"Is it because I'm black," has crossed the minds of every black person in America at one point or another. Because of America's history of of race relations, or lack thereof, we can never truly be sure. Was I passed over for the promotion because I'm black, or was I really not qualified? Was I driving poorly, or did I get pulled over because I was black? It's not a new question. Syl Johnson asked the question on his 1970 album of the same name, Is It Because I'm Black.
The opening words to the album are "The dark brown shades of my skin only add color to my tears," and the album holds that tone through out. Somewhere between R&B and Blues Syl paints a bleak picture of what it means to be black in America. A picture that is void of hope of and happiness where any forward momentum is blocked. An experience where you're made to question the relevancy of your existence. A feeling of powerlessness unless we were all able to come together.
On the title track he states "I wanna be somebody so bad." Despite Syl already being a well established artist at this point he feels as if it doesn't matter because at the end of the day he's still black and can never reach the heights of his white peers because he's still held back no matter how much he continues to succeed. He states that so many black people try hard to get over these obstacles and they fail over and over again until they just give up. He attempts to give them some encouragement stating "we've got to make it a little bit further." Yet, by the end of the song that hopelessness returns.
He follows with a rendition of The Beatles song Come Together, almost begging black people to unite and work together for the greater good. It's followed by Together Forever. In this song he states "the purpose of life is to live however you choose," but he reminds us that we as humans are together forever. However sweet the song sounds it's more hopelessness with statements "why must there be men killing brothers and men stealing from others," and "you reap what you sow." We're all stuck with each other and Syl just wants us to be better people towards each other.
Native Americans have lived on reservations for what seems like an eternity at this point. These reservations are often ripe with problems that the government overlooks because they don't care about the Native American people. On the song Concrete Reservation Syl makes reference to these by comparing them to the projects that are often populated by poor black people. Similar issues arise, drug and alcohol abuse, crime for the sake of crime and death. The chorus of the song states "here in the ghetto it's just a bad situation, no matter what you call it, it's just a concrete reservation." The song is filled with stories of the ghetto, alcoholism, children crying and entire families dying. Sadly Syl and many others see this as nothing more than day to day life.
Walk a mile in my shoes is yet another plea for empathy. Stating the timeless idea that walking a mile in each other's shoes can help us to see the world differently. Yet, at the same time he once again doesn't have much hope for the situation. Would seeing how the other side lived really end racism? Probably not but it's worth a shot and that's what Syl wants from us, to give it a shot.
Talking About Freedom is a simple song in which he sings about freedom. In it he mentions:
The song Right On is a classic dance track telling people to keep right on doing their own thing and not to let others bring them down. It's without doubt the one track of this album that brings pure hope to the listener. Despite all the songs about being held back it's a reminder that you can't let anyone stop your shine and you have to keep right on doing you.
The title track truly sums up the album better than I can. Syl closes song somewhere between speaking, singing and crying with a message to black people of the world. During so he states:
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The opening words to the album are "The dark brown shades of my skin only add color to my tears," and the album holds that tone through out. Somewhere between R&B and Blues Syl paints a bleak picture of what it means to be black in America. A picture that is void of hope of and happiness where any forward momentum is blocked. An experience where you're made to question the relevancy of your existence. A feeling of powerlessness unless we were all able to come together.
On the title track he states "I wanna be somebody so bad." Despite Syl already being a well established artist at this point he feels as if it doesn't matter because at the end of the day he's still black and can never reach the heights of his white peers because he's still held back no matter how much he continues to succeed. He states that so many black people try hard to get over these obstacles and they fail over and over again until they just give up. He attempts to give them some encouragement stating "we've got to make it a little bit further." Yet, by the end of the song that hopelessness returns.
He follows with a rendition of The Beatles song Come Together, almost begging black people to unite and work together for the greater good. It's followed by Together Forever. In this song he states "the purpose of life is to live however you choose," but he reminds us that we as humans are together forever. However sweet the song sounds it's more hopelessness with statements "why must there be men killing brothers and men stealing from others," and "you reap what you sow." We're all stuck with each other and Syl just wants us to be better people towards each other.
Native Americans have lived on reservations for what seems like an eternity at this point. These reservations are often ripe with problems that the government overlooks because they don't care about the Native American people. On the song Concrete Reservation Syl makes reference to these by comparing them to the projects that are often populated by poor black people. Similar issues arise, drug and alcohol abuse, crime for the sake of crime and death. The chorus of the song states "here in the ghetto it's just a bad situation, no matter what you call it, it's just a concrete reservation." The song is filled with stories of the ghetto, alcoholism, children crying and entire families dying. Sadly Syl and many others see this as nothing more than day to day life.Walk a mile in my shoes is yet another plea for empathy. Stating the timeless idea that walking a mile in each other's shoes can help us to see the world differently. Yet, at the same time he once again doesn't have much hope for the situation. Would seeing how the other side lived really end racism? Probably not but it's worth a shot and that's what Syl wants from us, to give it a shot.
Talking About Freedom is a simple song in which he sings about freedom. In it he mentions:
It makes no difference who you are or what color you happen to be, as long as you're alive and breathing, this is got to be one of your needs. I'm talking about freedomThat's what it seems to be all about with Syl. He just wants the freedom to live as anyone else would. He doesn't wish to be redlined into the ghettos. Freedom is something that we all supposedly have the right to, yet the freedoms of a few million are constantly being stepped on and crushed every day. I think the point he's trying to touch on is that if we're all created equally, why are we not all treated the same. Why is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, only for a select few predetermined by their skin color?
The song Right On is a classic dance track telling people to keep right on doing their own thing and not to let others bring them down. It's without doubt the one track of this album that brings pure hope to the listener. Despite all the songs about being held back it's a reminder that you can't let anyone stop your shine and you have to keep right on doing you.
The title track truly sums up the album better than I can. Syl closes song somewhere between speaking, singing and crying with a message to black people of the world. During so he states:
We've tried so hard, we've tried so hard, we've tried so hard, so hard to be somebody, we've tried so hard, although, they're holding us back. And it stairs the reason, that they're doing us like that. You know what? It is? I believe, it is because we are black But hey, we can't stop now, we can't stop now, we've got to keep on, keep on, keep on, keeping on, we've got to keep on keeping on, I know and I know and I know that you know that I know it ain't right. Oh, it ain't right, it ain't right, it ain't right, that they hold us, hold us, hold us back. They're holding us back, they're holding us back I wonder, sometimes I sit down, sit down and I wonder why and it just makes me so madYou can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet
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