Exercises: The Night of … 1649

The Night of … 1649

Exercises

Have you ever heard of the Ohio Players? They were a funk/soul band that was big in the 1970s. The third or fourth album I ever bought with my own money was their “Sweet Sticky Thing.” As I recall, their 1974 release, “Skin Tight” was the number one album of the year. The first time I heard them was on a single called “Funky Worm.” The early 1970s were all about the funk, until disco came along. But there was that cross over period when rhythm and blues started being known as funk. Everything was “funky.” Then disco came around – but the funk was still strong. And towards the end of the 1970s, hip-hop emerged spinning off of disco. The 1970s decade was the best time for music. Even on the rock-n-roll side, which the music gangsters decided was going to be “White music” even though rock emerged from the Black side. (It was called “race music” for a while.) There was some timeless music made by artistically immortal artists & writers, (who are all dying now’a’days, or who have passed on already.)

Anyway, this is, or was supposed to be more about writing than music.

Whenever I don’t feel like writing, which was the case five minutes ago – I think about how the Ohio Players would write their songs.

They were stellar musicians but when it came to song-writing they were no Neil Sedaka, (who is still alive, by the way). So, according to a biography, Satch, the putative leader would write a word on a piece of paper and the members would be locked in a room until a song came out. Which is why all, or most of their songs have one word titles. With this in mind I don’t think Sweet Sticky Thing was the original title of the song – if yuh know what I mean. I didn’t figure this out for a very long time because I didn’t pay close attention to the lyrics. They really are poetic. It’s the timeless tradition of using allegory to describe the occult in a way that will sell records and get you past the censors. There were no Parental Advisory labels back then. (Which reminds me, Prince was a product of the 1970s as well.)

So even though I’m telling you and myself that this is not about music. I’ve written a good amount about music.

Today’s actual topic is about exercise. Writing is as much of an exercise as walking, push ups and everything I do before sunrise. (Still getting up at 5AM. Just sayin’)

When I zombie walk into the south wing, I have to start moving right away because I feel like I’m on the verge of returning to sleep. Might be on the sofa. Might be on the floor.

The same strategy applies when I sit down to peck these out.

On days like today there was nothing that struck me so intensely that I had to rush right in and get it down. Today was “meh!” So I sit down at the terminal and start writing about anything. Just like physical exercise. I will start twisting or bending over and touching the floor. Raising the arms overhead, moving the legs. Not just moving the legs, but lifting them up and easing them down. Moving big limbs gets the blood pumping and pumping blood will keep the vessel awake – most of the time.

Sitting down here and writing damn near anything – like how the supermarket, a major chain in the south, is in such bad shape – personnel-wise, there was only one aisle open to take our money. One out of about a dozen!

One topic leads to another with your humble typist, especially when the vessel is full of energy, which it isn’t at the moment.

One more cuppa tea and we will call it a night.

Cheers Ma’dears.

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