We Got to Have Peace

Annotation

Curtis Mayfield, a hugely influential soul and funk artist, who helped revolutionise R&B through his band The Impressions. He sits amongst the first African-American to introduce social commentary into his music, dealing with civil rights, Vietnam, and drugs, becoming an inspiration to later generations of hip-hop artists. Born on 3 June 1942, in the Cabrini-Green housing project on the north side of Chicago, Illinois, he started out singing gospel as a child at his grandmother's church. In 1963 he co-wrote the plight of the soldier track "I'm a Soldier Boy" performed by Dee Clark. He also composed and sung the track "Don't Cry My Love" (1968) and "Stop the War" (1972) with The Impressions - both of these songs took an anti-war position and called on African-Americans to protest against their mistreatment in the US. Mayfield is best known in the Vietnam area for his 1973 album Back to the World, below, about American GIs returning back to America (the "World") from Vietnam. He died in Roswell, Georgia, 22 December 1999. (1)Mayfield released the song "We Got to Have Peace" (Curtom Records # CR 1968) on his own record label Curtom, which he founded with Eddie Thomas in 1967. It…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Civil Rights Songs

Curtis Mayfield, a hugely influential soul and funk artist, who helped revolutionise R&B through his band The Impressions. He sits amongst the first African-American to introduce social commentary into his music, dealing with civil rights, Vietnam, and drugs, becoming an inspiration to later generations of hip-hop artists. Born on 3 June 1942, in the Cabrini-Green housing project on the north side of Chicago, Illinois, he started out singing gospel as a child at his grandmother's church. In 1963 he co-wrote the plight of the soldier track "I'm a Soldier Boy" performed by Dee Clark. He also composed and sung the track "Don't Cry My Love" (1968) and "Stop the War" (1972) with The Impressions - both of these songs took an anti-war position and called on African-Americans to protest against their mistreatment in the US. Mayfield is best known in the Vietnam area for his 1973 album Back to the World, below, about American GIs returning back to America (the "World") from Vietnam. He died in Roswell, Georgia, 22 December 1999. (1)Mayfield released the song "We Got to Have Peace" (Curtom Records # CR 1968) on his own record label Curtom, which he founded with Eddie Thomas in 1967. It…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

American soul singer-songwriter, born 3 June 1942 in Chicago, Illinois; died 26 December 1999 in Roswell, Georgia. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Anti-War · Civil Rights

In collections

Civil Rights Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs