Rest in peace, Anita Pointer...

Happy New Year, everybody...  As usual, we've had a few celebrity deaths in the waning days of 2022.  One person who died yesterday was Anita Pointer, who was one of the Pointer Sisters.  I always enjoyed their music back in the days when I was a wee lass growing up.  Anita, who was suffering from cancer and was 74 years old, was the fourth of six children born to parents, Elton and Sarah Pointer.  Anita was born in California, but her parents came from Arkansas, and they were very strict, as Elton Pointer was a minister.  Anita was their fourth child of six.

Reverend and Mrs. Pointer were very much against what they called "the devil's music", which basically seemed to include any type of music that wasn't religious, especially rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and the blues.  Nevertheless, the pull of pop music was too strong to resist, and the sisters came together to make their own, special brand of music.  

In 1969, Anita and her sisters, June and Bonnie, who are both now deceased, formed their very successful trio, The Pointer Sisters.  In 1972, their sister Ruth, also joined.  Ruth is the oldest, and is still living. She is the only member of the current incarnation of the Pointer Sisters who was in the original line up.  Her daughter, Issa, and granddaughter, Sadako, are also in the group today.

I always really enjoyed the Pointer Sisters when they were in their prime.  I remember a lot of their songs, which were always impeccably harmonized and had broad, commercial appeal.  They also covered songs by artists who sang different styles.  For instance, they famously covered the song "Fire" by Bruce Springsteen.  I love Bruce's version, but I always think of theirs first.

A news item about Anita Pointer's death.

Anyway, below are a few songs by The Pointer Sisters...  I don't think they make 'em like this anymore...

"Slow Hand"

"Fire"

"I'm So Excited"

"Jump For My Love"

"Automatic"

And here's "Overnight Success", a solo song by Anita Pointer.

Wherever Anita is now, I hope she's resting in eternal peace!

And now we've lost Christine McVie!

Just a couple of days ago, I wrote about the unexpected death of Irene Cara.  And now, I'm writing about the wonderful and incomparable Christine McVie, who passed away in a hospital yesterday at age 79 after a "short illness".  At this time, the actual cause of death hasn't been officially announced, but I did read that Christine was in "poor health" over the summer and was having trouble with her back.

I just want to take a short moment to post about how much I've admired Christine McVie's incredible contributions to popular music.  There's never been a time in my life when her songs haven't touched me in some way.  When Fleetwood Mac was white hot, I was a small child living in England.  I can't listen to songs like "Over My Head" or "You Make Loving Fun" without thinking of the woman who wrote them and remembering my sojourn living in her native country.  

I've always felt that Christine McVie was extremely underrated.  Stevie Nicks got a lot more attention, because she was pretty much the front woman of Fleetwood Mac, wearing outlandish Welsh "witch" costumes, dancing, and and singing out in front of the crowds.  Christine, by contrast, was always behind her keyboards, quieter, more reserved, understated, but always impeccable and classy.  She was a songwriting powerhouse, and always willing to chip in on projects with other musicians.

It's funny, because yesterday, I posted a review of Stephen Bishop's autobiography, On and Off, on my main blog.  Bishop can always be counted on to post on the social media accounts of other celebrities.  It was because of his condolences on Christine McVie's Facebook page that I "heard" about her passing so quickly.  

Christine McVie was certainly old enough to pass naturally... but that doesn't mean that anyone was ready for her to go.  I was shocked when I read the news, and genuinely saddened, even though I know this is a part of life.  I guess reading about the heroes of my youth passing the bar is a reminder that my time is coming.  But I do feel so fortunate that I was around when Christine McVie was at the top of her game.  She has left an indelible mark on music that won't fade for many generations.  That is extraordinary.  Her death was announced about twelve hours ago, and YouTube is already flooded with tributes.

Songbird...

You Make Loving Fun

Over My Head

Got A Hold On Me

As Long As You Follow

Don't Stop

And one of my personal favorites, Brown Eyes

Rest in peace, Christine McVie.  There's a new songbird in Heaven today...

Irene Cara has gone to the Great Beyond!

I was so sad to read that Irene Cara, who famously starred as Coco Hernandez on the movie version of Fame, and famously sang the title songs for both Fame and Flashdance, has passed away at the age of 63. At this writing, the cause of death hasn't been announced.  

As a child of the 70s and 80s, Irene Cara was definitely on my personal soundtrack.  I loved the movie, Fame, but I also remember Irene because she was on The Electric Company, which was my favorite children's educational show when I was a little girl.  Flashdance was also a big movie when I was growing up, and her rendition of "Flashdance: What a Feeling!" still sounds great almost forty years after that movie came out.

"Fame"

"Flashdance"

I remember she had some memorable dance hits in the early 80s that were very good.  I still like to listen to them today, even if it's been awhile since I last saw anyone break dance.  Irene was a dynamic performer who put her own special energy into every song.  She was very talented, and probably should have had a much bigger career than she did.  She actually graduated from the Professional Children's School in Manhattan, so she was well cast in Fame.

"Hot Lunch"

"The Dream"

"Out Here On My Own"

"Breakdance"

I loved this song, "Why Me"

And on The Electric Company!

I don't listen to Irene Cara's music on a daily basis anymore, but there was a time when she was on the radio all the time.  She definitely made a huge impact in music, and she will be missed.  Condolences to her friends and family who will miss her the most.

So sad... May she rest in peace.

Jerry Lee Lewis has crossed the bar...

 At 87 years old, Jerry Lee Lewis, well known for his flamboyant piano playing and many marriages, passed away on October 28, 2022.  I don't know a whole lot about Jerry Lee Lewis, but of course I couldn't escape hearing his music.  He was well known for his boogie piano inflected rock n'roll hits from the 50s and beyond.  

Jerry Lee Lewis suffered a temporary career setback when he married his 13 year old first cousin, once removed, Myra Gale Brown.  She wasn't even his first wife, although since their marriage lasted about twelve years, it was one of his longest matrimonial unions.  Myra was wife number 3 out of 7 wives.  Because Lewis was not yet legally divorced from his second wife, Jane Mitchum, when Lewis and Brown married on December 12, 1957 (16 days before my parents' marriage), he married her again on June 4, 1958.  They had two children, a boy named Steven and a girl named Phoebe.  Sadly, Steven died in a pool accident when he was 3 years old.

Jerry Lee Lewis's shortest marriage lasted only 77 days.  In June 1983, he married Shawn Stephens.  By August, they had split.  Lewis had a total of six children.  He went to a Bible college in Texas for awhile, but was thrown out due to his penchant for playing "wordly" music.  However, he reportedly didn't want to record what was probably his most famous hit, "Great Balls of Fire", because he considered it blasphemous.  Both Lewis and Elvis Presley were raised in the Assembly of God church, and were supposedly friends.

Goodness gracious!

Jerry Lee Lewis had a very colorful and interesting life, and there was no denying his prodigious musical talent.  But not only was he controversial because of his many wives and bigamous relationships; he was also quite fond of playing with guns.  In 1976, he fired his pistol at a Coke bottle in his bedroom.  The bullet ricocheted and his his bass player, Butch Owens, in the chest.  Fortunately, Owens survived.

In November of 1976, Lewis was arrested outside of Graceland for allegedly trying to shoot Elvis Presley. Presley had asked him to come over to Graceland, but Lewis was trying to get his father out of the Tunica (Mississippi) jail for driving while intoxicated.  Later, while he was drinking Champagne at a Memphis bar, Lewis remembered Presley had wanted to see him.  Someone gave him a gun, and he took it and a bottle of Champagne to Elvis's mansion.  There, he ran into the gates at Graceland, then tried to hurl the bottle of Champagne out the window, which was closed.  The bottle and the window both smashed, and the police were called.  Lewis claimed he hadn't meant to do any harm to his old friend, Elvis.  Elvis, of course, famously died anyway, nine months later.

Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On...

I can't say I'm a big fan of Jerry Lee Lewis's music, but I sure have been exposed to a lot of his biggest hits.  And he was no doubt a very exciting performer at a time when people clutched their pearls at watching Elvis gyrating his pelvis on television.  Isn't it interesting how the most religious people turn out to be the most exciting performers?  If you look at the entertainment business, you find a lot of folks who grew up in cults or restrictive faiths turn out to be extremely talented, dynamic, and entertaining.  Maybe it's because there's something a little eccentric about people who grow up in cults.

Breathless!

Well, wherever he is now, I salute him.  Maybe he and Elvis have made up, wherever they are right now.

RIP Loretta Lynn!

I heard yesterday that country music's grand dame, Loretta Lynn, finally passed the bar at 90 years of age! What an amazing woman she was, coming from the poorest of circumstances, one of eight children, growing up in rural Kentucky during the Depression era.  Like a lot of people my age, I grew up on Loretta's no nonsense, practical, and truth telling songs.  I also remember her on ads for products like Crisco, and seeing Sissy Spacek play her in the movie, Coal Miner's Daughter.

I've always loved this song.  It's so true!

As a child of the 80s, I remember Loretta in these ads!

