I’ve come to take great delight in the stranger dissonances of everyday life. Last night, while waiting to be seated at Calhoun’s — which, by the way, really is the place for ribs in Knoxville — I was thrilled to hear Parliament’s “Chocolate City” come on the radio. Something about hearing these lyrics float, almost subliminally, through the restaurant struck me as unexplainably odd and wonderful. . .
And when they come to march on ya
Tell ’em to make sure they got their James Brown pass
And don’t be surprised if Ali is in the White House
Reverend Ike, Secretary of the Treasure
Richard Pryor, Minister of Education
Stevie Wonder, Secretary of FINE arts
And Miss Aretha Franklin, the First Lady
Are you out there, CC?
A chocolate city is no dream
It’s my piece of the rock and I dig you, CC
God bless Chocolate City and its (gainin’ on ya!) vanilla suburbs
Can y’all get to that?
Gainin’ on ya!
Gainin’ on ya!
If America needs anything right now, it’s more P-Funk.