in that life, part 2: sing something

5 Mar 2026| Omaha– Pearl used to bounce me on her knee and sing this little tune she wrote:
     Go away satan, you’re at the wrong house.
     Go away satan, you’re at the wrong house.
     Go away satan, you’re at the wrong house.
     Jesus lives here and you can’t come in.

There was a second verse, and a peekaboo game that went along with it. its the first song i remember, in a lifetime filled with music.

in the beginning, i used to think Pearl didn’t keep up with music because she never listened to the radio. by psalms i knew she was always actively learning a folder full of new songs for a choir or group. they just didn’t come from the radio, ever.

She sang “Walk Around Heaven All Day” with the Leonard Elmore Singers in St. Louis when i was tiny. I used to catch the bus with her to their rehearsals. I faintly remember the release party when their .45 came out.

I was too young to join the Berean children’s choir. You had to be five. Sister Young made a special guest duet in Berean’s Christmas concert for Stephanie and me, “rising four year olds.”  that moment and melody pique my nostalgia each season’s first christmas lights.

James Cleveland. Mahalia Jackson. Andrae Crouch; with and without the Disciples. But first at our house, the Aeolians. Under the direction of Dr. Alma Blackmon. Preferably featuring either Peter Bryant or Wintley Phipps, soloist. Precious Memories double album; the one with the clapboard on the cover that folded out to photos of Oakwoodites singing in modest clothes.

Pearl caught me pantomiming playing the piano on the windowsill one day, and within the week I was sitting with Miss Beets, and promising to donate half my ‘play outside’ time to practicing scales.

Local music. The Deacons; “Scandalize my Name,” as special music. The instant I was smitten with the sound of vocal harmony.  Duane Hamilton’s “Sonshine” on eight-track for long trips down south. Followed by Donna Summer and Redd Foxx when dB was sure Pearl was asleep. Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, and the pinnacle, Nancy Wilson-his ‘other wife.’ 

both she and pearl were equally unaware, i’m sure.

St Louis to KC changed the rhythm.

Eula Washington took over the orchestration. She informed me after choir class one day I was singing special music at church, and she had picked out the song. I would be donating half my recess time to learning it, and her accompaniment.

It went well, and became a regular part of third grade. Hours of personal attention to making sure I loved music. And Mama Washington. Rapper’s Delight at Lonnie and Lawrence’s house. The day hip-hop took over the beat. Then Bethel youth choir — a whole chapter one day. Granny Robinson making the organ squeal and squirm out “I wanna walk and talk with Jesus” — whole congregation standing and stepping, singing with us at the top of their lungs. Marching down the parallel aisles in our burgundy robes with gold stoles. 

KPRS — the soul of Kansas City. Richard Smallwood. Meeting Billie Jean and knowing with my own eyes Michael Jackson’s 25th anniversary moonwalk had changed everything. 

Omaha. Rakim. UTFO. LL. Alliance. Commissioned. Take 6.

Commissioned. Take 6.
Commissioned. Take 6.

Commissioned. Take 6.

MTV. Mike Jack. De La. Aerosmith kicking down the wall between rock and rap, they told me to walk this way. Yo MTV Raps.

Prince.

PVA. Def Leppard Pour Some Sugar On Me. Guns N Roses. Kiss. Cinderella. Metallica. Chris and Melia Williams. Balladaires. Phil Collins. Bon Jovi.

Derrick Green asking me if I’d heard the first Take 6 album, on a ride to Oakwood College Days.
Who?

Alliance. They signed a deal and put out their first album.
Him being kind enough to share his headphones so I could listen.

Mind. Blown.
Permanently.

Luther. Whitney. Full Force. New Edition did what? Poison. Can’t trust a big butt and a smile.

Public Enemy. Fight the Power.

NWA.

Air Force. Ice Cube. Death Certificate. Scarface. Tupac. BET.

Sade. Brian. Sting.

Lenny Kravitz at lunch. Stand By My Woman.
Naughty by. Redman. Kris Kross.

Karaoke.

Korea. Armed Forces Radio. Beck - Loser. Freebird - Skynard.
Wu Tang, Notorious, To Zion, on the same day.

A Dash of Jazz. Love y’all.

Murph, V, Shadoe. Michael Taplin. Baddest pianist since Eula Washington. Feliz Navidad.

 Kirk Franklin saved my life. Silver and gold.

B-Sides from Tokyo Tower Records.

RPM. Dave Lawson. You Say that I am the shepherd.
Pages of Life Chapters 1 and 2.

Making 90s pop radio.
dcVocals. Slip-sliding away. Atlantic Acappella Regionals.

DMX, Jay-Z, Wayne, Nelly.

Fred Hammond.

Years go by. Kendrick kills Drake.
Lo-fi.

Thinking back to Mama’s knee and peekaboo.

Sing something.

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