When I started this series I just wanted to talk about the music and musicians that influenced and changed a generation. I had no idea that my blog posts would be the personal journey they’ve become as I rediscovered the music I grew up with.
Music has always been a part of my life as much as reading and literature has been. The songs and artists I’ve written about not only tell stories about the times that they were living in, and their fears, frustrations and hopes, but also tell the story of my life. Over the past ten weeks, with each song selection, I’ve realised just how much they have shaped the way I think, live, love and identify as a Black woman.
Each post has been a delight to research and write, as I’ve recalled childhood memories, teenage dreams and learned new facts about the songs and the artists behind them. I have to say that finding out that the backing vocals on James Brown’s ‘Say It Loud (I’m Black And I’m Proud)’ were by mostly white and Asian children will never not be a little amusing to me.
I won’t stop wondering what Nina Simone’s mostly white audience thought when she ominously sang “you’re all going to die” on ‘Mississippi Goddam’ when she performed the song at Carnegie Hall. And I’ll always be in my feelings at the opening lines to ‘Hard Times’ by Baby Huey.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the posts as much as I have enjoyed writing them. And I hope you have enjoyed the mini Spotify playlist and have been able to go on a journey of discovery of your own. I’m taking a little break with the series, but I will be back with another selection. In the meantime, please continue to follow Just Read It for book reviews and articles.
Just Read It 