Everybody Get Up!

Recently while driving and listening to music on the radio I had a conversation with my sister. We lamented on the fact that the song stylists of today don’t really know how to craft a lyric as well as those from the good old days. Even with dance music, all you hear now days is a repetitive techno beat or booty shaking music with unintelligible lyrics. (I dare you to decipher the monotone mumbling on any ‘Lil Wayne song) Now let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with shaking your booty but songs from the past gave you relatable stories while you danced. For instance, Marvin Gaye’s Got to Give It Up. The song tells the story of a shy wallflower who ultimately couldn’t resist getting his boogie on. “I used to go out to parties and stand around, ‘cause I was too nervous to really get down”. You see although Marvin had the desire he was afraid to really let go. There was something holding him back yet at the same time pulling him in, listening to the song you could almost see him standing around watching others uninhibited enjoying themselves and him longing to join in. He continues, “But my body yearned to be free, I got up on the floor for somebody to choose me”. The call of the boogie is a strong one folks, try as he may he couldn’t resist the urge to dance and ultimately did Give it Up. He discovered that “As long as you’re grooving, there’s always a chance, somebody watching might wanna make romance”…classic!

The Temptations gave us Psychedelic Shack, “let me tell you ‘bout a place I know, to get in it don’t take much dough”. Just in case you were unsure about exactly what type of setting they were speaking of they provided the following, “It's got a neon sign outside that says, Come in and take a look at your mind, You'd be surprised at what you might find”. Apparently this was one of those establishments where one may find persons partaking in recreational mind altering substances...ok, they were getting high. Rick James introduced us to a provocative Super Freak. Apparently, “she’s a very kinky girl, the kind you don't take home to mother, she will never let your spirits down, once you get her off the street”. Umm ok but not so sure you should be too excited about someone you have to get off the street and to be clear apparently if you don’t get her off the street she will let your spirits down… just saying. Prince told us to “Party like its 1999”…sheesh, it seemed so far away at the time. He also detailed what would happen If I Were Your Girlfriend which in spite of sounding kinky was quite an ode to devotion. “If I was your girlfriend would you remember to tell me all of the things you forgot when I was your man? If I was your best friend would you let me take care of you and do all the things that only a best friend can?

There were tales of love, heartache and even surprise breakups such as the Gap Band’s Burn Rubber, “You told me to go up the block, To get you a strawberry pop, When I got back to the flat, You had burned rubber out the back” Damn, talk about cold she waited for him to leave and then booked, they even had the sound of the car peeling out. Just a small note here, when was the last time you heard the expression strawberry pop or red soda water for that matter. It was even possible to be romantically aggressive while dancing like when Teddy Pendergrass sang Turn Off the Lights…“TURN EM OFF!!” He meant that shit, if you didn’t turn off the damn lights your ass was in trouble. Women were rushing around turning off lights in rooms they weren’t even in. Of course Jody Watley was no better Looking for a new love, “Now other guys will have me, they'll appreciate my love, tell me, how does it feel? Wow, not only am I gonna sleep with other guys after I leave you I’m gonna tell you about it and then get all Oprah Winfrey on your ass and ask about your feelings. Damn girl!

Even when rap came along the story telling dancing continued. Who could resist the Sugar Hill Gang’s “Now what you hear is not a test, I'm rappin’ to the beat and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet”. So this was no fire drill people it was the real thing and you knew exactly what their intentions were. Only a fool was occupying wall space as they continued, “Have you ever went over a friend’s house to eat and the food just ain't no good? The macaroni's soggy, the peas are mushed and the chicken tastes like wood.”…come on in spite of the bad grammar you’re thinking about hitting the dance floor right now or at least avoiding that friend’s house with the Hell’s Kitchen reject for a mother (you know the one). Even Lady T got into the mix with Square Biz one of the first rap vocal performances, “Baby, what's happening entre vous Lady Tee I've heard a boatload of others ladies' raps but they ain't got nothin' on me, I'm less than five foot one, a hundred pounds of fun I like sophisticated funk, I live on Dom Perignon, caviar, filet mignon and you can best believe that's bunk. Here's what I'm talking, baby, Square Biz”. So Teena not only enticed you to dance she did so with a boastful arrogance that stimulated your mind adding a little French and some elegant dining suggestions as well. Classy.

At any rate, I know we can’t relive the past (except maybe on a good playlist) and to ask that things never change would be too much. So let me end with this, how about you Reminisce on the Good Times and how you still “Can’t get enough, of that Funky Stuff” or the nights spent Hollywood Swingin’, dancing with a Brick House and surviving through Joy and Pain. The fun you had with your School Boy Crush when you would Shake Your Body Down to the Ground like a Dancing Machine, break out in a Cold Sweat and then exclaim Let’s Groove Tonight all while riding the Mothership Connection, which was quite a Thriller. And don’t forget the Boogie Nights or how much fun it was to Cut the Cake. So tonight despite accusations that you may be Living for the Weekend, you know you’ve Got To Be Real so find the Reasons to Celebrate and Give up the Funk put on your Boogie Shoes, Shake Your Pants and Dance, Dance, Dance.