Rest in Power, Tangela Harris
By Tawana ‘Honeycomb’ Petty
“Tangela was committed to the struggle for humanity in Detroit and across the globe. There was rarely an event for social justice that you didn’t see Tangela at, or you didn’t hear her voice contributing to. She was a frontline foot soldier, as well as a behind the scenes doer. Her interviews were just as passionate as her work, and her love and compassion for her city and her people showed through in everything she touched.”

TANGELA BLOG POSTS FOR LABOR POWER:

Monday, May 26, 2014


Tangela Harris breaks down 50/50 Love



Labor Power Blog interviewed Detroit Activist Journalist, Tangela Harris


                                                    
                                                         Tangela Harris


about the Rhythm and Blues modern classic by singer Teddy Pendergast
THAT 50-50 LOVE! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsNGqy-BBao
TheWayIHearMusic24/7
youtube.com




Labor Power: Tangela , what is special about this cut for you ?

Tangela Harris: This is a 14:45 version of "When
Somebody Loves You Back" By Teddy Pendergrass, a song that has special
meaning to me,
because of the love my family had for Teddy Pendergrass, and this
song in particular. I have as an adult listened to this song while
driving, cleaning
& partying.

  I played it over and
over trying to get the just right interpretation of his words. I have
listened to these
words for many years.  But I felt like I needed to listen to it some
more before I
could even fathom writing about it !

Labor Power: What is unique about this song ?

Tangela Harris:
 I decided to try to take it
out of a jamming perspective ,and listened from the creators ears! I
found it to be a breakdown on how men feel about LOVE! And I got a
little scared! It's not often you hear a grown and mature man speak on the
subject openly and honestly. Often when you do, their sentiments
are weighed down by ugly past experiences that do the topic no good. Experiences that
deflect thought from the the truth, the heart, the way men really feel
about love!

Labor Power : Oh poor men. We fall down and we get up, though.

When listening to the song, the main words that you hear
over and over are "IT FEELS GOOD WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE AND SOMEONE
LOVES YOU BACK"" IT'S SO GOOD WHEN YOU NEED SOMEBODY AND SOMEBODY
NEEDS YOU BACK"

Labor Power: Ok yes, yes

Tangela Harris:
I tried over and over to break that verse down but I
found myself wasting time because Teddy with the rest of the song had
already broken it down to its lowest denominator!

Teddy puts
emphasis on  the need to find that one woman! That one woman who
could understand him, while being a very sensuous woman  showing him
exactly what it is he needs. While he knows his wants, she would be
able to show him  his needs! But mostly as a man he needs someone he
can trust!

 A friend of mine, Kori Mo,
 pointed out that there is no air play on the radio signifying
this kind of love from a man, and it's as if love is a joke now! And
it's unheard of! To have or be in-love is now a disgrace!

But in this
song Teddy points out in the very beginning that to be loved in return
is his heart's only desire, with appreciation from the things he did ! He
point blank says the woman is the one who has him inspired ,and the
woman is the one who keeps lifting him higher!

Throughout the song he
talks about a 50-50 love that should be shared and carried by the two,
and how he sees himself and his queen building a world of love, a life of
joy AND TOGETHER MAKING THEIR GOALS EACH OTHERS' HAPPINESS! THAT 50-50
LOVE,,,,,

She can hold her place like no other
on earth, that cream of the crop, that nurturer of 50-50 love that
makes the world go round in harmony! She would be a game changer!

 At
this moment in history, we are caught up in a divide, because it's easier
for us to fall! But if we could get back to that love the greats sang
about, lived through, if we could stop trying to be individualistic, and
stood strong with our support for one another, division would be no
more than a math problem!

There is no way we will ever be able to
build without true love! The sooner we realize that, that sooner we
will wanna give our all so that we may be apart of the solution, the
sooner we know who we are, we will be able to start loving our selves
again so that we may love others,,,, and be that great inspiration to
lift each other up! Love encompasses compassion, determination,
tolerance, endurance, support, faith,

 IF THE PEOPLE COULD JUST LOVE
EACH OTHER AND EACH OTHER LOVED EACH OTHER BACK,,,,,,,IF WE COULD
REALIZE WE NEED EACH OTHER AND EACH OTHER NEEDED US,,,,,,,, WE WOULD
ALL BE INSPIRED----------
 PEACE AND LOVE


Labor Power: Thank you ,--Tangela D, Harris, for those wise words about love.

Further wisdom from Tangela Harris:

We should try to elevate their minds and the pants will automatically come up................... THERE'S A REASON WHY MALE'S SAG! IT HAS BEEN ENCODED INSIDE OF OUR FAKE CULTURE INSIDE OF THIS FAKE ILLUSION CREATED BY FAKE IMPOSTOR'S,,,,, SO NOW OUR MALES LIVE FAKE REALITIES,,, DOING FAKE THINGS THAT REPRESENT FAKE DREAMS! THEY TOOK OUR IMAGINATIONS AWAY FROM US, SO NOW ALL WE HAVE IS WHAT THEY GIVE US,,, THEIR DESIGN, OUR MALES DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED TO DREAM THEIR OWN DREAMS (IMAGINATIONS) JUST THE THINGS THEY HEAR AND SEE ON RADIO AND T.V --- NO TANGIBLE EXAMPLES TO RIDE OR DIE BY! NO FATHERS, UNCLES, GRANDS,,,,, JUST CHANCE! AND FOOLISH FOLKS CALL IT A CHOICE! THEY SAY "THEY HAVE A CHOICE" AND I SMMFH WHILE ASKING WHO CARES?,,,,,,, NO.... REALLY WHO TRULY CARES?...... STAND UP!