The '70s, pt. I

Going strictly off of memory, I'm chronicling my life experiences – while highlighting the music I remember from those moments. Why? Well, the short answer is, through all the twists and turns my life has taken, music has been the one constant.

Now, this is gonna take a minute, since me and music go way, way, way back; so I'll break it up into parts – starting with the earliest times I can recollect – 

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The '70s (pt. I):

Before I knew anything about HIP HOP, I heard melodies, rhythms, and grooves that enthralled my adolescent ears. And most (if not all) of what I was exposed to came through kinfolk.

The fam throwin' down...

My fam was – and still is – a funky, soulful, and jazzy tribe. And that's the kind of music they sang, played, and listened to – along with a good amount of gospel and reggae. And I can vividly remember diggin' most of what I heard.

It's one of the few memories I have of my early childhood; besides my grandparents' huge dog, my brother's birth, and getting a motorized three-wheeler. That's about all I can recall about life before 1979-80. 

However, I also can remember how I felt; happy, loved by my family, and being spellbound by the sound of music. Now I'm not sure if it's because of the times, or the music itself, but thinking back to when I was a li'l dude, jams from those days bring back memories of pure joy and bliss.

That's the Way of the World LP

For the most part, there were specific songs that caught my attention – with two exceptions: Earth, Wind, & Fire (EWF) – and Stevie Wonder. I knew them by name early...

“Shining Star” (EWF) and “Black Man” (Wonder) were in heavy rotation. I remember feeling a sense of pride and of inspiration whenever they got played. 

Songs in the Key of Life LP

But even more intense were the feelings of fascination when I heard EWF's “Brazillian Rhyme (Interlude),” or Stevie's “As.”

All 'N All LP (my all-time favorite)

Another joint I remember hearing a lot was “Say it Loud – I'm Black andI'm Proud” by the one and only Mr. James Brown. At that point in time, I knew the song – but not so much the name. I noticed how the energy changed (similar to when “Black Man” and “Shining Star” were played) – and how my older relatives seemed to be attempting to transfer that energy to me.

Say it LOUD!

Although I didn't know his name, I was familiar with Mr. Brown's sound. His style was unique, extremely infectious, and impossible for me to ignore. And while “Say it Loud...” was cool, I'd have to say "Make it Funky" was one of his jams that had me open – regardless how others reacted to it.

I didn't realize it back then, but I knew that there was a difference between songs that stuck with me because I heard them all the time, and songs that stuck with me because I felt them. For me, that was the difference between “Black Man” and “As,” or “Say it Loud...” and “Make it Funky.”

If you're aware of their subject matter, it shouldn't be hard to figure out why songs like “Shining Star,” “Black Man,” and “Say it Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud” were frequently played in households such as mine. I was a young Black male, just starting my journey of growing up in America.

But I was hella young; and as I mentioned before, life from my vantage point was lovely. I was too young to fully comprehend – or even recognize – the impact of racial and socioeconomic politics.

All I was interested in were things that contributed to my happiness; music that I could feel was one of those things.

What was it about certain songs that had me “feeling” them? I couldn't really tell you. All I know is that when I hear “Everybody Lovesthe Sunshine” by Roy Ayers, “Simply Beautiful” by Al Green, “Memory Lane” by Minnie Riperton, or “Best of My Love” by The Emotions...

And what is a “feeling?“

“A Feeling Is”... a feeling.