i wonder whether mavis staples smacked bruce willis upside the head for disrespecting her song.

now, in case you’re wondering whether i’m about to go on one of my cover-song rants, i am. here’s exhibit a: the way the song ought to be sung.

why oh why is bruce willis singing a song that implores african americans to respect themselves? what the hell does he know about it? cos that’s what the song was all about when it was written in the early 1970s. i know many other groups trying to stand up for their rights took the song on, but there’s something oddly disturbing about willis, smiling broadly while singing to some skimpy blondey Take the sheet off your face, boy, it’s a brand new day.

gah.

don’t get me wrong — i lurved willis in moonlighting. i could gush for days about how my college pals and i would watch that show religiously. the chemistry between willis and cybil shepard was strong and almost hypnotic. but, like eddie murphy, apparently, willis had aspirations beyond acting.

too bad for us.

now, i don’t give a good cahoot that willis enlists ruth pointer to bring some sort of gritty reality to the song. and nevermind the fact that she sings rings around him. if he had any respect, he would have just handed the song over to her instead of interloping with his non-expressive voice.

in other news, what is a good cahoot, and how can i give one?