The Train Keeps On Moving
Spotify playlist curated by Ryan O’Neal Jr.
https://open.spotify.com/user/ryanonealjr/playlist/7JC8k83eJSwH3k6N2KJFVi?si=tOwbtM-sSTqj3A3QSaZG2A
Today is my dad’s birthday. (Irrelevant side note, we remember his birthdays not becuase we are a loving family, but that his age lines up with the superbowl… Anyways)
My dad is probably the only person still buying/being gifted ITunes cards because some of the music he listens to is only offered there. He has acquainted himself with the current era of music and does use Spotify, as many others do. The music he prefers to listen to is R&B, Soul, Funk, and gospel.
His music characterizes his upbringing.
Growing up in a black family, he was surrounded by this sound that found its genre explode into the music scene post Harlem Renaissance in the 20s, post world wars, and past the historical events of the Civil Rights movement.
Soul and Funk music dominated black music in the 40s (before that as well in various ways) through the early 70s, thanks to the sound of Motown Records for example. Now, while it was still present the sound evolved as the people did. The world was changing and black people were responding to it as we have forever, with music.
During the 70s though the 80s, funk was influenced by the genre of rap birthing in a couple major cities in the US. This unconscious shift in the way the music was produced (due to technology changing) and sang gave the genre of R&B and the remnants of Soul.
For some of you these are just labels for sounds you’ve never heard, but for many black people and other fans of this music these time stamps chart relevant artists, musicians, and producers come to mind.
My dad, born in the 60s (I think I can share that information…) was groomed during that shift which saw an outburst of black artists (of course other white and various minority groups as well) step into the US and world stage sharing these songs and stories about love, change, and dealing with difficult times.
He played this music on his boombox and through cassette players. He and his friends rushed to the stores to get vinyls with the pennies and dollars they had by doing chores, or begging for some extra change to mom or dad.
The music playing from his speakers and others? Some of those artists included and of course far from limited: The Ojays, The Whispers, The Temptations, Earth Wind & Fire, James Brown, and Michael Jackson. This list doesn’t include everything or even all that my dad loved but as we approach the 80s my dad moves into grade school and high school and grew with the music
The shift with the 80s brought Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, still lasting artists from the previous era, Aretha Franklin, Teddy Pendergrass, Bobby Brown, New Edition, and Johnny Gill.
The sound begins to get a variety of artists, and nuanced listeners. Black people were evolving. The world was changing. It’s easy to look back on certain aspects of rock or what was considered pop music to various white and larger groups of music listeners, but during these times those diversified audiences were becoming more aware of this music.
That brought money.
That brought bigger audiences.
That brought more attention.
Speaking on this from hindsight gave me this interesting thought as well: Was my dad, that young guy listening to records in his room, prepared for what the late 80s and 90s would do for the genre he’d grown up with?
I can only introduce the 90s this way. My dad got married in ’92. In ’94, I was born. I was a forearm length baby, rocking in his arms while sang TLC, SWV, Mary J. Blige, and more Luther and all the music he’s grown up hearing and sharing.
I was also the baby in the womb, not knowing what I was listening too or how it was shaping me. It wasnt even till I got older that I realized this music my dad had grown up with had grown into me.
The 90s (many can argue) was (a) peak in black music as hip-hop/rap was pushing and growing, R&B saw an explosion of artists young and old re defining the genre and giving so much new sound a place to exist.
Going into the 21st century I argue we are living in hangover from the 90s in production, lyrics, samples, and presentation. But we are living in a time that keeps rolling with new R&B music responding to the changing times. We chug along. Growing. The movement never stopped. The music keeps going.
I, by no means aim to encapsulate an entire era of music. The 20th century had so many prolific and significant artists who identified with the music I’ve been sharing. With its growth and success, we also saw black music take form in TV and Video. There was a push by media, and I’d like you to think that movement, growth, and push for R&B music is a train.
A train that began moving before we even knew it. The train brought pop idols and stars with Michael Jackson, Prince, and Stevie Wonder. These breakouts stars were birthed from this genre. They rode, pioneered, and directed the train for many artists that came afterwards and in between.
That train rolled into the 21st century and has birthed an interesting sound. I’m only here to mention this briefly that this is my favorite genre of music — R&B. I’m into this genre now and can thank my dad for sticking with this music the whole time and the train stopped by me.
Its playing in my house. Its playing in bluetooth earbuds. My dad plays it on his Bose speaker. Sometimes I think about these songs, familiar and new and how they’d soung back in a Walkman, or on a boombox, from a cassette, or a vinyl.
We are lucky the train arrived. For the audiences that knew and listened to this music, you carry us into the future.
I’ve linked a playlist above that doesn’t give the full perspective of this music, but it pays homage to the sound. It’s very difficult to make ONE playlist for this wide genre of music. But I wanted to curate one based on my dad’s interest (Happy Birthday), my knowledge and taste, and finally the larger hits or more popular music.
This doesn’t encompass everything, but it does give some landscape to the sound of the music. I wanted it to be slightly chronological. I ended the playlist with current music. We stand on the back of our predecessors and ancestors, and welcome all the sounds and new music that came from that early to mid 1900s.
Take a listen!
Some music you’ll enjoy. Some you’ll know from childhood. Some you never heard before and there might be music you don’t like. What I can promise is that R&B/Soul as it’s been classified, as the genre is now labeled, is a wide soundscape of experience.
There are tropes and cliches for R&B music about love, affection, or intimacy. All of it’s there. But it’s also a music sharing an experience from a perspective you may not understand or see it’s full scope.
Marvin Gaye asked, “what’s going on”?
Earth, Wind & Fire told us to stay young in spite of a cold world.
Jill Scott told us the answer is love.
Ms. Lauryn Hill said that what matters is between two lovers, not the world. Not our problems.
& Usher said, “let it burn”.
Let me know what you think about the music in the comments! If people are interested I would like to open the playlist in a collaborative space and have us adding songs. Let’s keep the train movin (fist emojis cause its 2019).
