The Atlantic - Latest Comments in The color of change

Re: The color of change

Junior T — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:12:57 -0000

I gotta say Wayne Brady killed it! Brought a tear to my tired old eyes...and I now see why he was the only one nominated for a Grammy...

Re: The color of change

JR — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:29:44 -0000

The best cover for Sam Cooke's "change" was done by his nephew from the group Solo. Blew it out the park and dare I say it (heresay) better.

Re: The color of change

Jonathan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:14:03 -0000

Can't agree that Baby Huey's version is definitive one, but the album is cold as hell (on Curtis Mayfield's imprint too) and very much worth seeking out. "Hard Times" is a spine chilling cut. Actually recorded first by Gene Chandler on Checker under the title "In My Body's House". Refers to the line, "In my body's house/I'm afraid to go outside..." Man, powerful shit. Baby Huey's take on it was sampled first by 45 King on Chill Rob G's album though... Ghost loves him some throwbacks.

Re: The color of change

DJ ImagoDei — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:39:27 -0000

I have a ridiculous man-crush on Anthony Hamilton. Dude is a complete vocal beast. It was like God felt bad for all of us 20-somethings who never got to see Marvin & co. live and in their primes and sent Hamilton (and Jaheim while I'm at it) as a peace offering. Remember Hamilton doing "Do You Feel Me" in American Gangster? It damn-near stole the movie! After the flick my friends and I were talking about how hot it was, comparing it to the classics in the genre and whatnot, and all I kept saying every couple of minutes was "hold up, can we talk about how sick that new Anthony Hamilton track was?"

Re: The color of change

blacksmythe — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:54:05 -0000

But I digress, it's amazing how Obama used language that has specific meaning in the African-American context, and blew it out to encompass everyone.

Barack Obama was the Omni-American candidate.

Re: The color of change

Mike — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:20:31 -0000

There's no beating the original here, but check out the punk-rock stylings of The Gits' version. Mia Zapata can belt out some vocals. I think covers of this should be held to a high standard and Zapata delivers the goods.

Re: The color of change

Kiana — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:04:11 -0000

First, thanks for posting the link to our site!

Secondly, I can't believe ThatDude just said that AntHamilton's version would have been the classic if he had of made it first!?!

Seal, has a really good version out right now (yeah, Seal) but I think it should be a crime for anyone to remake this because no one gets the emotion quite like Sam. Seriously, anyone who covers it should be fined :-) I think it might be because we have no idea what it was like to be in our 20s (and up) in the 60s. Black folk have struggled since then, but we don't know that pain. Ant actually sounds happy singing that in the video to me. I can't even listen to Sam version on a bad day because I'll start crying 30 secs in.

Re: The color of change

jake — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:19:01 -0000

Agreein' on the Baby Huey love, dude was 400 pounds of soul and good God could he wail. Ten minute versions with monologues in the middle, I miss 70's soul.

Re: The color of change

big bad wolf — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:01:21 -0000

that's a very good version. i don't think it merely nostalgia that i think cooke's better. i'll give up that a live version is going to be a bit rougher, but i think hamilton propels the song a bit too much. cooke's vocal captures the inevitable, the inexorable, the weariness of waiting, and the hope that comes from seeing the arc bend. it takes a mighty long, hard time if you're just one person, but still you know you're part of it and that sustains you, if just barely sometimes. or that's what i hear in cooke

Re: The color of change

ThatDude — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:55:00 -0000

In my humble opinion, had he done it first, Ant Hamilton's would have been the classic. Sure we're nostalgic for Sam Cooke, but he just kilt that one for real. Vintage gut bucket blues wailin'.

Re: The color of change

stan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:40:15 -0000

Holy Crap. I've got to say that Wayne Brady's version has that world weary while at the same time sophisticated feel that Cooke's original has.

Re: The color of change

shani-o — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:30:07 -0000

T- The best cuts from Live @ Harlem Square are the "It's All Right" medley, and "Bring It On Home to Me."

But I think my favorite is a tie between "Sad Mood" and a live recording of "If I Had A Hammer."

But you're right. Just about everything he did was killer.

Re: The color of change

Ta-Nehisi Coates — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:29:25 -0000

Let's hold off on this. We'll have a Sam Cooke thread in a moment.

Re: The color of change

harum-scarum haze — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:28:31 -0000

"Oh s***! It's Wayne Brady!"

From his album "A Long Time Coming": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tMAW7lI4OQ

Re: The color of change

Ta-Nehisi Coates — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:25:06 -0000

Off the top--The Live version of Havin A Party, recorded at the Harlem Square Club. Absolute murder. I'll try to find and post.

Also "Touch The Hem Of His Garment," "That's Where It's At," "Somebody Have Mercy," and of course, "Bring It On Home To Me."

All of them are killer. Just killer.

Re: The color of change

Jonathan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:12:46 -0000

Love Hamilton. He did his thing on Al Green at the BET Awards, too. Thanks for this...

Re: The color of change

shani-o — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:12:13 -0000

Now you have to tell us what you think Sam's best song is. Since he's my absolute favorite male vocalist of all time, you'd better get it right...

Re: The color of change

James — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:11:57 -0000

Let's get this semi-jack out of the way:

that isn't even Sam Cooke's best song

Really? What do you think is? without the above, IMO, you don't have Whats Going On.

Re: The color of change

Ofay McCrackerson — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:10:16 -0000

Baby Huey did the best version of A Change Is Gonna Come. Look him up, you won't regret it. RZA sampled him on Supreme Clientele (Buck 50).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrwal73e4fQ

Obviously, the sound isn't great on youtube, but download it.