Today I thought it might be a good idea to highlight a few of my earlier posts so that all of the new followers can get to know me a bit better.
Ron’s Time Tunnel fans, never fear, I am going to point you to my favorites from that series this coming Wednesday.
Anyway, before I go too far, let me offer a big thank you to all of the followers and viewers who have taken time to visit Ron and I. THANK YOU!!!!
One of our newest and dearest blogger friends, Chevvy, described this spot as a ‘campfire,’ of sorts, where everybody can gather and share ideas, thoughts, memories, opinions, beliefs and stories.
My friends, I love that description; it’s exactly what I was shooting for!
Oh yeah, let me offer some clarification and a caveat: If you have been reading my posts for any length of time then you have likely noticed that I tend to shift voices and perspectives from post to post–and sometimes within posts. This is especially the case with the My Jams Series. Here’s the deal, Lady G. WILL emerge, front and center, whenever she feels that ‘Gwin’ is holding back!
That said, Lady G is just another version of me. Make no mistake, we are one and the same; except when we are not 🙂
Funny thing is, she recently staged a coup and made me replace my name with her name as the author on all of my posts!
***As the daughter of a U.S. Air Force veteran and in honor of my cousin Ron, who is also a veteran of the U. S. Air Force, let me say a special thank you to those who gave ALL !
The sheep are in the meadow and the cows are in the corn;
Where is that boy who looks after the sheep?
Under the haystack; fast asleep.
As the “Comet” sped away across the blue-black sky, there came one in its wake; riding its bright streaming “tale” asking, “what time is it?” A true visionary, this one was the “Son of the Comet.” A voice crying out to us that “the alarm clock of life is ringing!” It’s time to wake up! It’s time to go to work! We’re running late! No time to hit the snooze button and get a few more minutes of sleep. It’s time to wake up! Let’s go to work! Let’s work for a better, more compassionate and caring society. Let’s go to work for peace and unity. Let’s go to work for equality and justice. It’s time to go to work! Time is winding up!”
My father (the Son of the Comet) wrote this poem dealing with the question:
“WHAT TIME IS IT?
Murder and rape have almost become common place.
Drugs and alcohol are no longer a disgrace.
It’s even hard to tell the women from the men
Popular names have replaced what used to be called “sin”.
Men and women laugh when they see you doing what’s right.
Please! Find my Watchman and seek from him-the hour of the night.
My, how time on eagle’s wings is fleeing;
Disaster on every hand we are meeting.
Day by day; pushing us closer to the grave;
But yet all the sins of Sodom we do dearly crave.
We need to turn back to God, and do what is right.
Watchman! Light the lamp and tell me; what is the hour of the night.
We live today as if time were our own.
Unaware of the fact that soon it’ll all be gone.
We think light of anyone who practices brother hood.
And, we just won’t do all of the things that we should.
War is still raging, and there’s no peace yet in sight.
Will someone shake my watchman and ask…What is the hour of the night?
Last night I dreamed of a city where man practiced brotherhood;
Where all men treated each other right, by doing that which is good;
Where peace, justice, and love like a river did flow.
And smiles, happiness and joy, on every face did show.
Alas, I awoke from my slumber to find there was still misery and strife.
So, I cried aloud to my Watchman and asked, what is the hour of the night?”
-Fletcher L. Brown (ca. 1974)
Next week Ron’s Time Tunnel: “It Ain’t Slick a Damn”
“By the prickling of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.”–William Shakespeare, Macbeth Act IV Scene I
***Warning, this post is long and it contains controversial observations, coarse language and real talk!
“I hope you girls have a wonderful day and try not to eat all of that candy at one time!”
Mr. Johnny is so nice! Me and my friends go to his store to get candy, soda and chips. We like to get the Cherry Chans, Lemonheads, Boston Baked Beans, Nowlaters and Chick-o-sticks. Sometimes, we get Cheez Doodles, sour cream and onion potato chips, pickles and a coke.
I like going to Mr. Johnny store better than I like going to Seven Eleven because they have a cashier there that don’t like Black people. How do I know? Because she act real nice to the White people but whenever we walk up, she don’t speak and then she just throw our stuff in the bag. Oh and if we supposed to get change she’ll put it on the counter instead of giving it back to us in our hand.
But you know what? Mr. Johnny is white just like she is and he don’t never do that. He always nice. That’s why I like going to his store.
Anyway, me and my friends ‘bout to go up to the top of the stands at Aquinas Stadium where we can sit down, eat our candy and talk private.
Ok so you remember I told you that I really like this guy but he don’t know it? Don’t feel bad, only my friends know. I can’t wait to tell them that he looked at me and smiled yesterday while I was walking down the street. I wanted to say something to him but I just looked down. I even forgot to smile back; I guess I was too scared.
That was dumb!
I know one thing. I can’t stay at Aquinas too long because I gotta walk all the way back home in time to get ready for Mama and Daddy to take me and Tack skating. After that we get to go to Shakey’s for some pizza!!!!
Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, Mama don’t like pizza–she always just drinks the beer.
You know what else? At Shakey’s they have a picture of a green Grinch looking cartoon and under the picture it says, “Some people don’t like Shakey’s pizza!” We always joke and say that’s Mama! Don’t worry, she don’t mind.
