Soul Train

I was only able to catch episodes of "Soul Train" sporadically throughout the '70s and '80s. It was broadcast CBC, channel 5, here in Toronto for about a season on Saturday mornings, then disappeared. It wasn't until the early '90s that I was able to catch this show on WPIX-New York, and WGN-Chicago, that were available on cable here. One thing is for sure, the energy of this show dropped off a lot after the '80s. It was still enjoyable to watch, but didn't have the same electricity that the show had throughout the '70s and '80s. When Don Cornelius left the show and guest hosts appeared, it was not bad, but it further lost it's energy. For the current shows, it only looks like there is about a handful of people in the studio. In the '70s & '80s, the main dance-floor was packed, and there were dancers on the stage, which gave it a real club feel. Presently, it's just the dancers on the catwalks that are shown. When an artist is performing, that is when you see the main population of dancers on the dance-floor. They don't dance anymore. Everyone just stands and watches the artist that is on the stage. Lately, CW23, out of Buffalo is playing "The Best Of Soul Train" on Sundays at midnight. This is great to see and experience the show all over again from the '70s and '80s. The great thing about "Soul Train" was that is showed R&B, Hip Hop and Pop acts that you wouldn't see on other shows like "American Bandstand", or here in Toronto, it was "Boogie" and later on, "Electric Circus". I have been a fan of R&B and Hip Hop for years, and always enjoyed seeing the acts that you wouldn't see anywhere else, except for maybe on BET. Even with this, there were artists showcased on "Soul Train" that never saw their videos broadcast on BET. It's too bad that the show has not maintained the same energy, but then again, the music biz, and Hip Hop/R&B have changed drastically over the years. I am glad to see that "The Best Of Soul Train" is airing once again. It's a great blast from the past, when it was all about the music, and not so much about how much money could be made from an artist or song.

When I was a teenager back in the 1970's,I can remember getting up early on Saturday mornings to catch uop on my non-stop grind of cartoons,and then around the 12noon hour,I would run to the kitchen to get a snack or whatever I had to do,and then all of a sudden there was this show that define not only a generation,but a generation of African-American symbolism that remains to this day. Soul Train was that show. I can remember Sid McCoy saying these words................

Soul Train! The Hippest trip in America!

And then the host Don Cornelius came on,and back then did it deliver the goods and then some. Back in the early 1970's,Soul Train had some of the biggest R&B acts ever to grace the TV screen and sometimes made you get up and dance if you wanted to. Stars that were on there(and in my opinion the best years of that show from the 70's)like The Staple Singers,Al Green,Marvin Gaye,Barry White and Love Unlimited,The Ohio Players,The O'Jays,Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass,The Manhattans,and so many more. and have some that were just starting out as well,but became top successes too like Rufus featuring Chaka Khan,LTD that featured a youthful Jeffrey Osbourne made it happen! In the 1980's they had some of the best acts on there as well like Midnight Starr,and Shalamar as well as the young rappers like LL Cool J,and Kurtis Blow.

The show also established other acts as well like Elton John,David Bowie,and Billy Joel to name a few as well as comedians like the great Richard Pryor and blues legends B.B. King and Bobby "Blue" Bland.

They had the classic scrambled board as well as the Soul Train line that have everybody getting up and doing there thing,including some of the wildest dances ever devised(they were done by skillful male and female dancers that knew what they were doing and then some)! Who can remember the commercial they used to sponsor................

"All nubian queens,use Ultra Sheen"................................

Then,what happened in the 1990's? After the end of the 1980's,the show went into a declined that featured cladless women and to me it wasn't the same anymore. The reason? The show was replaced by another host after Don Cornelius stepped down and now serves as executive producer on the show. Who the heck got Mystro Clarke? Clarke really sucked. Then in 2000, Clarke was replaced by actor Shamar Moore(aka of TV's The Young and the Restless)and the show changed dramatically. But still brings out some of the best soul/R&B/rap acts out there and it shows. Even after 30 years in syndication(which started out as Chicago teen show back in the late 1960's),the Soul Train rides on. Get on Board.

I remember growing up remembering the words that Don Cornelius said......

"I wish you love, peace and soul."

