Posted by By Lorrie Irby Jackson – Dallas South News Contributor
In-between social unrest, Superfly and Soul Brother Number One, R&B music became a more than something to move and make love to: it fueled an empowering movement that propelled folks to raise their voices against sexism, racism and politricks. Getting on the good foot was fine, but with our full privileges and protections awarded to us via the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, musicians let it be known that they had more on their minds than bell-bottoms, boogeying and baby-making.
I was just a child in the 70’s, but I remember how the songs ranged from soothing, spiritual and subtle (“People Get Ready,” and “A Change Is Gonna Come”) to ferocious, fist-pumping anthems of fury (“Give the People What They Want,” “(Don’t Worry) If There’s A Hell Below, We’re All Going to Go”).
Necks rolled, Afros rocked and there was a contagious sense of hope in the air: no longer were blacks going to grin and bear it—they planned to take their rightful place in the workplace, in society and the world at large. We would no longer pretend that our hardships didn’t exist; we would make the Powers That Be acknowledge their part in creating them and fight for solutions.
With all of the accomplishments that have taken place since then, it’s become easy for the younger generation to take that progress for granted and to feel as though the restraints no longer exist, but these songs, if nothing else, remain classics because they highlight the struggle that our elders witnessed and all too often, still carry the scars from.
These are my favorites from that era, songs that still have the power to stir and sustain me on my most trying of days….
“That’s The Way Of the World”- Earth, Wind & Fire
“Give the People What They Want”- The O’Jays
“Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)”- The Temptations
“Inner City Blues”- Marvin Gaye
“The Ghetto”- Donny Hathaway
“Living For the City”- Stevie Wonder
“War”-Edwin Starr
“Respect”-Aretha Franklin
“Chocolate City”- Parliament
“We Are Neighbors”-The Chi-Lites
“Stand” –Sly and the Family Stone
“Respect Yourself”- The Staple Singers
“Wake Up EveryBody”- Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
“Get Up, Stand Up”- Bob Marley and The Wailers
Contrary to what the younger generation would like their listeners to believe, life is still not a crystal stair: not all of us are blinged-out, big-balling and calling the shots. We still lag behind in many crucial areas and the once-standard solidarity that once reigned in that era is all but a memory today. But when we come across classics like these, it sure makes us believe that we can get there and make it happen.
Lorrie Irby Jackson is a freelance journalist based in Dallas and has covered entertainment professionally for several years, writing many articles for The Dallas Morning News. Her e-mail address is lorrie.irby@gmail.com.
Edited by Michael Counter, Jr.
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