One of the things I like about Shakey’s is we get to watch the people make our pizza. I like to watch them toss the dough up and catch it. Oh yeah, one time Daddy tried making a pizza but it had way too much grease and it made everybody sick. I think he used the regular kind of sausage- you know, like the ones you get in the store. It wasn’t like the kind they use at Shakey’s.
I didn’t eat no pizza for a long time after that happened.
Oh and another thing I like. Shakey’s got long tables and a big movie screen where they play old movies like the “Three Stooges” and “The Little Rascals.” I love it ‘cause everybody be laughing and having a good time.
Anyway, I just thought about something different.
Did I tell you that somebody is killing little black kids in Atlanta? Some of the kids they killed are my same age. They don’t know who it is that’s doing it but whoever it is killed a bunch of them. Some people say it’s the KKK dressed up like a police man. That’s another reason why I need to get on back home. I’m scared they might start coming to kill us over here. You know it ain’t that far away.
Ok, I don’t really want to talk about that no more ‘cause I don’t like thinking about it.
Anyway, let’s change the subject back to fun stuff!
Tonight I’m gon’ wear my new black skate covers to the skating ring! It’s gon’ be so much fun! Hopefully a cute boy will ask me to couple skate to “Special Lady” or “Young Love.” I been practicing skating backward just in case somebody do. That reminds me, have you ever heard those songs I was just talking about? I love “Young Love” by Teena Marie! It makes me think about the boy I like.
Just so you know, the crowd likes to watch the older boys at the skating ring shuffle to “Bounce, Rock, Roll, Skate.” They be getting off! Everybody have to get off the floor when they start shuffling!
I probably won’t never learn how to shuffle ’cause they be turning back and forth and stuff. I know one thing, it take a lot of practice and I’m scared I’ll fall so I don’t even try. Most of the girls just watch anyway.
After the boys finish shuffling the rest of us feel stupid-like we can’t even really skate.
Well everybody but Tack! He just keep on plowing around the ring running into people. That boy gon’ make somebody kill they self.
I gotta go for now, I’ll talk to you later.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Uh oh baby, shit done got real in my world. Your girl started noticing what was really going on. She also started falling in love- or something like that! Yeah chile, I had a major crush on this good looking young dude. I still can’t tell you his name but he was one of them Caribbeaninish looking folks.
Anyway, y’all know racism is real baby; especially in the Deep South. Chile that thang is somethin’ serious!
Now to be fair, Little Lady G had friends of all colors, creeds and nationalities but occasionally I would run into a real jackass that just could not see the beauty in anybody that didn’t look like him or her—and baby they let it be known too!
Talk about things getting real? That shit that went down in the ATL back between like 1978 and the early 1980’s where some bastard(s) was killing black kids was freaking nightmarish. Now you know they arrested this one joker and pinned all that shit on him. Between me, you and a streetlight, Lady G is not convinced that he killed all them kids. But what really troubles a sista is the fact that the sons of bitches that did are probably ambling around today looking like kindly old men and/or women. Hell I probably held the door for one of ‘em at the damn grocery store.
That’s real talk right there.
If you don’t know about The Atlanta Child Murders take your ass promptly over to a new tab and google that shit. It was beyond fk’d up! Oh yeah, you might wanna do that when you ready to get on a more serious tip. Otherwise, stay with me for now.
Speaking of serious, them damn Reagan years wasn’t no joke! For some reason, Ronald Reagan done took on some kinda mythical status. Well let me tell you one damn thang. It wasn’t a gotdamn thang trickling down round my neck of the woods. As the people say, money was too tight to mention for a lot of folks…Black and White!
Sorry ya’ll but I got to call some stuff out! Now if you don’t like it you can get the hell on! But if you leave you gonna miss a helluva party chile!
End of Rant!
Alright, never mind me, I’m good! I said my peace.
So let me ask you this? How in the hell are you doing? Looks like we made it y’all! I reckon that planet alignment world ending story was another bunch of bullshit. As you can clearly see, the world did not end and we are here together enjoying this sunny day in 1980. You do realize that Lady G started not to take this thang into the ‘80’s but the people had their say and they told me to keep going! So that’s exactly what I plan to do!
And so…
Let’s get it in!
My Jams 1980
Take your time by the SOS Band
Now this damn thang right here was deadly serious from the first note!
SOS wasn’t even playing with this jam.
“Baby we can do it take your time do it right…”
Chile them lyrics can be applied to a myriad of things!
You like me don’t you by Jermaine Jackson
I guess Jermaine got tired of singing phrases with his brothers. Ya’ll know Mike had the lead singing thing on lock!
Hell I didn’t know the joker could hold a tune but baby when I heard this song I was shook!
Back together again by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack
I’ll be honest, I didn’t know who in the hell Donny Hathaway was at that time and all I knew about Roberta Flack was “Killing me softly.”
Well baby, Donny and Roberta sat my ass down and schooled me!
Yessuh!
Donny, who was a musical genius by all accounts, is the great Lalah Hathaway’s dad and baby when it comes to singing, she is the truth! Have you ever heard that Queen Diva harmonize with herself? I am not bull-jiving you! Go look it up!
I shoulda loved ya by Narada M. Walden
Now if you wanna talk nasty basslines, then this has GOT to be on the list.
Behind the Groove by Teena Marie
No freaking bassline list would be complete without this jam from “wild and peaceful Lady T!”
Oh yeah, you will see this Queen again so please recognize!
I need your lovin by Teena Marie
What the hell did I just say? Like I just said, here she is again!
(Dead) may I rest in peace!
Yessuh, this Queen officially slayed me!
“Just a little love and this will do…just a little love….nananana..L-O-V-E love.”
I just simply cannot!
Old Fashion Love by The Commodores
Ok so you know Lionel’nem came from Tuskegee, Alabama right?
Well chile, Lionel and I used to kick it back in 1967. The whole little love affair was so sweet that it inspired him to write this jam several years later.
I just feel so honored that he would do that for me.
Y’all, I really hated to leave him but I met this dude named Marvin G. and the rest was history.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it 😉
Don’t say goodnight by The Isley Brothers
One day I was talking to Ron Isley about how Marvin had started tripping. Next thing I know that joker started serenading me with this jam. So you know what happened next right?
Anyway,
This one is a MUST for any responsible lovemaking playlist!
Love TKO by Teddy Pendergrass
Now when Ron started boring the hell out of me I ran up on TP baby!
I ain’t been right since!
I owe you one by Shalamar
Oh yes, be aware that SOLAR records was on the warpath in 1980 chile!
Shalamar brought it with this jam!
“Let me hear you say ooooh, ooooh, I owe you one!”
Inquiring minds want to know more about this whole quid pro quo situation. What exactly does one owe the other?
Remote control by The Reddings
Consider this one a bonus from my Georgia homeboys!
Two of these fellas are Otis Redding’s sons. The other one is a cousin, friend or sumthin.
Just some sincere Jawja boys!
Don’t act like you don’t know.
Where did we go wrong by LTD
Aw shit now! Where did we go wrong Jeffrey? To quote Angie Bofill, “You know that I tried to be with you!” LOL!
I tell you what, I don’t give a damn how raggedy your thang is, Jeffrey will make your ass reconsider with this jam!
“Where did we go wrong? Now won’t you tell me what went wrong with love so maybe we can fix it…What’s wrong between us?”
Jeff said he had a lot of sleepless nights with this crisis on his mind. Jeff, all I gotta say is you better get your ass over there and start to wooooo woooo wooooo.
Shake your pants by Cameo
This is the real Cameo right chere baby!
I ain’t talking about them ones with Larry Blackmon running around with a big red crotch g-string on.
Don’t get me wrong, I realize that Larry founded the group and Tomi Jenkins’nem were original members.
However, today I’m talking about the whole band with ALL OF THE instruments. And of course, my dear late Wayne Cooper, FALSETTO EXTRAORDINAIRE! Yeah, I said it!
Anyway,
“I like it tonight, cause that’s when my body feels just right!”
But wait….check out Wayne hollering “Feel it…ooooowwww..feel it… yeah…can you feel the groove?…make your body move!!”
DEAD!
I just love the man by The Jones Girl
Yassss! Honey the Sound of Philly never gets old and it’s always about real talk!
Baby, I was all about that ongoing ‘phone call dialogue’ in this jam!
Honey Ms. Shirley wasn’t trying to hear Mama, Valorie and Brenda’nem talking about her man.
Peep this:
Now look, Shirley (Now what do you want, Brenda)
I don’t know who you’re trying to fool
And even mama said we should talk to you about this (Oh, yeah)
Yeah, that’s right
‘Cause all that stuff you talk about him providin’ for you
That don’t mean nothin’
I mean, where was he at when your rent was back three months
And we had to all put a little bit of money together
To keep a roof over not only your head, but his head too
You see, I’m not tryin’ to get in your business
But I just couldn’t hold this back any longer
(See, I’m glad you and mama, and Valorie, I’m glad you all concerned
But this is something you will never understand)
I just love the man
And I don’t care what you say
I just love him, I love him, I love him
‘Cause he treats me the way
That I want to be treated
When I need to be needed
Yass honey, sometimes Brenda and Valorie’nem just need to know when to shut they damn mouth and let Shirley figure shit out on her own! And yes this applies to all ya’ll that feel the need to tell a woman some shit about her man.
It ain’t like she don’t know already. Trust me, you ain’t telling her nothing new! Hell she knew he was a snake when she brought him home.
Southern Girl by Frankie Beverly and Maze
YESSUH!!!!
Frankie’nem paid homage to us Southern Girls! Yasss!
I am not going to rub it in….I’ll just let the song speak for itself.
“Southern girl here’s to you no one can do it like you do…”
Now if you happen to be a Black American living anywhere else in the world and you have an ancestor who was a slave in the U.S. then more than likely your mammy, grandmammy or your great grandmammy was a Southern girl so please don’t hate! In fact, appreciate!
‘Nuff said!
Alright, I’ve talked enough junk! Let’s take a peek at Mama’s collection:
I’m coming out by Diana Ross
Jump to the Beat by Stacy Lattisaw
And the beat goes on by The Whispers
Let’s get serious by Jermaine Jackson
He’s so shy by The Pointer Sisters
Oops upside your head/Humping by The Gap Band
Don’t stop the music by Yarbrough and Peoples
Lovely one by The Jacksons
A lover’s holiday by Change
Together by Tierra
Funkin for Jamaica by Tom Browne
Let me be your angel by Stacy Lattisaw
Searching by Change
I pledge my love by Peaches and Herb
Lady by the Whispers
Haven’t you heard by Patrice Rushen
I’ve just begun to love you by Dynasty
The breaks by Kurtis Blow
Uptown by Prince
Thighs high by Tom Browne
All night thang Invisible Man’s Band
I’ll never find another by The Manhattans
Love over and over again by Switch
High by Skyy
Here we go again by The Isley Brothers
Funk you up by Sequence
Rescue me by A Taste of Honey
Big time by Rick James
S.O.S by the SOS band
Papillon by Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
By your side by Con funk shun
Do me right by Dynasty
Skyzoo by Skyy
This feeling’s rated X-tra by Carl Carlton
Say you love me girl by Breakwater
Watching you by Slave
Master blaster by Stevie Wonder
I can make it better by The Whispers
Finally, this last one goes out to my son and daughter:
Steal Away by Robbie Dupree
Ok so let’s get this straight, I know that this one crossed over from the pop charts but I will sing this damn song on DEMAND and without warning! Sorry, it is my guilty pleasure.
I sang it to my babies while rocking them to sleep and I sing it in Publix to embarrass the PURE hell out of them.
By the way, I do the same thing with “Spirits in the material world” and “Every little thing she does is magic” by The Police.
I can’t help it! Sometimes Lady G has to get a little bit goofy!
Ok 1980 my love, be blessed! I love you but I gotta go!
What are your favorite jams or memories from 1980?
First, let me say that I am so honored to have received so much blogger love! If I had known that my fellow bloggers were going to be this supportive, I would have started making contact with them minutes after I created this spot. That’s real talk folks!
Now that I’ve said that, I’d like to thank Nazmin from Nas-tastic for nominating me for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award. I love Nazmin’s blog and I have been following her from the start. She’s a millennial so she always has something witty, insightful and fresh to talk about. Be sure to check her out. Thanks again Nazmin!
And so…
Best believe that there are rules and here they are:
1. Display the award on your blog. 2. Announce your win with a post and link back to the nominator. 3. Present 6 deserving bloggers with the award. 4. Link your awardees in the post. 5. Write 7 interesting things about you.
So, let’s go…
Seven interesting things about me
I have a first degree black belt in Taekwondo; my son and I did this together. Nope, I don’t still do it –so don’t even ask. But with that said, I can still do a jump front kick that will wreck your grill 🙂
I have a B.S. degree in Political Science but I hate politics! Here’s the thing, most people think that my degree indicates that I spent four years studying politicians and elections–WRONG. Actually, I spent four years studying how the whole political process (nationally and internationally) really works. There’s a helluva difference! That’s why I know political bullshit when I hear it!
I also have a M. Ed. in Health Education. Most of my work experience lies here and in Health Information Technology. That said, I got you! I can coach you back to health and I can teach your provider how to use his or her brand spanking new Electronic Health Record System.
I was Homecoming Queen in high school! Stop laughing, I am not kidding you!
I was in the first group of students at my high school to take Advanced Placement English. I was the ONLY black kid in my class for the whole two years that we did it. During that time we studied British/European and American Literature. That’s why I have a penchant for saying things like, “My poor dog Sheppy shuffled off this mortal coil.” For those of you who don’t do the Shakespeare thing that means he DIED! ROTFLMAO. By the way, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is one of my favorites– the anthem “Beasts of England” kills me! It just does!
I am a Supersoul Sunday kinda girl so I love me some Marianne, Deepak, Eckhart and Liz Gilbert. Guys, I am a seeker; that’s why I named the blog “Seek the best.” I realize that people who don’t read the tagline may find the name off-putting; they think that I am implying that this is the best blog. Nope, that’s not at all what I am saying.
My brother (my whole sibling) had a DNA ancestry test done and our ethnic background is so varied that it is almost laughable. Let’s just say that , like most black folks in America, I have ancestors all over Western Africa and Central/Northern Europe. Bearing this in mind, my ‘bucket list’ includes visiting every country where I had an ancestor. That means I’ll be going from Cameroon to Scandinavia! How ’bout that! Now please don’t ask me how I plan to do this; I am just going to put it out there into the Universe and see what happens!
Nominees? Ok, here’s the tricky part! I love a lot of bloggers but most of the bloggers that I follow are waaaaaaay more established than I am. That said, they have tons of followers and have probably already received this award. No matter, I am going to nominate these six guys anyway and see what happens!
By the way, I forgot to list GeoGee of the GeoGee Experience. Charge it to my head and not my heart! G is in a class all by himself kids! I am calling you out Geo because I’ve nominated you twice! Do this one so that we can learn more about you!
Note: All posts in the Ron’s Time Tunnel series were written by Ron Brown.
This is a continuation of The Loveseat Pt I. If you haven’t already, you can read that posthere.
“Yep, I’m 92”, she replied. “I’m not going to be in this place long. My son is coming to get me soon. They just put me here because I got a little weak and I live alone with no-one to help me, so they put me here until I could get stronger. I’m strong now!” she exclaimed, letting go of the purse long enough to flex a thin arm. “I see that”, I replied truthfully, for indeed, considering her age, she appeared to be the picture of health and strength. She stressed to me that she didn’t really think she needed to be there in the first place but, her family disagreed, but now she was ready to get back to her own house. She told me where she lived—the facility was in Eufaula, Alabama—her home was within walking distance of the “Healthcare and Rehab.” I thought about my own grandmother, who’d also lived in Eufaula, not far from the “Health and Rehab,” but her children had taken care of her at home until she died. She even looked a little like my grandmother had looked, in her latter years.
She wore one of those “turbans” that I’ve seen a lot of older women wear. Hers had once been white, but now it was an “off-white” color. She was bundled in several layers of sweaters and shirts, as some older people are wont to do. It seems that the ambient temperature registers a little lower in the thermostatic system of the elderly hypothalamus than it does in that of younger people. She also wore those knit pants with the elastic waistband and a pair of white “flats.” In the world of the aged, she was as “sharp as a rat-turd.” She was ready to bolt/shuffle out that door as soon as someone opened it for her. I wondered if anyone was coming for her, ever.
She spoke again saying, “I used to have a car but I had to get rid of that thing; it was too fast. Have you ever heard of a ‘2000z’?” “No Ma’am,” I’d replied, but while those words were exiting my mouth, my mind was racing; “2000z, 2000z, could she be talking about a Chrysler 200 or 300? Maybe she had a Nissan 300z, 380z or maybe a Datsun 2000? I think Datsun made a 2000 before they became Nissan. Maybe that’s it. She knows what she’s talking about.” Those were some of the thoughts swirling around in my head as she spoke.
“You know, that car is fast and you can’t put no less than $5.00 worth of gas in it. Nooo!” she declared, as if she’d anticipated my skepticism. She continued, “Yes! I didn’t believe it at first, so I let the gas get real low on it, and I went to the gas station and put $5.00 in it, and it wouldn’t do nothing! Oh really? I asked her. “Yes!” she answered. “But when I put $10.00 in that car, it took off!” I could just see it in my mind; a little old lady, spinning her tires as she suddenly sped away like a bat out of Hades, in her little red sports car; silky, grey hair blowing in the wind.
After that amazing story, she reached into her purse while explaining to me that she had “lots of money.” She loosened her death grip on that purse and pulled out a couple of ones, a couple of fives, and a fist full of old receipts. I guess this was her “treasure.” I said, “Wow, you really do, but you’d better not pull it out in front of people, someone might try to steal it.” She agreed, thanked me and put her money back into her purse, reattaching it to her chest and securing it with that white-knuckled death lock again. I told her I had to go, and bade her goodbye. She returned my salutation; sitting on the “love seat,” peacefully and patiently waiting, as I walked thoughtfully away.
In contrast, as I walked down one hallway, I met another elderly lady whose grey hair sat wildly upon her head. She paced frantically in front of one of the emergency exits. Peace, for her, seemed a million miles away. She stopped me and asked me if I could show her how to get out of the facility. She stated that her children had placed her in the “Healthcare and Rehab” in order to get at her money, “I know what they’re trying to do!” she exclaimed desperately. “There’s nothing wrong with me. They just want my money,” she continued, all the while pacing, pacing, pacing.
I later learned that she’d escaped the nursing home once or twice already, and had to be “hunted down.” I felt so much pain for her. It was clear that she was mentally disturbed. She was probably suffering from Alzheimer’s or, “Organic Brain Syndrome”—senility—in which case, there would probably be no peace for her, ever, or at least not while she still drew breath.
Both ladies wanted out, but one was at peace and the other, was not.
Join us next week when RON’S TIME TUNNEL WILL PRESENT: WHAT TIME IS IT?
“Now, who in the hell wanted us to go all the way back here?”
I was wondering the same thing that mama was. I mean I’ve been to Old Creek Town before, but I ain’t never been out here.
Oh I forgot to tell you, we on the way to a family reunion so we can reunite with all our family from everywhere. A lot of them came from Ohio. Some of them came from Indiana. Some of them came from Florida. But most of them came from Alabama.
We the only ones that came from Georgia.
I been wondering something though. How can we have a reunion with people we ain’t never united with before? I should ask mama but she probably gon’ tell me to stop asking a bunch of crazy questions.
Anyway, we finally made it!
I just heard somebody yell, “We over here Pig!” By the way, that’s what they call mama. I follow mama over to the picnic shed where everybody is eating and talking and having a good time.
So far everything is going pretty good! I’m having fun meeting new cousins.
But, to me it’s kinda crazy because whenever a grown up sees me they keep asking me, “Who is your mama?” They ask me this even when mama is standing right there! But don’t worry; I’m used to it because me and mama don’t really look very much alike.
