I might have been 12 years old when my neighbor gave me 3 random 45s that his father was getting rid of.

It would have been right after we moved to Georgia….and it seems like I remember turning 13 that first year….so I might have still been 12 years old.

This song was one of the 3 singles that I was given.

I think that one was “Court of the Crimson King” by King Crimson….and I can’t remember the other one.

I put this on my little record player…and was transported.

I was informed….I was influence….I was transfixed.

“BE BLACK, BABY, BE BLACK!”

Grady Tate!! A cool singing drummer….

That was something I never heard sitting around the table eating lefse.

That wasn’t a sentiment that made any sense in a Norwegian household.

Anyway, this song became the subject of much internal reflection.

“You’re walking down the street and everyone you meet is going to step to the side and stare… cause you’re feeling good and you know you should because there’s black cats everywhere!”

I’m quoting that from memory.

All these years later, I’m quoting that funk song from memory.

I didn’t know how that would feel….to see everyone “step to the side and stare”.

I am a little white man.

That song was so cool.

Of course, it could have gone the other way(s)….I did have 3 singles now, you know?

I could have obsessed over the cool King Crimson song….and spent all my time waiting for the Fire Witch to come back to the Court of the Crimson King.

It could have all gone down like that….instead of me fantasizing about strutting around going “hoo, hoo…” and imagining altering my pigmentation for the sake of being a little bit “cooler”.

It could have gone so many different ways.

This is the guy who wrote “Be Black, Baby”….Eric Kaz.

Who woulda thunk it.