Mayfield is probably best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions and for the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Superfly.
Perhaps because he didn't cross over to the pop audience as heavily as Motown's stars, it may be that the scope of Curtis Mayfield's talents and contributions have yet to be fully recognized. Judged merely by his records alone, the man's legacy is enormous. As the leader of the Impressions, he recorded some of the finest soul vocal group music of the 1960s. As a solo artist in the 1970s, he helped pioneer funk and helped introduce hard-hitting urban commentary into soul music. "Gypsy Woman," "It's All Right," "People Get Ready," "Freddie's Dead," and "Superfly" are merely the most famous of his many hit records.
But Curtis Mayfield wasn't just a singer. Born in in Chicago, IL, he wrote most of his material at a time when that was not the norm for soul performers. He was among the first -- if not the very first -- to speak openly about African-American pride and community struggle in his compositions. As a songwriter and a producer, he was a key architect of Chicago Soul, penning material and working on sessions by notable Windy City soulsters like Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler, Major Lance, and Billy Butler. In this sense, he can be compared to Smokey Robinson, who also managed to find time to write and produce many classics for other soul stars. Mayfield was also an excellent guitarist, and his rolling, Latin-influenced lines were highlights of the Impressions' recordings in the '60s. During the next decade, he would toughen up his guitar work and production, incorporating some of the best features of psychedelic rock and funk.
Mayfield began his career as an associate of Jerry Butler, with whom he formed the Impressions in the late '50s. After the Impressions had a big hit in 1958 with "For Your Precious Love," Butler, who had sung lead on the record, split to start a solo career. Mayfield, while keeping the Impressions together, continued to write for and tour with Butler before the Impressions got their first Top 20 hit in 1961, "Gypsy Woman."
Mayfield was heavily steeped in gospel music before he entered the pop arena, and gospel, as well as doo wop, influences would figure prominently in most of his '60s work. Mayfield wasn't a staunch traditionalist, however. He and the Impressions may have often worked the call-and-response gospel style, but his songs (romantic and otherwise) were often veiled or unveiled messages of black pride, reflecting the increased confidence and self-determination of the African-American community. Musically he was an innovator as well, using arrangements that employed the punchy, blaring horns and Latin-influenced rhythms that came to be trademark flourishes of Chicago soul. As the staff producer for the OKeh label, Mayfield was also instrumental in lending his talents to the work of other Chi-town soul singers who went on to national success. With Mayfield singing lead and playing guitar, the Impressions had 14 Top 40 hits in the 1960s (five made the Top 20 in 1964 alone), and released some above-average albums during that period as well.
Given Mayfield's prodigious talents, it was perhaps inevitable that he would eventually leave the Impressions to begin a solo career, as he did in 1970. His first few singles boasted a harder, more funk-driven sound; singles like "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go" found him confronting ghetto life with a realism that had rarely been heard on record. He really didn't hit his artistic or commercial stride as a solo artist, though, until Superfly, his soundtrack to a 1972 blaxploitation film. Drug deals, ghetto shootings, the death of young black men before their time: all were described in penetrating detail. Yet Mayfield's irrepressible falsetto vocals, uplifting melodies, and fabulous funk pop arrangements gave the oft-moralizing material a graceful strength that few others could have achieved. For all the glory of his past work, Superfly stands as his crowning achievement, not to mention a much-needed counterpoint to the sensationalistic portrayals of the film itself.
At this point Mayfield, along with Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, was the foremost exponent of a new level of compelling auteurism in soul. His failure to maintain the standards of Superfly qualifies as one of the great disappointments in the history of black popular music. Perhaps he'd simply reached his peak after a long climb, but the rest of his '70s work didn't match the musical brilliance and lyrical subtleties of Superfly, although he had a few large R&B hits in a much more conventional vein, such as "Kung Fu," "So in Love," and "Only You Babe."
Mayfield had a couple of hits in the early '80s, but the decade generally found his commercial fortunes in a steady downward spiral, despite some intermittent albums.
On August 14, 1990, he became paralyzed from the neck down when a lighting rig fell on top of him at a concert in Brooklyn, NY. In 1993, three years after the accident which caused Mayfield's paralysis, Shanachie records released the album People Get Ready: A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield featuring a.o. Jerry Butler, Don Covay and Steve Cropper.
Mayfield received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.
Curtis Mayfield died December 26, 1999 at the North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell, Georgia.
We People Who Are Darker Than
Curtis Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are we gonna stand around this town
And let what others say come true?
We're just good for nothing they all figure
A boyish, grown up, shiftless jigger
Now we can't hardly stand for that
Or is that really where it's at?
This ain't no time for segregatin'
I'm talking 'bout brown and yellow two
High yellow girl, can't you tell
You're just the surface of our dark deep well
If your mind could really see
You'd know your color the same as me
Pardon me, brother, as you stand in your glory
I know you won't mind if I tell the whole story
Get yourself together, learn to know your side
Shall we commit our own genocide
Before you check out your mind?