Anyway, when I tell them who my mama is they say, “You so pretty, you look just like your daddy’s people!”
I don’t think mama likes it when people say stuff like that.
How do I know?
You see, one day me and mama and her friend went to the store and we saw this lady who looked at me and then looked at my mama’s friend and said, “You have a beautiful little girl!”
Mama looked at her and said, “That’s my child!”
When I asked mama about it later, she said that the lady thought I was her friend’s child because me and her friend had the same complextion–I hope I spelled that right. Anyway, I didn’t ask her nothing else about that.
Oh yeah, I got off track!
Anyway, they got some good food at this reunion but I don’t eat anything unless I know who cooked it and where it came from. Uncle Bubba might have killed a hog and I don’t like to eat them fresh out the yard. I like for my meat to go though the people at the store.
Uh oh, here come Uncle Willie’nem with the speakers and the stereo. They say my cousins from Florida are about to show out! All of them can dance!
Wait, the music just started and them girls already running to the dance floor. I’m just gonna stand back and watch them “stomp and grind” while Mass Production sings, “Firecracker come dance for me, I just like to see the way you move…Yeah, Yeah!”
🙂 🙂 🙂
Yass baby! Those girls worked it out! They showed us how to do that there!
And how are you doing my loves? Well if you’re asking me, I am downright tired! Do you hear me? Chile, I just got back from an International Player’s Conference in Cologne, Germany! Baby, your girl was over there lecturing on the Art of Seduction.
Honey them folks thought they were gonna hem Sexy Lady G up with ten thousand questions but you know I had to cut it short.
While everybody else was departing by airplane, Lady G slid right on over to Miss Time Machine, blasted “Dream maker by Rick James” and jetted out to 1979 baby to see what y’all was talkin’ bout!
Oh yeah, before I forget, while I was in Germany, I met this gorgeous photographer and poet by the name of Chevvy. She was on her way back home to South Africa. Baby when I saw her, I thought to myself, “Damn, she just as good looking and sexy as I am!” Take note, ‘cause y’all know that kinda thang don’t happen every day 😉 Y’all when I found out she was down with my twin T. Wayne I knew she had to be cool!
I also met this interesting fella named MJ; he is from the Klondike or someplace. This brother stopped me and said, “Hey Lady G, I just wanted you to know that I dig what you’re doing!” That shole makes my heart feel good.
By the way, I got a shout out from this Diva named Alisha B. Alisha shares the same name (different spelling) as one of my cousins so she immediately got my attention. Anyway, it seems that Geo introduced her to “My Jams” and now she’s a fan. You better work Ms. Alisha!
Of course, Ron, T. Wayne and Geo always got front row seats to this here blockbuster! I know all my other folks will be rolling up soon.
Anyway, what are y’all doing in this last year of the decade? This joker know it went by fast didn’t it? Are y’all ready for 1980? Well you know me! I’m game for pretty much anything. God willing and if the creek don’t rise we’ll ALL see what’s gon’ happen when Father Time replaces that seven with an eight and that nine with a goose egg! Yass!
And so…
My Jams ‘79
Reunited by Peaches and Herb
Yeah…..
This one is for all the couples out there working thangs out! Baby, it’s the perfect song to help you patch sh!t back up!
Peaches says “I wanna let you know I won’t let you go…”
Hell it’s all good when we getting that good lovin’ all night!
But let’s see how reunited we are in the morning.
Come on and Go with Me by Teddy Pendergrass
Hot damn! I was a gotdamn fool over this one.
Gamble and Huff know exactly what to do and say to get all up and through my lower patella baby!
That said, I was a bit irritated with the chick verbalizing her trepidation about going home with Teddy! I mean really, who are you fooling? You know he gon’ get it.
Second Time Around
This was Eva’s jam right here!
I told y’all SOLAR records would NOT be playing! Howard’nem showed out with this one!
“I’ll make it so good to you baby!”
Cruisin by Smokey Robinson
“Baby let’s cruise away from here….”
To me, this song gives any man an unfair advantage! Who in the hell can resist sweet Smokey?
Did it matter that he was probably 77 years old when this was released?
Hell to da naw!
Ladies please stay strong!
Ain’t no stoppin’ us now by McFadden and Whitehead
Yass!
Black folks in the US adopted this as our National Anthem baby!
“Don’t you let nothing, nothing stand in your way.
I want y’all to listen, listen to every word I say, every word I say!”
Some of us listened, danced and followed through with an action plan.
But some of us listened, danced and then sat our asses down somewhere and waited for the next jam so we could listen and dance some more!
Take me home by Cher
Look here, y’all ain’t gon’ give me no grief over this jam! I love this song. Have you ever heard the long version?
Baby it reminds me of a night I spent at Studio 54 with Jim Morrison! And y’all thought he had died! Jim was my one and only swirl!
Chile, it was one of the best times I ever had! Who knew the brother could get down like that.
No, I simply refuse to share the details.
Disco Nights by GQ
“Rock freak, Rock freak!”
This really was a tight-ass jam.
I wonder what happened to these dudes! I guess I could google it.
But I probably won’t!
Either way, this jam was bad!
Do you love what you feel Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
That heffa know she tore this damn thang up!
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not in the practice of calling a Queen like Chaka a heffa. But when you use the term ‘heffa’ in the right context-especially in the South- it can be the highest form of a compliment! Yass!
That heffa DID that!
I don’t know if it’s right by Evelyn Champagne King
Y’all I got some conflicting info on the release date for this one! No matter, I am sticking it in 1979 baby.
Anyway, this one is for the ladies who are contemplating whether or not to let this joker get it.
“I don’t know if I should give it to you when I know you’re no good…”
All I gotta say is sometimes you just need to take that chance! HA!
I know I did and it brought me the best and the worst but baby that’s life!
You gonna make me love somebody else by The Jones Girls
Aw shit now!
Yass ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to read these freaking lyrics:
I aint did nothing to you
I just love you with my heart, heart and soul
Every time I need some lovin
Why do you turn, turn cold
Now I aint dumb, and I aint stupid
I know you need love, need love like I do
Cause if you aint loving me,
I wanna know who in the world you loving
Tell me if you don’t want me around
I just be damned! OOOOOOOOWWWW!!!
Ok, these Queens hit the ground running straight out the damn gate!
And they DID that with angelic voices over a funky ass bassline!
Whaaa?
Boy this joker right here is a Gamble and Huff masterpiece!
I’m dead!
Never had a love like this by Tavares
I TELL YOU WHAT!!!!!
They just don’t come no better than this right here!
“…Oooh ooh ooh never never ever ever ever had a love like this before..”
Yass! They came to slay!
In the mood by Tyrone Davis
This is the first jam that ever made Sexy Lady G consider getting it on with a senior citizen and that’s all I gotta say about that!
I call your name by Switch
Two words: Bobby DeBarge!
Thank you and good night!
Do you wanna go party by KC and the Sunshine Band
Y’all know I love me some KC right? Well I heard Ray Parker Jr. say that KC has one note that he sings and he stays right there on that damn note. That’s why he don’t be going all up and down the musical scale when he sings!
Personally, I just don’t give a damn ‘cause he had a badass band backing him up. When I wanna hear some real singing, I fangle on over to Teddy or the O’jays.
Let’s face it, with KC, you knew what it was.
By the way, Ray wasn’t hating, hell he said he started doing it too.
Sparkle by Cameo
Fellas, I present you with this jam; it will make you a bona fide winner with the ladies!
Sexy Lady G liked to got played by this serious case of sexual chocolate messing around with this jam.
Never fear, I kept my wits about me and stayed cool.
Still waiting by Prince
Oh trust! You will NOT still be waiting if you play this jam.
“…I spend my days just a trying to find that love to call my own ‘cause I’m sick and tired of being alone!”
NOPE!
I simply CANNOT!
Sucker for your love, Rick James featuring Teena Marie
All hail my number one female Queen Diva, may she rest in peace.
Bow down now to Teena Marie baby! Yass!
Chile, black folks did everything they could to make this sista black. We said stuff like, “She just real light skinned!” LOL!!!!
Get with the program y’all, the girl was Caucasian but she was badder than most any sista out there and that is Bible and Church!
I’m the one who gave her the nickname Lady T 😉
To which she responded, “Why don’t you go by Lady G so we can match!”
Y’all we been down ever since then. We still talk from time to time. Y’all know Lady G got all kinds of new technologies!
😉 Don’t hate!
Find my way by Cameo
This one has been covered at least three times prior to Cameo. One of the best known groups to sing it was The Three Degree back in 1970.
To be clear, Lady G likes the 1979 LONG version of this jam. Now if you are brave enough, play this jam and say my name 69 times. On the 69th time I will appear before you and we’ll vibe together!
Oh by the way, don’t worry if you don’t remember this one! Cousin Ron says it’s not unusual for me to go to the back room, grab the last crate, and pull out the side B of the last record! ROTFLMAO!
I just can’t help it y’all! I love music like that!
Anyway,
Before I continue, I wanted to offer a quick intermission to let you browse in mama’s record collection:
Mighty Real by Sylvester: Did you see that joker go from dapper gent to full on queen with one single turn? Yass!
All the way live by Lakeside
Bad girls by Donna Summer
Don’t Stop ‘Til you get enough by Michael Jackson
Off the Wall by Michael Jackson
Rapper’s Delight by The Sugar Hill Gang
I wanna be your lover by Prince
I got my mind made up by Instant Funk
Keep on Dancin’ by Gary’s Gang
What cha gonna do with my lovin’ by Stephanie Mills
My feet keep dancin’ by Chic
Ring my Bell by Anita Ward
Move your Boogie Body by The Bar Kays
I wanna be with you by The Isley Brothers
This is it by Kenny Loggins
Chase me by Con Funk Shun
Feel that feeling that you’re feeling by Maze
Bustin’ out by Rick James
I just wanna be by Cameo
Glide by Pleasure
Just a touch of love by Slave
Why you wanna treat me so bad by Prince
Eyeballin’ by Heatwave
Cisselin Hot by Chuck Cissel
Last, but definitely not least:
Good times by Chic:
Oh this jam was slamming! Bernard was working all over that bassline. Nile was bringing the rhythm.