NOTE: Soul Train has outlasted them all,including Dick Clark's American Bandstand,Dario Terry's Dance Fever,and even the country variety show Hee Haw with Buck Owens and Roy Clark,and dethroned some area local teen shows that tried to follow the Soul Train formula(one of which that came on in the Raleigh/Durham area back in the 1970's was a college supported show called "Teenage Frolics" that was on WRAL-TV that featured college kids and teens getting down right on the WRAL studio lot with J.D. Lewis as the host and also a teen show called "Party" that was on the same station but you know who was the host of that,and it was syndicated? The Godfather himself..............James Brown.). Kudos to Don Cornelius for keeping it real and keeping it with soul.

When I was a child in the 1970's and watch "Soul Train", it was wonderful. The show had so much spontaneity. You knew what was going to be done, but you didn't know HOW it was going to be done. The show was aimed at providing young "Black" flavor. However, David Bowie appeared on the show in the 70's. That was unexpected and thrilling. It showed the world that Black people in America can have musical interests beyond only disco, R&B, and soul. B.B. King appeared, showing that young Black people can enjoy the blues.

"Soul Train" wasn't just about the music. The show had comedians, special guest dancers, and real suspense on the Soul Train Scramble Board. The Soul Train Line had many surprises. In the 70's, male and female dancers did things together while going down the line. They did things that would make me jump out of my seat in amusement. They enjoyed what they were doing. When the special guest musical performers finished their routine, Cornelius would inform the performers that the questions would be asked by the dancers, to give the performers, as well as the viewers, some unexpected surprises. Then there were the dancers. Ahhh the dancers. Who could forget the Asian woman with long hair? Who could forget the man who sported a different mask and costume every week? One week, he was Darth Vader. Another week, he was E.T. Another week, he was Nixon. There was the dancing. Everyone tried to imitate those moves. These were the days.

Nowadays, Cornelius doesn't host the show. He had his string of guest hosts, which didn't work. He then had Mystro Clark. Clark tried to be too hip and cool instead of being natural. He didn't work. The execs replaced him with Shemar Moore. In my opinion, Moore is guilty of the same superficial hipness and coolness which lead to Mystro Clark being replaced. The dancers have evolved into snooty people more concerned with modeling their fashions from with mall and showing off their chiseled bodies than having fun. The Soul Train Line features people dancing individually. We no longer see the men and women doing things together. Probably because they all have become too much "into themselves" to want to dance with one another. Another note about the dancers: The women on the show are attractive. However, many of them cannot dance. They "get over" due to their good looks.

We all know the current structure of the weekly series: During the first segment, the dancers dance to a song. After the first commercial, the first guest performs. After the second commercial, the Scramble Board segment arrives. After the third commercial, the second guest performs. Forty five minutes into the program, the Soul Train Line happens. It's so predictable.

On the bright side, no one will ever get tired of hearing the exquisite voice of Sid McCoy, the longtime "voice" of "Soul Train".

"Soul Train" has become stale. Thought, the show had some great days. It needs to return to that. However, with the changes in the music and entertainment in the 21st century, it probably will not. The show needs to end gracefully. However, due to the continuing need to showcase "Black" talent in a Black context, it will remain on the air, the same way "Saturday Night Live" has remained due to NBC's need to give young comics their shot at the limelight, because that show has been stale for several years.

Back on "Soul Train", it had surprises. It had wit. Unfortunately, "Soul Train" is a variety show which does not have "variety" anymore.

Soul Train started as a local Chicago teen dance show in the late 1960's. The local show was still running for a few years even after Don Cornelius mounted the national syndicated version in California. I remember that everyone would stop what they were doing when this show came on. The show totally rocked in the 1970's and 1980's. We all learned the latest dances from watching the Soul Train line, near the end of the telecast. I remember that Don Cornelius used to feature comedians right along with the musical acts back in the 1970's; Richard Pryor was a guest in one episode. Another classic episode featured James Brown and Bobby "Blue" Bland, who teamed up for several songs. Unfortunately, times and the music changed. The dancers were originally known as the "Soul Train Gang", and there were regulars among them, including Damita Jo Freeman (an excellent dancer) and Little Joe Chisum. The late football player Walter Payton danced on the show as well, earlier on. In later years, actress Rosie Perez and singer Jody Watley were featured dancers.

Unfortunately, the times and the music changed. Soul Train is no longer the "appointment TV" event it once was, but it has endured for over 30 years.

This show used to knock American Bandstand off the block all through the seventies. The clothes, music, dancing, and general all round energy were here when this show started. But when Don Cornelius cut off his afro and the girls started doing bump and grind moves in hoochie mama spandex you knew the party was over.