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Reeds in 2016 schreef ik een artikel ter ere van de “Black history” maand in de USA, en focuste me op het muzikale aspect van wijlen Martin Luther King Jr. Iedere derde maandag van de maand januari wordt daar de geboortedag van wijlen MLK gevierd. Zijn officiële geboortedag is immers 15 januari 1929. Dit jaar wordt die feestdag op 18 januari gevierd.
Indien u nog nooit van Martin Luther King, Jr. gehoord heeft, moet u wel aan de donkere kant van de maan geleefd hebben. King was de spreekbuis voor niet gewelddadige actie tijdens de Burgerrechtenbeweging in de USA. De campagne om van zijn geboortedag een feestdag te maken, begon al nadat hij vermoord werd op 4 april 1968 op het balkon van het Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Elf jaar later werd er in het Congres een voorstel ingediend om van zijn verjaardag een nationale feestdag van te maken. Het King Center, dat door zijn weduwe Coretta Scott King na zijn dood opgericht werd, vroeg de bedrijfswereld en het grote publiek om steun hierbij. Succes kwam er toen Stevie Wonder er zich achter schaarde en in 1981 de single ‘Happy Birthday’ uitbracht. Zo’n 6 miljoen handtekeningen werden toen ingezameld. President Reagan tekende die wet pas op 2 november 1983, en drie jaar later werd die voor het eerst gevierd, maar het zou nog duren tot in 2000 tot dat alle 50 staten voor het eerst eraan meededen. Sindsdien hebben de stad Toronto (Canada), de stad Ottawa (Canada), Israël, de stad Hiroshima (Japan) en de stad Wassenaar (Nederland) dit feest overgenomen. Dr. King was de predikant van de Dexter Ave. Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama in 1954. Hij werd wereldbekend voor zijn beroemde ‘I Have A Dream’ speech, die hij gaf voor 200.000 mensen na de mars op Washington in 1963. Het jaar daarna kreeg hij dan ook hiervoor de Nobelprijs voor de Vrede. In de loop der jaren zijn er tal van muzikale eerbetonen aan MLK uitgebracht. Ik som ze even op:
Hierna volgt nog een lijstje van muzikale eerbetonen aan MLK die gebruikt worden in de scholen: A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. – Mary Miche A World United – Vitamin L Dr. Martin Luther King – Learning by Song Free At Last – Linda Brown/Dr. Thomas Moore Freedom Riders Got to Ride – Vitamin L I Am The Future Of Black History – Culture Queen I Believe – City Love The Future Is Bright – City Love I Have A Dream – Daria I Have A Dream/This Is Our Moment – Mrs. Music I Just Want to Sing Your Name: The Martin Luther King Song – Two of a Kind I'm Gonna Let It Shine – Bill Harley It's A Long Way – Two of a Kind Lift Every Voice – Culture Queen Martin – Jonathan Sprout Martin is Calling – Vitamin L Martin Luther King – Hugh Hanley Martin Luther King – Kiboomu Kids Songs Martin Luther King Jr. Song & Rap – Sharon Luanne Rivera Martin's Heart – Vitamin L No Time for Hate – Annie Lynn, Chris Arms & Friends Rainbow of Color – Lydia Adams Davis Rise Up: Martin Luther King Day – Jack Hartmann Sharing A Dream – Craig A. Thompson Stand Up for Your Beliefs – "Make a Difference" Step Up, Speak Out! – Vitamin L We Have A Dream – Hap Palmer What Can One Little Person Do? – Two of a Kind (written by Sally Rogers) Twee songs wil ik echter van naderbij bekijken, en dat is eerst en vooral Stevie Wonder’s ‘Happy Birthday’. Stevie was toentertijd één van de belangrijkste figuren in de campagne om er een feestdag van te maken. De single ‘Happy Birthday’ was afkomstig van het album ‘Hotter than July’ voor het Motown label. Die werd in april 1981 uitgebracht. De tekst vermeldt dat iedereen die tegen dit voorstel was ook tegen "peace is celebrated throughout the world" was. De feestdag zou de realisatie worden van King’s droom over integratie en "love and unity for all of God's children". Stevie hield vol en hield de Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981. Hij zei ooit: "As an artist, my purpose is to communicate the message that can better improve the lives of all of us. I'd like to ask all of you just for one moment, if you will, to be silent and just to think and hear in your mind the voice of our Dr. Martin Luther King." Tijdens de eerste viering ervan op 20 januari 1986 was hij dan ook “top of the bill” tijdens een concert. Heel wat jaren later, toen Stevie de song zong tijdens Nelson Mandela Day in Radio City Music Hall op 19 juli 2009, paste hij de tekst aan naar "Thanks to Mandela and Martin Luther King!" De tekst ervan luidt als volgt: You know it doesn't make much sense There ought to be a law against Anyone who takes offense At a day in your celebration 'cause we all know in our minds That there ought to be a time That we can set aside To show just how much we love you And I'm sure you would agree What could fit more perfectly Than to have a world party on the day you came to be Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday I just never understood How a man who died for good Could not have a day that would Be set aside for his recognition Because it should never be Just because some cannot see The dream as clear as he That they should make it become an illusion And we all know everything That he stood for time will bring For in peace, our hearts will sing Thanks to Martin Luther King Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Why has there never been a holiday Where peace is celebrated All throughout the world The time is overdue For people like me and you Who know the way to truth Is love and unity to all God's children It should be a great event And the whole day should be spent In full remembrance Of those who lived and died for the oneness of all people So let us all begin We know that love can win Let it out, don't hold it in Sing it loud as you can Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Ooh yeah Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday We know the key to unity of all people Is in the dream that you had so long ago That lives in all of the hearts