Eggs, bacon, inflation, unemployment, and desperation are all about to rise
By: Vincent L. Hall
Ain’t that a bitch, ha, yes, it is
Somebody doing something slick, yeah, they are
It’s got me wondering which is which
Might as well go out of town and dig a ditch
Ain’t that a bitch!
Johnny Guitar Watson, 1996
Johnny Guitar Watson, the legendary blues artist and groovy griot of the ghetto, has been my front-seat passenger over the last few weeks. Spotify is my hope-to-die ride-along, and it is usually on some rap or a podcast.
But lately, I have had them Johnny Guitar Watson kind-of-blues!
If anyone could gauge and gravitate to my angst at paying close to six dollars for six eggs, Watson could. Quit Playin’, Johnny Guitar was for real. Johnny in his own words was a “Real Mutha Fa Ya!”
The culturally erudite and gratuitously gritty six-string player was born a few miles down the road in Houston, Texas. Unfortunately, he died a few thousand miles away from home, performing in Yokohama, Japan, in 1996.
At 7:40 on May 17, he collapsed on stage during the first song and first verse of his chart-topping Billboard hit, “Superman Lover!”
The Native Texan was a producer, writer, and player of keyboards, drums, and guitar. He also sang a little and had almost 20 of his own albums by the time of his passing.
Johnny Guitar brought the blues into the disco scene and married a few generations of us at the same party. He was known for his funky soul guitar, oversized sunshades, and raspy tenor voice.
But what you might remember Johnny for most was his 1997 hit, “Ain’t That a Bitch!” Johnny used the word bitch to describe our circumstances rather than our women. He loved the sistas!
For Black folks, there is nothing better than reducing the equation to its lowest terms. Johnny G knew how to break our plight down so that it was eternally and forever broken!
There are three barometers that indicate how Black folks are feeling about the economy. We may suffer a lot of mess, but finally, we ask one question. How high is poultry, pork, and petro?
If either of them is out of reach, we believe that the whole damn economy has gone awry.
Because for most of us, when chicken, eggs, bacon, or gas gets too high, the time to conserve and contract has arrived. And my friend, the time is now.
If you drive down to your local Piggly Wiggly and stand at the egg cooler, everyone there regardless of race is singing along with Johnny…“Ain’t that a Bitch!
Music lovers inclined to listen to Johnny Guitar Watson are smart enough to realize that our habits must change when things get tight. Hell, your cholesterol is probably too high anyway.
The bottom line is that we have a brain-dead president in the White House who invited his Billionaire “Broligarchs” to watch the Hen House. So, until we get some relief at the Courthouse, the only way to steer clear of the Outhouse is to pay attention to the finances in your own house.
Until said relief arrives, eggs, bacon, inflation, and desperation are all about to rise, right along with unemployment.
Now ain’t that a Bitch!
