Would You Like to Dance? (Bring Back the Love)

As the record player croons the hits of Smokey Robinson, I sit in my chair and travel through the annals of history to the 60s, a classic era of soul music. It creates a beautiful image of house parties, slow dancing with the girl you like, and $.50 Coca-colas. Aaahhh....refreshing. While we cannot forget the trials and tribulations of the Civil Rights Movement, use this moment to remember the music: The Supremes, James Brown, The Four Tops, and don't forget the Temptations. (Ed. Note: You know I was on tour with the Temptations; Eddie Kendricks didn't like all the attention I was getting from the original version of "My Girl", so they booted me.)

President Obama administering one
of my signature moves, "The Schmooze". 

One of the things I would have enjoyed the most about that era was the essence of love that appears dormant in our culture. If I can be real y'all, our generation seems to lack a heart. There are people seeking a partner, a soul mate, or companion, but many have lost hope and in turn settle for physical gratification. 

In my talks with Charles Perry, he tells me about the days where yes, there were hoochies, but guys wanted a good girl. In addition, girls were girls, and weren't trying to be so tough and cold. As I say to him, everything in life is cause and effect. For many guys, commitment is not stressed during the formulative years. Women are tired of being treated a certain way by dirty men, and as a result have created a strategy to protect their heart from the bad (and unfortunately, sometimes the good). 

The lack of love could also be due to the shift in media from simply referencing sex to broadcasting it from each and every angle. It's in our news, our videos, all our songs; EVERYTHING is about sex nowadays, and you start to think about it in places when you shouldn't. I can't front; I was in church like two weeks ago, and I started daydreaming about the booty. Lord (aka Real Jeezy) please forgive me. 

Despite my slip, it's deeper than drawers (Sounds like a Rick Ross album) for me. Sex is a wonderful thing, but just like many things in life (crack not included), it can be even better when done the right way.  Excuse my frank language here, but if "the drawers" are on the menu, I like to season mine with chemistry. It makes for an "enhanced" experience if we care about each other, can share a great conversation, and don't mind talking to each other the next day (It's always good to look back and reflect on the freakiness.) For me, those additives were learned from romantic songs like "My Girl", "Love on My Mind", and "My Cherie Amor"; 90s classics like "Stay" (Ooh Yeah!) and SWV's "Weak"; and modern jams such as "Differences" and "There Goes My Baby".

The romance is not for everybody; I can accept that. For me though, it's a cool thing and I hope people get the chance to at least experience one person they want to be romantic for and with. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to ask this pretty lady to dance. 

Reminiscing over my days as the 6th Temptation.