Soulklassieker du jour: Cloud Nine

Hoewel het een drugsong zou kunnen zijn hoeft het niet – het kan verwijzen naar een vlucht in gedachten, de wolken in, waar de wereld niet kwetst: “Every man in his mind is free”. Weg uit de lelijke werkelijkheid (en man betekent hier uiteraard mens).
Een stijlbreuk bij Motown, een nieuwe weg na het vertrek van het trio Holland-Dozier-Holland. Het intro is gebruikt voor het belangrijkste soul&R&B-programma van West-Europa door de jaren heen – jammer Pete, Ferry en Harry – Cloud nine door Paul May op RNI, zondagavond vanaf negen uur uiteraard.

A-who, who, awho, who…
pompompom….

[Dennis:] The childhood part of my life wasn’t very pretty.
You see, I was born and raised in the slums of the city.
It was a one room shack we slept in, other children beside me.
We hardly had enough food or room to sleep.
It was hard times, needed something to ease my troubled mind.

[Paul:] Ooo, listen.
My father didn’t know the meaning of work.
He disrespected Mama and treated us like dirt.
I left home seekin’ a job that I never did find.
Depressed and down-hearted, I took to Cloud 9.
I’m doing fine
Up here. (On cloud nine)
Listen one more time.
I’m doing fine
Up here. (On cloud nine)

[Dennis:] Folks now they tell me.
They say, give yourself a chance and don’t let life pass you by.
But the world around you is a rat race.
Where only the strong survive.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world and that ain’t no lie. (Ain’t no lie)
Listen, it ain’t even safe no more, to walk the streets at night.

[Eddie:] I’m doing fine on Cloud 9.
[Dennis:] Let me tell you about Cloud 9.

(Cloud 9) [Paul:] You can be what you wanna be.
(Cloud 9) [Dennis:] You ain’t got no responsibility.
(Cloud 9) [Eddie:] Every man, every man is free.
(Cloud 9) [Dennis:] You’re a million miles from reality.

(Reality) I’m gonna sail (up, up) higher (up, up… up, up and away) Cloud 9.

[Eddie:] I wanna say I love the life I live.
And I’m gonna live the life I love.
Up here on Cloud 9.
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, I’m riding high on Cloud 9.

[Dennis:] You’re as free as a bird in flight.
(Cloud 9) [Melvin:] There’s no diff’rence between day and night.
(Cloud 9) [Eddie:] It’s a world of love and harmony.
(Cloud 9) [Dennis:] You’re a million miles from reality.

(Reality) I’m gonna sail (up, up) higher (up, up… up, up and away) Cloud 9.

[Paul:] You can be what you wanna be.
(Cloud 9) [Dennis:] You ain’t got no responsibility.
(Cloud 9) [Eddie:] Every man in his mind is free.
(Cloud 9) [Dennis:] You’re a million miles from reality.
(Cloud 9) [Paul:] You can be what you wanna be.

Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom…
[Eddie:] I’m feeling fine on Cloud 9.


1968
Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, de vijf toenmalige leden van de Temptations.