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Elegia · by R.H.S.
You died this morning, at the age of 73. Too soon. Never for one second during my inconsequential and childishly naive lifetime did I think you’d ever be gone. I knew of you at an early age because my parents carelessly left your records where I could clumsily stumble upon them and smudge them with my fat little fingers. In our household you were taken completely for granted.
You might as well have been a worn piece of furniture or a familiar old coat—you were revered and ignored, nominally praised but for the most part neglected. Being mortals and thus imperfect, sometimes we plum forgot you were ever there at all. Most of the time we were too busy embracing your well-meaning but ultimately inferior sons and daughters to ask you how you were getting along.
Our crimes against you are most heinous because you were a healer, a resurrector, a preservationist of a past beauty we stupidly assumed we had lost forever. You were our greatest historian, an archival madman who tapped into a rhythm so deep, so real, so perfectly African that most of us gave up trying to find it eons ago. I’ll never know how you did it, I’ll never replicate the success of your science, I’ll never work with as much vigilance, and I’ll never make music as righteous as yours. These are not pained confessions of inadequacy, but rather respectful proclamations of your peculiar greatness.
Your groove is the one that houses my generation’s most admirable sentiments, our most urgent epiphanies, and our most enlightened expressions. Without you, “I came in the door, I said it before” and everything that follows just doesn’t fly.
Rest in peace, brother James, Lord knows you deserve this break.
Comments for "Elegia"
great post, tragic news, i don’t think we’ll be exposed to a more influential musician in our lifetimes. i’ll be playing his 45’s on the fisher price turntable all day, just like the first time i heard them.
R.I.P.
— agent b Dec 25, 02:22 PM
amen brother… r.i.p.
— midnightheory Dec 25, 02:38 PM
Well said.
— rafi Dec 25, 04:30 PM
It’s X-Mas, and even as I drink with fam and enjoy myself I’m distraught as fuck. It’ll be nothing but James Brown hits and classic songs that sampled from him today.
R.I.P to the Godfather of soul. The word God is oh so appropriate.
— Sach Dec 25, 05:25 PM
Christmas in Heaven
— Rafi Dec 25, 10:33 PM
It’s a shame how underrated James Brown is in mainstream music circles, despite the fact that he’s universally praised. Like you said, people pay lip service, but I really don’t think they understand the depths of his influence.
In American pop culture, James Brown is that guy no one can understand… the guy with the fucked up conk and the strong pimp hand… a clown in a polyester suit.
I was at a shelter today and upon hearing the news of Brother James’ passing, I saw at least half a dozen of the residents break down in tears. No shit.
— eauhellzgnaw Dec 25, 10:42 PM
damn shame
— sankofa Dec 26, 12:39 PM
I only hope that his legacy gets the same treatment as Ray Charles.
— jon Dec 26, 11:43 PM
R.I.P. James Brown. You will be missed.
— Jay B Dec 27, 01:21 PM