The calmness experienced after a relaxing night’s rest, waking up from a pleasant dream.
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Listen while you read!
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/pl.u-kv9lb8ju7Voq7Jk
For centuries pain and trauma have fueled Black art, power, and creativity. Black innovation has paved the way for a sumptuous majority of American culture today, whether than be explored through style, fashion, art or music. As cultural leaders Black artists are best known for creating, refining, and advancing culture— all through hardship. Like flowers growing through the cracks in concrete, Black creatives are always pulling together something from seemingly nothing. Turning all adversities into a sign of resilience, Black cultural leaders have made extreme contributions to all parts of life, culture, and art, one of the greatest and most influential to the dom-culture being music. Leading the way for new sound, meaning, and purpose, Black musicians have changed and created almost all conceptions of American music.
This playlist explores only one (of the endless concepts) concept/purpose Black music in America has established. Through music, Black artists have profoundly emphasized creative freedom and freeness of the soul—historically, Black music (and art) has served as a form of escapism from the perils of white mainstream culture, society, and art, all while spotlighting ideas of love and unity. This idea will be examined throughout the duration of this playlist, moving through funk, disco, and soul pieces all released in the 1970s.
1. I Love Music (1975)
The O’Jays
Philly Soul- Funk
Produced by Gamble and Huff, the 1975 release of I Love Music embodies the Philadelphia sound with its inclusion of funk elements. The song follows a propulsive groove and instruments such as the bongo, electric guitar, and synthesizer are used alongside the drums and high strings. Notable elements of soul include call and response techniques and Eddie Levert’s central vocalizations.
This song is number one on the list for a reason. Its message perfectly sums up the idea of Black joy and its discovery through music. The message infuses ideas of Black romantic love and equates its significance to music. Just as Levert loves his partner, he also loves music.
Levert sings,
“All the joy that it's bringing, I’m so happy to be in complete harmony, I love music”.
His love for music is described as euphoric, as Levert details experiences dancing and being free whilst listening to music. Its lush instrumental arrangement also adds to the airy and flowing sound, promoting freeness. Through their love of music the O’Jay’s experience love and physical freedom.
Levert also goes onto to emphasize the power of music—in singing,
“Makes me laugh, makes me smile all the while
…
“Music is the healing force of the world
It’s understood by every man
Woman boy and girl”.
These lines simply promote unity and music’s ability to bring people together. In addition to the song's emphasis on love, the two ideas make up feelings of spiritual freeness. Black love, unity, and music warrant freedom and joy. As discussed in the lectures, other elements of funk include ideas of unity between the spirit and the body. As Levert describes it, music allows for this connection. Concepts of creative freedom can also be examined in the song's construction, as improvisation seems to be used in between verses.
In creating a space (metaphorical) for Black bodies to feel free music has allowed Black communities to escape the hardships of day-to-day life. In focusing on love, unity, and the fact that we love music, we’re able to experience an atmosphere of Black joy.
2. The Groove Line (1978)
Heatwave
Funk/Disco
Through celebration, dance, and acceptance—unity and love are again emphasized. Satire is also used throughout The Groove Line, following the sci-fi, futurist storyline the group sings,
“Check out the wheel’s a turnin
You know we won’t stop
We got this boiler burnin
We’re keepin it hot”.
“Pack your grip
Taking you on a trip”.
Immediately going into the song, Heatwave asks us to take a trip. Storytelling and sci-fi have lent a great hand in the curation of funk. Group’s such as P-Funk ushered the way for such styles. This idea of physical transcendence is also a characteristic of disco. Heatwave’s The Groove Line fuses the two musical models together creating a fun, groovy, and light arrangement. Escapism through funk—-a common theme of the genre, can be examined in The Groove Line as Johnie Wilder Jr. sings,
“Leave your worries behind
Cause rain, shine, don’t mind
We’re riding on a groove line tonight”.
Approaching the turn of the 80s, millions of Black American’s were suffering as the press for social change continued. The 1970s recession left many Black American’s unemployed. In addition, inflation levels only increased as Black American’s faced unsafe living conditions and were stuck with little to no medical care. Yet, whilst all of these issues weighed in on the Black community, funk, disco, and groove were used in efforts to heal the spirit and relieve tension. The idea was to go to somewhere else, mentally— a place that would temporarily release you from the constrictions of white society.
In order to cope, find joy, and freeness from the world around, Black America’s turned to energizing funk hits, such as Heatwave’s The Groove Line. The song’s use of percussive instruments and up-tempo synthesizing scales add to its rhythmically pleasing pulse. I rate this hit a 10/10 on the rink of making you want to get up and dance.
3. Rock With You (1979)
Michael Jackson
Disco
Third up on the list, is Michael Jackson’s 1979 Rock with You. Produced by Quincy Jones, this disco hit also uses sounds from the electric guitar, synthesizer, and strings. The instrumental arrangement paired with Michael’s vocalizations bounce off one another, creating a call and response effect. The hi-hat is also used to elevate elation. Like the two preceding songs, the act of grooving (dancing) is explored as a medium of expression and release. Rhythmic alleviation from the perils of Black life are found in this hit, as Jackson focuses on unity between the mind and soul.
Jackson sings,
“Let that rhythm get into you
Don’t try to fight it
There ain’t nothing that you can do
…
“Relax your mind
Lay back and groove with mine
You gotta feel that beat
And we can ride the boogie
Share that beat of love”.
Much like taking a trip, the mind transcends as one begins to loosen up—granting the listener
emotional freedom through music. Letting the rhythm guide one on the dance floor truly allowed for expression of the free spirit. Ideas of unity and love are also explored as Jackson sings,
“And when the groove is dead and gone, yeah
You know that love survives
So we can rock forever”.