of people That believe in unity We'll make the dream become a reality I know we will Because our hearts tell us so Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday Happy birthday De tweede song, daar schreef ik in 2016 al over, is het eerbetoon ‘King Holiday’, uitgevoerd door King Dream Chorus and Holiday Crew in 1986. Dat is een verzamelnaam voor een reeks artiesten. De song werd gecomponeerd door Phillip Jones, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Melle Mel en Bill Adler. En de artiesten die het uitvoerden waren o.a. El DeBarge, Fat Boys, Full Force, Grandmaster Melle Mel, wijlen Whitney Houston, Kurtis Blow, Stacy Lattisaw, Lisa Lisa, Teena Marie, Menudo (met Ricky Martin), Stephanie Mills, New Edition, Run-D.M.C., James "J.T." Taylor, en Whodini. Kurtis Blow zei er het volgende over: "Dexter Scott King calls me up one day and says, 'This is Martin's son.' Dexter Scott King looks just like his dad and talks just like his dad. He calls me and says, 'Hello, can I speak to Kurtis Blow...' He started telling me this story, and I'm like, Yeah, right. I didn't believe this guy to save my life. He had to call me back, I hung up on him a couple of times. We finally got together and put all these people together." De song steeg tot nummer 30 in de Billboard Hot Black Singles chart en alle opbrengsten gingen naar het Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. King’s jongste zoon Dexter Scott King was de executive producer. Phillip Jones en Kurtis Blow waren de producers. De Afro-Amerikanen hebben ondertussen een lange weg afgelegd. Zo heeft Dr. King nu een monument op de National Mall in D.C. en was Barack Obama al jarenlang de eerste Afro-Amerikaanse president. De tekst ervan volgt hierna: Once a year we celebrate Washington and Lincoln on their birth dates And now a third name is added to the list A man of peace, (Drum Major for Justice) Now, now, now every January on the third Monday We pay homage to the man who paved the way For freedom, justice and equality To make the world a better place for you and me It's a holiday, it's a gathering For the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. King tried to love somebody (Do you wanna love somebody) For his sake put your hate away, take a day (Take a day to love somebody) Don't play on the Holiday, work to find a better way (Everybody love somebody now) Oh, everybody sing For Martin Luther King Oh, let freedom ring (That's right) For Martin Luther King, now sing Holiday! Holiday! King Holiday! Not a day just for some It's a day for everyone He had a dream now it's up to you He had a dream now it's up to you To see it through, to make it come true Now do it Who do we thank for teaching us That we all have the strength to love Mmm, we thank the Prince of Non-Violence For showing us the way How do we show the children of today How to live together as one Oh...we'll sing of a King And his words will light all of our tomorrows Dr. King tried to love somebody (Do you wanna love somebody) For his sake put your hate away, take a day (Take a day to love somebody) Don't play on the Holiday, work to find a better way (Everybody love somebody now) Oh, everybody sing (Come on) For Martin Luther King (Ah, yeah) Oh, let freedom ring (That's right) For Martin Luther King, now sing Holiday! Holiday! King Holiday! Not a day just for some It's a day for everyone He had a dream now it's up to you Because you gotta see it through, and make it come true Holiday! Holiday! (Mmm) King Holiday! Not a day just for some It's a day for everyone He had a dream now it's up to you He had a dream now it's up to you To see it through, to make it come true Now do it Listen children of today Don't think love has gone away It's in your hearts and minds (How long) Not long New day will shine If we just take the chance [His love will glow] Open up the windows Let the hero shine Every day in your life Yours and mine Everybody shine, whoa... Let it shine, let it shine, woo...whoa...oh... For the future generation, Dr. King's medication For successful operation is peace for every nation Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Sing! Celebrate! For a King Celebrate! Sing! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Sing! Celebrate! For a King Celebrate! Everybody in the place Sing! Sing! Celebrate! (Celebrate, Celebrate for a King) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! {What are you waitin' for} For a King Celebrate! (Celebrate every single day, whoa...) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Sing! Celebrate! For a King Celebrate! Everybody in the place Sing! Sing! Celebrate! (Celebrate!) [Celebrate!] For a King (For a King) Celebrate! (Celebrate!) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Celebrate! For a King Celebrate! Everybody in the place, come on Sing! Sing! Celebrate! [Celebrate!] (Come on, come on, let's all Celebrate!) For a King Celebrate! (Everybody come on, let's Celebrate!) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Celebrate! For a King Celebrate! Everybody in the place Sing! Sing! Celebrate! (Celebrate!) [Celebrate!] (Celebrate!) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! {What are you waitin' for} For a King Celebrate! {Let it shine, whoa, whoa} Sing! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Celebrate! Sing! Sing! Celebrate! For a King Celebrate! Everybody in the place Sing! Sing! (Celebrate!) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! (Celebrate!) Ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh... (Celebrate!) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! (Celebrate!) Ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh... (Celebrate!) Sing! Sing! Celebrate! Toch mooi dat er muzikaal eerbetonen gecreëerd zijn aan een figuur die geschiedenis geschreven geeft. Zo gaat de herinnering aan hem nooit verloren! |
Patrick Van de Wiele © 2021 for Keys and Chords
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