Eugene McDaniels

Beth Orton on 6Music reminded me of this excellent Roberta Flack song, Compared to What which still sadly is completely relevant:

I’d not heard in many years but wanted to know more, and it lead me to Eugene McDaniels, the writer. Originally a pop singer, he became more conscious and politically aware in the late 60’s, writing Compared To What? but also Supermarket Blues – a song about casual racism at a supermarket, Headless Heroes and the blistering song linked above about the moderates who ignore what’s going on but yet still have blood on their hands – Silent Majority and Cherrystones below on a similar tip.

I wish many of those who tweet and post about their food (especially at Thanksgiving), nice lives and petty first world problems but then ignore drones, Palestine and war worldwide were forced to listen to this song and Cherrystones on a daily basis. But hey we’re getting cheap oil, so blowing away brown kids with flying robots is fine, who gives a shit?

He’s also well sampled by the likes of Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Jungle Brothers and Pete Rock…sad though he’s known more for his drummer and bassist than the songs themselves?