Talk about “Bridging The Gap”! Chuck Brown has made a career of presenting music from his youth to entirely new generations and if I could be so bold to say, by doing so he has influenced several generations of musicians to uphold the legacy of musicality that flows from that rich Family Tree of Music whose roots stretch back to the coast of West Africa.

Intro: In our final entry for the series we take on a slightly different subject matter than the redemptive nature of last week’s focus. Yes, we are poised to deal with all the lasciviousness of a rather un-saintly nature. But honestly, not all of the messages that we will feature today will put you on the express to you know where. As always, we start with the now and when we compare it with the then, we focus on the connection that what’s being said is absolutely nothing new. The delivery, the audience, and possibly the reactions may change but sentiment operates in the realm of the eternal.

This week’s topic: Material Boys and Girls

Blame It-Jamie Foxx feat. T-Pain/Let The Good Times Roll-Louis Jordan

The Message

The message is pretty clear in both of these songs…a good time, although “Blame It” takes a more dionysian approach in its heavy reliance on alcohol and subsequent abdication of all responsibility. Where this pair fits into our material theme is that they squarely fit the old adage “You have to pay to play“.

The Music

“Blame It” see: auto-tune. “Let The Good Times Roll” generally credited(and rightfully so)as the bridge between the swing era and rhythm blues and rock and roll. Louis Jordan’s “jump blues” was primed for dancing, and Jordan set the standard for many an entertainer to follow his suit in the decades to come.

That Was Then…
(more…)