Probably Loretta's best known song.

Given that Loretta Lynn was 90 years old, I don't find her passing particularly sad.  She lived a good, long, productive life.  But I do find it poignant that she's passed, as I consider her a national treasure.  She wrote some really excellent songs that helped a lot of people-- especially women in difficult circumstances-- cope with life.  And her songs were so folksy, pragmatic, and honest, delivered with a sass that only Loretta Lynn could offer.  She was definitely a unique talent.

For some reason, my husband dislikes this song.  I think it's cute.

My Granny probably related to this one.

Loretta Lynn married very young, and had six children of her own, two of whom predeceased her.  Two of her children were older than their aunt, Crystal Gayle!  Loretta was pregnant with her third child when her youngest sister, Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb), was born!  Loretta's siblings were mostly talented musicians and songwriters, although they weren't as famous as Loretta was.  Even Crystal Gayle, who did have a few hits, wasn't as big as Loretta was.  She was the voice of a generation.

I'm sure there are many musicians today who were hugely influenced by Loretta Lynn.  She was an inspiration to so many people.  I wish her family and friends peace and comfort as they mourn her passing.  She was a wonderful lady, as far as I can tell.  And I definitely know she was talented!   

Soul Bossa Nova by Quincy Jones

Back in 1991, I decided to become a disc jockey for my college radio station.  One of the other people who was being trained at the same time I was, played a song by the Dream Warriors, a Canadian duo who spearheaded the "jazz hip hop" genre of the early 90s.  This was the song she played...

I was immediately hooked.

Years later, Canadian Mike Myers released his Austin Powers films.  Those movies also used a familiar hook that was in the song, "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" by the Dream Warriors...

I had no idea...

Last night, I finally learned the origin of that catchy hook, that was once used as the theme to a Canadian game show called Definition.  Mike Myers had grown up watching Definition, so he decided to use the theme in his Austin Powers movies.   I guess the game show was also why the Canadian Dream Warriors titled their hip hop song, "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style".  

I never knew...

This catchy, familiar, hooky music was composed by none other than American musical genius, Quincy Jones.  Yes, that's right.  The man that helped Michael Jackson make the biggest selling album of all time. The man behind the smooth jazz staple, "Breezin'", also composed "Soul Bossa Nova", which has been used in movies, television, and music for decades now...  This piece was released in 1962, but it still sounds fresh, in a cool retro kind of way, in 2022.

I can't believe it took me over thirty years to find all of this out.  Now I'm gonna have to go download the album.  

Pat Benatar says she's done singing "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"...

Pat Benatar's Crimes of Passion was my very first album purchase!  I had it on vinyl.

A few days ago, I ran across a news item about the great rock singer, Pat Benatar.  Those of us who have been around awhile, know Pat as a tiny woman with a voice like a freight train traveling at top speed.  She's hard to match when it comes to hard driving rock vocals.  

In 1980, Pat had a huge hit song called "Hit Me With Your Best Shot".  It was a song uniquely suited to her feisty style, and it no doubt made her a lot of money.  In fact, my very first album purchase was Crimes of Passion, which was the album that song came from.  I listened to it constantly, and that album remains a guilty pleasure.

Well, because Pat is sensitive to gun violence, she says she won't sing "Hit Me With Her Best Shot" at her shows anymore.  She says that her decision came in deference to the victims of mass shootings, and their grieving families.  She told USA Today:

“Fans are having a heart attack and I’m like, I’m sorry,” Benatar, who is in the middle of a US summer tour, said. “I tell them, if you want to hear the song, go home and listen to it. [The title] is tongue-in-cheek, but you have to draw the line.”

She continued, 

“I can’t say those words out loud with a smile on my face, I just can’t. I’m not going to go on stage and soapbox – I go to my legislators – but that’s my small contribution to protesting,” Benatar said. “I’m not going to sing it. Tough.”

It's funny, because I never really equated that song with actual guns.  I always figured it was either about fighting or fucking.  It's a tough anthem about fighting back, with a fierce guitar solo by Benatar's husband, Nick Giraldo, and Pat's own powerhouse vocals.  "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" obviously isn't literally about weapons, but I guess the imagery was too much for her.  Or maybe this is her way of getting attention. 

Either way, it's her song, and her career, so if she doesn't want to sing that song anymore, so be it.  There are plenty of other songs from her decades of performing that she could do.  I, for one, am a big fan of the jazz album she did in 1991, True Love.  Pat started out as a jazz singer, and frankly, I think she's just as good or even better singing jazzy blues as opposed to rock.  A lot of rock stars put out standards albums, but I think Pat's would actually be really good!

Pat is DONE with this song.

I think she should do more songs like this one!

I have not seen Pat Benatar perform live, but I wouldn't pass up tickets to her show because of this issue.  I've heard "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" lots of times.  I don't think this decision should be that controversial, under the circumstances.  

Buckner & Garcia... cashing in on the video game craze of the early 80s.

When I was about ten years old, video games were all the rage. I had a friend whose father owned a fast food restaurant. He bought a bunch of video games for his patrons, which naturally, my friend got to play for free. Because I was her friend, I got to play, too... sometimes. I grew up playing Frogger, Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Crazy Climber, Phoenix, and my personal favorite, Scrambler.  In those days, we thought the video games had great graphics and music.  So did a whole lot of other people.  Pac Man was a phenomenon in the early 80s.

Enter Buckner & Garcia, who had a hit song called "Pac Man Fever".  It used to play on Top 40 radio and at skating rinks.  In 1982, the duo, consisting of Jerry Buckner and Gary Garcia of Akron, Ohio, released a musical ode to video games.  A couple of days ago, I actually downloaded their album, which along with the hit song, "Pac Man Fever", also includes songs like "Froggy's Lament" (about Frogger), "Do the Donkey Kong", and "Ode to a Centipede".  The album has eight songs in total, each of which are about video games, and each of which include actual sound effects from the games.

I'm listening to "Do the Donkey Kong" as I write this.  I'm actually kind of impressed by the music.  It's pretty solid.  The singing also isn't bad.  The lyrics, on the other hand, are pretty ridiculous.  Also, today's kids have no concept of going to the arcade with a pocket full of quarters and playing for an hour or so.  I guess if you were really good at the games, you could play longer.  Basically, they were worse than one armed bandits, because if you got a high score, you didn't get anything more than "egoboo" and maybe your initials on the "highest scores" list.

You can dance to this while you dodge encounters with Speedy.

Buckner & Garcia were actually around for a long time.  They began writing novelty songs in 1972, the year of my birth, and continued until 2011, when Gary Garcia died.  Jerry Buckner has written many songs for more famous performers such as Anne Murray, Bobby Vinton, and yes, even Bertie Higgins of "Key Largo" fame, although Buckner didn't write that song.  

Buckner & Garcia's 1982 album, which won national distribution thanks to "Pac Man Fever's" success, is heavy on synthesizers, which were all the rage in the 80s...  just like Pac Man was.  Sometimes, I miss the simpler days.  It would be fun to play a couple of rounds Pac Man instead of reading more about the sorry state of the world.

I see I wrote about "Pac Man Fever" in 2017, but I didn't take the time to look into the duo who created these catchy and somewhat inane songs.  Obviously, they had some musical chops, though, given how long they were in the music business.  And, on another note, I'm getting so old!  

   

The S.O.S. Band...

 I love it when a random song from the past pops into my head.  Just a little while ago, a song called "Just Be Good To Me" started playing in my head.  I went looking for it on iTunes.  I only found a version done by a Canadian singer named Deborah Cox.  Deborah Cox recorded "Just Be Good To Me" in 1995.  She's two years younger than I am.  I knew the song was older than that, since I remember it playing on the radio when I was a kid.  Sure enough, I learned that it was released by the S.O.S. Band in 1983.

The song I remembered.  It's hard to find this song without paying an arm and a leg.

Neither iTunes nor Amazon.com had this song available by the S.O.S. Band.  If I want it, I have to pay a shitload of money.  I like the song, but not that much!  Besides, I can always listen on YouTube.  I did download Deborah Cox's version, which is pretty good and very faithful to this version.

She's got chops.  I read that she used to sing backup for Celine Dion.

Amazon.de does have "Just Be Good To Me" available to download, but I can't download stuff from their store, because I have a U.S. bank account.  I would need a German account to access the digital Amazon.de store.

Living in Germany can have its annoying sides.  Like, for instance, I am once again locked out of my PenFed account, and I have to call the bank to get it unlocked.  But I have to wait until the afternoon, because I'm six hours ahead of PenFed, which is in Virginia.  It's even worse when something happens on USAA.  They're on central time, there.  

Anyway, the S.O.S. band had another hit song back in the day.  It's called "Take Your Time, Do It Right".  I don't like that one as much as the funky "Just Be Good To Me".  For one thing, "Take Your Time" has a tendency to get stuck in my head.  It's quite an earworm.

But you sure can dance to it... or do other things.

"High Hopes" is a 1982 era hit.

"The Finest" is another hit by the S.O.S. Band, but I don't remember this one.

