BROWN SUGAR [Rolling Stones cover]
Songs are magical. Songs are powerful.
Some you hate and some you love but
Music will save your life. It has mine.
I am kicking off the forthcoming releases of naeama with a theme song of sorts. I am no stranger to controversy and censorship-less by choice or design, but by reaction. I have written and performed, what the dominant culture considers, controversial. For years, while performing with Soma Mestizo. "‘Strange Fruit’ was a regular on our set list.
So, i reached down into the trash can of canceled art and pulled out…
BROWN SUGAR. A song that the Rolling Stones decided to retire, due to the racialized lyrics. A song that has been throughout my life, a disturbing soundtrack, whether I wanted it to or not. From being a child playing with the zipper on the Andy Warhol designed album cover; to being cat called by strangers while crossing bridges; to many inter-racial marriage celebrations, where I gave the brown bride a quizzical look asking, “are you sure this is your theme song”; to the way it lingered in the background as I wrote my first play, Saffronia. I loved the song, hated it and then loved it, again.
Crisscrossing the us of a during various trips, this beloved song of americans would be played at county fairs, festivals, bars, etc…Everyone-everyone singing the chorus but seemingly not knowing, understanding, or caring about the poignancy of the lyrics. Regardless of how the lyrics were inspired or came to be, it is a song that brazenly puts American history, its racialized and sexualized story; out there.
I RECLAIM IT
And in the reclaiming, I reframe it from my perspective and lived experience. Music and vocals by yours truly and mix by #2020K, mastered by Strollo Sound. It slaps and it crushes. The lyrics are front and center, so as to not be hidden by a catchy riff and the style is dubby. Dubby as a tribute to my teenage radio reggae dub dj pen pal who sent me cassettes on a weekly basis, because this music gave me life. Thank You Friend!!!
Thank you to the crew who have been traveling on this journey with me: Brooke Schooles, Rob Long, Rodney Trice and Geña. Thank you to Dog Ranch PR.
Brown Sugar By Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Copyright Abkco Music Inc.
Purchase here : https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/madamedolores/brown-sugar-feat-2020k
