What’s goin’ on
If you ever hear I无毛视频檝e been hit by a truck, a train, or a wheelbarrow, rush to the hospital and blast this in my ear: 无毛视频淢other, Mother there无毛视频檚 too many of you crying 无毛视频ξ廾悠禎
One line and I无毛视频檓 already yanking out my IV, then I无毛视频檓 dancing around the emergency room.
无毛视频淏rother, Brother, Brother 无毛视频� there无毛视频檚 far too many of you dying 无毛视频ξ廾悠禎
By now, I无毛视频檝e checked out of the hospital, and I无毛视频檓 heading home.
Fifty years after I first heard those haunting words, with that searing musical accompaniment, I still feel compelled to stop what I无毛视频檓 doing and take flight with Marvin Gaye.
Some music does that to me.
(Mr. Gaye released his historic 无毛视频淲hat无毛视频檚 Goin无毛视频� On无毛视频� album on Jan. 20, 1971.)
The ode to the angst of war and life in the United States still sounds fresh. After hearing it for the umpteenth time, I can still hear things in it I无毛视频檝e never heard before.
I无毛视频檓 rounding the corner to my 73rd birthday. I无毛视频檓 old.
I watched most of the Grammy Awards last week.
Hardly a single tune during that entire three-hour-and-43-minute broadcast encouraged me to pat my feet.
Did I tell you I无毛视频檓 old?
This isn无毛视频檛 a commentary about the state of today无毛视频檚 music.
Well, maybe it is.
I watch a lot of YouTube videos of the recording artists of the 1960s, 无毛视频�70s, and 无毛视频�80s online. And I take note of the comments below them.
Without fail, self-identified young people comment about wanting today无毛视频檚 music to sound as good as the music from decades ago.
Young folks, too, appreciate harmony, melody, and accomplished musicianship.
无毛视频淚 know you wanna leave me. But I refuse to let you go. If I have to beg and plead for your sympathy, I don无毛视频檛 mind 无毛视频檆ause you mean that much to me,无毛视频� said the Temptations when they sang 无毛视频淎in无毛视频檛 Too Proud to Beg无毛视频� in 1966.
The Temptations were my musical heroes when I was a teenager.
As far as I was concerned, all of the other singing groups were on the J.V. team.
The Temptations would come on the radio and anything within reach would become my microphone.
At the dinner table, I无毛视频檇 snatch a drumstick from a turkey and make it a mike in my tireless quest to reproduce every Temptations move ever made.
My parents would have to wait until a song ended 无毛视频� so we could finish dinner.
David Ruffin, one of the Temp无毛视频檚 lead singers, was my favorite.
He was tall. I was tall. He was thin. I was thin. He wore glasses. I wore glasses. He could make women swoon when he sang. I wore glasses!
(The name David Ruffin isn无毛视频檛 familiar? 无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e got sunshine, on a cloudy day 无毛视频ξ廾悠禎 That无毛视频檚 him.)
I first encountered Mr. Ruffin at the old Twin Coaches on Route 51 in 1967.
I无毛视频檇 hounded my parents into taking me to see the Temptations, and I was determined to get David Ruffin无毛视频檚 autograph.
Between the first and second shows, I decided I无毛视频檇 attack (with a pen and autograph book, of course).
He was sitting in a limousine. It was my chance to walk up, get his attention, and discuss my future impact on the greatest singing group in world history.
So what if I couldn无毛视频檛 sing a note. I was skinny and I wore glasses, doggone it.
Unfortunately, my plan of attack failed.
Mr. Ruffin saw me approach his limousine, so he turned completely around in his seat so he couldn无毛视频檛 see me.
He had no use for autograph seekers.
I was devastated.
I was so traumatized by the experience I haven无毛视频檛 been able to sing using a turkey drumstick since.
But there无毛视频檚 more.
In the mid-1980s, while working for Entertainment Tonight, I interviewed Ruffin and told him that story about the Twin Coaches.
I无毛视频檇 even taken my old autograph book to the interview.
无毛视频淭o Al, my man. David Ruffin,无毛视频� he gladly wrote.
A few years later, Ruffin died of a drug overdose in Philadelphia.
He was only 50 years old.
无毛视频淚 know it might sound strange, but I wish it would rain.无毛视频�
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter, and anchor for Entertainment Tonight, and 40-year TV news and newspaper veteran. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.