Synopsis
This investigation examines the mysterious shooting of soul icon Sam Cooke, whose death silenced one of the most vital voices in the civil rights movement.
2019 Directed by Kelly Duane de la Vega
This investigation examines the mysterious shooting of soul icon Sam Cooke, whose death silenced one of the most vital voices in the civil rights movement.
doesn't your heart just shatter to pieces when you hear a change is gonna come...
Despite liking Sam Cooke as an artist I must, with some embarrassment, admit that I didn't know all that much about his death. I knew he'd been shot but, my vague knowledge of it, had it down as some botched robbery, a tragedy and nothing more.
Of course nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst officially a justifiable homicide it's all too clear that a conspiracy was at play to put Cooke and other black artistes influenced by him 'in their place'. Whilst my inability to appreciate this until this documentary undeniably highlights my own shameful ignorance, it also makes me realise just how good the establishment are at suppressing information. The documentary quotes a statement made by Cooke's…
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it will
There are a few musicians that have come and gone that made music that transcended the standard of just sitting back and listening to something, letting it just be in the background during a hangout with friends. Purely emotive and transformative art. There's maybe a few artists like that around and active today, but I personally find most of them were in the old rock, jazz, or blues genres. I think of The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, David Bowie, and as you probably guessed, Sam Cooke. "A Change Is Gonna Come" is to me without question one of the greatest songs…
Short and powerful documentary really helps contextualize One Night in Miami further as a film, and helps explain why Regina King spent so much time on Cooke and gave him the huge send-off ending to that film.
Regardless of Malcom X's anger and Muhammad Ali's antagonism, Sam Cooke was the one the racists in authority hated the most, because his sultry tunes and bright smile worked their way into white living rooms and radios. He even took political songs and gave them such a melody that the children of the oppressors would sing them, of course enraging the parents more.
And like racists of today who scream that protests and looting aren't the way to do, you do it peacefully,…
Covers a hell of a lot in 74 minutes. Made me look at Cooke in a completely different light. Pretty surprised the biopic hasn’t been made yet, or a more indepth doc hasn’t been put together.
I think a little more time could have been spent exploring the circumstances of his murder and the conspiracies surrounding it. Get it together Netflixxxxx. If we can spend 6+ hours on white serial killers, we can spare the same amount of time for Sam Cooke and other powerful black figures who were murdered unjustly.
HOWEVER. Really enjoyed the commentary and insight around his career, activism and economic ventures.
Devastating. An informative piece on one of the greatest musicians of all time and the impact on which he left. Highly recommend watching it whether you’re a fan of Sam or not.
Missed this in 2019. I feel it’s honestly a way better alternative presentation of the history you see depicted in One Night In Miami. And it’s also exhibit A for why allen klein is the ultimate villain of 20th century popular music - no other asshole of the industry comes close.
Besides the important interrogation of the circumstances surrounding Sam Cooke’s death and the loving exploration of what he meant and means in the context of the Black community in this illegitimate country, the film is also such a precious chance to spend time with some underappreciated, lesser-known legends of soul music. It’s always great to see Smokey Robinson and Quincy Jones, but what an amazing gift to see and hear from Lloyd Price, Billy Davis, Roscoe Robinson, and the great Friendly Womack, Jr. - the last surviving Womack brother from the immortal Valentinos.