OUR GODFATHER GOES HOME... (R.I.P James Brown 1933-2006)
Written December 25, 2006
I'm sad this Christmas morning, but the funny thing is I'm jammin!!! Livin' In America while gettin' it on the good foot, the sound of Maceo's Parker’s prominent sax solos ring in my ears , and it's groove has me moving in my seat. Droppin' to my knees, the crowd in my mind sings PLEASE DON'T GO as someone puts a coat over me, helps me up to my feet and, attempts to aid me off the stage. But I won't go... Not time yet. My Godfather of Soul, James Brown, wants me to write this!!!
Have you ever wondered where the feverish showmanship of Michael Jackson, Prince, Bobby Brown & Usher originated? Watch the flashy footwork I'm proud to say at 40 years of age I can do. The shuffle, then split of the prolific rough-voiced Godfather in his prime, and all questions are answered about our legacy. The love he wished he shared with parents he did not know coming across in every song performed, the hard-charging edgy beats and heartfelt, yet sometimes indecipherable lyrics (Remember Eddie Murphy's parody?) touched the core of us all.
All of the music we listen to today has been influenced by the GODFATHER OF SOUL. HIT ME, JAMES, TWO TIMES! From Hip-Hop to Disco to R&B to Deep soul, they all sample the deep funk, blaring guitars and endless horn brass that came from James. You think he stopped with all those grooves sampled religiously by hip-hop artists? Hell, James Brown's music also left its mark on the rhythms of African music, such as afrobeat, jùjú and mbalax, and provided a flawless template for go-go music. Get up off that thing and agree with me: this man was Super Bad. If not, they'll be some static. Won't start none, won't be none.
GODFATHER, if it wasn't so soon after Gerald, I wouldn't be so forlorn. But I want to thank you personally, for you helped me once, back in 1994. Remembering when my Bronx touch-tackle football team lost a semifinal game in the rain and mud to an all-white team on Christmas Eve, it was a sickening feeling akin to a Grinch stealing Christmas. Desperately trying to keep our season alive, I caught three season saving, fourth-down passes to keep drives alive that Saturday morning, but my efforts weren't enough. Enduring taunts and lousy officiating because of our skin color, that unpleasant memory stayed with my Falcon teammates for 365 days, when again, on Christmas Eve, we played the same team with a championship on the line. Guess what song we played as we warmed up? The PAYBACK!!! And yes, we won the return encounter. And at games end, I shouted Da-di-da-da thrice, just as you closed the powerful record, and carried on. SAYING IT LOUD, WE WERE BLACK AND PROUD that day!
You instructed us to carry on, and somehow, someway we will. But the air will be a little murkier without you. You think Maceo could play sax for Barry White's band as you, Gerald, Phyllis and Luther bless us with the concert to end all shows? I sure hope so.
I'll miss you, Godfather.
William.
I'm sad this Christmas morning, but the funny thing is I'm jammin!!! Livin' In America while gettin' it on the good foot, the sound of Maceo's Parker’s prominent sax solos ring in my ears , and it's groove has me moving in my seat. Droppin' to my knees, the crowd in my mind sings PLEASE DON'T GO as someone puts a coat over me, helps me up to my feet and, attempts to aid me off the stage. But I won't go... Not time yet. My Godfather of Soul, James Brown, wants me to write this!!!
Have you ever wondered where the feverish showmanship of Michael Jackson, Prince, Bobby Brown & Usher originated? Watch the flashy footwork I'm proud to say at 40 years of age I can do. The shuffle, then split of the prolific rough-voiced Godfather in his prime, and all questions are answered about our legacy. The love he wished he shared with parents he did not know coming across in every song performed, the hard-charging edgy beats and heartfelt, yet sometimes indecipherable lyrics (Remember Eddie Murphy's parody?) touched the core of us all.
All of the music we listen to today has been influenced by the GODFATHER OF SOUL. HIT ME, JAMES, TWO TIMES! From Hip-Hop to Disco to R&B to Deep soul, they all sample the deep funk, blaring guitars and endless horn brass that came from James. You think he stopped with all those grooves sampled religiously by hip-hop artists? Hell, James Brown's music also left its mark on the rhythms of African music, such as afrobeat, jùjú and mbalax, and provided a flawless template for go-go music. Get up off that thing and agree with me: this man was Super Bad. If not, they'll be some static. Won't start none, won't be none.
GODFATHER, if it wasn't so soon after Gerald, I wouldn't be so forlorn. But I want to thank you personally, for you helped me once, back in 1994. Remembering when my Bronx touch-tackle football team lost a semifinal game in the rain and mud to an all-white team on Christmas Eve, it was a sickening feeling akin to a Grinch stealing Christmas. Desperately trying to keep our season alive, I caught three season saving, fourth-down passes to keep drives alive that Saturday morning, but my efforts weren't enough. Enduring taunts and lousy officiating because of our skin color, that unpleasant memory stayed with my Falcon teammates for 365 days, when again, on Christmas Eve, we played the same team with a championship on the line. Guess what song we played as we warmed up? The PAYBACK!!! And yes, we won the return encounter. And at games end, I shouted Da-di-da-da thrice, just as you closed the powerful record, and carried on. SAYING IT LOUD, WE WERE BLACK AND PROUD that day!
You instructed us to carry on, and somehow, someway we will. But the air will be a little murkier without you. You think Maceo could play sax for Barry White's band as you, Gerald, Phyllis and Luther bless us with the concert to end all shows? I sure hope so.
I'll miss you, Godfather.
William.
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