Wendy Jane's Soul Shake

Minnie Riperton

I wanted to choose a song that reflected a mother’s love for her child, and Loving You by Minnie Riperton came to mind.  While Riperton’s angelic voice is singing about an amazingly beautiful “grown-up” kind of love, her chanting of her baby daughter’s name, Maya, (for famed actress and comedienne, Maya Rudolph), at the end of the song made me feel that, like no other, incredible bond, between mother and child.

According to music lore, the song’s melody was created as a […]

I must have been receiving vibrations from the universe that yesterday was the anniversary of singer, Minnie Riperton’s, passing.  I thought it was just out of the blue that I chose to feature her for my Weekend Sounds post.  Turns out it wasn’t out of the blue, exactly, but remembering the blues, that I chose her.

In the early 80’s I was going through a blue period in my life, and I remember picking up my Minnie Riperton, Perfect Angel album, putting the record on the record player, and putting the needle on Loving You, and playing it over, and over again.  As I leaned over the side of my couch, my head resting on the sofa’s arm, I thought, if there can be such beauty in this world, as the angelic voice of Minnie, then life itself has to beautiful, and I can be more hopeful all because of her.

Maybe that sounds corny.  Maybe this video seems a bit saccharine and oh, so 70’s.  Loving You has been spoofed on a commercial, and elsewhere, but there is no denying the beauty of this woman, and her five-octave vocal range.  It is a shame that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away at the age of 31 on July 12, 1979.  Gone too soon.  Thanks for giving me hope, Minnie.