The Radiants were a R&B/soul group in the ‘60s. As was typical of the day, the group underwent several personnel changes. They hit their stride as a trio led by Maurice McAlister, who was also half of the duo Maurice and Mac (McLarin Green) who recorded the timeless “You Left the Water Running” (1968).
In 1964, the Radiants scored a #51 hit on the Billboard charts with “Voice Your Choice,” a Curtis Mayfield-inspired track.
This song is masterfully played (dig the horns) and beautifully sung. Dave Marsh, in his book The Heart of Rock & Soul – The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made, notes, “The singers switch the lead from line to line, their pleas rising and falling with varying amounts of tension and raunch.” Marsh positioned the track at #348.
Though its lyrics aren’t political, this track is a staple every election day. It tells the story of choosing one love over another — a terrific example of Chicago-style soul.
The British jazz band known as the Ezra Collective has been active since 2016, but I only learned about them recently, after they released their critically acclaimed third album – Dance, No One’s Watching – in September 2024.
Actually, I find categorizing them as a jazz band doesn’t describe them very well because I hear such a prominent Afrobeat flavor in their music. They fuse elements of many genres into their musical stew, citing Kendrick Lamar and Robert Glasper as influences.
Take, for instance, “God Gave Me Feet for Dancing” which Barack Obama listed as one of his 25 favorite songs of 2024.
“God Gave Me Feet…” has a vocal assist from London-born singer-songwriter Yazmin Lacey. Ezra Collective drummer and bandleader Femi Koleoso has described his inspiration for the song:
“Myself, (bandmates) Ife, and TJ all grew up in church, and it played a massive role in how we view the purpose of dancing. Dancing is bigger than just the club space. Dancing is a community thing, dancing is a spiritual thing, and ‘God Gave Me Feet for Dancing’ is like a window into that element of Ezra Collective for the five of us. There’s a story in the bible that talks about ‘David dancing before the lord’, and that’s always been something that has inspired me. So, ‘God Gave Me Feet for Dancing’ is meant to look at dancing in a more spiritual capacity, like it’s our God-given ability to shake away the badness of life and dance instead.”
The band won the Mercury Prize in 2023 for their previous album, Where I’m Meant to Be. They were the first jazz band to win that prestigious award.
This weekend marks the 17th anniversary of SotW. When I sent my first post, I never dreamed I would still be doing it all these years later. Thank you for your support.
Randy Newman has grappled with the concept of racism throughout his career, using his signature satirical style to expose its cruelty and hypocrisy.
One of his earliest songs to address the issue was “Sail Away” (1972), written from the perspective of a slave trader enticing Africans with false promises.
Typical of Newman, the song’s irony was lost on some listeners, who mistakenly thought he was mocking the enslaved rather than condemning the practice. The lyrics lay bare the deception used to lure captives:
In America you get food to eat Won’t have to run through the jungle And scuff up your feet You just sing about Jesus and drink wine all day It’s great to be an American
Ain’t no lion or tiger, ain’t no mamba snake Just the sweet watermelon and the buckwheat cake Ev’rybody is as happy as a man can be Climb aboard, little wog, sail away with me
Newman expanded on the theme of racism with Good Old Boys (1974), a concept album that opens with “Rednecks.”
The song was inspired by Newman’s reaction to a Dick Cavett Show interview featuring Georgia’s segregationist governor, Lester Maddox. Maddox, ridiculed by Cavett and the audience, eventually walked off the show. You can watch it here:
While Newman was no fan of Maddox, he saw the hypocrisy in Northern attitudes toward racism. The song begins with a sharp critique of both Maddox and his detractors:
Newman then sketches a stereotypical Southern racist.
We talk real funny down here We drink too much and we laugh too loud We’re too dumb to make it in no Northern town And we’re keepin’ the niggers down
Finally, he exposes Northerners’ hypocrisy.
Now your northern nigger’s a Negro You see he’s got his dignity Down here we’re too ignorant to realize That the North has set the nigger free
Yes he’s free to be put in a cage In Harlem in New York City And he’s free to be put in a cage in the South-Side of Chicago And the West-Side And he’s free to be put in a cage in Hough in Cleveland And he’s free to be put in a cage in East St. Louis And he’s free to be put in a cage in Fillmore in San Francisco And he’s free to be put in a cage in Roxbury in Boston They’re gatherin’ ’em up from miles around Keepin’ the niggers down
The song’s use of the N-word sparked controversy. Today, it is widely accepted that the word should NEVER be used, especially by a white person. However, Harvard Law School professor Randall Kennedy has defended writers who employ the term “to dramatize and condemn racism’s baleful presence.” Newman’s intent aligns with this perspective — his lyrics serve as an indictment, not an endorsement.
Newman continued exploring racism in later works, including Trouble in Paradise (1983).
“Christmas in Cape Town” presents a white South African bigot trying to justify apartheid to an Englishwoman:
This English girl from the North somewhere Is stayin’ with me at my place Drinkin’ up all my beer Talkin’ about the poor niggers all the time It’s a real disgrace, she says I tell her, Darling, don’t talk about things You don’t understand I tell her, Darling, don’t talk about something You don’t know anything about I tell her, Darling, if you don’t like it here Go back to your own miserable country
We’ve come a long way in confronting racism, but there is still plenty of work to be done. Unfortunately, recent attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives threaten to stall progress rather than advance it.
Elliott Smith was one of the most brilliant songwriters of the 1990s, yet his legacy is too often reduced to just two moments: his 1998 Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for “Miss Misery” from Good Will Hunting, and his tragic death in 2003 at the age of 34 from two stab wounds to the chest.
But Smith’s artistry deserves so much more.
His 1997 album Either/Or is a genuine classic — an album that has only grown in stature over the years. Three of its songs were featured in Good Will Hunting, and it has consistently appeared on “best of” lists, cementing its place in indie rock history. Its accolades speak for themselves:
Pitchfork ranked Either/Or 59th in its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 1990s and later placed it at #23 in its Best Albums of the Decade list (2022).
Spin ranked it #48 on its list of the best albums from 1987 to 2012.
Blender named it the 36th greatest indie rock album ever.
NME included it at #149 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
Consequence of Sound ranked it #97 among the greatest albums ever made.
Rolling Stone placed it at #216 in the 2020 edition of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Among its many gems, the album’s closing track, “Say Yes,” stands out as one of Smith’s most optimistic songs.
It was written for his then-girlfriend, Joanna Bolme, but Smith was vague about its origins. “It’s about someone particular, and I almost never do that. I was really in love with someone,” he admitted without identifying the person.
“Say Yes” captures the essence of Smith’s songwriting — short and sweet, honest yet deceptively simple. He even leaves in the sound of himself clearing his throat at the start of the recording, an unfiltered moment that adds to its raw intimacy.
I’m in love with the world Through the eyes of a girl Who’s still around the morning after
This is Elliott Smith at his finest — delicate, deeply personal, and achingly sincere. “Say Yes” is not just a song; it’s a glimpse into the quiet beauty of his genius.
