Political Gumbo: Move the Needle on the Record

I have this old Jackson 5 album in my collection, “Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5.”

It’s the oldest record I own. It’s been passed down from cousins and brothers.

Truth to tell, I have no idea who owned it first.

The album includes the group’s rendition of “Who’s Lovin You.”

If you don’t know what an album is, please go to church this weekend and pray for salvation.

I’ve said before that the Temptations “Just My Imagination” is the most hauntingly beautiful song ever recorded.

And it is, but “Who’s Lovin You?” is the most soulful performance ever released.

Go ahead and listen to it. It’s hard to believe that’s an 11-year old boy belting that song out with a combination of blues and soul. It’s probably the first hint of Michael Jackson’s genius.

Even Smokey Robinson, who originally wrote and recorded it, admitted he had been outdone by a kid.

Smokey thought Motown had been taken for a ride and that the kid from Gary, Indiana could not be 11 and sing that song that way.

The problem with my album is it’s so old and worn now that the needle gets stuck on parts of the song and it repeats itself over and over.

It’s hard to enjoy the genius and the importance of the record when the same part of the song keeps playing.

Here are some of the lyrics…

“When I had you (When I had you)

I treated you bad and wrong my dear

And girl since, since you went away

Don ‘t you know I sit around

With my head hanging down

And I wonder who’s lovin’ you.

And why are you giving the police so much money …

The needle seems to repeat that police line over and over.

Oh wait that that’s not in there.

That’s from Monday’s council meeting when commenters continuously came back to the police budget in just about every item on the agenda.

Mental health – police budget.

Consent calendar – police budget

CIP budget – police budget

The budget – police budget

What’s for lunch – police budget

I, I, I, I should have never, ever

Ever made you cry

And girl since, since you’ve been gone

Don’t you know I sit around

With my head hanging down

And I wonder who’s lovin’ you

Stuck needle – lovi – you, lovi-you, lovi-you

Seriously, with all the money being earmarked for the city’s 14 departments, the police budget is the only concern?

What about more money for vocational training?
More cash to programs to advance home ownership. Yes, the city has these programs, but they can always use more.

Respect to City Manager Cynthia Kurtz for the $3 million for affordable housing.

In all seriousness, the public portion of the conversation has to be deeper. It has to be more than teachers claiming they would be fired if they killed a student and then screaming F you.

You’d get fired for yelling that at students too, by the way.

Otherwise, we’re just listening to the same lyrics over and over. Lyrics without genius – is that worth a listen?

Life without love, huh

It’s oh so lonely

I don’t think, I don’t think, I’m gonna make it

All my life (All my life), all my life yeah (All my life)

I’ve lost to you only

Come on and take it girl

Come on and take it, All

All I can do, all I can do since you’ve been gone is cry.

The above is genius.

The police budget is low hanging fruit. It’s easy to target if you hate the police.

Deep discussion of the budget requires homework and reading through some documents.

There was not much homework done before Monday’s meeting.

Some accused the city of promoting one of the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Anthony McClain.

Not true.

Other people wrote to the city imploring the council not to give the Rose Bowl money.

It’s already been stated the city is not giving the historic stadium any cash.

It’s time to dig deeper on the budget.

And you,

And ever wonder and worry your pretty little head ’bout what I do.

Don’t you know I sit around

With my head hanging down

And I wonder who’s lovin’ you

Who’s loving you

Oh I, I, I gotta know yeah (Who’s loving you)

I, I, I, I, I wonder (Who’s loving you)

Great lyrics, go deeper in the budget before next week’s meeting and I need another copy of this album.