Jubilee Showcase, 13,101 views Jan 17, 2020
The Staple Singers on Jubilee Showcase in 1966.
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of The Staple Singers' Gospel / Soul song "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)". Information about that song and its lyrics are included in this post.
This pancocojams post also showcases a YouTube video of an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc .pledge song "Tell Me Why (Were We Treated So Bad)". The lyrics for that song and a few comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Roebuck Staples for composing the song "Why (Am I Treated So bad". Thanks to the Staple Singers for musical legacy.
Thanks also to the composer of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's song "Tell Me Why Were We Treated So Bad". Thanks also to Kevin McCall (and his unidentified cameraman) for singing this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
*I don't know whether Kevin McCall is the composer of this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity pledge song whose tune and its "why were we treated so bad" line were clearly inspired by the 1965 Staple Singers' song. I haven't come across any other information or any other video of this fraternity song online.
For the cultural record, if you have any information about this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity song, please share that information in the discussion thread for this pancocojams post. Thanks!
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE STAPLE SINGERS' SONG "WHY (AM I TREATED SO BAD)"
From https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-staple-singers/why-am-i-treated-so-bad
"Why Am I Treated So Bad
Album : Why [release date 1966]
Charted -95 USA
This song is about the Little Rock Nine, the first black students to attend the segregated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. In 1957, after in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling outlawing segregation, the nine students enrolled at the school. On the first day of school, they were met with angry protests and blocked by the Arkansas National Guard, as ordered by the governor. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded by sending federal troops to escort the students into the school three weeks later.
The vitriol the students faced for simply trying to attend an all-white school was shocking, and made national headlines. The incident galvanized the civil rights movement, which drew support from across the nation.
"Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)" was written by the
Staple Singers patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples in reaction to the
protests.
According to Mavis Staples, this song was a favorite of Dr.
Martin Luther King."
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/07/two-youtube-videos-of-staple-singers.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Two YouTube Videos of The Staple Singers "Why Am I
Treated So Bad" ".
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LYRICS: WHY AM I TREATED SO BAD
(Roebuck Staples)
Why, am I treated so bad?
Why, am I treated so bad?
You know I'm all alone as I sing this song,
Hear my call, I've done nobody wrong
But I'm treated so bad
I'm gonna walk out in the master lane
Things I do, they seem to be in vain
You may be blind, you may be lame,
Walk on out in the master lane
Though you treat me so bad
Ooh ooh ooh ooooooh
Ooh ooh ooh oooooooh
Oooh ooh ooh oooooh ooh ooh oohhh
You made me blind, you may be lame
Walk on out in the master lane
Though you treat me so bad
Source: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mavisstaples/whyamitreatedsobad.html
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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Tell Me why? Omega Psi Phi pledge song Kevin McCall XAA FALL
O6
Kevin McCall, Nov 23, 2008
mE SINGIN THE SONG THAT HELPED ME SEE IT THROUGH ROO
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT THIS OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY SONG
Comments from the discussion thread for this YouTube video document that the pledge song "Tell Me Why Were We Treated So Bad" gave support and motivation to men who were in the process of joining Omega Psi Phi (as well as some other historically Black Greek letter fraternities.)
It should be noted that the term "pledging" appears to have been retired as a referent for the process whereby people become members of historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLO). "Pledging" wasn't (or isn't) always the same thing as "hazing". Furthermore, "pledging" and "hazing" was officially banned in historically Black Greek letters fraternities and sororities in 1990, but there's no doubt that physical and emotional hazing went underground and still occurs in a number of chapters of BGLOs.
Click https://bowiestate.edu/about/administration-and-governance/division-of-student-affairs/nphc-joint-statement-against-hazing for the National Pan-Hellenic Council's joint statement against hazing.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz65oPb53Ek "Roland Martin on Pledging Alpha, Goes Off on Fraternity
Hazing: That's the Dumbest S*** (Part 3)" for a YouTube video and discussion thread about attitudes that some members of historically Black Greek letter organizations have about pledging and hazing.
-snip-
This is how that video's title was given on YouTube.
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/01/black-fraternities-sororities-chants.html for the 2015 pancocojams post entitled "Black Fraternities & Sororities Chants That Mention Paper, Skating, & Sliding Into Their Organizations."
"Paper" (membership), "skating" into and "sliding" into their organization are colloquial terms that some members of historically Black Greek fraternities and sororities use as referents for people whose membership process after hazing was banned in 1990 didn't / doesn't include hazing.
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LYRICS- TELL ME WHY (WERE WE TREATED SO BAD)
(as sung by Kevin McCall and his cameraman)
Somebody tell me why
Why were we treated so bad
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Somebody tell me why
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Why were we treated so bad
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
I go to sleep at six
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
And wake up early at eight
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
I go to see my big brothers
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oh, but I'm always late.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Somebody tell me
Why were we treated so bad
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
I gotta ache in my bones
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
And I just wanna go home
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
I wanna see my sweet baby
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Because I feel so alone
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Somebody tell me
Why were we treated so bad
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Oooh, I wanna know, I need to know, I gotta know
Why were we treated so bad.
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
I get down on my knees
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Down on my knees to pray
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Ooh, I heard a voice, I heard a voice, I heard a voice
I heard a voice say
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
"Don't you give up and quit
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
Just hold your head up high"
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
"That's what makes a man, makes a man, makes a man
Of Omega Psi Phi"
(Zoom Zoom Zoom)
-snip-
This is my unofficial transcription of this video. Additions and corrections are welcome.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR YOUTUBE VIDEO #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvJWPKPAlHE
1. @chizucc,2008
"Yeah Bruh this song help me through it too! ROO to the BruhZ!!! Keep it up team!"
-snip-
"Roo" / "rqq" = the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity signature call
**
2. @frat4life, 2009
"THAT'S THE ENTHUSIASM THAT KEEPS GOOD BRUHZ GOIN! MAD PROPS
FROM A 20 YR OLD(PLUS) BRUH...
ROO 2 DA GOOD BRUHZ!
MEOW MIX 2 DA CATZ.
ChrisRocK
SPR. 88
FEARLESS PHI KAPPA
2ND D."
3.
"@kevinlmccalljr man you ever think about trying to be a
professional singer or do you just sing for friends and family...you probably
can get a deal cuz u tight man"
**
Reply
4. @xxhighlandsxx, 2009
"@manansis86 he does a lot of songs with chris brown.. he
produces really well too, he's a good ass rapper also. not to mention he played
football at WSU.. lol talk about talented."
-snip-
Here's some information that I found online about Kevin McCall:
Kevin McCall is a Grammy nominated, singer, rapper, songwriter, and producer. His birthdate is July 25, 1985
**
5. @bralcox, 2009
"Bruh u just don't know how thIZ helped me and my lbs see it
thru. Roo dawg team"
-snip-
lbs= line brothers
**
6. @ligon3ice, 2010
"roo dawg. i sang this song on line to persevere
through some of those hard but fair nights."
**
7. @KillKyle712, 2010
"Thumbs up if you were doing the "zoom zoom zoom"
Lol"
**
8.@fcalloway19, 2013
"RQQ dawg this song brought me through too"
**
9. @bamenner89, 2011
"respect to the video. PBS is what i rep but i must say this song would help anybody make it through the troubles of getting in an organization"
-snip-
"PBS" = Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. is another historically Black Greek letter fraternity
**
11. @justincarpenter1271, 2011
"Bruh if you Pledged you definitley can relate to
what this Ni—a* singing about..Que Alpha Kappa Sigma . Don't matter"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
This comment refers to four of the five fraternities that are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) which is colloquially referred to as "the Divine Nine".
"Que" = Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha" = Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
"Kappa" = Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (also referred to as "Nupes")
"Sigma" =Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
-snip-
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity ("The Iotas") is the fifth historically Black Greek letter fraternity. That fraternity isn't mentioned in some BGLO comments and songs/chants because it wasn't founded until 1963, it didn't become a member of the NPHC until 1996, and (according to comments that I've read online) it doesn't have many chapters outside of the Northeastern and parts of the Midwestern part of the United States.
**
12. @DameBrown, 2011
"im not a que but i feel this song"
**
13. @shsmorgan23, 2012
"this video would be nothing without the cameraman's
"zoom zoom zoom" "
**
14. @Jmiahsonfire, 2017
"I cry everytime I hear this. Internalize the words"
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