The S.O.S. Band stands for Sounds of Success.  They got their start in Atlanta, Georgia in 1977.  As I sit here listening to their music, realizing that they worked with some famously great producers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, I can understand why their sound is so infectious and still pretty great many years later.  I've always really appreciated funk, even though I'm about as white as a person can get.

I'll probably be singing that song for the rest of the day. 

 

Holiday Rap!

No, no, no... not a Christmas holiday...  I'm referring to "Holiday Rap", a 1986 song by the Dutch duo, M.C. Miker G & DJ Sven.  Although the song was a hit in Europe, I remember hearing it in the United States.  It has a very catchy riff that should be familiar, since it's set to the 1983 song "Holiday" by Madonna.  I think I somehow taped this song off the radio back in the day and the fact that I heard it more than once while living in the USA was just dumb luck.

Anyway, I was reminded of "Holiday Rap" yesterday, while watching a video about the show, To Catch a Predator, which was popular in the mid 00s.  Someone used a clip of "Holiday Rap" to introduce the video, and I was instantly transported to 1986.

Hmm...

I am shocked by how cheesy this is.  Were things really this cheesy in 1986?

Well, things were pretty cheesy in the 80s, but I still love the music.  It's a lot of fun to hear these old hits from back in the day, even if they make me feel older than hell.  I love how a lot of the music from those days has stood up to the test of time.  Madonna's song, "Holiday", is breezy and poppy, but it still has an infectious groove and you can dance to it.  

I'm not sure that M.C. Miker & DJ Sven have improved on Madonna's classic, but I always chuckle when I hear this rap... even when it's almost Christmas time, and this is about a summer holiday.  And based how cold it is outside today, I would welcome a summer holiday... especially if it means COVID is less of a problem.  Here's hoping.

Lipps Inc... who knew? And rest in peace, Ronnie Wilson, of The Gap Band...

 A couple of nights ago, while sitting in rented accommodation in Slovenia, I was messing around on YouTube and watching old clips of the old British kids' show that included the Pink Windmill Kids, with Rod Hull and Emu.  Toward the end of the show's run, it was starting to resemble an American show called Kids Incorporated.  But whoever was choosing the songs for the Pink Windmill Kids' show, must have loved disco and dance music, even in the 80s.

Having grown up during that time, I am well familiar with the big hit, "Funkytown".  I used to hear it all the time at the skating rink.  

This was a big hit...  Probably Lipps Inc.'s biggest...

So there I was, sitting there watching the Pink Windmill Kids doing covers of songs like "Funkytown", although I don't think they ever actually did "Funkytown".  And they did a song called "Power", which was originally a Lipps Inc. song.  But "Power" also rips off "Venus" by The Shocking Blue and Bananarama... and the horn section also sounds suspiciously similar to James Brown.  

Pretty impressive...

"Power" definitely sounds like a song by the people who brought us "Funkytown",  But what really struck me was the unusual chord harmonies on the chorus.  And what struck me even harder is how well these girls from The Pink Windmill Kids do it... especially given that it's a "deep cut".  

Impressive stuff.  But by the end of the 80s, the Pink Windmill Kids were definitely channeling Kids Incorporated.

I'm surprised none of these kids turned out to be famous.  Or, at least none that I know of today...

Moving on...

Yesterday, I learned that Ronnie Wilson, one of the founding members of The Gap Band, died at age 73.  May he rest in peace.  

This song never gets old... it always reminds me of my childhood.

A priceless piece of history... Karen, Tina, Olivia, Peaches, and Toni singing an Eagles hit!

I watched Tina Turner's HBO documentary the other day.  Included within that program was a clip from the time period during which Tina Turner was recovering from her marriage to and divorce from Ike Turner.  Tina joined Olivia Newton-John on a TV special she did around 1980 or so.  It was quite the epic party, and also included Elton John, Andy Gibb, and it looks like Cliff Richard was also on hand.

Check out Toni Tennille, Tina, Olivia, Karen Carpenter, and Peaches from Peaches and Herb.  Crazily enough, as I played this, my husband thought Peaches was me.  

Dayum!  Lots of talent up there!

What do you know?  Someone uploaded the whole show!  Wonder if I want to watch it?

Now THIS is entertainment!  I think this aired in April 1980; so I would have been seven years old.

I actually kind of miss these sorts of shows.  They were fun to watch, and the people behind them were legitimately talented.  Yes, they were often corny, but they allowed us to escape life for awhile.  I was as child at the time these aired, though, which may be why I liked them so much.  There's no accounting for taste, especially when you're a little kid.

I think most of these folks had the odd TV special... well, the women did, anyway.  I know The Carpenters and the Captain and Tennille did them.  And poor Tina was once on The Brady Bunch Hour.  Now THAT is an embarrassing way to make money!  But at least they didn't make her wear a skin tight polyester jumpsuit.

Ya Mama!

I just have to share this hilarious song from 1982 that I discovered (or possibly rediscovered) today.  One of my husband's friends from high school shared this popular rap song that his former suitemates at Sam Houston State University in Texas used to play all the time.

This song is funny!

I was ten years old in 1982, but I swear I don't remember this song, which was a one hit wonder for Wuf Ticket, an American hip hop group that consisted of Mustafa Ahmed, James Mason, Earl McField and Karin Wolf.  Although this song was fairly successful and got to number 21 on Billboard's Black Singles chart, their follow up song, "The Key" didn't chart.  Looks like these folks are now relegated to musical obscurity... but I sure had a good laugh listening to them today.

My friend, Andrew, calls this a "diss track".  I guess it's because the song mostly consists of two guys cutting each other down.  But then, when it gets to "Ya Mama", they rein themselves in, because it's not cool to cut down someone's mama.

I should have posted about this on Mother's Day.  I'm glad to have found it today, when I needed a good laugh.  This definitely qualified as crap from the past that belongs in the Dungeon!

Rest in Peace, B.J. Thomas...

I heard a few months ago that B.J. (Billy Joe) Thomas had lung cancer.  I was sorry to hear it, since his music was a big part of my soundtrack growing up.  I remember hearing his hit song, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", a song he did with Burt Bacharach for the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, so many times when I was a young child in the 1970s.  I'm listening to it now, as I write this post, enjoying the retro sound, yet realizing that it still sounds excellent in 2021.  I also remember him for being very handsome.  He had mesmerizing blue eyes and thick, dark hair... He was lucky to have looks and talent going for him.

B.J. Thomas passed away on May 29, 2021.  He leaves behind his wife of 51 years, Gloria Thomas, and three daughters, Paige, Nora, and Erin.  Thomas overcame many struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, eventually becoming a Christian.  But he still sang his pop hits in his concerts, and memorably contributed his distinctive voice to the theme song for Growing Pains, a sitcom I used to watch a lot when I was growing up.  In fact, a couple of months ago, I watched the whole series and heard B.J. singing that iconic theme over and over again for each episode.

Here are a few videos by him...

Probably his best known hit...

Another well known song!  Much better than the "ooga shaka" follow up by the group, Blue Swede.

B.J. sang this as a solo and with Jennifer Warnes. He later did a version with Dusty Springfield, which became a hit on the radio.

B.J. Thomas had a beautiful voice... much like his contemporary, Ray Stevens, who was reportedly offered "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" before B.J. was.  I'm glad it was done the way it was... I can't imagine a better singer for that song.  

Thoughts and prayers go out to Gloria Thomas and her daughters as the mourn the passing of their legendary husband and father.  And on another note, I can't believe I never mentioned B.J. Thomas on this blog before.  He really was a wonderful singer, and he came of age at a time when talent really mattered.  I hope he is at peace now... and I know he is no longer in pain.

The Fat Boys...

Picture it.  It's the late 1980s.  I'm at a horse show in Hampton, Virginia.  Someone is blaring Top 40 radio.  It's The Fat Boys and their updated version of "Wipeout", which featured The Beach Boys.

Yikes...

Hearing that song at that moment left an indelible imprint on my brain.  Now, whenever I hear The Fat Boys sing "Wipeout", I am reminded of my days as a competitive equestrienne.  Those days are long over, of course.  I haven't been riding in over twenty years.  I miss it.

The Fat Boys came back into my consciousness yesterday, when I heard that one of the founding members died at age 52.  Prince Markie Dee, otherwise known as Mark Anthony Morales, died on February 11, 2021, just eight days shy of his 53rd birthday.  His death came after the untimely death of one of his bandmates, Darren (the Human Beat Box) Robinson, who died in 1995 at age 28.  Robinson died while doing something he supposedly loved-- rapping.  He'd been sitting on chair, performing for friends, when he fell off the chair and hit his head.  He never regained consciousness.  The other bandmate was Damon Wimbley, otherwise known as Kool Rock Ski.

The only other song by The Fat Boys that I remember as a hit was a remake of "The Twist" by Chubby Checker.  It was kind of a fun song, although the 80s update doesn't really stand up to the original.

"Come on baby.  Let's do the Twist."