Speaking of basslines….
This bassline found its way into the history books baby. Yass, this bassline right here helped to usher in a whole new genre of music called rap! According to brother Wonder Mike from The Sugar Hill Gang, he coined the term hip-hop when he rapped, “A hip hop…..” to the “Good times” bassline on “Rapper’s Delight.”
Ya’ll know that jam is widely recognized as the first major rap record.
Chile that Sugar Hill Gang hip hopped all over Nile Rodgers’nem song–without permission I might add! Of course Nile and Bernard sued and got their just due! And you know how things went after that!
Yass honey Good times was a real jam but Sexy Lady G detected a bit of underlying melancholia in that joker. There was most assuredly something else going on at that party y’all!
Seems to me that it’s foreshadowing something…
A rumor has it that it’s getting late
Time marches on, just can’t wait
The clock keeps turning, why hesitate
You silly fool, you can’t change your fate….
Yes my sweets, it is, in fact, getting late. The seventies are about to commence to dust. They are becoming a cryptic memory.
There is a transition afoot; and not necessarily a good one. Brass will begin to fade away and bands will make do with fewer and fewer musicians. Synthesizers will masquerade as violins, harps, and any other instrument you can imagine.
We’ll have to adjust to a new normal.
Please join me in a moment of silence to mourn the passing of real music and showmanship!
Now, in the words of the great Lawrence Welk Singers:
Good night, sleep tight and pleasant dreams to you
Here’s a wish and a prayer that every dream comes true
And now ’til we meet again
Adios, au revoir, auf wiedersehen
Good Night!
This is Lady G, (Gwin) and The Diva of Soul signing off!
Goodnight 1979 and Goodbye to the ‘70’s!
Diva of Soul making her final appearance with Lady G.
Next Thursday: The Love Boat followed by a very special episode of Bosom Buddies with Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari.
I know this lady who was raised in a very depraved environment. She, her mother and her siblings were treated as if they were the private property of her ‘father.’
This young lady had been worked, raped and nearly beaten to death. She was not allowed to go to school so she never learned to read.
Throughout her teen years, her ‘father,’ who had been her main abuser, gave his friends permission to violate her in any number of ways. As a result, she gave birth to six children; each with a different man. Her father sent several of the children away because he said that it wasn’t his responsibility to feed them.
Sadly, the young lady was never told of their whereabouts. Before long, she and her remaining children suffered the same fate.
This young lady, who had nothing but the clothes on her back and three children in tow, did the best that she could to keep her family alive. However, she found that she was unable to suppress the urge to imitate her abusers. She frequently beat her children mercilessly. She sometimes neglected them and oftentimes withheld love and affection.
No doubt, she had begun to recreate a home environment that was not unlike the one that she had been born into.
Unfortunately, the other day, I learned that her 14 year old daughter is pregnant.
Frankly, I am disappointed, but not surprised.
Anyway, recently, I stumbled across a man on TV sporting a T-shirt with the graphic “One nation under God” yelling, “It’s not my responsiblity to ….”
Frankly, my friends, I couldn’t be bothered with listening to the details of his diatribe but I can tell you that I’ve seen just about ten thousand variations of this same hypocrite complaining that it’s not his/her responsiblity to help:
The poor
The hungry
The abused
The uneducated
The elderly
The children
The immigrants
The sick
The injured
The underrepresented
And the freaking list goes on!
I promise you, I wanted to jump through that TV screen and yell the following:
Dude! I implore you to take that T-shirt off because you are doing God a huge disservice! Please just stop it! And another thing, go read that Bible that you, no doubt, have ignored. Pay particular attention to the words that Jesus said! As cousin Ron teaches, “Read the red!” (Remember, in some versions of the bible, red words are used to denote things that Jesus actually said.)
Now, dude, after you’re finished doing that , ask yourself WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
Here’s a hint, if you get any answer other than help those who are in need then I have to ask, “What Jesus are you talking about?”
End of Rant!
Ok so don’t get me wrong, I get the concept of self sufficiency, but everybody who has ever achieved any amount of success has had some amount of help from somebody! You better believe Donald Trump’s pappy helped him to attain financial success.
Remember, one can only pull himself up by the bootstraps if he has BOOTS!
Ron at Graduation with sons Aaron (L) and Adam (R)
As I mentioned in a previous post, Ron graduated college about a week ago. Our whole family is so proud of him.
As for me, I am so lucky to have been born into the same family as this highly intelligent, wise, talented and beautiful man. Yes, we are connected by blood, (My dad and his mom are siblings) but in my mind, it goes much deeper than that. Frankly, I believe that Ron is one of my closest soul mates.
Ok, so let me stop you right now before you start yelling incest!
Check out the following description of soul mates:
“…A soul mate is like the echo of oneself in Matter working at the same task to fulfill a blueprint for God.” – Elizabeth Clare Prophet
Friends, I pray that we both will continue working together to do just that.
Anyway, Ron won’t like it if I get too sappy so I’d better quit while I am ahead! However, I would like to share this text that I sent him on the day of his graduation:
Thanks for reading this guys and I am so happy that I am able to share my cousin Ron with all of you!
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