Tag: music
From my “Secret Garden” the Garden of Health
Justin Timberlake, is there disparity in treatment on the Radio?
Is there cause for a Civil Rights Movement in Radio?
I’m really confused. I first heard this really incredible ditty that mixed a lot of Old School flavor with a touch of Robin Thicke minus the rap. The song was actually sung by Justin Timberlake! For the life of me, when I realized that, I could not believe a song like that could even get airplay. It just sounded too Black…not Hip-Hop, but Black. While many Black Americans, and even those who grooved to the Soulden Oldies with their Newport cigarettes and Bartles and Jaymes wine coolers, remember the somewhat carefree time period of the late 70’s and early eighties, Justin tries to bring back that emotion with a song that would only survive on the radio because of his back-up feature. Had rap and business mogul Jay-Z not offered his pedigree to “Suit & Tie,” radio stations would not have helped the record debut first on the R&B Chart at number 9. In lieu of that, not even His Royal Spoiledness, Kanye West, would have had such a chance to even hit the airways with a song of such tempo as J.T. has bestowed upon us.
In other words, remove Justin Timberlake from “Suit & Tie” and what have you got? That would be a B-side to a 45.
Is Justin Timberlake an R&B singer/performer, or is he right-at-the-line Pop? Not even the ever-effervescent Bruno Mars could have payola’d his way between the white noise. Yet, Justin has yet to debut on the Pop Chart with the song. Remembering a time when Hennifer Hopez entered the music world with her “Waiting for the Night,” her affiliation to make a mark on any chart was to use and nearly abuse Black artists with sheer prowess, coyness, and manipulation. Since she split with the kind of artists and producers that fill dancehalls and occupy the charts – because of true talent, repeat performances have yet to appear in Miss Hopez’s life. Along with that now lack of lyrical camaraderie, Hennifer is now allowing her nude body to be displayed with pleasure in films that try to show her softer-side after children. It seems that the group Hennifer abandoned has now abandoned her. No longer is she considered elegant, demure, or graceful. Hennifer Hopez is desperate. But why is Justin so desperate?
Although “Suit & Tie” is a quality-song, just imagine it as Justin only featuring and Jay-Z taking the lead. Would it make it to the airways? Not on the Pop charts without another Black artist. Well, Justin brought “sexy” back in his own way and wants to infect the world with a false sense of security. “Suit & Tie” is in no way a typical Pop Song. For the most part, the record does have meat. It’s just a shame that a Black male artist couldn’t and wouldn’t be given the same opportunity to do the same thing. A true feel-good period lyric, (minus the social message) has no mainstream radio play for a Black artist…mainstream meaning Pop. Though that artist may sell millions of a cd, not even Robin Thicke could expect to be so lucky to be heard by those who wouldn’t give R&B music the time of day.
Singer Maxwell most definitely could sing “Suit & Tie” without the help of grandmaster Jay-Z or anyone for that matter. Commercially, the choice to release the record mainstream would be disastrous for his record label. Maxwell is considered an R&B singer. Compare Maxwell’s “Sumthin’ Sumthin’” from his ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite’ with J.T.’s new single. Funky, groovy, chillin’…only to go on deaf ears to the world outside of Soul/R&B. Congratulations, Justin! There is favoritism on the radio, so you are NOT the Biggest Loser! It’s just that there are numerous artists of color who are saying, “Hey, that sounds like…!” Then again, even Hall and Oates hit the Soul/Rhythm and Blues charts, just as George Michael did with the album that held such soulful songs like “Father Figure” and “Faith.” I guess there was just no need to incorporate somebody else’s rap into their music…with so few of them out at the time. Still, radio stations only make it dark when they want to. Ole School just doesn’t seem the same without a true trooper.
Just when we thought we had lost J.T. to Hollywood’s big screen, he shows us that all men are not created equal. They may have been created “equally.” Just not equal. Not everybody can afford a “Suit and Tie.” I guess a really good actor can make you feel something from nothing. You would never see any person of color in any of the roles J.T. has had in Hollywood. It’s no surprise.
