Recently,while Dining with my Brother & Sister we talked of our childhood. The Subject Music came up...& by the time we finished we were all ROTFLOBO! First off...my Dad was VERY strict in what his children could or could not do_so I'm gonna cover just the Music here....as the List was long...like I couldn't have a Date for the Jr or Sr Prom...he dropped me off & picked me up! I am NOW so Thankful for his Parenting Stone Age Rules. Oh,Mother had a say...but Dad had the Final Word-Up!
We were reminded of the Song "Stagger Lee" which is running on Stage at present in "The Wyly Theater" in Dallas,Texas. WELL...Daddy said "Stagger Lee " was a bad song...not bad (good)_but a really bad (bad)song. Heck,we just thought it was a good dancing song! The version we heard was recorded by Lloyd Price in 1959...take a listen here....
Come to find out_this song was based on something that really happened...
The historical "Stagger Lee" was Lee Shelton, an African-American pimp living in St.Louis Missouri in the late 19th century. He was nicknamed "Stag Lee" or "Stack Lee", with a variety of explanations being given for the moniker: he was given the nickname because he 'went "stag"', meaning he was without friends. On Christmas night in 1895, Shelton and his acquaintance William "Billy" Lyons were drinking in the Bill Curtis Saloon. Lyons was also a member of St. Louis' underworld AND A Republican Organizer in the Black Community.Shelton was a Democratic Organizer in the same community....Political & Business Black Rivals! The black vote had gone to the Republicans since the end of the Civil War but times are changing. Eventually, the two men got into a dispute, during which Lyons took Shelton's Stetson hat.Subsequently,Shelton shot Lyons, recovered his hat, and left. Lyons died of his injuries, and Shelton was charged, tried and convicted of the murder in 1897. The Jury was packed with White Republicans. He was eventually pardoned in 1909, but returned to prison in 1911 for assault and robbery, and died in incarceration.
The Listening devices of the time were HIGH TECH!!My Brother & I talked of how we'd sit on the front porch late night with his Hand-Held_"Transistor Radio"_ picking up Gallatin,Tennessee WLAC....
John R. Top_R&B Deejay_( late 1940s to the early 1970s)_graced the airwaves after dark,when the station's powerful 50,000 watt signal could be heard via skywave across 38 States and parts of the Caribbean.The Real Deal! John R. was a one man show. Arguably, one of the most popular shows among African Americans not only in Nashville, but nearly everywhere WLAC’s signal could be heard. WOW! Did he play some Music!
On those times we were visiting my Grandmother....little did our Parents know that we would listen to Uncle Bubber's "DECCA RECORD" label records_all 78 RPM's!!!! If we could find the Record Album Book (always hidden in some corner)_that looked like this_
...each Record from Decca was in a Record Sleeve_
Then...we'd play it on the Hi-Fi Stereo_
Okay...so Dinah Washington(she was Not the only one) _who sang risque songs_but you might remember this famous song which is more ,shall I say_Normal...
Another popular Singer my Brother reminded me of was Hank Ballard & the Mid-Nighters. My Brother especially remembers this one ..."The Annie Songs"! Daddy said these were BAD as well...
But ....Later I was introduced by my Brother (he was in the US Navy by then and on leave)...to this character...WARNING_ "OFFENSIVE,OFFENSIVE,OFFENSIVE,OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE"......don't go there unless you can handle it.....
("Rudy Red Moore"Dolemite on You Tube).Fast forward to "Old School _BAD_Music" anything by Denise Lasalle or Millie Jackson.... AND,I have no words..Listen at your own risk!
During this time...along came "American Bandstand" (1957) Hosted by Dick Clark. And this NEW genre of Music (late 40's & 50's) called Rock & Roll. Its immediate origins lay in a mixing together of various black musical genres of the time, including R &B,Gospel Music,C&W and Pop. And ....Dad's NEW restrictions was none of this "GYRATING HIPS,BUTT MOVEMENTS"!!
("Rudy Red Moore"Dolemite on You Tube).Fast forward to "Old School _BAD_Music" anything by Denise Lasalle or Millie Jackson.... AND,I have no words..Listen at your own risk!
Amazing some of the moves were considered "BAD"....if
you consider Miley Cyrus Twerking Genre of today,Ha!
Then there were songs that my Brother just wore out ...he'd sing them over & over & over. It wasn't that they were BAD song but just "Annoying". Dad(holding back his laughter) had only to threaten my Brother's life a couple of times for him to STOP IT! Here's a couple...
And THIS one ..."I" was gonna personally kill him...he always did the Bass part...Grrrr,I can still hear him sing this song..
Bom ba ba bom ba bom ba bom bom ba ba bom ba ba bom ba ba dang a dang dang
Ba ba ding a dong ding Blue moon moon blue moon dip di dip di dip
Moo Moo Moo Blue moon dip di dip di dip Moo Moo Moo Blue moon dip di dip di dip
Bom ba ba bom ba bom ba bom bom ba ba bom ba ba bom ba ba dang a dang dang
Ba ba ding a dong ding
Now,I understand "Why" my Daddy said.....NO!_well on some of this Music anyway! Those were some FUN years....we parted from the Dinner full of Love,Food & Laughter...Daddy would have loved it (RIP 03/18/88)!
