The Impressions with Curtis Mayfield resynced live tv performance from 1967. Audio is dubbed with the original studiorecording! See more at www.amsterdamso...
this is the black national anthem we are winner let's come together black man and black woman and stop The Killing you are a strong Nation let's build our communities
This song is more important today than when Curtis wrote it and it’s importance then can’t be measured!🎶🎵💪🏽 The heart and soul of groups like the Impressions are sorely missed today!
@SugarBlueHarp ~ yes it means just as much today! My older brother was a fan and he had the earlier hits. I made a cd when president Obama was first elected. This song, Sam Cooke’s a Change is Gonna Come and Nina Simone’s Young Gifted & Black we’re the first three that spoke to the occasion. Lyrics and music were equally powerful but missing now 🤔
So true. Just cant believe how dead the crowd was back then. Nobody bobbing their heads nobody jamming. They are like at a funeral. THESE guys were jamming.
Greatest vocal harmony group of all time. Bob Marley worshipped these guys and freely admitted how much they inspired him and a lot of the early Jamaican music makers. Flawlessly good R&B.
I remember this song when I was a little girl. What a time to be a black child during the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements! This song, Sly's song "Everyday People" and James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud!" spoke to not only the Black adults, but to the hearts and minds of Black children growing up in the 1960s and 1970s!
This is so true. I grew up during that time and we were proud to be black. We didn't use bleaching cream and wore our Afros and natural hair styles proudly. Where did those days go? What happened to our Black Pride?
Yes, growing up as a Black child during the Black Power Movement (1967-80) was empowering on the Black child's psyche and self-esteem. We received messages of pride about our blackness thru our music, seeing pictures of Black success stories and people, having quality mentors who cared about us and our futures, seeing positive symbols of blackness, and experiencing the inclusion of Black history/studies curriculum in the schools and colleges. All of these things helped us embrace our blackness with pride and hope. What a great time to be a Black child growing up during that period.
Andra D. Johnson Agreed. Amazing time to see change happening. I was 8 years old in '67 and living in the south side of Chicago. Songs like this and James Brown's 'Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm proud' was a constant on WVON.
BLACK AMERICA. WE NEED THIS SONG. WE NEED THIS REMINDER WE ARE WINNERS. FOLKS LOVE TO EMMULATE BLACK CULTURE. WE ARE WINNERS. KEEP ON PUSHING. MORE OF THIS MESSAGE. MORE UPLIFTING. RESPECT KINGS PROTECT QUEENS. BLACK FOLKS UNITE. OUR TIME IS NOW
Curtis Mayfield was the most influential writer and performer of his day! Not only writing hits for the Impressions but for many other artists. His influence on 60's modern soul and the northern soul sound is monumental! And in their own right, they were dynamite LIVE!
Live? With but a bass player and drummer this was a special group live. Penetrating harmonies and a outstanding stage presence. Best live sound you could have heard back in the 60's. P.S. best drummer I've ever heard! WOW
@@countryboy6767 you don't know what she has accomplished, if she wants to move her muscles and bones that's her business, you never know, she could be in a nursing home, or just having a bad day🤔dance lady dance💃
He also was a very conscious Brother, you could tell by his music. Yeah this song is our Anthem. It always takes me back to the night Harold Washington BEAT (CALAMITY) Jayne Byrne in the Democratic primary.What a Historical night in our History,in Chicago's History
He lives thru his music like all artist the physical body decays and dies the spirit lives on we all must die so the babies can live it's the cycle of life
I understand where you are coming from. I was two years old when this song was recorded, so clearly I was too young to understand the impact of this beautiful song. But as I got older, I truly appreciated what brother Curtis and the Impressions were conveying. You are blessed to have experienced this era of music.
This was played on the radio non stop! It was played on record players throughout the community. I miss this music being a part of the soundtrack of my life. I’m including it in the playlist for my son’s graduation reception!
As I listened to the Impressions hits as I got older, Their songs had strong messages to our people when Motown stay away from politics in the 60's. As many have wisely commented on, we need more strong message songs like this one and "People Get Ready", "Choice of Colors" and others.
Barry Gordy didnt want any message songs in the music. He had it out with Marvin Gaye with his 1971 What's going on album because the whole album was a complete message. Marvin ended up winning and sold millions
When I listen to this song I can almost hear and visualize, Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, Sojuourner truth, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Patricia Lumumba, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Bob Marley, Nelson Mandela, Stokely Carmichael, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Fred Hampton and the leaders of the Black lives matter movement. And a host of others to innumerous to count and some unrecognizable from Slavery until the present days. With them guiding us and steadfastly helping us to proceed forward with the quick step never taking a backward step. All the while cajoling us and bolstering our spirits until we reach our ultimate aspiration total freedom. We are winners and everybody knows the truth but us. And brother Curtis is a winner in our hearts and in our minds forever, and ever and one day for writing this song. R.I.P. genius for all that you have given us😉😉.
Lead vocals by Curtis Mayfield Background vocals by Sam Gooden and Fred Cash Guitar by Phil Upchurch Bass guitar by Lenny Brown Drums by Billy Griffin Produced, arranged, and conducted by Johnny Pate
Saw these guys yesterday at the 40th Soul Train Anniversary with a tribute to Don Cornelius. They "blew" this song as good as the studio version. They were amazing. Curtis Mayfield the orginal rapper and poet RIP, luv your singing nobody does it better .
