I was surprised to read Anil’s entry this morning paying tribute to the Godfather of Soul. Brown has been a star since before my birth and certainly had his share of troubles the last 20 years but still only celebrated his 73rd birthday this year. Most of his hits came before I was old enough to appreciate them; the two that did make an impression on me were Living in America and Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud).
One thing Brown said that seemed truly meaningful to me was his definition of soul, and perhaps of his own life:
“Soul is all the hard knocks, all the punishment the black man has had … all the unfulfilled dreams that must come true.
BillSaysThis 