Carolina Speed
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2011
- Messages
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I could have put this on the "Commercials We Hate Thread," but I like the commercial. The theme song is outstanding!
[video=youtube_share;sCcbkNkQmGc]http://youtu.be/sCcbkNkQmGc[/video]
Talk about racism! This could also be a take off on the, "Do black athletes hate white fans" thread, or I could have titled this thread, "Do black fans hate white musicians?"
The singer in the new Mitsubishi commercial is the legendary, Bobby Caldwell, who is, "White" singing "What you want do for Love." When Caldwell came out with this song way back in 1979, his label purposely disguised his image in an effort to get radio play on R&B stations, I guess fearing that if the black stations discovered he was white, they wouldn't play his record. No one knew he was white until he appeared in his first major concert after the song had already became a hit.
Can you imagine hiding a black singers' image for fear of "white/rock/country" radio stations not playing his music? Is this done to black musicians?
I guess Bobby Caldwell had the voice, but not the look! Would R&B stations have played Caldwell's record if they knew he was white?
It's interesting to me that once the ethnicity of certain white singers such as Caldwell is discovered, they're described as sounding "Black," as if his sound is unique to the typical white singer.
Other "White" singers and bands that have been labeled as sounding "Black" or mistaken for black singers/bands....
Michael Bolton, Phil Collins, Gino Vanelli, Michael McDonald(Doobie Brothers Lead Singer), The Righteous Brothers, Van Morrison, Queen, Hall & Oates, Joe Jackson, Chicago, etc.
Most of these musicians came out back in my day, 70's & 80's and some of you may not be familiar with them and I don't listen to much contemporary music. Does this still happen today? Modern white singers having a "Black" sound!
You younger guys should try listening to some of these great artists.
[video=youtube_share;sCcbkNkQmGc]http://youtu.be/sCcbkNkQmGc[/video]
Talk about racism! This could also be a take off on the, "Do black athletes hate white fans" thread, or I could have titled this thread, "Do black fans hate white musicians?"
The singer in the new Mitsubishi commercial is the legendary, Bobby Caldwell, who is, "White" singing "What you want do for Love." When Caldwell came out with this song way back in 1979, his label purposely disguised his image in an effort to get radio play on R&B stations, I guess fearing that if the black stations discovered he was white, they wouldn't play his record. No one knew he was white until he appeared in his first major concert after the song had already became a hit.
Can you imagine hiding a black singers' image for fear of "white/rock/country" radio stations not playing his music? Is this done to black musicians?
I guess Bobby Caldwell had the voice, but not the look! Would R&B stations have played Caldwell's record if they knew he was white?
It's interesting to me that once the ethnicity of certain white singers such as Caldwell is discovered, they're described as sounding "Black," as if his sound is unique to the typical white singer.
Other "White" singers and bands that have been labeled as sounding "Black" or mistaken for black singers/bands....
Michael Bolton, Phil Collins, Gino Vanelli, Michael McDonald(Doobie Brothers Lead Singer), The Righteous Brothers, Van Morrison, Queen, Hall & Oates, Joe Jackson, Chicago, etc.
Most of these musicians came out back in my day, 70's & 80's and some of you may not be familiar with them and I don't listen to much contemporary music. Does this still happen today? Modern white singers having a "Black" sound!
You younger guys should try listening to some of these great artists.
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