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Wow. I've been on three week hiatus, but it couldn't be avoided. Given the difficulty of answering the 11/13 question of "We're A Winner" or "Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud", I figured I'd give folks one with a cut and dried answer: Full Force or The Time. I doubt anybody will have gray area on this one. But I could be surprised. Of course I KNOW what the right answer is. LOL.

But to the matter at hand. My decision went into triple overtime and still needed a referees revue on the last play of the 3rd overtime to determine a victor. It's that close. Most folks acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but picked "Say It Loud...". However there were three answers which I'll paraphrase, because they helped me make my decision.

First off my man Dean acknowledged the depth and poetry of "We're A Winner" but chose "Say It Loud.." because in his words, sometimes less is more. Meanwhile my friend from college Cheryl picked "We're A Winner" because of the emotional succor it gave her growing up in poverty in Ohio. Thirdly, my friend and resident music expert Bonnye, made the important point that "We're A Winner" was released before "Say It Loud..." and that "Say It Loud..." was a reaction not only to the times, but to what brother Curtis had to say. Can't overstate that point. In other words James was a follower not a leader on this type of song.

Still, my decision is considered in the context of Dean's "less is more". A quick look at both songs in my iPod, reveals that "Say It Loud" comes in at 4:53 while "We're A Winner" comes in at 2:23. So technially "Say It Loud..." had more than "We're A Winner". Nonetheless, Dean's point is taken "Say It Loud I'm Black And I'm Proud" just rolls off you're tongue and is just in your face in a way that "We're A Winner" isn't. It's the exclamation point to "We're A Winner".

So the winner is "Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud" at the buzzer.