…of a “soul” icon
Your Eyewitness got a shock when he saw on his newsfeed, the breaking news of Aretha Franklin passing on. And dear reader, if you just asked, “Aretha who?” you confirmed you missed out on enjoying one of the most sublime voices on God’s green earth. And then thank that God that there’s “YouTube” – on which you can now fill that gap in your life by listening to any of the 88 Billboard hits that earned her 18 Grammies!!
It was in the 1960s that “soul music” – otherwise known as Rhythm and Blues” – came into its own out of the experience of the African American black masses who’d long seen their music expropriated by white singers like Elvis Presley, who raked in the big bucks. It’s unfortunate – but a sign of the times – that the term “cultural appropriation” hadn’t yet been invented to denounce the practice. Blacks couldn’t even own their suffering!!
Aretha, like most soul singers, came out from the Gospel tradition, which in her case was most natural since her father was a noted Minister who moved with his family from the deep South (Memphis, Tennessee) to Detroit (Motown) when she was four. She started performing at 14 – the same year she gave birth to her first son. She was to deliver her second, three years later. She was “discovered” and signed by Columbia Records in 1960.
Columbia didn’t do justice to her voice when they tried to make her into a across-the-spectrum singer, rather than concentrate on her “soul”, which clearly came out of the pain of her personal life – including the death of her mother and father. It was ironic that it was Columbia that dubbed her the “Queen of Soul”. It was not until she left and signed up with Atlantic Records that she came into her own. Between 1967 and 1968 she produced 10 Top Ten hits!!
By this time, she’d become the “Queen of Soul” to the world. One of her hits was “Respect” which became an anthem for all oppressed groups – but mainly African Americans and feminists. The latter were just creating an ideology for “women’s liberation”. During the 1960s there were several men who claimed to be the “King of Soul” – James Brown, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, etc – but there was only ONE Queen – Aretha!!
She was that because – as she said – she sang from a place inside of her that could channel her personal experiences. But because pain was also the experience of so many – not only in America – but also across the Third World, she gave voice to the oppressed.
The Queen is dead; long live the Queen!!
…of a game changer in India
Also passing on is Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a former Prime Minister of India. He was a very charming personality and eloquent speaker who was respected across India’s political spectrum. But he’s more important for being the first Prime Minister from outside the Congress Party to complete a five-year term in office.
Since India played such an important role in anti-colonial politics – being the first to achieve independence – this development was critical since it showed that the initial anti-colonial movement (here, Congress) could evolve into a stable effective multi-party democracy. The word ‘effective” is important because while there were always other parties outside of Congress, they couldn’t threaten the latter at the centre.
Vajpayee was able to do this, after a couple of false starts – by crafting and maintaining a coalition of disparate forces – National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – outside of Congress that could command national legitimacy.
In Guyana, our politicians should take a page from Vajpayee’s playbook, to create a stable governance system, practicing the politics of “in and out”.
NOT “over and under”!
…ball fields
Some friends suggested your Eyewitness missed the Govt’s $700 million offer to teachers when he claimed their “ball field” offer had no size.
For teachers, $700 million wasn’t a “ball field” – just a “playfield”!