Come Dance With Me
The stage is set
The music’s playing
All that’s left
Our bodies swaying
I see you
In all your glory
What’s left to do
(Is for you to) Come dance with me
A song will play for us
And no one else
No need to cause a fuss
You’re my trophy for my shelf
Just wrap your arms around
My neck and baby, let yourself go
Like you were lost now found
Somewhere so low
We’ll go places
We’ve never been before
Somewhere no one knows our faces
No need for secrets anymore
And if the music ends
Hopefully then you’ll see
We can stay more than friends
once you come and dance with me
The Days of Monterrey Park
Smoke a doobie
Played like Scooby
Guitar Jammin’
Dashiki a slammin’
Waves a wavin’
South’s a slavin’
Life is carefree
As far as I can see
Voice rockin’ out
Watch the lips pout
Painted on jeans
Sell-out for greens
All posin’ ‘til closin’
No dozin’ while hosin’
Get the Clap without hands
On stage make fans
Powder was great
In the Valley was hate
Powder made them all skate
Cocaine made them feel great
Elton and Dobie gave ‘em the beat
Rock On fed the heat
Soul tickled the pole
Sucked many through the hole
Happiness, Peace, and Love
All fell from up above
Lights out, it all went dark
In the days of Monterrey Park
I Danced Last Night
I danced last night
And it felt good
Real good
I danced last night
Just like I should always
I kicked, I dipped, I tripped
I skipped, I hopped, and then
I bopped
I danced last night
And forgot I was all alone
I loved myself
And told myself
The music loves me too
I danced last night
And all the lights
Shined just on me
For everyone to see
And I was free
And I was me
I danced last night
All night
And I was right
All right
To love myself
All by myself
I danced last night
If you danced with me
I didn’t see
Cause I was free
Free to be me
Free to be me
I danced last night
That’s why I’m dancing today
My own way
My way
Last night danced with me
And it was free
Lip-synching Life
It will dare you
To do it your own way
Many don’t
Many can’t
Many won’t
But they will show
that they can glow
You want to be
To be you want
Echoes and feedback scares
The needle scratches
The heart tears
Is there a backup plan
waiting in the grandstand?
Hallelujah
sang by choirs
Inventors of Prada
created for liars
Hoping nothing comes to a halt
Keep in reach of the vault
made on the pillar of salt
Must you imitate life
like it’s some strange delightful wife?
Castrate yourself for temporary fun
May a fist pump make you second to none
Soprano sounds do astound
Though checking the family jewels
could get hung up in lost and found
Pretty pictures
Tiny scriptures
Unable to ad-lib
Holding a spoon and fork
Testing positive for the stork
Enya chants with motion
minus v-fib
I, Piano Bench
Rest your playful,
soulful
weight
on me
Be careful not to expand
so widely as support of your backbone
is not available
Dare not treat my disfigurement
as a hindrance to your talent
For without me
you will lack the honor of joining
the tickled ivories
that speak when you rest your playful,
soulful
weight
on them
Close your eyes and sway
from side to side
Knowing all along that you can glide
on me to the left and to the right
Almost as if I am tickling you
with all my might
The Park and Press are relatives of mine
Either brings ease to the vulnerable spine
How kind without a fine
Yet who walks the finer line?
Never to be exposed in such
an archaic fashion
the melodies played and created on me
sometime deserve a tongue lashing
Though in a concert hall
It shows me grander
than them all
Safer to not add wheels
Shame to anyone wanting me in the
Court of Appeals
Surely their names do change
to engulf the willing
The composer’s mind derange
and takes the artist’s girth a milling
The Piano
Ragtime haunts the ivory bone
as the marrow shares the soul of the tune
It plays
Tickled and fickled are the
acoutements which give color to the pallet
always in step below pressing on for
rhythm’s sake
Play they do as keys
to open a door or storage room
finding the right one was a feat
even without blinders on
And a rag would pass in time
across one’s nape
for the mistake would be hanging the melody
unable to mend spirit
Only a true medium could awaken those senses
Play do they as the keys
Minus their flesh you see the mark they make
With every breath the three-step makes
The ivory bone moans
in tones as if ringing up phones
Inviting those asleep
to a party with a good time to keep