That's The Way We Do It In Detroit

“ I guess this song is both a protest song and love song (toward the city) about the current criticism of Detroit's 100 year work ethic by a buncha political weasels who wouldn't know a work callus if it suddenly appeared on their forehead.”
-Stewart Francke

Click to download THAT’S THE WAY WE DO IT IN DETROIT

LWOH dedicates this song to all of our friends in Detroit, including Citizen Carrie as we pay a very cool-yule tribute to Stewart Francke’s Motor City Serenede, which has been described as the most important blue-eyed soul record in a musical generation. Detroit’s own Stewart Francke’s terrific music plays at the daring crossroads of soul and rock, mixing up an Urban R&B sound which is influenced by Marvin Gaye and Brian Wilson.

From Stewart Francke’s website:

“This song was initially called "The Auto Trade," about my own memories of growing up in the car business, but with the matters at hand regarding the survival of the Big 3 (and in effect our very area), I'm now simple calling it, as a point of pride, "That's The Way We Do It In Detroit." I guess this song is both a protest song and love song (toward the city) about the current criticism of Detroit's 100 year work ethic by a buncha political weasels who wouldn't know a work callus if it suddenly appeared on their forehead. Like many of us here in town, I’m sick and tired of hearing all this hypocrisy about Detroit and all we've done wrong--when over the years we've done far more right than wrong. I’m sick and tired of my town takin' it on the chin, like we didn’t help build a nation or feed a million families or make the most beautiful cars in the world for 75 years. This song is in protest to the ignorant derision toward Detroit, and a statement of pride in my city. I grew up in the car business, as did my father and his brothers; I worked in Steering Gear factories before I was able to earn a living as a musician. Use this song as you’d like--I hope we use it as an anthem for positivity; I hope we use it as a statement about where we've been and where we're going--a comeback anthem for Detroit and Southeastern Michigan. The Gospel choir accompaniment is courtesy of many church members in town.”

Let’s hear it for Francke’s cool yule, and for finding a pair to start kicking a few “political weasels’” tires on this corporate-welfare enabled, hijacked bus we call “Congress” to restore economic and civil justice at the community level in 2009 all across this country! We don’t need no stinkin’ Czars…

Peace and Joy,

-2Truthy