Teddy Pendergrass may make one think of a charmer able to swoon anyone’s heart; and he was definitely a ladies man back in the day. Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, born March 26, 1950 in Kingstree, South Carolina, being raised solely by his mother after his father left. While being raised by his mother, Pendergrass would grow up in a religious household above the church his mother would take him to as a kid, where he did many things in his youth, including singing in a Philadelphia church choir, and teaching himself to play drums. Having gotten to sing in the choir and acted as their drummer, he’d later become a junior deacon and ordained as a minister at the age of 10.
Gospel music was prevalent in Pendergrass’ early years. But what about the blues aspect? Well, with Pendergrass being a self-taught drummer and having learned by ear alongside his mother, giving him the opportunity to learn the drum at the Sciolla’s Supper Club she cleaned at. This would ultimately lead him to join an R&B band called The Cadillacs before being spotted and hired to drum with prominent R&B singer Harold Melvin and his band called Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. He would eventually become the lead singer after the lead singer at the time, John Atkins, left the band. From there the band had many hits like “The Love I Lost,” and “Wake Up Everybody,” which would give him the footing to launch his solo career in 1977. Releasing many singles and records with one album that had a message that we could all agree on, that “Life Is a Song Worth Singing.”
Pendergrass would release his second studio album, titled “Life is a Song Worth Singing,” in 1978. The album contained many classics that would further his solo career as a R&B and soul artist. Alongside that, he would cement himself as a premier romantic vocalist and a male sex symbol. The album is eight songs long, containing an array of diverse styles in each track. There are slow, rhythmic, emotional songs and cheerful funky songs. So here are the songs that are the most worth singing.
“Close the Door” is a very calming song that sums up the experience of coming back home after a long day to that special someone in your life. All your worries about work or school and whatnot wash away as you two spend your much awaited time with one another. To be simply vulnerable and faithful to each other, during your time together.
“Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose” is very funky, as the title would suggest. I feel that this song is very inspiring of gleeful, on the spot dancing, bringing your whole group and anyone around together into a flash mob. “Have myself a ball” is a line we all could agree we wish we could abandon our responsibilities to do.
In contrast to “Close the Door,” “Only You” is a head nodding love song about how that one person in your life is the only one to make you feel the way you do and how nobody even comes close to loving you. Similar to songs we’ve all heard before, it conveys the theme of your lover being the one and only you want to be with.
Despite every life being different, each life is worthy to be sung, be it a movie star or your local deli worker. Life is a song worth singing, no matter your role in the community.
Final Ranking: 9.2/10
