Results: The Journey of a Tune: From Forgettin' to Regulating to Not Forgetting

Following his 1970's stints as a musician with Steely Dan and singing lead vocals with The Doobie Brothers, Michael McDonald released his first solo album in 1982. If That's What It Takes. Its first single, "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)," certified that McDonald need not be part of a group in order to find commercial success., as "Forgettin'" became a top ten pop hit and was nearly as big on soul radio. In what context do you like McDonald?

Twelve years after McDonald hit with "Forgettin'," the song's instrumental was sampled for "Regulate" by rapper Warren G in tandem with singer Nate Dogg. for the soundtrack of the Tupac Shakur movie Above The Rim. It's an account of fornication, robbery and murderous retaliation made smooth in the gangsta funk predominating Southern California hip-hop of the time with the tune's music supplementing the G's electronic production. Can you think of another instance where something relatively innocent was made depraved by another artist's embellishments, musical or otherwise?

In 2023 ," Bobbi Storm, a member of the soul gospel/contemporary Christian praise & worship group Maverick City Music (she recently made news by how she was nearly booted off an airplane for her refusal to stop singing), has recorded "We Can't Forget Him." Her song about keeping the Lord on Storm's and her listeners' minds incorporates the same "Forgettin'" music used in "Regulate," but also slyly references the latter piece. Curiously--to me, anyway--Storm's song is. at the time I'm composing this, getting more play on traditional/adult r&b radio than gospel stations. Does that strike you as odd, too?

The give-and-take between popular and sacred music in African-American culture has been going on for arguably over a century; but the case detailed in the previous three questions reminds me especially of Anita Wilson's 2015 song, "You Love Me (Best Of My Love)," which repurposes the groove of The Emotions' 1977 soul/disco/pop crossover in Wilson's subtitle (also the basis for the 1991 Mariah Carey song, "Emotions") to a devotional sentiment. Which gospel reinterpretation do you like better?