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 The People Who Are Darker Than Blue
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
"We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue" is a powerful song by Curtis Mayfield that addresses the struggles and issues faced by Black people in America. The lyrics suggest that the Black community is undervalued and underestimated by society, and that this devaluation is often internalized, leading to low self-esteem and self-worth. Mayfield encourages his fellow Black people to recognize their worth and to stand up against injustices and discrimination.
Mayfield begins the song by acknowledging the negative stereotypes and assumptions that exist about Black people - "We're just good for nothing they all figure / A boyish, grown up, shiftless jigger." He asks whether the Black community will allow these stereotypes to define them, or whether they will rise up and prove them wrong. He calls for unity and solidarity within the Black community, saying "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."
Mayfield also highlights the need for people of different races to come together and fight against segregation and discrimination, saying "This ain't no time for segregatin' / I'm talking 'bout brown and yellow too." He suggests that if people could truly see beyond superficial differences like skin color, they would realize that we are all fundamentally the same - "If your mind could really see / You'd know your color the same as me." In the end, he urges his listeners to keep striving for a better tomorrow, to avoid becoming complacent, and to continue to fight for justice and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
We people who are darker than blue
As black people, we have our own unique struggles in life that are often overlooked by others
Are we gonna stand around this town
Will we continue to tolerate discrimination and prejudice against us?
And let what others say come true?
Will we allow the negative stereotypes and beliefs about us to become a reality?
We're just good for nothing they all figure
Society sees us as worthless and without value
A boyish, grown up, shiftless jigger
They stereotype us as being lazy, unreliable or criminal
Now we can't hardly stand for that
We cannot continue to tolerate being devalued and dismissed in this way
Or is that really where it's at?
Is this the reality we should accept or is there something more we can do?
This ain't no time for segregatin'
We must come together as people of color to fight against racial division
I'm talking 'bout brown and yellow two
People of different shades of brown and yellow face similar struggles as black people
High yellow girl, can't you tell
Even if you have a lighter complexion, you still face discrimination and prejudice as a person of color
You're just the surface of our dark deep well
Your complexion does not define the depth of your struggles as a person of color
If your mind could really see
If you could see past the external traits of color and race, you would realize that we share similar struggles
You'd know your color the same as me
We are all people of color and face similar challenges in life
Pardon me, brother, as you stand in your glory
Excuse me, brother, if I interrupt your moment of pride and power
I know you won't mind if I tell the whole story
I know you would not object if I shared with you the broader context and truth of our struggles
Get yourself together, learn to know your side
We must unite and educate ourselves on how to fight for our rights as people of color
Shall we commit our own genocide
Should we allow ourselves to be destroyed from within because of our differences?
Before you check out your mind?
Before you give up and stop fighting for our rights?
I know we've all got problems
I understand that we all face our own unique struggles
That's why I'm here to say
That's why I am speaking out and encouraging us to work together
Keep peace with me and I with you
Let's not fight amongst ourselves and instead unite together for a common cause
Let me love in my own way
Allow me to express myself and love in a way that is true to who I am
Now I know we have great respect
I acknowledge that we have a deep admiration for our sisters and mothers
For the sister, and mother it's even better yet
The love and respect we have for our female family members is even stronger
But there's the joker in the street
However, there are still those amongst us who use violence and hate against their own brothers
Loving one brother and killing the other
They are capable of showing love to some and hate to others within their own community
When the time comes and we are really free
When we have truly achieved equality and liberation
There'll be no brothers left you see
When we have overcome our own internal issues, there will be no more division amongst us
Don't let us hang around this town
Let's not continue to tolerate discrimination and prejudice in our communities
We're just good for nothing they all figure
We cannot continue to accept the devaluation and dismissal of our worth as people of color
A boyish, grown up, shiftless jigger
We must fight against the negative stereotypes that others have about us
Now we can't hardly stand for that
We cannot continue to accept being labeled as lazy, unreliable, or criminal
Or is that really where it's at?
Is this really the reality we want to accept for ourselves as people of color?
Pardon me, brother, while you stand in your glory
Forgive me, brother, if I interrupt your moment of power and pride
I know you won't mind if I tell the whole story
I know you would not object if I share with you the broader context and truth of our struggles
Pardon me, brother, I know we've come a long, long way
Forgive me, brother, I know we have made progress but we still have work to do
But let us not be so satisfied for tomorrow can be an
But let's not become complacent because there is still much to be done in the fight for equality
An even brighter day
We must continue to work towards an even brighter future where discrimination and prejudice no longer exist
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shorty
We people who are darker than blue
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?
We people who are darker than blue
This ain't no time for segregatin'
I'm talking 'bout brown and yellow, too
High yellow gal, 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 sign
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
Greg Foles
Brother Curtis was a poet and a visionary. This is Curtis' open letter to young black men to not let those who denigrate us be right. ("Are we gonna hang around this town and let what others say come true?") AND it's also a call against black on black violence. (But there's the joker on the street, lovin' one brother and killin' the other. By the time comes we are really free, there'll be no brothers left, you see.") He even addressed color-struck behavior within our community that was much more prevalent 50 years ago. ("High-yella gal, 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 same as me.")
Finally, Bro. Curtis was telling us to be real with ourselves. ("Pardon me Brother- as you stand in your glory... I hope you don't mind if I tell the WHOLE story.") In other words, not just what you "want" to hear, but what you "need" to hear.
Belinda Broughton
Great analysis of his song/story!
PoohJonesBeats
Love it
Jamie Starr
One of the most powerful songs ever written. I put a fist in the air for my mother, "Sister Eunice" and all of those with her who had the guts to "Stand" even in the face of brutality, because they loved us so! And to all the powerful artists who wasn't afraid to support the movement through their music. Much love..
Luke Keeno
I love this song so much, it properly sends shivers down the back of my spine!!! Love ya Curtis!! RIP
Anna Baxter
You don’t have to be darker than blue to understand the meaning of this song, and to appreciate Curtis Mayfield’s music. The more of his catalog I listen to, the more I love his voice, his grooves, and just Curtis for the musician and singer he was. No, I wasn’t there at the time (but wish I was in so many ways—I think of myself as an old soul who grew up 25 years too late) but it hasn’t stopped me from loving his music and trying to understand the way things were when he sang about them. 💟 And ☮️
Garfield Burns
Curtis Mayfield Is the soundtrack to My life!.I have live most of my life as a Black Militant,agitating for Black Studies in high school,wanted a Black principal in grade school,Militant in prep school supporting the Black college students for Black studies and as a Black police officer represented my Black community as a Black man and activist.Curtis was my role model,his songs my motto
Minatour1
I can not think of any song that resonates more today than this one. We all need to listen to this one everyday!
thesunwillshineonme
I am embarrassed to say that my 13 yr old son is more into this music than I am, I appreciate the fact that he has good taste in music, he is an old soul. Love the drums in the background.
Yakumo 【夜蜘蛛】
Now he's 23. How time flies ^^ hope he's made you proud