NUMBER ONE FLASHBACK

The number one during this week back in 1970 was "War" by Edwin Starr. This soulful protest song held this spot for three weeks in the US and had struck a chord with the American public due to the growing opposition to the war in Vietnam.

While this would become Starr's signature song, "War" was not originally recorded by this Motown artist. The Temptations had first recorded a version, written by the label's staff writers, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, for their 1970 album, "Psychedelic Shack". The title track had been the only single released (which made it to number seven on the US pop chart and number two on the soul chart) and many fans had requested "War" to be released as well. However, Motown did not want one of their top-tier artists associated with a potentially controversial song and the group was also apprehensive to the idea of this song as a single. Whitfield, who had produced the track, decided that another artist should re-record the song.

Whitfield approached Starr (born Charles Edwin Hatcher), a less prominent performer with the label who had one significant hit, "Twenty-Five Miles" (which reached number six on the pop chart in 1968) and then decided to go with a bigger, more explosive production than the Temptations' version. Starr's take was an immediate hit and would be one of the first protest songs to find major pop success with Billboard ranking it at number five of the songs of 1970.

While Starr would not enjoy another big hit, he would continue to record and perform. Starr moved to England in 1973 and later had a couple of disco hits, "(Eye To Eye) Contact" in 1978 and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" in 1979 with both reaching the top-ten in Britain. Starr would long be admired in England's Northern soul circuit before he passed away there in 2003 at the age of sixty-one. Have a listen to the still timely song of "War" by Edwin Starr:

I had never previously heard the Temptations' version of "War" and so as a bonus, here is that group's take of this classic song:

TAKE TWO: MELISSA MANCHESTER

Melissa Manchester has achieved great success as a pop vocalist with several hits songs over the years but it is her tremendous gift as a songwriter that will be her enduring legacy.

She was born and raised in the Bronx with music in her blood as her father was a bassoonist for the NY Metropolitan Opera. Manchester began singing as a child and learned how to play the piano while attending the Manhattan School of Music. By fifteen, she was singing on commercial jingles. Manchester began performing in clubs around the city which lead to a chance encounter with Barry Manilow, who was Bette Midler's producer and musical director at the time. She would be asked to become one of the original members of The Harlettes, Midler's bawdy back-up singers in 1971. Manchester stayed for a year before moving on to pursue a solo recording career.

Manchester was signed to Arista Records and released her debut, "Home To Myself" in 1973. But it would be her third album, "Melissa" when the singer had her breakthrough with the single, "Midnight Blue" (which she co-wrote with her long-time collaborator, Carole Bayer Sager) with this ballad reaching number six on the US pop chart in 1975. It would be a few more years before Manchester reached the charts in a major way again with her version of Peter Allen and Carole Bayer Sager's ballad, "Don't Cry Out Loud" from her album of the same name in 1978. This single reached number ten on the charts and would earn Manchester her first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance.

By 1980, Manchester was unhappy with the label and sued to get out of her recording contract. But Arista and the singer would come to terms and she teamed with producer, Arif Mardin for her tenth album, "Hey Ricky" in 1982. With a radical makeover of her image and sound, Manchester had a smash hit with the synth-pop song, "You Should Hear How She Talks About You". This dance track would become the highest charting of her career (reaching number five) and would win Manchester a Grammy for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance that year.

Manchester would write and perform many songs for film soundtracks throughout her career which includes "Ice Castles" (1979), "Out of Africa" (1986), "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986) and "For Colored Girls" (2007). She would co-write with Kenny Loggins the song, "Whenever I Call You Friend". This would be big hit for him and Stevie Nicks in 1978 and Manchester would record her own version the following year. Another song written by Manchester and Bayer Sager in 1976, "Come In From The Rain" went on to become a popular ballad which has been covered by countless artists over the years.

The now sixty-nine year old Manchester continues to perform and record with her last album in 2017, "The Fellas", a collection that pays musical tribute to some iconic male vocalists. She also released a single, "A Better Rainbow" in 2018. Listen to two of my favorite songs from Melissa Manchester:

LIANNE LA HAVAS

Lianne La Havas is a British singer/songwriter who hasn't really broken through on these shores but her latest release might change that. After a five year hiatus, her self-titled third album is now out and leans more heavily in to r&b than her previous work.

A native of South London from Greek and Jamaican heritage, La Havas taught herself how to play the piano and write songs at the very young age of seven. And because of her family’s diverse musical tastes, this would help influence and shape her distinctive sound.

With "Lianne La Havas", this thrilling neo-soul collection was inspired in part by her unhappiness with her last album, "Blood", which she felt did not best represent her as an artist since she did not have as much creative control, as well the end of a romantic relationship. The basic theme of the record is best represented by the life cycle of nature which follows the journey of a seasonal flower that will bloom, then dry up and die in order to be reborn again. The songs take us on a journey from the beginning of a relationship, then the sad ending before finding empowerment in new found independence. There is also an unexpected cover of a 2007 Radiohead track, "Weird Fishes" which fits perfectly with the album and La Havas delivers a slightly more soulful vibe.

THE TIMES ARE A' CHANGING

Everything that has been going on over the last few months has certainly proven to be difficult with so much upheaval and complicated challenges all occurring at the same time. We will get through this but what will happen down the road remains the big question. After all of the protests and activism, will there be real change for African-Americans and other marginalized people in this country? I am hopeful and optimistic as this feels different this time with people from across the entire globe standing in support of the idea that Black lives matter. Yet I also remain skeptical. Movements have come and gone in the past with minimal change and a continuing lack of meaningful conversation regarding the history and on-going plight of African-Americans in this nation.

One thing that comes from any movement is an inspiration to create art. This work comes in all forms to speak on the times, express motivating objectives and provoke serious discussion. Here are a few recent songs that will help uplift, energize and empower in this fight towards justice: