Boogie Wonderland

The other day, I was waiting for the train in the snow while listening to Earth Wind and Fire, whom I love more than I probably should because they just fill me with joy. Then I started to think about Disco and how it is possibly the most interesting pop culture phenomenon in American History. Who could imagine that Black people and Gay people could get together and create something great? Who could imagine that rich white macho businessman would love something so much that was created by Blacks and Gays?

Let’s be honest, Blacks and Gays never really had a great relationship. It has a lot to do with the way that minority groups jockey for power. I also think that Blacks have always had a nuanced position on Homosexuality. Because they are a minority group, they have always avoided showing any signs of weakness, and in this society, people think that Homosexuality is a sign of weakness. But then again, most Black people know that that nice guy who they go to Church with is “different”, or that it is weird that Uncle so and so always brings his “friend” over for Christmas. But it is this feeling of this need to be strong that has caused Blacks, in general, to be more Homophobic then many groups. Gays, who expected love from their oppressed brothers and sisters are mad because they don’t get respect. So the fact that these groups got together and created Disco is amazing.

I think that the Disco Era was a happier time. It was that great time right after the pill and before HIV where everyone was ready to party and you couldn’t ketch anything that you couldn’t cure with a shot the next day. It was the magical time when Cocaine was “not addictive”. All the songs where about hope, love, and living. I mean think of some of these titles and lyrics, “Staying Alive”, “Celebrate good times come on”, “I will survive”, “If you feel down and out, sign a song, it will make you dance”, and “Can’t get enough of your love babe”.

If the 60’s and 70’s where the life of the party, then the 80’s and 90’s where it’s hangover. With AIDS on the scene, I grew up with the mantra of “no glove no love”. In fact, my elders pretty much made it clear that if I had sex with the wrong girl then my dick would fall off, because liberals can be prudes when it comes to their own children. In addition, not only is cocaine now very much addictive, but crack has ruined our neighborhoods, even my own. Oh, and all those happy songs are now all about selling drugs, robbing people, bitches, and, of course, hoes. Who wouldn’t love lyrics like “I’m fucking you tonight”, “But a bitch can't get a dollar out of me...I'm a motherfucking P-I-M-P”, “Fool what you want? your life or your jewels?”, and who could forget “Put it in my mouth/She said put it in her mouth/I said my motherfuckin mouth”.

So what happened to us? What happened to the great joy, the inner love of humanity? I’d say that the 60’s and 70’s were a naïve time, a time when people thought that they could do whatever they wanted and not suffer the consequences. The problem with the Hippy movement is that the people who could tell you its greatest faults are no longer with us. They died with a needle in their arm or a little powder on their nose. Us children of the 80’s were made to clean up after all their mistakes. Boy, would I have loved to be the person making the mistakes and not the one who has to clean up after them. But can I at least clean up listening to some good music?