"Movin' On Up" MLK Day

1/17/22 KNN Presents "Movin' On Up," on MLK Day, the musical soundtrack of the 60s Civil Rights Movement as told through One Voice, that of R&B legend, Curtis Mayfield. Part I: Click on Song Title Link to watch each YouTube video.

The story begins in Chicago with a 16-year-old dreamer, co-writing and backing up singer, Jerry Butler. Those were tough times in which Curtis Mayfield and his trio, The Impressions, struggled playing small venues and cashing even smaller paychecks, but they just thought well, "It's All Right," because they loved making music. And what better title than that positive vibe for their first hit tune.

Part II: Next up, Curtis, Sam and Fred find inspiration in the black female, which produces a song that emphasizes inner beauty over superficial good looks. And so, "Woman's Got Soul" begins a search of deeper meaning within the black experience.

Part III: At this particular stage in his career, Mayfield wasn't one to hammer listeners over the head with his Christian values, that said, "I need You" expresses the anti-player sentiment that one should be faithful to one lover. The trio's falsetto harmonizing displays unity between the talented singers. Sam Gooden said about the vocals on this track, "It was almost like one voice singing."

Part IV: The evolution of Mayfield's spiritual messaging expanded with "People Get Ready." This song's video, featuring blacks and whites sharing a ride in the same direction, originally aired on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, adding a critical crossover element to The Impressions success.

Part V: "Meeting Over Yonder" was one of singer, Fred Cash's favorites because it was right in tune with the movement, so much so that Ambassador Andrew Young has called Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions heroes of the Civil Rights Movement.

Part VI: It was impossible for Curtis Mayfield to move forward in the midst of racial conflict without uplifting blacks, as well as other minorities, while delivering his own style of peaceful political protest, deemed controversial by some radio stations, to a white audience. This poignant video clip of "We're A Winner," is from the documentary, "Moving On Up," on which we relied heavily for today's special presentation, as you can tell from its title.

Part VII: In the song, "This Is Our Country," The Impressions claim the rightful inclusion of blacks on media platforms, political office, business ownership and every other aspect of mainstream American life. In the following version, actor, singer, songwriter, minister, and author, Clifton Davis adds his prophetic poem.

Part VIII: While southern KKK terrorists had burned black churches, northern born socially conscientious white descendants of Jewish immigrants actually stood arm-in-arm with blacks during peaceful protests, while attempting to repel verbal and physical abuse unleashed by a violent racist backlash. Meanwhile, on television, host Joey Bishop had to override objections from his producers to enable The Impressions' performance of "Choice of Colors."

Part IX: Curtis Mayfield had to develop foresight in order to inspire young people because they are always the catalysts of change. During their early career, The Impressions had learned how to roll with the punches, and so rocking along with a different musical style popular at the time served as their instrument to influence a youthful in-crowd with, "Check Out Your Mind."

Part X: In 1970, the start of a new decade brought a paradigm shift for Curtis Mayfield, leading him away from The Impressions towards a solo career. His funky new sound opened creative and financial doorways only he could navigate, such as composing the soundtrack for the "blaxploitation" flick, "Super Fly." Now, as a publisher of his master recordings, Curtis could exert more control over the business end of the industry. That, however, did not mean Mayfield's music wouldn't "Keep On Pushing" his important message. Except, that even with the political assassinations of President, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator, Robert F. Kennedy looming in his rearview mirror, Curtis would focus in on death stalking poor folk trying to survive inner city Ghettos plagued by an emerging black subculture of drug abuse and related vice. And so, "(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go," heads up a collection of themes striking a darker note, one might classify as Mayfield's tough-love songs.

Part XI: Our chronicle concludes by exploring one consistent aspect of Curtis Mayfield's lyrical voice, more often than not, it draws from his personal experience. None of his compositions expressed this more than, "We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue." According to Mayfield's widow, Altheida, mother to six of his ten children, in this soulful ballad, Curtis channels his angry memories of cruel schoolmates calling him ugly names, such as smut, into a positive plea for forgiveness, peace and unity between different shades of skin because beneath the thin surface, we are all the same thick color called human. In the end, the prolific artist some nicknamed, "Preacher or Reverend," Curtis Mayfield only ever asked of his listeners exactly what he himself was willing to first give, love. The same kind of love Martin Luther King, Jr. preached from the pulpit and practiced in the political arena, surrounded by friends and foes alike. Whether people choose to accept it or not, Divine Love speaks to sacrifice as taught in the Bible (John 15:13). It is a precious trait missing in today's violent social justice warriors, which is why America sorely misses all the true heroes of the 60s Civil Rights Movement.

KNN sincerely thanks all the YouTube video bloggers, whose uploads are featured in this musical chronicle, "Movin' On Up," on MLK Day, the musical soundtrack of the 60s Civil Rights Movement as told in One Voice, that of R&B legend, Curtis Mayfield.

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