I recently picked up Hulu again so I've been catching up on the series Reservation Dogs. If you haven't heard of it, it follows a group of native teens in Oklahoma. It's a really good series - serious at times, balanced out by some very funny moments. The goofy spirit warrior who visits the teens occasionally is my favorite.
Here - have a taste:
Another great thing about the show is the selection of songs to go with the end credits. The other night this song popped up. Strawberry Letter 23 by the Brothers Johnson was one of my favorite songs back in my college days when I mostly listened to funk and R&B. This album practically got worn through...
which...ironically....does NOT contain Strawberry Letter 23.
Anyway, the version played on Reservation Dogs wasn't by the Brothers Johnson. I assumed it was a modern day cover. I did a little poking around on YouTube. What do you know - THIS song was the original, written in 1971 by 18 year old Shuggie Otis. Mind.blown.
What a talent.
I think I still slightly favor the Brothers Johnson version, so I can't resist including that one too.
In my yoga class last week, our teacher was saying that if you're having trouble settling into the final relaxation pose, picture yourself in a place. For him it was a grassy, windy hilltop on a sunny day. I think for me going forward, it's going to be Strawberry letter 23 world.
Blue flowers echo from a cherry cloud...
21
16 comments
I liked Reservation Dogs too. I love the deadpan sense of humor.
Very deadpan indeed! If that's authentic to native people it makes me wish I knew more of them.
That clip was funny. I actually guffawed out loud about him telling the kid about his grandma smashing the white men.
My relaxation vision is always standing on the edge of the ocean with the warm waves crashing over my feet. I picture it whenever the nurse takes my blood pressure to try to offset the spike I get just being at the doctor's office.
I’m going to have to remember that blood pressure trick, my top number is usually high 130’s no matter how much I try to relax.
Of course, losing a bit more weight and eating less sodium would probably help too!
Wow, that sound takes me back! I hadn't heard the Shuggie Otis version before - the sound reminds me of the Isley Brothers a bit, (sort of a Summer Breeze / Who's that Lady vibe. ) But I remember the Brothers Johnson version. Never knew it was called Strawberry Letter #23 though. Hearing it again now, you can easily tell they are a few years apart because the Brothers Johnson has that slap bass which as far as I know no one had played before the mid seventies, and you can clearly hear the disco influence - some of it sounds as if it might have been produced by Nile Rogers - it is quite Chic like - which again is absent from Shuggie Otis' 1971 version.
(Hopefully I'm not talking knowledgeably in an irritating way, lol. )
Not irritating at all. 😉 Strawberry letter 23 was produced by Quincy Jones. The 1971 version was pretty cool but I think Quincy and the brothers definitely elevated it a notch or two.
@smartasswoman Ah, Quincy Jones, yes, that makes sense.
I don't have Hulu but I am familiar with the Brothers Johnson's Strawberry Letter 22. I never knew that it was originally done by Shuggie Otis. Brothers Johnson had another hit I use to play called Stomp.
I did find that one as I was poking around online. I think by the time Stomp came out I had moved on to punk/new wave (the Clash, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads etc).
It seems you have a much bigger selection of streaming options than we do here. I am not a big fan of network tv, and tend to watch sports more than anything else.
I pretty much stopped watching network TV once I discontinued cable. I do have a leaf antenna to try to get it through the air, but the reception’s not great.
I usually get over to the R+B channels at some point on XM on those weeks long drives.
My favorite relaxing place was camping alone on a beach in the Florida Keys, drinking beer by the campfire, and listening to the fishing reports. Going early was the trick to securing the site over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and the others showed up a few days later. That was a BIG change, but fine too.
That sounds delightful.
I've had the thought that beaches down there should just be left natural, as state parks or whatever. People can come in for a day to enjoy or camp there, but no houses or hotels that are just going to get destroyed by the next big hurricane.
Interesting show... I laughed. 😂
No problem with your adding the Brothers — I agree. 👍
I'm still looking for mine...
Still looking for your relaxing place? Maybe it's behind a drum set...
My relaxing place would be laying on the beach with a book and hearing the waves in the background 🙂
That's a good one!
Hej där
Hello.
@smartaswoman how smart are YOU? AND hey btw,what you doing
@smartasswoman hey
@Sub8Theon4334 I didn't get your previous tag because you spelled my name wrong. : )
But I don't really reply to questions like "what are you doing".
@smartasswoman sorry, är lite blyg
With that review, I’ll have to try it out. You and I like the same stuff usually, so may as be.
I don’t blame ya, sounds like a gorgeous world.
Give it a couple episodes to get to know the characters and back stories - I hope it grows on you!