Sunday, February 18, 2007
Soul
Internets, have I gushed to you lately about how much I love my not-so-new-anymore job? No? Well, tap a vein, it's time for another hit.
My colleagues are a diverse group, a mash (in the best sense of the word) of ethnicities, orientations, experiences, perspectives. It makes for some entertaining and educational conversations. Recently one of my favorite coworkers who is of Jamaican-American descent said in response to a comment I made---or perhaps not what I said so much as the way I said it---"Oh, you've got a little bit of soul to you!"
Naturally, I was delighted and flattered. And also a little bit confused about what he meant by that, exactly. Here is his explanation, via email:
Soul = the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life Soul = deep feeling or emotion Soul = a sense of ethnic pride among Black people and especially African Americans, expressed in areas such as language, social customs, religion, and music {this resource tried, but…} Soul = a strong, deeply felt emotion conveyed by a speaker, a performer, or an artist. {or anybody!} Soul = a strong positive feeling (as of intense sensitivity and emotional fervor) conveyed especially by black American performers {or anybody} Soul = the state or condition of being black Soul = that immaterial part of a person at the root of one’s essence that animates personality through deep feeling and emotional vitality, commonly used in the black community, sometimes used synonymously with cool. James Brown had a song that talked a little bit about it… I got somethin' that makes me wanna shout I got somethin' that tells me what it's all about Huh, I got soul and I'm super bad! I've got soul and I'm super bad Huh Now I gotta move that tells me what to do Sometimes it's easy, ha Now I gotta move that tells me what to do Sometimes I feel so nice, I wanna try myself with you ha, ha I got soul and I'm super bad ha I love, I love to do my thing, ha.. and I, and I don't need, no one else Sometimes I feel so nice, good God I jump back, I wanna kiss myself
Rakim rapped about it… Plug in the headphone ’cause here it go It’s a 4 letter word when it’s heard, it control Your body to dance (you got it) soul, Ditects the tempo like a red alert Reaches your reflex, so let it work… …I got soul (you got it) that’s why I came To teach those who can’t say my name First of all, I’m the soloist, the solo controller Rakim gets stronger as I get older Constant elevation causes expansion I write my rhymes while I cool in my mansion… …Now if your from uptown, brooklyn- bound, The bronx, queens, or long island sound, Even other states come right and exact, It ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at… …’cause all you need is soul self-esteem will release, The rest is up to you…
James Brown was “Soul Brother #1” Aretha Franklin is the “Queen of Soul”
This just might be the coolest compliment that I have received in, well, possibly in my entire life.
# posted by Amanda at 10:19 PM |
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