+Tony T What's good about it is that we all knew what the song meant. It was as if it was written directly to us to chronicle the progress we were making. From a past impression point of view, this song was popular during a time when few people had air conditioners, so when you played or walked thru neighborhoods, the song was blaring out of people's windows. It was just a privilege to be alive during those days.
I just loss a good dude name pokey we were like sister n brother an wecame up on this song from kids now hes with my best freind his beter half for 41 yrs. I miss them both. So as he woul of had. It this was the theme to his. Funeral because always said we wre winners sip my freinds😢😢💋💋💖💖💕💕💝💓
How is it possible to stay still when this is playing 🤷🏻♂️ Curtis Mayfield and the impressions... were gigantic during those times... not to mention Every BBQ pick-Nick played this...and every head was bobbing and feet shuffled to the beat👀 in remembrance it was the get down song.... “Movin on up...LORD have mercy we’re moving on up!!!” 👍😁💃🕺
This is one of his early masterpieces.. just a beautifully written soul classic. His famous rhythm guitar style is one point... probably the best examples of it. Remember we don’t get Jimi as we know him without Curtis.
I was at a viewing party the night President Obama won his first term. A diverse group of friend had gathered together.' Someone in the room played this song (turned it up high) after it was announced that he had won and all of us got up and danced, hugged and sang. A beautiful memory. I think Mr. Mayfield would have been proud.
Omg, I can only imagine the times back then. Every thing from black culture to the political climate, to young children, to NYC and everywhere else in between. Only my mother and older cousins can tell me their stories.
We were so proud of and touched by Curtis❣️ I’m a Brooklyn native and have wonderful memories of NYC back then as well. House parties played lots of powerfully positive dance music and the Afros and African-inspired outfits were beautiful! 😎
The Imps we favourite of mine too growing up as a white kid in Halifax England. We all really related to the civil rights movements in the US and when all these band & singers came over here, well we were blown away & still are, really pleased you swapped them for the Beatles & the Stones!😉👌🏻
God Bless Curt, never gave up the good fight. Even the Superfly soundtrack never promoted drugs, rather a cautionary tale abt what drugs were doing to our people. Always positive,never a negative lyric from the mouth of this man. His music spoke of hope, pride, and perseverance at a time when we really needed to here it. remembering how it was growing up in the streets of Harlem in the 60's we needed it then and we need it now.Thank you for this,
A super dope uplifting song with impeccable production and tasty guitar licks dressed up in tuxedos and choreographed dancing. That's how you get a point across, 1967 style
Elijah J. Clark JHS 1967' was when I heard this, yea man the height of many changes in this country. Many have forgotten the values they learned. Hey I am 57' and these words still apply today. People should never forget the struggles & lives lost for what many have today. Keep on Pushing, Movin' on up" Were a Winner. Curtis & the Impressions Timeless, No matter who you are or where you came from. In 67' we did not see color because at 12 years old it did not matter...food 4 Thought. Peace.
this song is off the chain in the people is just sitting around a bobbin a head ain't doing nothing wow this is crazy I was born in 1962 in Los Angeles California and this is what you would hear everywhere you went oh my goodness I'm glad I Love oldies and gospel but ain't nothing like clean music...
"A brilliant singer/songwriter/guitarist with a keen insight into humanity and an undying belief in fairness and equality"- that's my memory of the late, great Curtis Mayfield. He provided a lot of the "soundtrack" to the Civil Rights Movement.....
That audience was dead as hell! I love this song, my uncles use to play this when i was a little girl and I play this song in my car loud as hell right now, Curtis Mayfield sung some deep moving songs, he had a message in all of them, Go head Impressions!
Curtis was a civil rights leader through his music. He was way ahead of his time. He is very important in Black history music and especially Chicago, Illinois.
Every high school in Memphis during the 60's had group of fellows singing under the bleachers in the gym after school; no doubt in our minds that a recording deal with Calvin, Harold and Erskine's names reprinted only thing needed was our signatures. We learned every Impressions song released The baritone wss mine. Imagination that Curtis Mayfield continuously fed. My my my!
A Real Music Warrior.Curtis Mayfield was Extremely Talented and very Intelligent.I 💘 Curtis Mayfield with or without The Impressions.Rip brother Mayfield
Berry Gordy of 'Motown' records was highly incensed about the Impressions and Curtis Mayfield doing Social awareness songs--Curtis didn't let that bother him-He kept it up plus releasing beautiful love songs--1965 The Impressions were the hottest singing group in the land and owned the charts with ""Keep on Pushing''-People Get Ready''--During the Curtis Mayfield Tribute award--Stevie Wonder and Glady's Knight let out a well guarded secret about 'Motown''-Motown artist's were in awe of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions--Stevie and Glady's Knight gave ''Curtis Mayfield'' his honor on the CD--Tribute To Curtis Mayfield--Go check it out.
2018 DEDICATED TO MY 4 GRANDBABIES KORDE', CHYNA, STARICK & LEILAND...HOLD YOUR HEADS UP ☝ YOU'RE THE BEST GENERATION OF HONORABLE STARS. GRANNY LOVE 💘 YALL. YOU 4 ARE WINNERS..KEEP PUSHIN!😘