Morales went on to work with other artists, notably Mary J. Blige.  He's remembered as a great guy, very talented... and he died much too young at age 52.  I certainly wasn't a mega fan of The Fat Boys, but their music always reminds me of a special time in my life-- the high school years.  Seems crazy that they were that long ago.

May Morales rest in peace.

Run Joey Run, by David Geddes...

Over the past week, I've been watching the first season of Glee.  A few days ago, I happened to see the episode in which Rachel Berry (played by Lea Michele) sang a song with the late Mark Salling entitled "Run Joey Run".  That song was a hit for David Geddes in 1975.  Somehow, I never heard it when I was growing up.  It's pretty awful, although it was apparently popular at the time it came out.

Original version.

As performed by the Glee folks...

"Run Joey Run" was a cheesy story song about a girl, who sounds about twelve or thirteen", begging her dad not to kill her lover, Joey.  But the girl, name of Julie, is unsuccessful in convincing her dad not to get out his shot gun.  As Julie pleads with her dad not to shoot, he opens fire and kills his daughter.

That song seems horribly dated and unbelievable-- at least for its time-- and also doesn't age well, because so many people have died due to gun violence.  The 70s were kind of a magical time, though, weren't they?  We had some real gems of shitty songs that somehow became hits.  I miss those days for a lot of reasons.  I was a little kid in the 70s, so it wasn't such a bad time for me, personally.  The 80s and 90s were more traumatic for me, although those days were less traumatic for the world at large.

I'm not sure anyone will want to cover "Run Joey Run", even for a show like Glee.  Actually, I think Glee is a bit cursed, so I'd be surprised if anyone tries to revive that show.  Sad that they lost three cast members who played students...  even Mark Salling, who was busted for having child porn and was about to be sent to prison when he hanged himself.  I don't rejoice in his suicide, even as I don't condone his crimes.  Very few people are all good or all bad.  I think that's true for Salling, too.  

Anyway, hopefully no one will copycat "Run Joey Run", in any way.

Young girl-- get out of my mind!

For some reason, this morning I have an old song in my head.  It's one that hasn't aged particularly well.  It's a song called from 1968 called "Young Girl", and it was sung by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.  It has a nice melody and Gary Puckett's vocals are soulful enough... but the lyrics are about an older guy who wants to get into a young girl's pants.

"That come on look is in your eyes..."  Eeew!

I guess the men of today can relate to this song, patronizing as the words are.  Gary sings, "Get out of here before I have the time to change my mind..."  Yuck!  Control yourself, man!  Well, the words are kind of gross, as is the sentiment, but at least Gary can sing decently.

I don't know what put this in my head today.  I do see that it's in my library, although I don't think I've recently listened to it before today.  And I haven't been a "young girl" myself in over thirty years.

Wikipedia tells me that Gary Puckett and the Union Gap only lasted a few years.  They were active from 1967 until 1971, before I was even born.  However, during that time, they had a hit in "Young Girl" and even played for Prince Charles at a White House reception.  I wonder if the good prince enjoyed this music.  He did marry himself a "young girl" years later.  We all know how that turned out.

I've been neglecting this blog lately, which means it may be time to retire it.  Or maybe I'll just continue to do what I've been doing for years, which is to only write new posts when inspiration hits.  You'd think with as much time on my hands as I have, I could do that every day, but I've been busy thinking about other stuff.  Maybe 2021 will be a less traumatic year for all of us.

Johnny Nash and Eddie Van Halen... RIP!

2020 is really turning out to be a hell of a year for so many reasons.  Last night, as I was about to go to sleep, I got the news that 65 year old Eddie Van Halen, of Van Halen, died after a long bout with throat cancer.  As a child of the 70s and 80s, I grew up listening to Eddie's distinctive guitar licks.  I was pretty shocked to hear of his demise, although I'm sure he went through hell with cancer.

Not only was he a great guitar player, but he had the most adorable smile!

I was really touched that Valerie Bertinelli, Eddie's first wife, wrote a very sweet tribute to him.  It's lovely that they were able to stay friends after their split.  It sounds like she was on good terms with his second wife, too.  Eddie and Valerie shared their son, 29 year old Wolfgang, who is now the bass player for Van Halen.  However, I can't even imagine how they will be able to replace Eddie.  His sound was unmistakably his.  Rock music lost a great innovator with Eddie's death.  May he rest in peace.

Then this morning, I read about Johnny Nash, singer and guitar player famous for the song "I Can See Clearly Now", also passed away.  Nash was 80 years old and had been in declining health.  He died of natural causes at home in Houston, Texas, where he was born.  

I don't know him as well as Eddie, but I do know this song...  Maybe I need to listen to more of his stuff.

I was just thinking how much 2016 sucked as so many great musicians passed into the great beyond.  2020 is definitely giving 2016 a run for its money in suckitude.  

Trump's theme song?

Yesterday, I was listening to music in the dining room and an old song by Don McLean came on. It was called "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", and came from his hit album from 1971, American Pie.  As I was listening to the lyrics, it occurred to me that this song could so easily be about our current POTUS, Donald Trump.

Seriously... the lyrics are so eerie.  Hard to believe they are from almost 50 years ago.

I recommend listening to the song itself, but here are the lyrics:

One, two, three, four!

Fortune has me well in hand, armies wait at my command
My gold lies in a foreign land buried deep beneath the sand
The angels guide my ev'ry tread, my enemies are sick or dead
But all the victories I've led haven't brought you to my bed

You see, everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Won'tcha tell me what did I do to offend you?

Now the purest race I've bred for thee to live in my democracy
And the highest human pedigree awaits your first-born boy, baby
And my face on ev'ry coin engraved, the anarchists are all enslaved
My own flag is forever waved by the grateful people I have saved

You see, everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Won'tcha tell me what did I do to offend you?

Now, no land is beyond my claim when the land is seized in the people's name
By evil men who rob and maim, if war is hell, I'm not to blame!
Why, you can't blame me, I'm Heaven's child, I'm the second son of Mary mild
And I'm twice removed from Oscar Wilde, but he didn't mind, why, he just smiled

Yes, and the ocean parts when I walk through, and the clouds dissolve and the sky turns blue
I'm held in very great value by everyone I meet but you
'cause I've used my talents as I could, I've done some bad, I've done some good
I did a whole lot better than they thought I would so, c'mon and treat me like you should!

Because everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Won'tcha tell me what did I do to offend you?

Everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Won'tcha tell me what did I do to offend you?

Yeah, everybody loves me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Won'tcha tell me what did I do to offend you?

I need to read up about this song.  I'd love to know what or who inspired it.  Don McLean isn't particularly regarded as a great partner himself. 

Last year, he lost a lifetime achievement award because he pleaded guilty to domestic violence in 2016.  He was arrested in Camden, Maine in 2016 and pleaded guilty to domestic violence to avoid jail time.  He also paid a $3000 fine.  His ex wife, Patrisha McLean, claims that he has a violent temper and had been physically and verbally abusing her for decades.  

McLean supposedly pled guilty, not because he's guilty, but because he wanted "closure" for his family...  Well... I suppose that could be true.  But it's still not a very good look for him.

I like his music, though, and I think this song is kind of brilliant.  I'm glad I stumbled across it yesterday. 

Pan's People...

I just now discovered "Pan's People", a dance troupe that used to perform on Britain's music show, Top of the Pops, back in the 1970s.  We lived in England in the 70s, so I remember seeing that show.  My sisters used to watch it all the time.  However, I was too young to really appreciate it, and I had never heard of Pan's People when I discovered their interesting brand of dance yesterday.  Apparently, they were fixtures of Top of the Pops from 1968 until 1976.  We were in England from 1975 until 1978.

This was not the first video I saw by them...

Nor was this...

As I watched them, I was reminded a little of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.  They are very beautiful 1970s era ladies, with natural looks... no tattoos, no piercings other than in their ears, and very clean looking.  I read that two of the ladies have already died.  Most of them were born in the 1940s, although I read that one was born in 1955, making her very young when these videos were made.

This is the first video I saw.  I was inspired to look at it because I was in a Facebook group talking about college memories.  I took a social and recreational dance class, and the professor actually taught us The Hustle!  It was in 1991 and even then, that was an old dance!  My friend Andrew says this video is blocked in the United States.  He was able to search and find it on another source.

I am a terrible dancer myself.  My sister was very good at it-- good enough to go to the Royal Ballet School in England.  Me?  I have two left feet.  But I do enjoy watching dancing, and these ladies were definitely stylish.  Check out their dance to "Green River" by CCR.

They really capture the grittiness of that song.

And here they are dancing to "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers.

I'm really glad I was born in the 70s.  I think that was a good time for music and TV.  Yes, TV was cheesy back then, but it was fun and there were people paid to act instead of reality show contestants.  I much prefer the music of that time, too, because it was less about who looked pretty and more about who had talent and luck.  I would imagine that getting exposure was harder in those days.  Pan's People were definitely exposed!

Cool interview about Pan's People.

I am really enjoying watching them.  It's funny that in the 70s, they were considered pretty racy.