There is something about beautiful music that moves every vein and vessel within me. After sharing an exchange of love for Lionel Richie with the fabulous @Love_Is_Dope and @NPRandB of the Twitter world, I had this bolt of energy at the mere thought of Richie classics such as "Still," "You Are," and "Truly." These are songs comprised of lyrics that are intricate like silk. Gentle. Soft. Moving. So creatively beautiful that I felt my eyes water and my mind decided to travel to time capsules where love was created in lyrics that captivated the soul. Lyrics that stood the test of time and filled the ear gates with "forever." A time when lyrics were health advocates of marriage, love, and relationships. When lyrics supported the process of courtship and conversation.
When @Love_Is_Dope shared her crush for Lionel Richie she made me think back to all of the songs that my Mom played in the house as a little girl that supported dreams of having the kind of love that was expressed through the vinyl records, through the radio, and boom boxes. Which is why "Love Will Conquer All" became one of my favorite songs. EVER. To add to the love foundation, Amel Larrieux presented us with "Make Me Whole." A song that is written as a storybook of love's truth. Where unfiltered, unmasked, transparent buttery vocals pour out the essence of her soul to her reflection, her love, her husband & partner. It's rare to hear songstresses sing the purity of love without sexual references, bad break-ups, breaking dishes & tire slashing.
After seeing Lionel Richie's performance upon receiving his BET 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, I stood up in my living room for Richie as if I was at the awards. I saw the faces of old schoolers who joined him in song, as he flashed his infamous megawatt smile connecting with the audience. Then suddenly, I felt sad. I looked at some of the young faces who didn't possess a clue as he sung "Easy Like Sunday Morning." The icing on the cake was really displayed as the camera panned through absent faces when he performed "All Night Long." I felt sad that our young people's ear gates have been consumed with wrecked, broken lyrics whose idea of love is equated to what's between their legs, instead of their heart.
Sure prior generations had broken hearted songs such as Al Green's "Love & Happiness" to The O'Jays' "Use To Be My Girl," and countless others. On the contrary, it was love that had been lost, but come hell or high water, it was going to be found again with that person. It was about redemption. The power and forgiveness of love. Commitment. Loyalty. Making love work. It was about the character, and not the booty. It was about his/her smile, and not the thong or g-string.
Let's take a moment to observe the lyrics to "Endless Love" - duet by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross:
Lionel Richie: "My love. There's only you in my life. The only thing that's right."
Diana Ross: "My first love, you're every breath that I take. You're every step I make."
Together: "And I, I want to share, all my love with you."
Lionel Richie: "No one else will do."
Diana Ross: "And your eyes....
Lionel Richie: "Your eyes...your eyes"
Together: "They tell me how much you care. Oh, yes, you will always be, my endless love."
Pause.
What does the majority of today's lyrics look like? In my opinion, the majority of lyrics reflect endless conversations of the communication gap between men and women. The decline of courtship and true intimacy. The increase of abusive language, and the lack of respect for each other.
However, all is not lost. Amel Larrieux's current release "Ice Cream Everyday" encompasses another ode to love that made my heart leap bolts of joy, "I Do Take 2." It is like a vegan ice cream sundae for me. I have my Lionel Richie's "Still" with a scoop at the bottom and "I Do Take 2" at the top, with the cherry on top being love.
"Sometimes you just know, like nothing you've ever known, like words cannot describe, like space cannot divide.
Like skies cannot confine. Like living and like dying. Like having no need to tell the time.
Cause with you, one day’s worth ninety-nine.
I do take you as the one miracle sent to grace these eyes
I do take you til my earthly end
And even then you’ll be the love of my life"
- Amel Larrieux "I Do Take 2"
By no means am I downplaying all artists. There are artists out there who have beautiful lyrics, but right now, at this very moment, Lionel Richie, and Amel Larrieux just move me deeply. There words are timeless. It's not only the beat, but the lyrics occupy the spaces and thoughts in my mind's travel to love. Thank you to @Love_Is_Dope for taking me back to that moment where one of music's soul carriers touched the heart of a little girl to be inspired by love. Thank you @NPRandB for sharing the songs of Lionel Richie's Essence Festival performance that move me "Still."
I hope that current and future songwriters and musicians understand the magnitude of how lyrics can transcend into time. Words have power. Lyrics are words that are bonded to sounds that connect with the soul. The most powerful connection of all is love. No matter how far fetched the music gets, or how many car windows get shattered from drama-filled, unhealthy relationships played over beats, I still believe like the good old classic Lionel Richie sings, "Love Will Conquer All."
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