Did you catch the Kennedy Center Honors on CBS after Christmas?
Yeah, I know what you mean. And for those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about … The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. each year recognizes the talents and lifetime achievements of the world’s greatest performing arts. 2003 was like the 26th year, so I had no idea who was being honored, but since there was nothing else to do …
It was a Friday night. I was still in Centralia (referred to by friends as just ‘po cause it’s too small to have a dunk. Ha ha). My moms wasn’t feeling well. Pops was watching football. My sister and nephew had left …
I finished reading my second book the night before, and with four more days before I went back to Chicago I couldn’t afford to read the last one.
Murder She Wrote marathon. Perry Mason too. Cool. I watched those episodes over and over.
Then they went off at 7.
Joan of Arcadia. Hmm an episode I missed the first part of.
8 o’clock.
Can you hear my fingers drumming?
Hah, caught you in a tale. I actually chased down a cricket. Daggum thing is fast.
Uh oh?
It wasn’t a cricket.
Hoped it wasn’t poisonous.
My mom had no clue. Since it was in her room, oh well.
This time I was drumming those fingers. Fine, the Kennedy Awards.
Loretta Lynn (country singer), Carol Burnett (actress), Mike Nichols (producer/director), Itzhak Perlman (violinist), and James Brown … Kennedy Center Honors. I liked these people but come on. A Friday evening.
Scanning. Scanning. Oh boy. Stuck.
At least I could check out Diane Sawyer. I like her. Every morning. GMA. She’s not tight like Couric.
Nice dress. Couture for sure. She looked good. And her and Mike always give me hope.
Figure it out yourself.
Loretta was up first – Sissy Spacek. Long evening. Reba. Love me some Reba. Garth and Trisha. Why was I the last to believe the rumors? Probably for the same reason I denied Amy and Vince, and that was even after they were married. Haven’t heard him sing in a long time. I miss him. And Lyle Lovett! Julia Julia Julia.
Mike Nichols – Candice Bergen and Meryl Streep. Tom Stoppard. Kinda butt funny.
But it wa still a Friday night. But since I’d come that far. Might as well wait for James.
Man who would have known that a month later the brother would have a “Nick Nolte” headshot all over the internet for allegedly busting down his wife. Okay, he’d been accused before. So actually it wasn’t a surprise. Except for the fact he’d gotten married. I missed that. Thought he was still grieving over the one who died after liposuction. Olivia Goldsmith should have talked to her.
But dag at the time I didn’t know all this was going to happen, and I hadn’t seen James in a long long long time.
In fact the last time was over ten years ago at my church in Los Angeles – Brookins AME Church. He showed up cuz he knew my pastor. And of course he sang. Which reminds me of two things I know for sure – with Jesse, there’s always a collection or check. With James, there’s a song.
Gosh I’d forgotten about that. Amazing Grace. Precious Lord. Can’t remember exactly what he sang, but it was one of those old songs, and it sounded good. Folks shouted. Pews bounced from the battle of the butts. Which reminds me of one other thing I know for sure – if the spirit is moving big time, the pastor will take up collection early while folks are in the mood of generosity.
James Brown.
Old School.
Back in the Day.
High waist pants with a 3 inch waistband.
Pompodour.
Short neck.
James Brown.
I know I have some James Brown vinyls. Papa Got a Brand New Bag (1965). Wonder where it is?
Old Old School. I don’t think I really want to watch this. I’m more into P.Diddy, Jay Z, Outkast, Beyonce. ’You got me crazy in love, uh huh.’
Was that L.L.?
Perked up. L.L. Cool J. Moore my speed … and fantasy.
All right.
‘I would not be here but for you,’ L.L. said.
Huh?
‘Say it Loud,’ L.L. pumped that fist that got Tommie Smith and John Carlos suspended from the U.S. Olympic team and kicked out of the Village. Always thought that was funny. Them suspended for a protest, while the bronze medalist, Peter Norman of Australia … nobody said anything about the protest badge he wore against his country. ‘I’m Black and I’m Proud.’
Oh my gosh, I’d forgotten James did that song.
Do, do do do do do do do
Say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud
Do, do do do do do do (1968)
I went back in the day.
‘Fros and bell bottoms.
Fringe and fishnet stockings.
The backside of Jim Crow.
Black, not Negro.
Proud.
I don’t want nobody to give me nothing
Open the door … and I’ll get it myself (1969)
Because we were tired of hand me downs and being down in the hand.
Just wanted a chance.
Cause we were worthy and worth it.
Weren’t we?
Try Me (1959)
I’m Super Bad (1970)
And I got Soul Power (1971)
Dag, James was the bomb before the A-bomb.
How could I have forgotten that?
James and Marvin and the Temptations and War were raising consciousness. Ours, theirs, yours, mine, his, hers … the world.
While the Supremes screamed ‘Stop in the Name of Love’, like most girl singers of the time.
Talking Loud and Saying Nothing
Okay that wasn’t fair.
Because they all talked about love. New love. Find love. Give love. Take love. Love love love love love.
But where the girls said it was sweet.
With James and Marvin, it was sweaty. And that was sweet.
Cold Sweat (1967)
I Can’t Stand Myself (When you touch me) (1968)
I Got the Feelin (1968)
Give it Up or Turn it a Loose (1969)
Prisoner of Love (1963)
Get Up I feel like being a Sex Machine (1970)
Hot Pants (She Got to Use What she Got To Get What she Wants) (1971)
Blue light nights.
Hide and go get it.
Slow dancing.
Four corners.
Brothers beggin …
Please Please Please Please (1964)
Cuz Papa Don’t Take no Mess (1974)
And all the while women knew …
It’s a Man’s World, But it Wouldn’t Be Nothin’, Nothin’, Without a Woman or a Girl (1966)
James Brown.
Embarassed to say I’d forgotten what a treasure he was and is.
Got caught up in the ‘what cha done for me lately’, and forgot it would be later than it is … but for him.
Ain’t it Funky Now (1970)
Make it Funky (1971)
I Got Ants in my Pants and I want to Dance (1973)
James didn’t use a lot of words.
Recycled quite a few.
Yet each time it felt new.
A new day.
Get it Together (1971)
He shouted.
Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved (1971)
Back in the day.
Hold it, this is where Brian McKnight came in to sing to James Brown.
That made less since than Dan Ankroyd.
And who is Josh Stevens? Anastacia … she was cool.
But still …
This was James Brown.
James Brown.
James Brown.
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being L.L., the rest of the lineup rated … that was the problem. They didn’t rate.
No offense, but this was James Brown, not James ‘ain’t never been down’ Brown. But James ‘I define a whole generation’ Brown.
Was anybody listening?
Did anybody care?
There was a Time (1968)
When an appearance by James would have been watched by everybody. Including apathetic me.
There was a Time (1968)
When we would not have permitted this line up to sing and when they did, it would have been talked about on every urban radio station from Syracuse to Sacramento.
‘Did you see what they did?’
‘Put those people up there who had nothing to do with James, and everything to do with appearance.’
‘Uh huh’
‘Uh huh’
Voices raised.
Fists flying.
Black. Red. Green. Waving.
Pride.
Think (1960)
Maybe that’s the problem.
We all thunk out. Or thing too much.
It’s a New Day (1970)
It’s a new day.
An old day in a new school.
Schooled.
Again.
But back in the day.
For a moment, it was back in the day.
It was a Friday night. And I was still in Centralia.
But I wasn’t bored anymore.
I was thinking. Loud.
Because James made sure I could.
It’s not so bad.
Living in America (1995)
