Blind Willie Johnson
Posted on 08/16/2002 5:43:35 AM PDT by 2banana
Edited on 08/16/2002 6:24:22 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
As we pause from our busy lives to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, it must be noted that as creative and influential as this brilliant-but-tragic man was, he does not deserve to be called, as he is by so many, the King.
Sure, Elvis was a figure of transcendent influence in pop music. He was, at least in his earlier years, an electrifying performer. He is known for the ability he had to combine disparate elements of black and white Southern music (country, blues, rockabilly) into a driving, compelling and, most of all, popular style.
These "kings" and "queens" cannot get through the day without spreading adjectives all over what pleases or dis-pleases them, constantly fussing over the arrangment of their fascist socialism.
Everything to them, is a stage and stage sets and the setting of it all, a 24/7 production.
It's all a big act, right down to the colors they approve ... each and every one.
Their power is so great, they will define an honest, hard-working American who happens to have black skin, into being a "white man," or they will re-define a lying, leech, such as Bill Clinton, into being "the country's first African-American President."
They claim all rights and powers to say what was, what is, and what will be.
The article issued by Mr. Carter, is just another decree, another judgment from the very people who decry "judgmentalism."
They seek to crush the life out of the peoples' sovereignty, and they are doing that by coercing the people into accepting a government by judiciary, using the daily pressures of evermore governance by judiciary.
A nationalizing socialist judiciary.
One decree at a time.
Must've been! Are you a fan of Fat Possum records?
Eminem's talent lies in his ability to actually make a rap sound like a song. It's the variance of the cadence and voice inflection that stands him out from the crowd.
Most "rappers" drone on in monotone to point where they all sound the same. There are very few (Will Smith, LL Cool J, Eminem) that can bang out "songs".
Rap isn't everybody's cup of tea and quite frankly, most of today's crowd can't do much more than mumble and cuss in a monotone. It was different 15 years ago, and Eminem really needs to be compared to those guys. Without Me and The real Slim Shady are pretty catchy numbers.
Have you actually listened to him, or are you just repeating what someone else (who never listened to it either) said?
In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Elvis was a huge fan of what was then called "black music," specifically, black gospel music. If you visit the (Memphis) Commercial Appeal's Elvis archive, you can see a photo of a black gospel show at a Memphis auditorium, circa 1949. In the front row, there's a single white face in the crowd, a very young Elvis Presley. Elvis always acknowledged the influence of black artists on his music, and I've heard several African-American gospel artists say that Elvis had an encyclopedic knowledge of that musicial genre and its artists.
There's no doubt that many African-American performers and songwriters were ripped off by record companies and song publishing firms in the early days of rock and roll--continuing a practice that dates from the earliest days of recorded music. But to blame Elvis for those financial shenniangans is simply wrong. It's also worth remembering that some of Elvis' best songs were written by a couple of Jewish guys from New York, Leiber and Stoller. I suppose someone will say that those guys ripped off black artists, too.
One more thing: Elvis' seminal early work wasn't a rip-off of anything. It was the pop music equivalent of splitting the atom, or cold fusion. It was the first great synthesis of gospel, rockabilly, rthymn-and-blues and something called rock-and-roll. For my money, rock began in the Sun studios in Memphis with Elvis, Sam Phillips, Scottie Moore, Bill Black, and the other founding fathers.
John Lennon said it best: "Before Elvis, there was nothing." A fitting tribute for the man who brought it all together, and paved the way for those who followed, black and white.
On a side note. Since everyone is posting pictures - has anyone ate at a Red, Hot, and Blue lately? They have a item you can read in the restroom on who can and who can't play the blues. If you killed a man in Memphis over a woman, you can play the blues. If you get a hangnail on the ski slopes, you can't play the blues. None of us can play the blues because we all have computers - anyone with a computer cannot play the blues.
Thanks for pointing out the absurdity of this statement. In fact, blacks living in the U.S. can credit their quality of life and freedom to none other than white folks. Ironic, isn't it.
Reply from Mr Carter (the person who wrote the editorial)
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Did you read the sentence before that? I said that people of all races have created wonderful artistic expression........and you can't tell me that the pattern I mentioned in that sentence you referred to has not been the case in America.
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