Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Gone Too Soon: Phoebe Snow

Ms Phoebe Snow balladeer extraordinaire died today at the tender age of 58. Her soulful voice and spirit drenched lyrics provide the backdrop for many a Two Fisted Love--I speak from experience.

Her song Poetry Man is an iconic ballad that along with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On capture the feel of the 70s for me. Her music takes me back to my afro, power to the people days.

Phoebe, talk to me some more. I wish you didn't have to go. She was the poetry woman, and she made everything alright.

Peace my beautiful sister.















Phoebe Snow Poetry Man


Friday, March 4, 2011

This Is The Soul Songs Project

This Is The Soul Songs Project


It's ticking up on 1 a.m. in the morning and I just finished listening to the Temptin' Temptations sing about being  able to visualize it all...But it was just My Imagination Running Away With Me.

I could use a little Boone's Farm Apple right now.

Welcome to the Soul Songs Project where the main aim of this blog is to take then next 12 months--from Black History Month 2010 to Black History Month 2011--to compile the definitive list of the top 100 soul songs of All Time.

I want to chronicle the best tunes from Motown, Philly, Chi-Town, Muscle Shoals, Memphis--everything North to South, East to West and all that space in between. Think of it in terms of putting that ultimate stack of wax in the center of your turntable.

Once we've got that spindle loaded up. We are going to slide that indicator knob to 45 rpm. We're going to unlock the tone arm --making sure we've got a Lincoln Penny taped in place.

Did you pull the string to turn on that blue bulb I screwed into the ceiling light socket a few minutes early? Don't forget to crack that window in the far corner of the basement.

Hey, tell that brotha-- yeah the one over there with red do-rag standing in front of the sheet covering the doorway to the laundry room. Yeah, that's right, the dude over there rappin' to Pookie and them. Tell him to tip a little of that Wild Irish in your Styrofoam cup. It's cool, he ain't gonna mind. He trying to get with my cousin Shay. Just tell him I sent you over.
   .
Huh, huh. Didn't I tell you that Rose was smooth. Slide me some skin on that my man. Take another sip.

Click. (A platter drops in place.) Click. (The tone arm moves over, hovers, then slowly drops into a groove.)  Static....Do, do, do, do, do, do, Do..I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.....

Awe, suki, suki now.

Okay, let's get started putting that ultimate hot stack of wax together. Send me your soulful candidates and let's start tabulating--(Did someone say Brenda and the Tabulations?)

In addition to the ongoing music list, the Soul Songs Project will also be a repository of old school memories. So tell us your stories and send us your pictures so we all can share. I will also post my collection of short stories one page at a time over the duration of this project.

So get on up now and boogaloo and get this party started.

Songs Selected have to fit in the time period of 1960 to 1975..A 15 year window when the greatest music ever heard was made.  Help your choices make the list by explaining why each song is special to you. Don't forget to include memories associated with the song.



Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Give Me A Head With Hair....

Wow this photo goes back some, probably around 1972 or 1973 on the campus of Ohio University in Athens...or as we liked to call it...Harvard on the Hocking (river).

I was probably rapping to these two fine sister's about the upcoming dance at Nelson Hall of Baker Center.

I'm sure there was an 8-track cassette in the paper bag, most likely Earth, Wind and Fire, or Ohio Players, or maybe Stevie Wonder's Talking Book.

Or maybe it was just Miller's chicken wings in the paper sack. Although I don't see any grease stains.

Peace.

What Do You Think About This List Of Stylish Black Women?

Hey folks a friend just forwarded me this list compiled by MSN of "stylish" black women. Here is my friends original email:
I saw this list on MSN and I was stunned:

Angela Davis
Erykah Badu
Zora Neale Hurston
Naomi Sims
Grace Jones
Rihanna
Sade
Iman
Mary J. Blige
Naomi Campbell
Diana Ross
Michelle Obama
Diahann Carrol
Eartha Kitt

Stylish to me is your unique version of style that influenced others. Angela Davis comes to mind for me. She epitomized the black woman in the 60's. She was/is iconic.

Riyanna? I'd picked Lena Horne or Beyonce before her. Michelle Obama, nope. Sade, all I think of is forehead and nice lips. What about Halle Berry? Dorothy Dandridge?

Rihanna?

No Coffee (Pam Grier?), How about Josephine Baker?  Lena Horne? Tina Turner for that matter?

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

This Is The Soul Songs Project


It's ticking up on 1 a.m. in the morning and I just finished listening to the Temptin' Temptations sing about being  able to visualize it all...But it was just My Imagination Running Away With Me.

I could use a little Boone's Farm Apple right now.

Welcome to the Soul Songs Project where the main aim of this blog is to take then next 12 months--from Black History Month 2010 to Black History Month 2011--to compile the definitive list of the top 100 soul songs of All Time.

I want to chronicle the best tunes from Motown, Philly, Chi-Town, Muscle Shoals, Memphis--everything North to South, East to West and all that space in between. Think of it in terms of putting that ultimate stack of wax in the center of your turntable.

Once we've got that spindle loaded up. We are going to slide that indicator knob to 45 rpm. We're going to unlock the tone arm --making sure we've got a Lincoln Penny taped in place.

Did you pull the string to turn on that blue bulb I screwed into the ceiling light socket a few minutes early? Don't forget to crack that window in the far corner of the basement.

Hey, tell that brotha-- yeah the one over there with red do-rag standing in front of the sheet covering the doorway to the laundry room. Yeah, that's right, the dude over there rappin' to Pookie and them. Tell him to tip a little of that Wild Irish in your Styrofoam cup. It's cool, he ain't gonna mind. He trying to get with my cousin Shay. Just tell him I sent you over.
   .
Huh, huh. Didn't I tell you that Rose was smooth. Slide me some skin on that my man. Take another sip.

Click. (A platter drops in place.) Click. (The tone arm moves over, hovers, then slowly drops into a groove.)  Static....Do, do, do, do, do, do, Do..I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.....

Awe, suki, suki now.

Okay, let's get started putting that ultimate hot stack of wax together. Send me your soulful candidates and let's start tabulating--(Did someone say Brenda and the Tabulations?)

In addition to the ongoing music list, the Soul Songs Project will also be a repository of old school memories. So tell us your stories and send us your pictures so we all can share. I will also post my collection of short stories one page at a time over the duration of this project.

So get on up now and boogaloo and get this party started.

Songs Selected have to fit in the time period of 1960 to 1975..A 15 year window when the greatest music ever heard was made.  Help your choices make the list by explaining why each song is special to you. Don't forget to include memories associated with the song.