What’s Going On?
That has been my question since November of last year, but you won’t find a rant about the presidency here.
You will find music that was written to inspire and console, these tracks that have etched themselves into my aural memory as a playlist for all of the things going on in the world today.
Tony Bennett – Trouble’s A Bubble.
Starting out light-hearted with this one, which echoes the sentiment that this too will pass. I’m a sucker for the crooner, and this track gives me optimism.
Erykah Badu – Penitentiary Philosophy.
When Mama’s Gun released in November 2000, it was one of those albums that were always in rotation at home. The first track off the album set the tone of what was to come from Erykah. Overall a timeless album.
The Beetles – Come Together.
Speaking of timeless, Abby Road can’t be erased from the memories of generations. The song was originally commissioned to be a campaign song for Timothy Leary in his campaign for California Govoner against Richard Nixon. Lennon couldn’t get the song to…come together, and they scrapped the project. The slogan, “Come Together, Join The Party” inspired Lennon and, in a 1980 interview with Playboy (RIP Hugh Heffner) he said: “The thing was created in the studio. It’s gobbledygook….” I guess we all like gobbledygook. To read the interesting article I got the info about Come Together, click here.
Goapele – Closer.
I first heard Goapele on a Mix CD by DJ Topspin, a local Seattle DJ. I was out on a date, and he was spinning some serious R&B. I bought one of his mixes and shortly after bought Goapele – Even Closer. A motivational down tempo regular found in a several of my playlists.
Durand Jones & The Impressions – Make A Change.
The sound of the group is straight out of the 60’s, but the song message is relevant today. We do need to make a change. In case you didn’t get that, it’s repeated for emphasis.
Carole King – You’ve Got a Friend.
Carole King’s Tapestry is an album that I’ve been listening to before I was born. My mother played it a lot during her pregnancy, and the first time I heard it in my adult life, I found myself instantly drawn to her. It doesn’t hurt that she made beautiful music. In times like these, we all need a friend and I’m glad to have this album to warm me up with the world can be so cold.
“Be The Change You Want To See…”
The quote above was not from the hand of Gandhi, but rather a paraphrasing that fits on a bumper sticker. The phrase it was smashed from is, “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do.”
We all can change something, starting with ourselves.
Immortal Technique – Leaving The Past
Leaving The Past is one of Technique’s more radio-friendly songs. I’ve loved his first two albums, (Revolutionary Vol. 1 and 2) since the first time I heard them. I didn’t care as much for the mixtape style delivered in The 3rd World, but such is the progression of an artist.
Robert Glasper Experiment – Let It Ride (featuring Norah Jones)
Black Radio 2 was slept on, but not as much as the original Black Radio. This track caught me off guard during my listening. Initially, I wondered where it was going and then; Norah. It’s not uncommon to find Norah Jones featured across several genres, hearing her here with the Experiment was a treat I would love to have had live.
Gregory Porter – Painted On Canvas
I put this song in to break up the tone of the show. I agree with Gregory; we get shaped by our interactions with others. This album has some gems on it, from the title track, Be Good (Lion’s Song), On My Way To Harlem, and the first track on the album Painted on Canvas.
Norah Jones – My Dear Country
This song is so relevant to the past election, though it is written referring to the possible reelection of G. W. Bush. It holds even more true of our sitting president. Like Norah, I’m glad I have a platform to share my views freely.
Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
To let this show come to an end and not have Marvin Gaye would be amiss. Marvin was a big part of my adolescence and finds himself at home in my collection. This song needs no explanation.
Show Recordings
Don’t forget to tune in to the show live on 89.1 FM KNSJ from 10 PM to 11 PM PST on Thursday. You can stream the show at www.knsj.org or use the TuneIn App.
As always keep spinning,
Tom
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