Fruitful Despite Forbidden: OSF Sade

Despite a supreme court decision (Loving v. Virginia) in 1967 and a bi-racial President of the United States in 2009, only 77% of Americans approve of black/white interracial marriage even today. Blogs BlackgirlinMaine and Nordette grapple with this issue and the nonsense in Louisiana.

Lead singer Sade Adu, according to Wipikedia, was born to parents Bisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer in economics of Yoruba background, and Anne Hayes, an English nurse who met in London and moved to Nigeria.

After the marriage ran into difficulties, 4 month-old Sade along with her older brother Banji returned to England with their mother Anne Hayes to live with her parents. Growing up in England, Sade was influenced by soul artists like Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, and Marvin Gaye.

Interracial relationships continue to produce superb fruit despite human interdiction and prohibition.

Same Beat: OSF Dancing Thru Depressions and Recessions

Same Beat by Fred Wesley

We cannot allow ourselves to be defined by "good times" or "bad times." We cannot allow hard times to cover up the calm times, or cause us to forsake the best times yet to come.

Anthony Samad

Youtube video: Max1xxx

To The Preacher's Wife: OSF Dedications

Clergy families and those who serve others professionally live in "glass houses" in that a lot of their day to day activities are for the benefit of others rather than themselves. But who heals the healer? Who gives to the giver? Or who helps the helper? It is impossible to avoid dysfunction or self-destruction without a strong, but loving and understanding spouse. It is also essential to regularly get out of the spotlight and to enjoy private, "mates-only" intimate moments. Everyone needs to know that they are appreciated.

The words from this Marvin Gaye piece are a tribute to the indispensable person at the side of Revvy Rev.

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

I needed the shelter of someone's arms and there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs
and there you were
With sweet love and devotion
deeply touching my emotion
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

I close my eyes at night,
wondering where would I be without you in my life
Everything I did was just a bore,
everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before
But you brightened up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways
I want to stop and thank you baby
I want to stop and thank you baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

You were better to me than I've been to myself
For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby

A Cry from Those Whose Cheese is on Squeeze: OSF Blogger's Choice

Y'ALL ARE NOT HEARING US!!!!



Youtube video:
max1xxx

Masking the Pain: OSF Affairs of the Heart

So much of our outward life is a masking of an inner turmoil. Do these Old School selections represent "two sides of the same coin?"

We Party Hearty:Jeffrey Osborne LTD



This Time the Heart is Mine: Luther

Moving On: OSF It's The Blues

Occasionally, we arrive at what seems like an oasis in life or relationships. The temptation is to ignore the cues and circumstances that quietly let us know that this was merely a place of respite and not our permanent destination. These periods in life can cause us to allow the mirage of lesser enjoyments persuade us to remain in situations that do not bring us the fulfillment of our destination. Do you know when it is time to move on? (Somebody nudge the Prez, and tell him "Forget the Repubs, tryin' to please folks, and move on!")

David Ruffin: Walk Away From Love

It's not that I don't love you
You know how much I do
And it's not that I've found someone
To take the place of you
It's just a fear that builds within me
Everytime you touch my hand
And a dread that shakes my body
That even I don't understand
So I'm leaving
This time I'm playing it smart
I'm gonna walk away from love
Before love breaks my heart

Oh, you're clinging to me tighter
Than you ever have before
I don't understand it
But I know it's gonna take everything I've got
To keep walking out the door
But those arms you've got around me
Will let me go someday
And I'd rather leave you holding on
Than pushing me away
So I'm leaving, yes I am
This time I'm playing it smart
I'm gonna walk away from love
Before love breaks my heart

and also a lil' BB and Bobby from traditional blues genre:

Drama Highway: OSF Remakes

Love songs are easy subjects for remakes because of the drama encountered on the journey of finding a love that will last. Have you traveled that road? Arriving at the conclusion that the thrill is found in compatibility and companionship can make the trip worth the while.

Old School Live version



Youngblood Video Version



Marvin & Gladys Throwdown/Collabo

A Prayer From the Hood: OSF TV Theme Songs

In the 1980s we began to see some small fruits of our struggle to achieve integration, but we found out that even after success new problems and challenges awaited us. Our arrival in corporate suites and boardrooms, suburban neighborhoods, and new upwardly mobile social networks did not eliminate racism or other problems. So in 2009, the theme song from this 1981-1987 situation comedy remains not only a ghetto prayer but a prayer that has transcended race and class to spread to the hearts and lips of people all across America! The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Gimme A Break, Nell Carter




and Tales from Five-O:

Theme from Hill St. Blues




Theme from Baretta



And just to lighten it up a little,

Theme from "Maude" by Donny Hathaway

Being Cool Acting A Fool: OSF Partee-ing

My most memorable (as well as forgettable) party experiences occurred during college as an undergraduate during the days of large lapels and wide collars, elephant bell bottom pants and platform shoes, afros, tikis, dashikis, and Black Power. This is some of the music that is embedded in my mind as I tried to negotiate this new space for me where knowledge, racial pride, love, hate, and cool all intersected at once and tried to overwhelm a young brutha. Here it is, sometimes chillin' and sometimes thrillin':

The Persuaders: A Thin Line


Marvin Gaye: Inner City Blues


Roy Ayers: Everybody Loves the Sunshine

Just My Take: OSF Christmas Songs

My favorite take on the classic The Christmas Song is a 1998 performance by Aaliyah. Sometimes the lights that shine brightest seem to also shine shortest.

Pardon My Excesses: OSF, Bands

Please allow me to overindulge! This category is loaded. Who do you eliminate? I threw them all in the air and these came down face up, not in any particular order:

Taste of Honey



Rufus & Chaka Khan



Earth, Wind, and Fire

OSF Child Actors Turned Singers

I chose actors turned singers since it presented me with more of a challenge than the other way around. I also attempted to find child actors who became singers. My Choices Are:

Janet Jackson
First acting role: Good Times, 1974
Youngest member of nine member musical dynasty



Brandy
First acting role: Thea, 1993
Began performing at age four at church



Countess Vaughn
First acting role: 227, 1988
Began performing at age three at church

To Be or Not To Bop: OSF Jazz Tribute

Nancy Wilson, jazz, blues, cabaret, and pop icon aka "The Complete Entertainer" and Ramsey Lewis, aka "The Great Performer" team up on this number and bring their combined 150 plus albums, six grammy's and numerous other awards and recognitions together in their 1984 collabo Just The Two of Us.





Jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer and Bebop pioneer, Afro-Cuban, bent-horn styled legend and icon Dizzy Gillespie in his prophetic Closer To The Source, recorded near the end of his career.

OSF Birth Year Song

Youtube credit: ripa171 March 29, 2008

There are many thrills and chills that have entered and exited since this song was originally written and recorded by Roy Hawkins in 1951, but popularized by BB King in 1969. The Thrill Is Gone was also recorded by Aretha, Little Milton, and many others and is a blues classic.

Old School Friday #38: A Night To Remember

Thank God it's over and the first African American president of the U.S., leader of the free world is elected on November 4, 2008



Shalamar: Jeffrey Daniel, Howard Hewitt, Jody Whatly

And a Classic, Marvin Gaye: Got To Give It Up



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