From Bebop to Summer Of Soul 

By : Essence McClure

 

In the 40’s from Dizzy in Harlem, blowing that trumpet

Take that drum and thump it.

Up on the stage, ‘ keep it snazzy’

Keep it Jazzy.

Music full of color, adventurous improvisation

But buckle your seatbelts

Soon, we’ll arrive at the Funky Station.

Bebob don’t Stop

Sing about “ my girl” in the late 50’s with the temptations

Or Little Richard’s awop-bob-a-loo-mop-alop-bam-boom

Both tunes will possess you with a groove.

  Sing along with Ray, “ Georgia on my mind”

Or

Sing about “ Papa’s Brand New Bag” with J.B in ‘65

 

Nina Simone, Summer of Soul, it’ll never get old

Black & Fine in ‘69.

We could speed it up or take it slow, 

we’ve arrived at the funky station, it’s the 70s.

So zip up those bell bottoms

and pick out Sexy fro.

   “ Black don’t crack unless you do it.”

 

From Bebop to Summer of Soul

We took black music, twisted and bumped it,

Again could never get old.

Our history could never be erased, 

and thanks to this history, 

we can still get down like James Brown today.