Praise You: A forgotten love letter to black men

《赞美你:致黑人男性的被遗忘情书》

The Documentary Podcast

2025-06-27

26 分钟
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单集简介 ...

DJ Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ is a song you might have heard in a Hollywood movie or danced to in a club - to this day, it is still his biggest hit. But there is something you won’t know: the singer behind the lyrics or the true meaning of the words. Civil rights activist Camille Yarbrough first released ‘Take Yo’ Praise’ 50 years ago. It was written as a love letter to African-American men, inspired by a moment of spiritual awakening and family secret. After its release, radio stations refused to play it and she felt she was labelled a “troublemaker”. When Fatboy Slim picked up an old copy of Camille’s song, he turned it into a hit. But there is an irony - it is now played by radio stations around the world, but the true meaning of the music has been lost. Reporter Emily Webb goes to meet Camille in her New York apartment.
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  • We've come a long,

  • long way together Through the hard times and the good I have to celebrate you,

  • baby I have to praise you like I should do Do you recognize these?

  • They're the opening lyrics to Praise You,

  • a 90s dance anthem and signature song of the English DJ Fatboy Slim.

  • The track's popped up in major Hollywood films, TV shows, commercials.

  • If I'm at a wedding and it comes on,

  • it's normally the song that gets everyone on the dance floor.

  • But here's something you won't know.

  • The singer behind it and the true meaning of the lyrics.

  • A lot of people have gone through things together,

  • but I'm very specifically talking about African people being brought here and having lived here all these years.

  • Even today, racism has mellowed a little.