The Impact of the Clean Up Soundtrack: How It Shapes Our Culture

Written By: Ambreia Meadows - Fernandez

Growing up, I often felt like I missed out on a core Black memory because my mother didn’t do the “signature Sunday cleaning by blasting Black music classics” routine. Don’t get it twisted; we still had to clean, but it sounded a lot less fun to do the same work without the soundtrack. Not having that "standard experience" taught me that growing up Black has many overlaps, but our experiences aren’t identical. It also reminded me that the music and media we consume during childhood shape our identity. 

Our music memories don’t just let us know there was work to be done. The songs we listened to set the tone for the activities we were about to do and exposed us to the sounds of the culture. The artists and languages likely varied based on region or ethnicity—remember, there are MANY types of Black! But the takeaway feels the same. In Black communities, music isn’t just a motivator of productivity. It’s the key to emotions like joy and sorrow, collective experience and memories, and possibly even the uniting thread that synthesizes our experience. 

Our music is a bridge between generations of Black families. The songs we play in the background during family gatherings or celebrations often hold a special place in our hearts, transporting us back to moments of joy and togetherness. When I became a parent, I was determined to establish the tradition in my household, hoping to add some fun and flavor to our clean-up routine. Here’s an appreciated list of our family clean-up list based on the songs I heard at family gathers.

As a Black mama raising kids in the Mountain West, my journey differs from that of other Black families. Through music, I hope to give my children one part that feels the same. Here’s the clean-up playlist I'm crafting for my family. Can you relate?

1. "Feels Good" - Tony! Toni! Tone!

2. "I Like It" - Guy

3. "This is How We Do It" - Montell Jordan

4. "Clean Up Woman" - Betty Wright

5. "Sweet Thing" - Rufus, Chaka Khan

6. "Outstanding" - The Gap Band

7. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke

8. "Love and Happiness" - Al Green

9. "Never Too Much" - Luther Vandross

10. "Working Day and Night" - Michael Jackson

11. "September" - Earth, Wind and Fire

12. "Don’t Walk Away" - Jade

13. "A House Is Not A Home" - Luther Vandross

14. "I Say A Little Prayer" - Aretha Franklin

15. "Get Down On It" - Kool & The Gang

16. "Saving All My Love for You" - Whitney Houston

17. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" - Prince

18. "Living My Life Like It's Golden" - Jill Scott

19. "A Woman's Worth" - Maxwell

20. "Sweet Love" - Anita Baker

21. "Joy and Pain" - Maze

22. "No Ordinary Love" - Sade

23. "Computer Love" - Zapp and Roger

24. "I Ain't Gonna Cry" - Mary J. Blige

25. "Mississippi Goddam" by Nina Simone

26. "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye

27. "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding