My parents showed this to my siblings and I when we were little and we were OBSESSED. Watched it all the time. Mom & Dad would sing "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" for us before bed every night. Great memories. Great special.
I can't believe it's been 30 years since I first watched this on PBS. I enjoyed it. People of today don't realize the quality of programming back in the day. This, along with Gospel at Colonus, were my two favorite individual shows, but TJ Lipinsky and the Doo Wop oldies was my favorite annual series. As an old fart, the Doo Wop Oldies were still new when I sang them. All the acts in this presentation were quality, and did not disappoint.
R.I.P. Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad (1944-1988), Headman Shabalala (1945-1991), Jockey Shabalala (1943-2006), Joseph Jesse ‘Sweet Joe’ Russell (1939-2012), Jimmy ‘Bro’ ‘Mr. Bass Man’ Hayes (1943-2017), Hugh Masekela (1939-2018), Jerry Lawson (1944-2019), Joseph Shabalala (1940-2020) and David Dinkins (1927-2020).
Lady smith Black Mambazo harmony is so sweet, so pleasant especially when they were singing Solomon Linda’s (Mbube) The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The Persuasions, and Take Six, their cappella style is pure soul!!!
5:42 Zombie Jamboree by Rockapella. Love this song. 14:50 Samuel l Jackson came 15:23 the Persuasions. That song I fell in love with. Those voices are amazing. 33:13 Under the Boardwalk 46:24 the absolute best version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Ladysmith black mambazo and a female group whose name I don't recall Lady Smith are awesome too!
My high school chorus teacher played this video in class, back in the day when we had the heavy, clunky 24" screen TV on the rolling cart. I bought the CD & still have my favorite songs memorized. I listened to this over and over.
One of the best music documentaries *ever* (maybe the best 90 minutes of music of any kind ever!)! I'm imagine the concert was in late 1989; I was at a Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert when the news came through that Nelson Mandela had been released that day. The group made the announcement and sang the African National Anthem. I think virtually everybody in the audience was crying -- I certainly was!
Here in October 2022. This played in our house loud from the TV as we cleaned. I am in my thirties and get so much nostalgia watching and listening. Thank you for allowing me this amazing walk down memory lane.❤
Thank you so much for this!!! I watched this one constantly with my mother on VHS!! I love it and every scene/song remind me of my mother and teaches you how to get through life. I'm so glad that I have these memories that I can now relive through watching this video.
Thank you so much for uploading this. I still have my CD from this and am holding on to it for dear life. I remember seeing it on PBS when it aired (30 years ago!) and it has stayed with me since then. I'll forget about it for months, years, then, suddenly, a song or moment will pop back into my head. Such a wonderful breadth of performances. I know many of the artists have left us (RIP, Joseph from LBM and all), but their artistry will forever live on!
Love this..its my favorite way to sing.. Ladysmith Black Mambazo ...a joy Once, when young..(16), the last Tour of Fairport Convention came to Atlanta. Got to see Sandy Denny sing ,"Who Knows Where The Time Goes " Accapella Stood there with my chin on the floor .. Its hard to carry a performance solo. Those who sing Acapella are masters of their voices💯♥️🌹
Wow, love that I found this! My 4 siblings and I had the vhs of this as kids and we watched it until we knew every word to every song. We still sing the songs to our kids. Love it so much!!!
wow i have the Mint Juleps CD w/ don't let your heart...from 1993, i have always liked it, but i have never seen them until now, wow...& i have been listening to Lady Smith since their Shaka Zulu LP in 1987, and the heavenly sounds of Take Six, been listening to them since their 1st album in 1988 ...not sure how i missed this...thanks to youtube...enjoying it now...the magic of the voice...hum where was Zap Mama? Sweet Honey? Bobby McFerrin?
Rockapella, Take 6, Ladysmith --- HEAVY INFLUENCES on my life. Shout out to Bobby McFerrin --- he would have been perfect here. Sweet Honey -- were they around back then?
@@risetotheheavens Sweet Honey was founded in 1973, per Wikipedia. I'm not sure they've always been a cappella, but if they have, it is a bit odd that they weren't in this.
Thank you for sharing this! I have been a MASSIVE Rockapella fan since I was 15. I saved my allowance to buy this special on VHS and then buy the soundtrack on tape and then CD. I'm singing along to this while I work.
Thank you for uploading this! This album was constant in my childhood, and I didn't even know about the film until a couple years ago and I haven't been able to find a good quality copy. This is awesome!
Thank you for all of your videos. A great watch all the time. So much great content. This is yet another one I have the pleasure to view I never knew. Each One Teach One.
Thank you for sharing. I've been searching for this off and on for decades and it's great to finally see it for the first time. The Persuasions closing number just made the hair stand on the back of my neck!
Brilliant. One of the best things ever on TV. There is stuff here I don't remember seeing when it debuted, and that isn't on the CD. Thanks for uploading.
A great special, but perhaps the most important thing to come from it was the discovery of Rockapella. It was this special that got them their gig on "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" a year later, which ran for five seasons and 295 episodes! They also paid homage to this special in every single episode by having the child winner shout into the cameras "Do it Rockapella!" to which they then would sing/lip synch the show's theme song, which was co-wrote by lean singer Sean Altman! :)
OMG, as a member of the church of Christ I especially appreciate this presentation! Our Worship Singing is all without instruments, as it was in the 1st Century Church. Our entire family sings acappella and it's extremely difficult to explain to the world "How Sweet The Sound"! Thank you RB! (Elect reelblack WH 2020)! Love, Leen :-)
I recorded this as a kid on VHS when it was shown by the BBC in the UK 89, maybe 90. Watched it until it warped - especially Lady Smith & Mint Juleps Lion Sleeps - wonderful memories. Thank you.
My all-time favorite! Bought the VHS from the number they showed at the end of the PBS Special! Lost the VHS in my divorce…😢 So glad to find the entire program here on yt! ❤
@@prosodio It looks like True Image appeared as "A Cappella Singers" in Married to the Mob (1992), per IMDB. If memory serves, they worked the studio audience during tapings of the The Cosby Show. Closest I've gotten to finding her on the net is a visual artist of the same name on Facebook.
I loved this and watched it on VCR 100 times in the early 1990s. One of the best hours of music ever. My kids heard more of this than Miles and Diz (and they heard a hell of a lot of them). I love all the groups. What happened to the woman in the lead of the 2nd tune? I nee--ee-ee-ee-uhd (to hear) You (again). Spike for president!
Do u guys have access to Spike's film of 'Passing Strange' by Stew? Idk if many black ppl know of this play. I came across it by accident on one of the pay cable channels years ago. I think that there may also be a pbs version of just the music.
How beautiful it is to see Black folks celebrating their God-given talent as well as their natural hair color! No absurd and obnoxious pink, green or blue hair to be seen!
46:23 My number one request for my funeral is that this be played as they're taking me from the church. Also the intro to "Coming to America," but I love the harmony the Mint Juleps add. I was named for the story of Daniel and the lion's den.
Been a long time since I have seen this, was Samuel L. Jackson just nearby? That had to be one of his first on-camera shots, I thought Coming to America was his first, that was 88, wasn't it?
Who else white would have been doing this kind of music in 1989? Yes, there were barbershop quartets, but that's not really pop music (at least not in that era); so it would have been jarring. Now, of course, there are a number of white pop groups doing a cappella, many of them directly influenced by Rockapella (Home Free credits them, in fact)!
My parents showed this to my siblings and I when we were little and we were OBSESSED. Watched it all the time. Mom & Dad would sing "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" for us before bed every night. Great memories. Great special.
It’s called Looking for an echo
SAME !!!
I can't believe it's been 30 years since I first watched this on PBS. I enjoyed it. People of today don't realize the quality of programming back in the day. This, along with Gospel at Colonus, were my two favorite individual shows, but TJ Lipinsky and the Doo Wop oldies was my favorite annual series. As an old fart, the Doo Wop Oldies were still new when I sang them.
All the acts in this presentation were quality, and did not disappoint.
LBM always shine. Superb .
My parents made the required donation to PBS to get me the VHS. I loved hip hop, but I loved this, too. I think it was something we could all enjoy.
Rockapella's appearance in this PBS special was how they eventually landed the Carmen Saniego gig.
R.I.P. Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad (1944-1988), Headman Shabalala (1945-1991), Jockey Shabalala (1943-2006), Joseph Jesse ‘Sweet Joe’ Russell (1939-2012), Jimmy ‘Bro’ ‘Mr. Bass Man’ Hayes (1943-2017), Hugh Masekela (1939-2018), Jerry Lawson (1944-2019), Joseph Shabalala (1940-2020) and David Dinkins (1927-2020).
I have a problem with this comment. How did you know 2 months ago that Joseph Shabalala will die this year? He only died last week.
@@gambu4810 I edited my comment.
I recorded this by accident on my VHS when i was a teeneager and i have always kept it on my memory. It is incredible that i have found it again
Lady smith Black Mambazo harmony is so sweet, so pleasant especially when they were singing Solomon Linda’s (Mbube) The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The Persuasions, and Take Six, their cappella style is pure soul!!!
5:42 Zombie Jamboree by Rockapella. Love this song.
14:50 Samuel l Jackson came
15:23 the Persuasions. That song I fell in love with. Those voices are amazing.
33:13 Under the Boardwalk
46:24 the absolute best version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Ladysmith black mambazo and a female group whose name I don't recall
Lady Smith are awesome too!
The Rockapella bass is awesome
The Mint Juleps
Mbube
Take6 at 20:33
I have been looking all over for this! This was the beginning of my Love for Acapella! THANK YOU!
I can't lie...this is exactly why I was looking for this today!!!
Spike Lee. One of the best out there.
Bring this back.
My high school chorus teacher played this video in class, back in the day when we had the heavy, clunky 24" screen TV on the rolling cart. I bought the CD & still have my favorite songs memorized. I listened to this over and over.
tumblr brought me here. Thanks for uploading this gem! 💎 I think I liked The Mint Juleps the best. 😍 and Take 6 was 🔥 🔥 🔥 too!
MAN! Take 6 was ALWAYS a cut above! SO! GOOD!
One of the best music documentaries *ever* (maybe the best 90 minutes of music of any kind ever!)! I'm imagine the concert was in late 1989; I was at a Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert when the news came through that Nelson Mandela had been released that day. The group made the announcement and sang the African National Anthem. I think virtually everybody in the audience was crying -- I certainly was!
Here in October 2022. This played in our house loud from the TV as we cleaned. I am in my thirties and get so much nostalgia watching and listening. Thank you for allowing me this amazing walk down memory lane.❤
Todays artsit will never be able to up hold to this
Thank you so much for this!!! I watched this one constantly with my mother on VHS!! I love it and every scene/song remind me of my mother and teaches you how to get through life. I'm so glad that I have these memories that I can now relive through watching this video.
Beginning is priceless!!
Thank you so much for uploading this. I still have my CD from this and am holding on to it for dear life. I remember seeing it on PBS when it aired (30 years ago!) and it has stayed with me since then. I'll forget about it for months, years, then, suddenly, a song or moment will pop back into my head. Such a wonderful breadth of performances. I know many of the artists have left us (RIP, Joseph from LBM and all), but their artistry will forever live on!
33 years ago, I heard this, this is indeed a blast from the past.
Love this..its my favorite way to sing..
Ladysmith Black Mambazo ...a joy
Once, when young..(16), the last Tour of Fairport Convention came to Atlanta.
Got to see Sandy Denny sing ,"Who Knows Where The Time Goes "
Accapella
Stood there with my chin on the floor ..
Its hard to carry a performance solo.
Those who sing Acapella are masters of their voices💯♥️🌹
Wow I seen this when I was a kid in the 90s😍😍 thank you so much for uploading
Wow, love that I found this! My 4 siblings and I had the vhs of this as kids and we watched it until we knew every word to every song. We still sing the songs to our kids. Love it so much!!!
The Old Spike....
wow i have the Mint Juleps CD w/ don't let your heart...from 1993, i have always liked it, but i have never seen them until now, wow...& i have been listening to Lady Smith since their Shaka Zulu LP in 1987, and the heavenly sounds of Take Six, been listening to them since their 1st album in 1988 ...not sure how i missed this...thanks to youtube...enjoying it now...the magic of the voice...hum where was Zap Mama? Sweet Honey? Bobby McFerrin?
Rockapella, Take 6, Ladysmith --- HEAVY INFLUENCES on my life. Shout out to Bobby McFerrin --- he would have been perfect here. Sweet Honey -- were they around back then?
@@risetotheheavens Sweet Honey was founded in 1973, per Wikipedia. I'm not sure they've always been a cappella, but if they have, it is a bit odd that they weren't in this.
Could have or should have had the Nylons in the as well.
Thank you for sharing this! I have been a MASSIVE Rockapella fan since I was 15. I saved my allowance to buy this special on VHS and then buy the soundtrack on tape and then CD. I'm singing along to this while I work.
Yes....Go Spike! 💙💙💙💙
My favorite producer
Thank you for uploading this! This album was constant in my childhood, and I didn't even know about the film until a couple years ago and I haven't been able to find a good quality copy. This is awesome!
Thank you for all of your videos. A great watch all the time. So much great content. This is yet another one I have the pleasure to view I never knew. Each One Teach One.
Thank you for sharing. I've been searching for this off and on for decades and it's great to finally see it for the first time. The Persuasions closing number just made the hair stand on the back of my neck!
SPIKE LEE ✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿
Wow, I was in high school when I saw this! Ah, memories.
Brilliant. One of the best things ever on TV. There is stuff here I don't remember seeing when it debuted, and that isn't on the CD. Thanks for uploading.
A great special, but perhaps the most important thing to come from it was the discovery of Rockapella. It was this special that got them their gig on "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" a year later, which ran for five seasons and 295 episodes! They also paid homage to this special in every single episode by having the child winner shout into the cameras "Do it Rockapella!" to which they then would sing/lip synch the show's theme song, which was co-wrote by lean singer Sean Altman! :)
OMG, as a member of the church of Christ I especially appreciate this presentation! Our Worship Singing is all without instruments, as it was in the 1st Century Church. Our entire family sings acappella and it's extremely difficult to explain to the world "How Sweet The Sound"! Thank you RB!
(Elect reelblack WH 2020)!
Love, Leen :-)
I am a member of the Church of Christ as well! Amazing presentation and very much appreciated.❣
@@ellepatrice Hello Sister!!! Wonderful meeting you!
WwOoWw 'RB' you're better than 'FB'! Everyone Should "SUBSCRIBE & SHARE! The Possibilities 'RB' Endless"!
Love, Leen
Louisiana
@@ellepatrice Have you checked out other RB musical presentations and "Live" Concerts? Wonderful!
I recorded this as a kid on VHS when it was shown by the BBC in the UK 89, maybe 90. Watched it until it warped - especially Lady Smith & Mint Juleps Lion Sleeps - wonderful memories. Thank you.
My all-time favorite! Bought the VHS from the number they showed at the end of the PBS Special! Lost the VHS in my divorce…😢 So glad to find the entire program here on yt! ❤
久しぶりに見ました。
当時このビデオ買ってたくさん見ました。
大好きな作品です。
Ladysmith black mambazo worlds best group ever
Solid 🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼👀👏👏❤
True image lady could be a star, I like how good she is without worrying about being anything... so great and humble
Who was or is she???
@@M.S.O1994 I wish I knew...
@@prosodio me too...
@@M.S.O1994 I´ve searched all along the internet but found nothing.....
@@prosodio It looks like True Image appeared as "A Cappella Singers" in Married to the Mob (1992), per IMDB. If memory serves, they worked the studio audience during tapings of the The Cosby Show. Closest I've gotten to finding her on the net is a visual artist of the same name on Facebook.
Love Spike Lee!
I was obsessed w this as a kid
Best pbs special ever!
🙏🏼Bless you, reelblack. 🙏🏼
AMAZING CONCERT ¡BRAVÍSSIMO!
Thank you for sharing this!!!
The best that did it ,I like when they ,just like a automobile put it in first gear going up the hill
I loved this and watched it on VCR 100 times in the early 1990s. One of the best hours of music ever. My kids heard more of this than Miles and Diz (and they heard a hell of a lot of them). I love all the groups. What happened to the woman in the lead of the 2nd tune? I nee--ee-ee-ee-uhd (to hear) You (again). Spike for president!
Thank You Sooo much -OY3AH!
I had this on audio cassette. It needs to be released again
That ladysmith Black Mambazo group was something of a Lionel Messi in African music 🔥🙅🏾♂️
The text above incorrectly indicates that this film was directed by Spike Lee. It was, if fact, directed by Ernest Dickerson, not Spike Lee.
15:22
The Persuasions - Echo
A symbol of true love
Been looking for this after hearing about it in a Defunctland video
🙉WOW💥JUST CRASY💥BE BLESSED BROS⭐⭐⭐🦁👍🌼🌈💕🦋💞🤗⭐⭐⭐HALLELUYAH🌈✨🕊✨😇✨
I've been singing "Get away Jordan" since I was 11 or 12. I am today years old when I learned it was chilly Jordan and not truly Jordan.
Mint juleps are BADASS!
Wow! Was Spike really talking to Dizzy Gillespie😍?
Rockapella got the Carmen Sandiego job from this doc
Oh The Persuasions! Men singing, not moaning and groaning about sex.
Bring back doowop era please
Very good
Do u guys have access to Spike's film of 'Passing Strange' by Stew? Idk if many black ppl know of this play. I came across it by accident on one of the pay cable channels years ago. I think that there may also be a pbs version of just the music.
Brilhante !
I love spike lee
How beautiful it is to see Black folks celebrating their God-given talent as well as their natural hair color! No absurd and obnoxious pink, green or blue hair to be seen!
46:23 My number one request for my funeral is that this be played as they're taking me from the church. Also the intro to "Coming to America," but I love the harmony the Mint Juleps add. I was named for the story of Daniel and the lion's den.
I got one thing to say DO IT ROCKAPELLA!
40 acres and a mule . ✊🏾
Rockapella were tailor-made for PBS lol glad they got carmen san diego from this. Just hope they got paid decent
Why didn't True Image record anything? I love they style!
Been a long time since I have seen this, was Samuel L. Jackson just nearby? That had to be one of his first on-camera shots, I thought Coming to America was his first, that was 88, wasn't it?
Cool, intro to Coming To America.
pitch perfect got their ideas from here
any way you can clip the Mint Juleps sequence starting at 10:43 to 14:25?? or direct my to that clip elsewhere on YT.....anyone....thanks 💓
A need to find the song playing at 9:00 !! The girl is amazing!
Live or Die ... by Your chops .
Don't know why they left up on the roof he messed up lyrics RIP!
Starts at 5:15
7:44 Never forget the high wire zombie between The World Trades… 🥃
2022
11:47
42:29完全に危ない宗教
Does anyone find it strange that Rockapella is the only group in this show that’s NOT black?
Not at all. See Woody Allen!
Who else white would have been doing this kind of music in 1989? Yes, there were barbershop quartets, but that's not really pop music (at least not in that era); so it would have been jarring. Now, of course, there are a number of white pop groups doing a cappella, many of them directly influenced by Rockapella (Home Free credits them, in fact)!
1990's spike lee cringe worthy
Where has this been... love, hate relationship with You Tube 😢😮😅😊😂🎉🤨🧐😲🤔🌎☺️💬💭🗯️🗨️👍🏿👍🏿🙏
11:47