Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine NK LCM February 2018 Anniversary Issue | Page 49

My Mother’s Music
Recently, I came to the realization that my mother’s
music is my music. I went to the O’Jays concert last
night and was genuinely surprised. Not because
that they were awesome and that the performance
was amazing, but I thought I knew only a few of
their songs. Wrong. I knew and could sing almost
every single one—except Ship Ahoy, which was
new to me. Another revelation came last year when
I learned that Now That We Found Love made
famous by the Reggae group, Third World, was
originally performed by the O’Jays. Eddie Levert
shared with the audience that “We did it first and
Third World landed a gold record for the song. I felt
some kind of way about that.”
On February 4, I turned 51. For some reason I kind
of considered their music and all music from that
time, my mother’s music. Old folks music. Well,
I must be getting old because I appreciated the
words. I enjoyed the musicality as there was a full
live band and horn section that accompanied them.
They didn’t lip sync. They sat their asses down
when they got tired and owned up to ailments that
many in the audience were familiar with.
The O’JAYS sang to us, they talked and taught us,
and honored us by taking us on a musical journey
that has been their lives for 48 years. They were well
dressed—open casket sharp, as some would say.
Even the opening scene and song were so powerful,
I had to do a separate article in this magazine to
express the impact.
The trio was gracious in accepting gifts from the
audience, such as business cards from aggressive
women who wanted more than just a song from
the stage. Even in that instance, there was humor
when one of the O’JAYS looked at the card, raised
an eyebrow, smiled at the woman, then slid the card
in his pocket. His actions brought on laughter from
Naleighna Kai
the audience, all the while he didn’t miss a verse or
beat of the song. My intuition told me that he’s not
going to make use of that card, but was kind enough
not to embarrass that woman in front of the audience.
I had an awesome time and I’m glad I decided to
go. Now I’m going to make an effort to attend more
concerts by our musical legends. Gladys Knight
comes to mind. Mostly because I love her voice, her
journey and that she embodies elegance, class, and
soul. Once, when I was about seven, I remember
that a song of hers played on my brother’s stereo all
night long. Overnight Success. He was a DJ and had
more equipment and albums in his upstairs bedroom,
than furniture. Meaning, he didn’t have a bed and
slept on a pallet stretched out in the middle of the
floor surrounded by subwoofers and strobe lights.
I tipped up the stairs after the song had replayed for
like the tenth time, to find my brother stretched out
on his back, his eyes focused on the ceiling, and tears
flowing from his eyes. I had never witnessed a time
when my big strong brother cried. The impact of that
moment was so stirring, I wrote it into a scene in one
of my novels. Gladys’ The Makings of You is calling to
me, so at some point real soon, I need to lay eyes and
ears on that woman. I’ve been missing out on the good
stuff and I’d love for you all to write in and let me know
who you deem worthy of a first and repeated visit to a
performance.
The O’Jays concert made me realize that I want to be
serenaded. I want to be entertained. I want to leave
the concert feeling as though I just experienced my
life through song.
Yes, I can do that with music by artists and groups
that my mother loved. Her music is now my music
because I’m old enough to understand the words, the
meaning, and the experiences that we’ve both had and
lived to tell.
NKLC Magazine | 49