Song of the Week: What Can I Do For You

When Patti Labelle & the Bluebelles reinvented themselves in the 1970s and became the marvelous triune Goddess known as Labelle, a power was unchained and that power was perfectly expressed in "What Can I Do For You?" from what was probably their best album Nightbirds.

Their performances brought out a generation that itself was eager to be unchained through their music. The Vietnamese 'Military Excursion' was over and Watergate was behind them and the plague had yet to hit.

People want truth or nothing at all People want sincerity and nothing more

...

People want to live not merely exist People want to enjoy not suffer in peace ... What Can You do, What Can you Do For me?

Their performances at Oakland's Paramount in 1975 and 1976 gave ample evidence to the unchained generation. The performances brought out people as diverse as Dusty Springfield who joined them on stage for the song you're hearing now and Sylvester who could have easily been one of them. Most of the crowd were almost as entertaining as the performers.

Labelle literally descended upon the stage from above and like birds being set free dispersed that freedom to those who came to hear them. San Francisco was not only one of the more politically correct places to live it was also one of the more happily correct places to live.

"What Can I Do For You?" was a different kind of protest song, if you will, it was defiant and liberating at one and the same time. When Patti sets herself free with the ad lib at the end you are there along for the ride. Ah, what a ride it was.