Black Music History by Lee Bennett

When black man had The Memphis Blues
down Louisiana way
He picked up a guitar in the deepest south
put an organ to his mouth
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing
and all that jazz

Negro heroes paved the way
for the black music we hear today
Dizzee and Jay-Z
would need a Plan B
were it not for Bessie Smith
and Ma Rainey

The Charleston craze back in the days
before we did The Twist
Duke and The Cotton Club, the age of swing
Count Basie doing his big band thing
Opening the doors
for black music

Tutti Frutti, Al Green
Little Richard’s Maybelline
Black did white did rock n roll
and Nat King Cole gave TV soul
Inspiring The King to bring
black music to the fore

Aretha & Otis gave respect
and support to MLK
The gospel according to Malcolm X
that changed our world today
Freedom of movement and liberty for all
Jim Crow would jump no mow

The baton grabbed by Berry Gordy
and Tamla Motown was born
Marvin Gaye and the Supremes
made the world move
Breaking down racial barriers
with a black groove

From the Hitsville studio and into the disco
black music’s journey complete
Little Stevie doing wonderous things
Happy birthday Dr King
Ebony and ivory
living together
in perfect harmony

Bob Marley sang the reggae
George Clinton gave us funk
The hit parade became a rappers’ delight
as hip hop emerged from The Bronx
James Brown – the Godfather of Soul
Black music for one and all
Wacko Jacko on MTV
The charts dominated by R&B

Black music has come a long way
Black music is here to stay
The future of music
is not grey
It’s black and white