Can you believe it? 20 years since the release of Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing”
“1989 the number another summer (get down)
Sound of the funky drummer
Music hittin’ your heart cause I know you got sould
(Brothers and sisters hey)
Listen if you’re missin’ y’all
Swingin’ while I’m singin’
Givin’ whatcha gettin’
Knowin’ what I know
While the Black bands sweatin’
And the rhythm rhymes rollin’
Got to give us what we want
Gotta give us what we need”
~Fight The Power (Public Enemy)
I was amazed to read about Do The Right Thing celebrating 20 years. Man! I’m getting old. 1989 was a remarkable summer for me and one of my defining moments was seeing Do The Right Thing at the theater that used to be in downtown Baltimore by the Harbor (my times have changed). I was in high school doing a summer science program at Morgan State. It was the best summer of my life and led to me attending Morgan State for college several years later.
I turned black to that movie. The consciousness was on in full effect. I also fell in love with the works of Spike Lee. My first African medallion was one that said Fight The Power. I had a Do The Right Thing t-shirt that I sported with then trendy biker shorts. X-Clan tapes in my Walkman. I was ready for the revolution! LOL 😎
The movie is a classic! Who could forget Radio Raheem, the sexy ice cube cooldown scene with Mookie and Tina “Thank God for the left nipple. Thank God for the right nipple…”, Sal’s pizzeria, Sweet Dick Willie, I could go on and on.
From Black Voices– ‘DO THE RIGHT THING’ CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Last week, at the Walter Reade Theater in New York City, director Spike Lee and members of the cast and crew relived memories of the critically acclaimed film during a discussion held by ImageNation Cinema Foundation.
In attendance were Rosie Perez, John Turturro, John Savage, Monty Ross, Ernest Dickerson, Frankie Faison, Richard Edson, Malcolm Lee, Roger Guenveur Smith, Malinda Williams and husband D-Nice, and Dennis White.
The event kicked off with Chuck D of Public Enemy, who performed the hit song ‘Fight The Power,’ followed by a screening and then a Q and A with Spike and the cast…
What fond memories does Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” conjure up for you?
What was your favorite scene from “Do The Right Thing”
Just talking about it makes me want to dig out my cassette tape for the soundtrack. “W-L-O-V-E FM 108…” Yes, cassette tape. Perhaps I should consider getting it on cd or as you MP3 junkies do- download it. I lived to that soundtrack for a long time. A great listen if you never heard it and are a fan of the movie.
Here are some throwback videos for your trip down Memory Lane…
Can’t Stand The Heat (Steel Pulse)
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Scene with Mookie (Spike Lee) and Pino (John Turtorro) about blackness. Man! This has applicability right now, today! Watch…
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Sweet Dick Willie scene…
