Listening to the Sparkle soundtrack reminds me of watching the movie at my aunt's house on VHS, while getting my hair pressed on Saturday night. As the hot comb sat on the stove, I relaxed into the Blue Magic grease-down my aunt administered to my soft curls. The movie played and I pretended to fall into the musical cast, antsy and literally scared of the heat.
While the movie is one of my favorites, the songs stand so much taller for me. Each song played at just the right scene heightened the passion the characters displayed. Somehow, hearing Aretha belt out feelings of being hooked on sweet, sweet love entranced me at such a young age. In my young mind, I was even more intrigued by letting someone know what I was feeling was real, even though I had no such feelings and was dreading the hot comb that was sizzling at the nape of my neck.
And though I didn't quite understand what "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" meant when I was a kid, I began collecting context clues early on. Hearing the En Vogue rendition complete with visuals of red skin-tight dress wearing Terri, Cindy, Dawn, and Maxine gave me plenty to glean from. Equipped with Aretha's soulful declaration and En Vogue's sass & sensuality, I gathered pieces to add to my arsenal. I became a diva in training, complete with a weathered tube of red lipstick I had long ago swiped from my Aunt Val (and kept hidden in my trinkets drawer for safe keeping). Now, as I spin this album, I'm reminded of adolescent beauty routines, the painful cost of beauty, and how beautiful love sounds when Aretha Franklin sings about it.
[from cinematic soul prompt by blackgirlslovevinyl]
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE SOUNDTRACK?
