My singing telegram repertoire is immensely indebted to black artists. Singing telegrams rely on either cover songs or song parodies for the majority of their musical messages. While it's entirely possible to run a singing telegram agency that utilizes solely original songs, it's doubtful it would be as successful as one that employs lyrics and melodies familiar to customers and recipients. There are myriad articulate, celebratory, funny, impactful, sexy, thoughtful and uplifting songs already in the world, and melodies hold incredible emotional and nostalgic value for music fans. And there's obviously no denying the impact that black artists have had on popular music and culture. Because I can't afford to stand in physical solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters right now (my mom is immune-compromised), I thought it was worth reflecting on some of the black artists that my business, Custom Singing Telegrams, would not be the same without.
Birthdays are a singing telegram agency's bread and butter. Black artists are behind two of the most popular birthday numbers we perform: Stevie Wonder's “Happy Birthday” and Grandmaster Flash's “Birthday Party.” It's worth noting that Martin Luther King is the inspiration behind Wonder's tune, but we adapt it for our purposes. And it would be difficult to entertain hip hop music fans – which obviously comprise a massive demographic, one that includes many kids and teenagers – without Grandmaster Flash's birthday rap. Artists like Jeremih, Kool & The Gang, Montell Jordan and Rihanna offer other options for birth anniversary surprises, though Kool & The Gang's “Celebration” is universal enough to work for nearly any occasion.
Valentine's Day is the single busiest day of the year for singing telegrams. Andre 3000, formerly of hip hop duo Outkast, penned a modern Valentine's anthem called “Happy Valentine's Day” that works incredibly well for many performances on February 14. And given that donning a diaper and wings is one of my most hilarious signature moves, I've definitely gotten some mileage out of Sam Cooke's “Cupid.” Bruno Mars' flattering and uplifting “Just The Way You Are” is appropriate for many occasions, but it's certainly a go-to on V-Day.
While birthdays and Valentine's Day are two of the most popular occasions for singing telegrams, our services are enlisted for a plethora of other ones. My rendition of Bobby McFerrin's “Don't Worry, Be Happy” got a cancer-stricken recipient through difficult doctor visits the other day. Similarly, Bob Marley's “Three Little Birds” has offered hope and solace to many recipients in the midst of troubling times or recoveries. Moms have felt love from offspring on Mother's Day via a slightly modified version of Marvin Gaye's “How Sweet It Is.” And Salt N Pepa's “Push It” absolutely slays at baby showers.
As I implied above, I support the Black Lives Matter movement and its current and ongoing efforts to end anti-Black racism in America. If you are in the position to donate, please do so.
Image: GQ.com