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Friday, January 24, 2014

Wilson Pickett Wasn't An Uncle Sugar But He Sure Did Sing Some Wickedly Sweet Songs


This post showcases the song "Sugar Sugar" and six other songs by R&B singer Wilson Pickett. I thought about the song "Sugar Sugar" when I read this recent comment that Former Arkansas Governor, present Republican talking head Mike Huckabee made to the Republican National Committee's winter meeting yesterday (January 23, 2014):
"...if the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar* coming in and providing or [sic] them a prescription each month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of the government, then so be it, let’s take that discussion all across America because women are far more than Democrats have made them to be."

*I added italics to highlight those words.

The referent "Uncle Sugar" was used prior to Mike Huckabee's inclusion of it in his speech to the RNC. Of course, the name Uncle Sugar replaces the "Sam" in Uncle Sam with the word "sugar". "Uncle Sam" is the name of the American iconic figure who is said to represent the government of the United States (the US).

Urbandictionary.com has two entries for "Uncle Sugar", one from 2007 and the other from 2010. The 2007 entry from Rich Chick is:
"Another word for Uncle Sam. The concept that Uncle Sam is everyone's [sic] pimp because he takes his share of your money before you get your share.

Uncle Sugar always gets his cut, he has taken quite bite out of my paycheck.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Uncle%20Sugar

The 2010 definition of Uncle Sam which was sent in by Gladius Rutter is (in part) "An alternate meaning for the U.S. government, instead of Uncle Sam, particularly when handing out sweets. Usually said facetiously or sarcastically."
-snip-
Huckabee's limited definition of "Uncle Sugar" is probably "a man who doles out birth control paid for by the government so that females can have sex whenever they want to."

Mike Huckabee probably thought he was being clever when he used the term "Uncle Sugar". But it's likely that Huckabee didn't realize-and maybe still doesn't realize- that his referent "Uncle Sugar" is being used facetiously as yet more proof that Republicans just don't understand issues that concern women.*

Now don't get it twisted- I definitely don't think that Wilson Pickett was an Uncle Sugar. But he was wicked** and he sure did sing some wickedly sweet songs. So I think it's fitting that this post showcases some of those sweet, Wicked Wilson Pickett songs.

*Click http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2014/01/23/mike-huckabee-and-womens-uncontrolled-libido-or-uncle-sugar/ for a woman's take down of Huckabee's comment.

** Read my tongue in cheek definition of "wicked" and "sweet" below. Also click http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/pickett.htm and http://delafont.com/music_acts/Wilson-Pickett.htm for comments about the reasons Wilson Pickett was called "Wicked Wilson Pickett".

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes -notice that I didn't include "for political purposes";o)

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT WILSON PICKETT
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Pickett
"Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American R&B, soul and rock and roll singer and songwriter.

A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which hit the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100. Among his best known hits are "In the Midnight Hour" (which he co-wrote), "Land of 1,000 Dances", "Mustang Sally", and "Funky Broadway".[1]

The impact of Pickett's songwriting and recording led to his 1991 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[2]"

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FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: wilson pickett - Sugar sugar (1969)



pandachann, Uploaded on Mar 11, 2010
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar,_Sugar
""Sugar, Sugar" is a pop song written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim. It was performed by The Archies, a band formed by a group of fictional teenagers in the television cartoon series The Archie Show. It reached number one in the US in 1969 and stayed there for four weeks."
-end of quote-
Here's a link to The Archies - Sugar, Sugar (Original 1969 Music Video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9nE2spOw_o

And here are the lyrics to that song as found in the summary statement of the sound file which is embedded above.

LYRICS: SUGAR SUGAR
Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you.
Honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you.
I just can't believe the loveliness of loving you
(I just can't believe it's true)
I just can't believe the one to love this feeling to.
(I just can't believe it's true)
Ah sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you.
Ah honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you.
When I kissed you, girl, I knew how sweet a kiss could be
(I know how sweet a kiss can be)
Like the summer sunshine pour your sweetness over me
(Pour your sweetness over me)
Sugar, pour a little sugar on it honey,
Pour a little sugar on it baby
I'm gonna make your life so sweet, yeah yeah yeah
Pour a little sugar on it oh yeah
Pour a little sugar on it honey,
Pour a little sugar on it baby
I'm gonna make your life so sweet, yeah yeah yeah
Pour a little sugar on it honey,
Ah sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you.
Oh honey, honey, sugar sugar ..
You are my candy girl ..

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Example #2: Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour



Cristian Espinoza, Uploaded on Aug 22, 2009

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Example #3: mustang sally - wilson pickett



youknowstone, Uploaded on Mar 19, 2008

wicked live

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Example #4: wilson pickett - funky broadway



youknowstone, Uploaded on Mar 19, 2008

wicked live

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Example #5: Wilson Pickett - Land Of 1000 Dances - Live `66



יעקב בכר·, Published on Mar 25, 2013

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Example #6: I'M IN LOVE / WILSON PICKETT



Sun. Hutchney, Uploaded on Jan 28, 2010

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Example #7: WILSON PICKET BRING IT ON HOME TO ME



raymondbarber1001, Uploaded on Sep 20, 2009

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HERE'S LINKS TO SOME OTHER "SWEET" PANCOCOJAMS POSTS
"Sugar Mamas - Sweet Nicknames For Black Females"
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/11/sugar-mamas-sweet-nicknames-for-black.html

**
"Sugar Daddies - Sweet Nicknames For Black Males"
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/11/sugar-daddies-sweet-nicknames-for-black.html

**
""Sweet Home Chicago" - Various Artists (including President Obama singing)"
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/sweet-home-chicago-various-performers.html

**
"What "Sugar" Means In Soca Music"
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-sugar-means-in-soca-music.html

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Thanks to Wilson Pickett for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

2 comments:

  1. To clarify, in the context of this post, "wicked" means "very good with much more than a dash of sexually charged badness". And in the context of this post, "sweet" means "very good."

    "Bad" also can mean "very good" .However, "bad" doesn't necessarily have any sexual overtones (or under tones).

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wrote this post before I learned that "Uncle Sugar" is almost always used as a referent for the US government and not individual men who act like pimps.

    But my failure to understand the real meaning of that referent gave me an opportunity to showcase some of Wilson Pickett's hit records. So I count that as a win.

    ReplyDelete