In other words with the music dies down, Black love and community still prevail.
Black music can be understood as a form of escapism in Jackson’s disco hit as he describes the experience of dancing and grooving to be magical. In addition, Jackson also emphasizes romantic love. Similar to I Love Music, ideas of romantic love and music are being held to the same standard in comparison. The song’s message highlights the power of disco, love and oneness. Oneness within one’s self is suggested, but ideas of unity and infusion are more importantly emphasized.
As the tempo slows down, and the rhythm finds itself winding away the playlist takes a turn in exploring less disco/funk dance and more melodic soul arrangements. Throughout the final duration of the playlist, ideas of escapism become less obvious as the songs mainly portray ideas of freeness and joy found in love. Escapism from dom-white society can be understood through faith and efforts to end human cruelty with love and unity.
4. As (1976)
Stevie Wonder
Soul/Funk
The next song up is Stevie Wonder’s 1976 As. This song’s message is focused on enteral love, understanding, and universal appreciation. The beautiful arrangement relies on elements of gospel including clapping, choir harmonizations, use of the tambourine, and the piano. Less noticeably, elements of funk are also used throughout—such as the use of hi-hats.
The song’s central message focuses on religious themes, connecting ideas of righteousness to ideas of real, unconditional, and, genuine love. At the end of each verse, Wonder reassures the listener that the love he speaks of is endless. The love he speaks of is based on ideas of virtue. A few verses read,
“Just as hate knows love's the cure
You can rest your mind assure
That I'll be loving you always
…
Just as all is born is new
Do know what I say is true
That I'll be loving you always
…
Just as kindness knows no shame
Know through all your joy and pain
That I'll be loving you always”.
As suggests real freedom is experienced through faith, everlasting love, and kindness. The world could be falling to shambles (as it was), and love would still defeat all evil. As shows the perils of white superiority have nothing on unconditional Black love and union. Building off of both, Wonder emphasizes what it means to truly be kind and show gratitude to those you around you. In showing love, one will experience freedom. As shows that Black joy and peace can be achieved through God’s greatest gift, love. Faith being the main determiner of emotional freedom—Wonder sings,
“We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles
Can make you wish you were born in another time and space
But you can bet you life times that and twice its double
That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed”.
5. To Be Young Gifted and Black (1970)
Donny Hathaway
Soul/Gospel
Simplified with the organ and tambourine, the gospel sound makes up Donny Hathaway’s cover of Nina Simone’s To Be Young Gifted and Black. An additional element of gospel that can be noted is Hathaway’s vocal scores including melisma. Similar to Wonder’s As, the song's message is about love, acceptance, and gratitude. In efforts to liberate young Black souls, the lyrics reassure them that their place in this world means something. This goes against everything the dom-culture had portrayed at the time. The government surely didn’t care about the living conditions of young Black people, let alone young Black families during the 1970s recession. In uplifting young Black people, and building a sense of unity amongst all, the fight for freedom could really hold on. Reassuring Black boys are girls that something greater remains and can be found in love is what To Be Young Gifted and Black does. Hathaway sings,
“Open your hearts to what I mean
Cause you know in this whole wide world
There’s a million, boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and Black" .
As young gifted and Black people started to come together, culture, art and change started to happen. Hope for the future and what could be achieved by Black youth made Black people want to fight even harder for their freedom. That fight couldn’t have been achieved if communities didn’t come together. The chains of dominate white society, culture and life could not be escaped if Black love and unity were not achieved. Through love, togetherness and wholeness freeness could be seem at the end of the tunnel.
“Oh what a lovely precious dream
To be young, gifted and black
…
We must begin to tell our young
There's a world waiting for you
Yours is the quest that's just begun”.
6. Happiness, Togetherness (1978)
Heatwave
RnB/Soul
The last song on the playlist is Happiness, Togetherness by Heatwave. This song is last as I believe it does just as good of a job as the first song in summing up and supporting the theme of Black music initially made. Black music can be seen as an expression of freeness, love, unity, and separation from dom-society. This 1978 release, is the slowest of the six songs and uses the most outstanding characteristics of soul sound. Released on the same album as The Groove Line, Central Heating (1978), the sounds are completely different. Its smooth cadence is relaxing, reassuring, and simply uplighting. The positive message revolves around romantic love, yet the lyrics can be interpreted differently across the board. In this case, it can definitely be interpreted as universal Black love, or agape love. Johnnie Wilder Jr. says that even through hardship, love prevails.
“Through all thick and thin, I’ll last till the end
Caring for you
Sharing with you”
…
“As time passes by all of our worries just die
We tend to wear a smile on our face to show no disgrace
For the love that we’ve managed to carry through all
Thick and thin”
Black American’s wouldn’t have made it this far if we didn’t stand together and feel love for one another. Through hardships in the 1970s (before and beyond as well), Black families were dependent on love and community, as this was all some people had left. Ideas of togetherness and community have been extremely valuable to Black life. Heatwaves says, with togetherness and lovingness, peacefulness will come. The chorus reads,
“Happiness, togetherness, lovingness, foreverness, its loveI guess that's why I blessed with peacefulness
…
Happiness, togetherness, lovingness, foreverness, its loveI guess that's why I blessed with peacefulness”.
The title eunierophrenia is defined in the beginning of this annotated mixtape. I decided to title it this because it simply described how I felt after first listening to the final playlist. I felt a sense of peace, almost transcending and a rush of inspiration. Black music in American culture can be understood in many different ways. This course has allowed me to better understand different purposes, connections, elements, and concepts explored in Black American music. Through soul, funk and disco, Black music can be understood as an embodiment of Black love, unity and differentiation between dom-white society and culture— all in efforts to preserve freeness, Black music also works as space of escapism.