Artwork, Video Produced and Designed by Nikki Williams
Song: "If It's Magic" Written and Performed by Mr. Stevie Wonder from the album "Songs in the Key of Life" Copyright 1976
Dear Viewer: Please Note that the use of Mr. Stevie Wonder's song "If It's Magic" is no way intended to suggest that Mr. Wonder endorses or shares the Artist's Beliefs regarding Arts in Education. - Thank you.
"My Mama blew a balloon! But I told her time and time again, I was made to love her..."
I was singing that part of the song, loudly in the back of the school bus
All the while the bus driver kept turning his head to yell at us
You couldn't tell me that those weren't the right words to the song
Embarrassing, how much time it took for me to find out that I was wrong
That was one of my wonderful memories of the 1960's and being bused to school
If we knew back then that we were part of the Civil Rights Movement, we wouldn't have acted a fool
But I remember that song "I Was Made to Love Her," - its amazing, Stevie Wonder wasn't that much older
Then us kids on the school bus when he wrote that song - but he was a teenager, so he was bolder
Music in the late '60's and '70's had all of us singing no matter what your race
Motown and Soul Music always put a smile on your face
I know Stevie Wonder misses those days - that's why he wrote the song "I Wish,"
(Sigh) I remember playing Checkers, Scrabble, and card games like War, and Go Fish
Buying Mike and Ike, Sugar Babies, Blow Pops Red Hots, Now and Later
Dancing the Watusi, the Twist, the Shang-a-lang and Mash Potato
Playing with Jacks, Hula Hoop, Bat and Ball, and dolls like Barbie and Ken
Our dolls were white although we was Colored and Negro back then
Riding two wheelers and wearing our skate key around our necks - we rode and skated so fast and free
All of us had two parents but any adult could chastise you because we were a tight Community
Creativity was everywhere, we all had some type of talent - the Arts were part of our school's curriculum
Glee Club, Band, Painting, Theater, you name it - having the Arts in school was as natural as walking and chewing gum
The Arts were part of our regular classes, it wasn't a program that you had after school and you didn't have to take one or the other
We really were lucky back then - Penny Candy, Uplifting Music, and Neighbors that looked out for each you, like they were your father or mother
If it weren't for all the encouragement I received back then, to become an Artist, maybe I wouldn't be writing this poem
Yup I agree
With you Stevie
I really miss
And I Wish
That we could go back, maybe just for a day, to a time when we were carefree kids singing songs heard on a transistor radio, while riding on a bus that was taking us safely home.
- Nikki Williams