hillard.

But by the late ‘60s, McDaniels had begun to write songs focused more on black consciousness.  His 1971 album Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse is a cult classic and treasure among record collectors.  The album straddles jazz, soul, and funk.  It falls somewhere between the cool soul of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On and jazzy, spoken-word protest songs by Gil Scott-Heron.

One of the most overtly political songs is “Freedom Death Dance.”  It touches on issues of war and social justice.

Everybody wants happiness
Everybody wants peace of mind
Everybody says we should ignore
The graves we dance upon
But I’ve really got news for you
There’s no amount of dancing we can do
That will ban the bomb
Feed the starving children
Bring justice and equality to you and me

No amount of dancing
ls gonna make us free, yeah

Gather round the riots, children
Everybody wants to dance
Gather round the murders
And be free. yeah
Gather round, brother
This could be you only chance
To be in touch
With your own humanity. oh yeah

It has often been rumored that the Nixon administration was so intimidated by this record that they had Vice President Spiro Agnew call Atlantic Records to squash promotion for it.

The backing musicians include Alphonse Mouzon (drums) and Miroslav Vitous (bass), both of whom would go on to play in Weather Report.

Like many other obscure, classic soul albums, Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse has been sampled by many hip-hop artists, including Eric B & Rakim, Q-Tip, and the Beastie Boys.

The full album is available to stream on Spotify and is worth a listen.  Go check it out.

Enjoy… until next week.