I know we've all got problems
That's why I'm here to say
Keep peace with me and I with you
Let me love in my own way
Now I know we have great respect
For the sister, and mother it's even better yet
But there's the joker in the street
Loving one brother and killing the other
When the time comes and we are really free
There'll be no brothers left you see
We people who are darker than blue
Don't let us hang around this town
And let what others say come true
We're just good for nothing they all figure
A boyish, grown up, shiftless jigger
Now we can't hardly stand for that
Or is that really where it's at?
Pardon me, brother, while you stand in your glory
I know you won't mind if I tell the whole story
Pardon me, brother, I know we've come a long, long way
But let us not be so satisfied for tomorrow can be an
An even brighter day
The song "We People Who Are Darker Than Blue" by Curtis Mayfield speaks about the struggles of people of color in America, particularly African Americans, who have been subjected to oppression, discrimination, and marginalization in society. Mayfield highlights the issue of dehumanization, whereby people of color have been reduced to mere objects, as proclaimed by the line "we're just good for nothing they all figure." The line "shiftless jigger" refers to the stereotype of black people being lazy and aimless.
Mayfield also talks about the need for unity and the end of segregation. He emphasizes that skin color should not be a basis for discrimination and that brown and yellow people are no different from black people. He urges high yellow people to recognize and acknowledge their black heritage instead of rejecting it, stating that "you're just the surface of our dark deep well."
The lyrics highlight the issue of police brutality, where African Americans have been killed by the police, making the police jokers in the street. Mayfield believes that only when all individuals of different races come together, will they be able to build a society that is free of hatred and racism.
Overall, this song is a call to action for racial unity, self-love, and solidarity among people of color against the societal structure that perpetrates their subjugation as second-class citizens.
Line by Line Meaning
We people who are darker than blue
As individuals who have a darker skin color, we are united by this collective identity.
Are we gonna stand around this town
Will we remain idle and allow others to perpetuate negative stereotypes about us?
And let what others say come true?
Will we passively accept the negative labels that are placed upon us without challenging them?
We're just good for nothing they all figure
Society tends to view people with darker skin color as lazy, incompetent, and lacking in value.
A boyish, grown up, shiftless jigger
These derogatory terms further emphasize the harmful and unfair assumptions made about people who have darker skin.
Now we can't hardly stand for that
We must stand up against these hurtful stereotypes and fight for our rights and dignity.
Or is that really where it's at?
Is it just inevitable that we will always be viewed as inferior, or can we challenge and change these perceptions?
This ain't no time for segregatin'
The larger societal issues that perpetuate racism and discrimination require a collective effort, rather than a divisive one.
I'm talking 'bout brown and yellow two
This is a message of unity across races and ethnicities, recognizing that all people of color experience forms of oppression.
High yellow girl, can't you tell
This line speaks to the phenomenon of colorism, where people with lighter skin color are often viewed as more desirable and privileged.
You're just the surface of our dark deep well
The surface level differences between people of color, such as different shades of skin color, do not negate the fact that we are united by shared experiences of oppression.
If your mind could really see
If you were able to understand the reality of systemic oppression and racism, then you would see that we are all equally valuable.
You'd know your color the same as me
Despite perceived differences in skin color or ethnicity, we all have value and worth as human beings.
Pardon me, brother, as you stand in your glory
This line acknowledges that there are people of color who have achieved some measure of success or status, but also cautions against forgetting about the larger issues facing the community as a whole.
Get yourself together, learn to know your side
This is a call to action for people of color to come together and fight for their rights and against systemic oppression.
Shall we commit our own genocide
Referencing the violent and self-destructive behavior of some people of color, this line implores people not to turn against each other, but to unite instead.
Before you check out your mind?
Before we give in to the pressures and prejudices of society, we need to remember to think critically and push back against the stereotypes.
I know we've all got problems
Acknowledging the shared struggles and difficulties faced by people of color.
That's why I'm here to say
As a musician and artist, Mayfield is using his platform to draw attention to these issues and encourage change.
Keep peace with me and I with you
This is a message of unity and collaboration, recognizing the need for people of color to work together towards positive change.
Let me love in my own way
This is a call for acceptance and understanding, recognizing that diversity exists even within the communities of people of color.
Now I know we have great respect
This line acknowledges the importance of respecting and valuing the contributions of women in the community.
For the sister, and mother it's even better yet
Women play a crucial role in the survival and success of communities of color, and this should be recognized and celebrated.
But there's the joker in the street
This line speaks to the fact that even within the community of people of color, there are those who perpetuate harm and violence.
Loving one brother and killing the other
The internal strife and infighting within communities of color must be addressed and resolved in order to effectively fight larger societal issues of oppression.
When the time comes and we are really free
Although the reality of true equality and freedom for people of color may seem far-fetched, this line speaks to the idea that change is possible.
There'll be no brothers left you see
When equality and freedom are achieved, there will be no need to fight amongst ourselves or perpetuate harm and violence against each other.
Don't let us hang around this town
This line implores people of color not to remain complacent or idle, and to actively engage in the struggle for their rights and freedom.
Pardon me, brother, I know we've come a long, long way
This line recognizes the progress that has been made towards equality and freedom for people of color, but urges continued vigilance and activism.
But let us not be so satisfied for tomorrow can be an
An even brighter day
This is a message of hope, urging people of color not to become complacent in their fight for equality, but to remain hopeful and continue to strive towards a brighter future.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind