Another song from the vault. Back in my bar playing days, I was fortunate enough to get a gig playing bass in a local R&B band with a horn section. What a treat. I loved the old Motown music in the 60s and 70s. Well the singer in the band, Chet Hogoboom was a heck of a good R&B singer and really good songwriter. The drummer Michael Jay Cullen was also a good singer that complimented Chet well. Chet and I became writing partners for the Project titled "The Heartthieves". Anyway this was the first song that I asked to Chet sing on.
Back then rap was just becoming popular but I didn't like the message that was being projected. I thought we could do better by giving young people a different message. I remember listening to the Temptations and Sly and the Family Stone doing these multiple voice textures in their music so in the middle rap section, Chet and Michael weaved a really good mixture of vocal stylings to create what seems like a lot of different people. The song sounded cool but was missing the groove and some instrumentation. So it sat till the end of 2015. Fortunately technology rescued the song and with a new bass line, a few horn parts and drum groove, it came back to life.
Guest Musicians - another stellar performance by Chet and MJ
Chet Hogoboom - Lead vocals
Michael Jay Cullen - Background vocals
Back then rap was just becoming popular but I didn't like the message that was being projected. I thought we could do better by giving young people a different message. I remember listening to the Temptations and Sly and the Family Stone doing these multiple voice textures in their music so in the middle rap section, Chet and Michael weaved a really good mixture of vocal stylings to create what seems like a lot of different people. The song sounded cool but was missing the groove and some instrumentation. So it sat till the end of 2015. Fortunately technology rescued the song and with a new bass line, a few horn parts and drum groove, it came back to life.
Guest Musicians - another stellar performance by Chet and MJ
Chet Hogoboom - Lead vocals
Michael Jay Cullen - Background vocals
WHATDOYAKNOW?
empty in between your ears and empty in your heart
you tell me 'whats the difference?' dont know where to start
dont listen to those people who always walk the street
you ask them simple questions - they shuffle both their feet
whatdoyaknow? why dont you tell? whatdoyaknow?
its up to you whatdoyaknow?
dont listen to those You Cants 'you'll never amount to much'
you can be all that you wanna be, dont use that color as a crutch
God gave you a mind to think and breathe here on your own
get maximum schoolin, fill your brain boy and bring it on home
whatdoyaknow? why dont you tell? whatdoyaknow?
its up to you whatdoyaknow?
mad dogs, alley cats, flunkies on the street
pick your pocket clean if you hangin where they meet
take that - take this - try to stab you in the heart
dodge em with your vision - you can win em with your smart
oh people why cant you see?
a picture of a city where we can be free
your mama and your daddy they dont want you to die
pull your pants up and reach for the sky
you fall down - get up - pound your feet into the ground
break out of this cage if you are sick of being bound
left of center right off line
somewhere in the middle we can talk and we can ryhme
pull yourself out of the gutter boy
pull yourself out of the gutter
its up to you
whatdoyaknow?
you tell me 'whats the difference?' dont know where to start
dont listen to those people who always walk the street
you ask them simple questions - they shuffle both their feet
whatdoyaknow? why dont you tell? whatdoyaknow?
its up to you whatdoyaknow?
dont listen to those You Cants 'you'll never amount to much'
you can be all that you wanna be, dont use that color as a crutch
God gave you a mind to think and breathe here on your own
get maximum schoolin, fill your brain boy and bring it on home
whatdoyaknow? why dont you tell? whatdoyaknow?
its up to you whatdoyaknow?
mad dogs, alley cats, flunkies on the street
pick your pocket clean if you hangin where they meet
take that - take this - try to stab you in the heart
dodge em with your vision - you can win em with your smart
oh people why cant you see?
a picture of a city where we can be free
your mama and your daddy they dont want you to die
pull your pants up and reach for the sky
you fall down - get up - pound your feet into the ground
break out of this cage if you are sick of being bound
left of center right off line
somewhere in the middle we can talk and we can ryhme
pull yourself out of the gutter boy
pull yourself out of the gutter
its up to you
whatdoyaknow?