BLACK SINGER-SONGWRITERS

Love this song by Bobby Womack, "Across 110th Street."  Did not know that it was the theme song to a movie of the same name.  The intention of this song "Across 110th Street" reminds me a bit of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and a bit of the Rolling Stones' song "Heartbreaker."  Here are the lyrics to "Across 110th Street."

I was the third brother of five
Doing whatever I had to do to survive
I'm not saying what I did was alright
Trying to break out of the ghetto was a day to day fight

Bein' down so long, with nothing to cross my mind
But I knew there was a better way of life and I was just trying to find
You don't know what you'll do until you're put under pressure
Across 110th Street is a hell of a tester.

Across 110th Street
Pimps trying to catch a woman that's weak.

Across 110th Street
Pushers won't let the junkie go free.

Across 110th Street
Woman trying to catch a trick on the street, ooh baby.

Across 110th Street
You can find it all in the street, oh.

I got one more thing I'd like to talk to ya'll about right now
Hey brother, there's a better way out
Snorting that coke, shooting that dope, man, you're copping out.

Take my advice, it's either live or die
You've got to be strong, if you want to survive.

The family on the other side of town
Would catch hell without a ghetto around
In every city you find the same thing going down
Harlem is the capital of every ghetto town.

Help me sing it . . . 

Across 110th Street
Pimps trying to catch a woman that's weak.
 

 Across 110th Street
Pushers won't let the junkie go free.

Oh, across 110th Street
A woman trying to catch a trick on the street, ooh baby.

Across 110th Street
You can find it all in the street.
Yes, you can

Oh, look around you, look around you
Look around you, look around you, yeah.

But there is another song that I love by Isaac Hayes. It's "Shaft."  It came out in 1971. I like to call it the national anthem for men.

Here are the lyrics to Hayes' "Shaft," 1971.  The lyrics don't come in until the 2:40 minute mark and only occupy 1 minute of the entire song.  Amazing.

Who's the black private di*k
That's a sex machine to all the chicks?
SHAFT!
Ya damn right!

Who is the man that would risk his neck
For his brother man?
SHAFT!
Can you dig it?

Who's the cat that won't cop out
When there's danger all about?
SHAFT!
Right On!

They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother . . .
SHUT YOUR MOUTH!
I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft.
THEN WE CAN DIG IT!

He's a complicated man
But no one understands him but his woman
JOHN SHAFT!

And then, of course, there is this 60's classic "I Can Never Say Goodbye," written originally for the Jackson 5 by actor Clifton Davis in 1971, then sung and recorded by Gloria Gaynor in 1974.  The tenor of his voice is terrific here. It's good everywhere, but his phrasing here is quite melodic.

The Blaxploitation films of the early 70s were terrific movies.  Highly entertaining.  Great stories, good performances, lots of action and interesting scripts.  You'll dig these man.

The one I like the best is The Mack, 1973.  

Marvin Gaye "What's Going On?" 1971.

Carl Douglas' "Everybody Was Kung FuFighting," 1974.
 



Edwin Starr's "War! (What's It Good For?)," 1969.

James Brown's "This Is a Man's World," 1966.

Curtis Mayfield's "Pusherman," 1972.  

James and Bobby Purify, "I'm Your Puppet," 1966.

Aaron Neville's "Tell It Like It Is," 1966.





Curtis Mayfield’s "No Thing On Me," 1972, on side 2 of the Superfly soundtrack.

I've met many people over the years
And in my opinion I have found that
People are the same everywhere
They have the same fears
Shed similar tears
Die in so many years
The oppressed seem to have suffered the most
In every continent - coast to coast
Now our lives are in the hands of The Pusherman
We break it all down
In hopes that you might understand
Don't make no profit for The Man

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

There's somethin' kinda funny
How The Man take your money
He's shrewd as he can be
In such a way you'll never see
It's a terrible thing inside
When your natural high has died
The weaker turn to dope
And put all aside their hope

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

Twinkling twinkling grains
They do all sorts of things
While your inner mind is pleased
Your conscience is only teased...

More and more you feed
Until you grow another need
Playing fantasy
You have no reality

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

Sit down and take a listen
This may be something that you're missin'
I know your mind,
You want it funky
But you don't have to be no junkie

Just be glad you've got your own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The Man can't put no thing on me

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

Sure is funky
Sure is funky
I ain't no junkie
I ain't no junkie

Sure is funky
Sure is funky
I ain't no junkie
I ain't no junkie

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see...

The Four Tops' "Baby I Need Your Loving," 1964. 

From Wikipedia:
Founded as The Four Aims, lead singer Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles, a cousin of Jackie Wilson and brother of The Falcons' Joe Stubbs), and groupmates Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton remained together for over four decades, having gone from 1953 until 1997 without a change in personnel.

The Four Tops were among a number of groups, including The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Temptations, and The Supremes, who established the Motown Sound around the world during the 1960s. They were notable for having Stubbs, a baritone, as their lead singer, whereas most male/mixed vocal groups of the time were fronted by a tenor.


I cannot believe that this beautiful song, Della Reese's "Don't You Know," 1962, with the bellowing voice belongs to Della Reese!!!  Yes, the singer and actress of Touched By An Angel, (1994-2003), fame!  I just now made the connection.  Whenever I heard the song "Don't You Know," I'd always thought that it was a man's voice.  Too funny.  I did not know that she was a motown singer.  I only knew her from Touched By An Angel.  I did not know that this was her voice until I took a second look at her name. Incredible. Incredible voice. Though I am not a big fan of her as an actress.  Had a terrific voice though.  Wow!!


The soundtrack to Dinero's directorial debut, The Bronx Tale, 1993, is genius. Let's see who put that together. Butch Barbella was the music composer for the film.  The guy is a genius!