Cracker (term)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Songs such as “(Say it Loud) I'm Black and I'm Proud” by Brown, “(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go” by Curtis Mayfield, “Message From a Black Man” by the Temptations, and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” by Aretha ..." --The Lumpen: Music on the Front Lines of the Black Revolution, page 10, Frederick Lewis Vincent, 2008 |
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"(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" is a funk/soul song originally recorded by Curtis Mayfield for his album Curtis (1970). The song was meant to serve as a warning regarding the state of race relations and the tempest growing in America's inner cities.
The song begins with a woman proclaiming the virtues of the Bible's "Book of Revelation" over an introduction of fuzz-bass guitar and conga drums. Mayfield then shouts with a large echo overdub "Sisters! Niggers! Whities! Jews! Crackers! Don't worry, If there's a Hell below, we're all gonna go!" followed by a scream. The song then breaks out with a heavy fuzz bass, Latin percussion, wah-wah guitar and strings.
The song is performed live on the album Curtis/Live! (1971) and Live in Europe (1987). Studio out-takes of the song have been added to the CD re-issue of the album.
Punk rock band Antiseen have covered the song on their EP Hell. Narada Michael Walden performs this song on A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield.
The Afghan Whigs covered this song on their 1998 live EP "Live at Howlin' Wolf".
D12 samples this song on "That's How" from their album Devil's Night. Kanye West samples the introduction to this song on "Jesus Walks", from his album The College Dropout. N.W.A. also samples this song on "Niggaz 4 Life" from their album Efil4zaggin.
The song was also featured in Dead Presidents.
In 2017, the song was also used as the theme song for the HBO TV show The Deuce.
