From Roberta Flack to Boy George
Last Fantastic Albums Ever Made
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Donny Hathaway: Everything Is Everything. Produced by Donny Hathaway and Ric Powell. Released: 1970.
"Donny Hathaway? Who’s he?"---Mr. John Smith
"The best new singer of the decade."---us
That’s exactly what he is, and this album makes that clear. At 23 years old, Donny was the main producer of his own piece of work, as well as the major arranger. Well, he is young, gifted, and black. And not only was this album priceless, he showed his talent to the world in such a gorgeous way, he didn’t show himself off, despite his incredible genius abilities. His humbleness is ever present.
"Cause in this world there are million of boys and girls that are young, gifted, and black," says Donny in To Be Young, Gifted ,and Black. It’s a killer to tell the world, as many blacks at that time and know are always put in lower level classes and special education classes. Their own self-esteem is never really rising by our WASP run world. On the other hand, WASPs can be taking out of the picture, and many other Christians as well, including blacks, and just look at blacks on TV. They most of the time seem to be idiots and more naïve then ever. No daddy, the female is billed first, and many black boys and girls are not straight A students, but just basketball players. Not so, though. Blacks always had the ability. That is what Donny is telling us in this song we hear that makes us all speechless. He even goes on like a preacher to say we are all going to let the world know this, and the "quest" is just beginning. Unfortunatly, there is still more of the quest to be completed today. But, some of that quest has been completed, and we know Donny is smiling at that. At the end of this masterpiece, he says, "That’s it," ending his sermon. Donny is the other Martin Luther King Jr., but just always singing. And flawlessly too.
I Believe To My Soul is a classic, perfect for the bar scene number. It also would settle some things down. "Woo, woo," we hear him start. Soul in ever corner from the genius. Even more interesting is that the beat is similar to Jimmy Page’s Whose Do Blame? in 1982, thanks to Donny’s electric piano playing with Curtis King and Philip Upchurch’s guitar mix. Of course, Donny will never get the credit for influencing that Page number, but that’s how life goes. Maybe that’s because Donny is black and gifted. The other bar classic is Trying Times, from Hathaway himself. "These are trying times," he tells. Dun, dun dun. And so many would not "suffer" if there was more "love" from our "brother". How true then and know. That is what trying times really are: coldness of others, who only care about themselves and money, just like the profiteers who make negative black TV shows. This is such a true classic, that even Roberta Flack used it a year earlier on her first album, First Take.
Another classic from Donny and his early music partner Powell is Sugar Lee. It’s a fun anthem and something in the black community that many will never understand. Just having fun. Going wild, but not harmlessly. "Oh, sweet sugar" is something we hear Donny’s wife say in the beginning, which sounds similar to the film a year later, Melvin Van Peebles’ Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasss Song. We’d hear "Oh Sweetback" during Peebles’ wild escapades. Even influencing films, Donny is that brilliant. Talking about fun is an even better song: Donny’s unforgettable classic, The Ghetto. "This is the ghetto. Showinnon!" He is going to show us the place everyone is afraid of. Yet, he makes it appear to all of us it is a more decent place where there is love, fun, and happiness. "The Ghetto, The Ghetto, The Ghetto, etc." It’s redundant, but mouth-watering. Yet, Donny will still give both sides of the story. We hear babies crying in the background while friends ask each other to pass "the joint". Life can be disturbing, unhealthy and cruel. But Donny wants us to know that we all can still have that happy face. But to talk about extraordinary is Je Vous Aime (I Love You). It is so touching, it gives you a sensual feeling that is unforgettable and appealing. It is even cute as he says in French "Je Vous Aime, means I Love You". Another influential piece is what this is. "A comaacota" means no worries" from the Disney film The Lion King came out in 1994. But Donny never got credit for that. Of course not.
However, Dr. King shines with him in Voices Inside( Everything is Everything). "I hear voices" as "everything is everything". It really means "everyone is everyone", meaning everyone is an individual no matter who you are. Christ thought like that, and so does Donny. Last, but not least, is Thank You Master (For My Soul). Donny thanks more than you’ll ever know as the Lord gave him "food to eat and "put shoes on his feet." Gospel is evident hear, as Hathaway makes it clear he is a gospel leader. Donny also tells Jesus he is "obliged" to him. After this song and all the others on the album, you will be obliged to own all Mr. Hathaway’s albums. We love you Donny.
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About the Book
So friends the title: From Roberta Flack To Boy George: Last Fantastic Albums Ever Made. Why? Well, in 1969, when Roberta Flack’s first album came out, First Take, it was not as well received by record buyers of the time, as The Beatles were still a rage, as well as the continuous British Invasion. But in fact, Miss Roberta Flack’s first album, and later ones, have been so influential, there would be no overrated songs like Evergreen, Endless Love, and The Greatest Love Of All, which have become the standard for weddings. Even more to note, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face from First Take lifted off three years later as the #1 single of the year in 1972 in the USA. That was more of the proof that Roberta Flack’s style was ahead of the times. Her soft, mellow voice would dominate the charts through out the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.
As for Boy George, he made glamour rock the best example to the world. A drag queen singing blue-eyed soul was in itself the most unique aspect in the music business, not to mention that every song written by him and his group Culture Club were so positive in relation to love and peace, we could not have gotten more Christian then that. Yet, American radio seemed to forget that, as when the late 80’s, 90’s, and this decade turned up, it was like Boy George never existed. That even applies to Roberta Flack. Yet, friends, we all know what great music and albums were: From Roberta Flack To Boy George: Last Fantastic Albums Ever Made.
About the Author
J.J. Briggs has been a media researcher since 7 years old. Growing up in Connecticut, he has studied film, music, and the mass media structure. His main goal to help those in society is expressing and encouraging positive, but entertaining media. At the moment, J.J. Briggs is a teacher at the middle and high school level, hoping to make young America aware of the media, and its positive aspects as well as negative.