To Listen to the Radio, You'd Think Black Men and Women Were at War: "The Way We Were"

On Sunday on the way to brunch ( y'all touch and agree that these gingerbread pancakes don't get me to backsliding.. not to mention that I recently discovered migas) I digress. So anyways I was on my way to brunch on Sunday blowing by all the hip hop radio stations when I had to go back because for about 5 seconds I thought I was listening to Whitney Houston. Not "The Greatest Love of All" Whitney, but maybe "The Preacher's Wife" version of Whitney. At this point I will take any version of Whitney to get away from all of this horse whining that is assaulting my ears on the airwaves. Vibrato is nice, on occasion, not for the entire song.

Well anyway even a curmudgeon like myself had to bop my head a couple of times to this song and it gave me a serious case of "guy on the brain," but by the end of the song I recognized the voice as Alicia Keyes singing her single "No One" Notice in the video how she is basically fully clothed. She isn't talking about some man doing her wrong. Oh this reminds me of the olden days when listening to the radio didn't sound like Black men and women were at war with each other.

Y'all remember Boyz II Men from back in the day? New Edition ( before we knew Bobby was crazy) Even *cough* Michael Jackson*cough*. Remember pre-crack Whitney, pre-breakdown Mariah, post "Good Times" Janet and Anita Baker? Who are the top African American female acts today? If they can manage to make it into the rotation what are they singing about?

I went on over to Billboard to see which Black women have the top singles out right now. Well if you count Rihanna and her duet with Ne-yo and Alicia Keyes that makes two. Guess who is number 1? Well none other than Mr. 17 year old "Superman Dat Ho'," Souljah Boy. Click here for ONE definition of the phrase "Superman Dat ho'" Keyshia Cole brings up the rear of the top 20 with her song about leaving a man alone. Rihanna is talking about hating that she loves you. The only one with a song that doesn't sound like we are at war is Alicia Keyes'. So in the name of love, peace, and hair grease I had to share this one with my readers.

Warning: Before you listen to this song, you should know that it is the type that will run repeatedly in your head over and over again. Don't say I didn't tell you. If you close your eyes when it first comes on I swear she sounds like Whitney Houston when she doesn't feel like singing.