Twenty 20 by Butch Ford
As we kick off a New Year and New Decade, I’d like to get something off my chest that’s been weighing heavily on me for some time now. With the rash of kidnappings, infestation of drugs, poverty and crime in our communities, I thought about how things were for generations past. Check it out and tell me what you think?
“Mother, mother there’s too many of you crying. Brother, brother, brother there’s far too many of you dying. You know we’ve got to find a way…to bring some lovin’ here today.”
“Thousands of lives wasting away…people living from day to day. It’s a challenge just staying alive. Cuz in the ghetto, only the strong survive. Broken down homes, kids strung out…they don’t know what life’s all about. Stealing cars, robbing bars, mugging, drugs, rat infested. And no one’s interested.”
“Her brother’s smart. He’s got more sense than many. His patience’s long… but soon he won’t have any. To find a job is like a haystack needle. Cause where he lives they don’t use colored people.”
These are a compilation of lyrics from Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” (1971), The Temptation’s “Masterpiece” (1973) and Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City” (1973). All written 45+ years ago but still quite relevant in today.
It’s scary that nearly 50 years have passed and we’re no closer to the dream that MLK spoke of. We’re not unified like our forefathers taught us to be. Nor are we trying to make a difference to others. It’s 2020 my people. Not 1970. We’ve got to get it together. AND FAST!!!
Butch Ford
References
Gaye, Marvin. “What’s Going On.” What’s Going On. Tamla, 1971.
The Temptations. “Masterpiece.” Masterpiece. Motown/Universal, 1973.
Wonder, Stevie. “Living for the City.” Innervisions. Tamla, 1973.
Photo Cred: Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
A Heart Full of Conversations 
I feel you I’ll be 62 this year and it’s a damn shame that all of those lyrics to those songs are right here in our city. Nothing has changed much. I mean wow after 62 years we shouldn’t have such problems still existing. Where have we gone wrong. Why can’t we get it together. Whats wrong with our communities becaue that where we need to start. Come on black folks we need each other to make Detroit better. They say it takes a Village to raise a child well the same goes for or communities.
On point and topic, as always.