(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go, is from Curtis Mayfield's first solo album, Curtis. It is a social and political statement about the situation in race relations and the ills of the inner cities.
It begins with some distorted bass, then some voices, the most audible being a woman who talks about how she was depressed and so she started reading Revelations from the Bible. At 0:30, Curtis comes on like a preacher: Sisters! Niggers! Whiteys! Jews! Crackers!...then he screams, and his voice fades into madness.
The music swirls into a groove at 1:08, with drums, strings, horns, and wah guitar. It is classic socially aware early 70s soul, along the lines of Isaac Hayes and the Temptations. The music rolls along as Curtis raps about how society is really messed up and no one is doing anything about it because it's all just politics, no one in power really has an interest in improving things. Nixon talking about don't worry...like the problems will somehow just go away.
But they don't know
There can be no show
And if there's a hell below
We're all gonna go, go, go, go, go
I love Curtis Mayfield, what a unique and powerful voice. He sounds so calm and soothing while singing warning messages. Kind of like the Lorax...ok, people, you can sit there and let the bad stuff happen, but it's not going to get any better unless you get on your feet and use your collective power to help change things. Forty-six years later...incredibly, this kind of song is more relevant than ever.
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