Thursday, June 30, 2016

Song of the Day - Wild Things - Alessia Cara


A few weeks back I shared a song, Here, by Canadian phenom Alessia Cara, and in the time since I've grown to love her debut album, Know It All.  The record is full of quality songs, all of which work well while you're lounging on the beach, taking long drives in the car, entertaining guests, or just chilling at home.  The music is decidedly pop, with a lot of rhythm and blues thrown in, and Cara's voice is just, well, heavenly.  Check out her second single, Wild Things...


Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Crying at the Discoteque - Alcazar


Even though the parade has been celebrated already, we've still got two days of Pride Month to go. Here's a fun, Eurodance track from the great set that is the Queer as Folk, Season 1 Soundtrack. If you're a fan of the show, then you'll be sure to remember this one...


Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Song of the Day - Don't Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers, feat. Daya


I was going to post another version of this song for Pride Month, but decided it was a little too risque to post here.  The video is a paradoy of The Chainsmokers' Don't Let Me Down, and it's by fitness author, model and YouTuber Brian Hawn and damn, it is hot!  You can check that out here, but in the meantime the original tune is one of my favorites of the year so far.  Ooh how I wish The Chainsmokers would come out with a whole new set!  Here's the funky Don't Let Me Down...




Brian Hawn

Monday, June 27, 2016

Song of the Day - Clumsy - Fergie


Good morning and a very happy beginning to summer vacation to all of you fellow teachers out there!  Today's song is by an artist who you'll be hearing a lot from in the coming weeks.  Former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie is soon to be releasing a brand new album, her first solo effort in ten years, and a teaser from her new song, Hungry, leaves me begging for more.  The singer looked sensational last night as she performed at NYC Pride's Dance on the Pier after the parade and it appears the sexy diva is ready to take on the world once more.  Here's one of her biggest hits from her last solo effort, 2006's The Dutchess.    Check out the sweet Clumsy...


Sunday, June 26, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Same Love - Macklemore & Lewis, feat. Mary Lambert

I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to...


timeout

Today is the Pride Parade in NYC and even though I won't be there to participate this year, I am sure that the crowds will be massive considering what happened two weeks ago in Orlando.  Here's a tune that speaks to the ridiculousness of hate in such a simple, yet meaningful way and I think it's the perfect tune for today.  Enjoy and Happy Pride!


Saturday, June 25, 2016

Pride Weekend Song of the Day - I Am What I Am - Gloria Gaynor

I Am What I Am

It is officially Pride Weekend in New York City, and here's one of the very first anthems ever to inspire pride not only for LGBT's, but for anyone who may be 'different' than the rest.  The tune dates all the way back to the disco era, and though Gloria Gaynor may be famous for her other anthem, I Will Survive, this one's just as inspiring...


Friday, June 24, 2016

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Snapshot - RuPaul


Once upon a time, there was a little black girl....

Oops, wrong record!  Perhaps some of you out there might be a little young to remember the RuPaul of the 90's, before she skyrocketed to newfound fame drag racing.  It all started in June of 93, when she first coined the phrase, you better work!, in her song Supermodel of the World.   Anyway, the whole album was chock full of tasty beats, catchy lyrics and a whole lotta fun, and then three years later she scored again with an even better album called Foxy Lady.  Snapshot, the first single off that one, picks up where Supermodel left off, and the fun continued.  Check out Snapshot...




Thursday, June 23, 2016

Song of the Day - We Found Love - Rihanna, with Calvin Harris


Yellow diamonds in the light
Now we're standing side by side
As your shadow crosses mine
What it takes to come alive

There's just always been something about this song!  I don't think I've ever heard it come on the radio or my iPod and pushed it forward.  Anyway, for whatever reason I woke up with it in my head this morning and I just had to post it.  Enjoy and Happy Thursday!


Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Pulse - Melissa Etheridge

Everybody's got a pain inside
Imaginary wounds they fight to hide
How can I hate them
When everybody's got a pulse


I am human, I am love
And my heart beats with my blood
Love will always win
Underneath the skin
Everybody's got a pulse

It's been so long since Melissa Etheridge has released anything new, and boy did I forget how talented she is.  In her own inimitable way, this new song, Pulse, is her way of speaking out about the terrible tragedy that happened in Orlando a little over a week ago.  The song is poignant and beautiful, and the accompanying video by a YouTube user called phlybynight is just perfect!  Check out Pulse...

Once again I hang my head to cry
I can't find the reason why they died
We will find the answer
Blowing in the wind
That everybody's got a pulse




Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Song of the Day - Love Is the Answer - Cedric Gervais, featuring Mya

Imagine a world
with no hate!
Here's a great tune from a few years ago that's just perfect for today.  I remember finding it off of an iTunes series of albums called Ultra Top 10.  Never really heard it anywhere except my own iPod, but love, love, love it!  Check out Love Is the Answer...




Monday, June 20, 2016

Song of the Day - Show Me Love - Robin S


Happy first day of summer!  It was a really nice weekend, weather-wise and I finally got out and enjoyed myself some after being cooped up in the house for the last four weeks.  Last year at this time, we were already into a summer-long, Summer Jams Song of the Day, and we're just getting started with this one, a classic from 1993 that's as popular today as it ever was.  Check out Robin S and the irresistible Show Me Love...



Sunday, June 19, 2016

Song of the Day - Cheap Thrills - Sia

Baby I don't need no dollar bills 
To have fun tonight
I love cheap thrills!


I finally hit the dance floor last night and it felt soooo good!  Cheers and Happy Sunday!



Saturday, June 18, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Dive in the Pool - Barry Harris, featuring Pepper Mashay


Well, alright

How ya'll feelin' tonight?
Ya'll feelin' good?
Well you know, I'm feelin' mighty good tonight
But you see baby, it's a little hot in here
In more ways than one



Back in the early 2000's, there was this cool television show based on the British series of the same name.  Queer as Folk was as shocking as it was groundbreaking here in the U.S., and for five seasons people from all walks of life tuned every week into Showtime to catch the dramatic, and often steamy, life and times of a group of gay people in Pittsburgh, P.A.  Along with each season came a brand new soundtrack filled with club ditties that were heard on the show during scenes at Club Babylon, the fictional dance mecca that drew big crowds of revelers almost every night.  Here's a jam from the first season, a song that got some fierce vocals by singer Pepper Mashay set to slamming club beats.  Check out Dive in the Pool...  



Friday, June 17, 2016

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Boom Boom Boom - The Outhere Brothers


Here's an old, fun one from back in 1995.  Though never really a huge hit on radio stations in its day, this one was typical of the hip hop/dance craze that swept across dance floors throughout the 90's. Check out the Outhere Brothers and their party anthem, Boom Boom Boom...




Thursday, June 16, 2016

Pride Song of the Day - Free Xone - Janet Jackson

He was on a airplane
Sittin next to this guy
Said he wasn't too shy
And he seemed real nice
Until he found out he was gay
That's so not mellow

Let's get free. . .


Many of you may not know this tune, from Janet's 1997 album, The Velvet Rope.  It's a funky little ditty all about freedom, freedom to love whomever you love.  Like many other strong female recording artists, Miss Janet has long been an advocate of the LGBT community and she even won a GLAAD Media Award for this album and the supportive tone it takes of the community.  In a Pride Month in which the struggle we still face has tragically given us the awful truth that we still have a long way to go, voices of support from everywhere are always welcome.  Check out a cool fan-made video of the jam, Free Xone...


Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Song of the Day - Bang My Head - David Guetta, feat. SIa & Fetty Wap


As we try to get back to a little bit of normalcy, here is a recent release by David Guetta from the soundtrack to the movie Victor Frankenstein.  Though the tune came out back in October, I only heard it for the first time yesterday, but I liked it immediately.  The song's got a nice, easy breezy kind of feel to it, and of course Sia's vocals are, well, Sia!  Check out Bang My Head... 



Tuesday, June 14, 2016

A Song of the Day In Remembrance - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day



nbcnewyork

Another turning point, 

a fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist, 
directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time


As we mourn for a third day the 50 lives tragically and senselessly lost on Sunday, I'd like to dedicate this classic tune to whatever time these pour souls had on this Earth.  The incident is yet another sobering reminder that life is precious, and we need to make the most of how much or how little we have.  Many of those killed were babes.  Twenty and thirty-somethings who had lives to live.  

It's something unpredictable,
but in the end it's right
I hope you had the time of your life



So take the photographs and still-frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while

Vigils were held in places all over the world in solidarity to those who were massacred.  That's the wonderful part of the human spirit, the compassion and the brotherhood of all...gay, straight, black, white, whatever.  We all have a right to live our lives how we choose to, and with whatever cards we've been dealt, and no one should ever have the right to play God and take that away from us.


It's something unpredictable,
but in the end it's right
I hope you had the time of your life

It's so difficult to look at these pictures without crying.  Now that all of the victims have been identified, we now know a little bit about each and every one of them and it makes it all that much sadder.  I only hope that these 50 souls did have the time of their lives while they were here and that they are somewhere out there feeling all of our love.




It's something unpredictable, 

but in the end it's right

I hope you had the time of your life


Monday, June 13, 2016

Song of the Day - Bacon - Nick Jonas, featuring Ty Dolla $ign


Nick Jonas' new album, Last Year Was Complicated, finally came out on Friday, and already it's #4 on iTunes list of top albums.  Well, here is the third single off the record, a sexually-charged jam that's had everybody wondering just exactly what Bacon is.  Check it out...



Sunday, June 12, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Proud - Heather Small


As I reported on John's World just a little while ago, today the newly formed LGBTQA+ Visibility Coalition will be holding a march today in Sayville, here on Long Island.  The Visibility March, as it's being called, is in response to the cancellation of the LI Pride Parade, which has been in existence for 25 years.  I wish the organizers well in their endeavor and I hope that LGBT's from all over the island come out to show off their pride... 






Saturday, June 11, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Listen to the People - Martha Wash


Today is kind of a sad day on Long Island.  You see, throughout the month of June, LGBT Pride Parades and festivals take place virtually each weekend day somewhere around the world.  Now the one in New York City is one of the grandest anywhere, but we here on Long Island have had our own reputation for being one of the largest suburban celebrations of pride anywhere.  For the past 24 years, Long Island's Pride Parade and ensuing celebration have taken place in the town of Huntington, and though there will be a celebratory festival at Heckscher State Park today, the parade is no more, much to the chagrin of this writer and many other angry LGBT residents of both counties.

I think I will save this story for John's World later on, but for now let's suffice it to say that the cancellation of this year's L.I. Pride Parade, citing security and logistical concerns, is an absolute travesty.  Many of those who are as angry as I have organized a boycott of today's festivities and will have their own parade in the gay-friendly town of Sayville tomorrow, June 12th.  In my opinion, this is a classic struggle between politicos and people, and like in many other types of instances like this, maybe the politicos should have listened to the people...
  

Friday, June 10, 2016

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani

The &#it is bananas
B-A-N-A-N-A-S!


I've been trying to catch up on Orange is the New Black and I'm towards the beginning of the third season. In fact the last episode I watched was that season's second episode, which featured an amusing scene in which Bennett and his army buddies do a little routine to this, the greatest cheerleader song since Toni Basil's Mickey.  I included that clip here, which you can check out below, but first, Gwen Stefani.  Happy Weekend!






And now here's Bennett and his pals...


Thursday, June 9, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Vogue - Madonna

Beauty's where you find it!


Pride Month continues here with one of the gayest of tunes ever.  So what are you waiting for?  Go ahead, click play and strike a pose!  There's nothing to it...



Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Song of the Day - She's a Lady - Tom Jones


We're going real old school today with a very cool tune from all the way back in 1971.  Tom Jones is one of those artists that I had always been aware of, but never really came to appreciate until I became a deejay.  There was this one caterer friend of mine, Regina, who so adored the suave Welsh crooner, and she'd always have me play a song or two of his whenever I worked for her.  It didn't take too long for me to appreciate his music and I still actually take a listen here and there.  Well, Mr. Jones turned 76 yesterday, and so this one's a birthday homage to him.  Enjoy...



Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Prince, A 'Hometown Hero'


I just came across this wonderfully touching video on my Facebook page.  Though it's been more than six weeks now since Prince left this Earth, watching the video made it seem like it just happened a couple of days ago.  The video is called Hometown Hero, and it was created and produced by a gentleman named Milton of a group on Vimeo called Method Media Bermuda.  The video depicts ordinary Minneapolitans, young, old, black, white, and everywhere in between both paying their respects to and celebrating the life and work of their hometown hero.

Now many of us who grew up with Prince and his music all felt the immense loss when he passed away, and we still mourn his loss, but those who live in the city that he always called home are even more moved by his passing than any of us could really imagine.  Whereas many musicians and artists depart their hometowns for bright lights and bigger cities once they make it big, Prince always called Minneapolis home, and the people who live there hold as much love for him as he did for them.  Just click play on the video below and you'll see what I mean.  Oh, and grab a couple of tissues before you watch...

Hometown Hero from METHOD MEDIA Bermuda on Vimeo.

Song of the Day - Pound the Alarm - Nikki Minaj


It's really been awhile since I've posted anything Nikki Minaj.  In fact, it's been a really long time since she's given me anything new and dancey to post.  For awhile there, she was on fire in the dance music side of the music world.  Collaborations with David Guetta and even her own Starships, Superbass, Va Va Voom and this one were all fun tunes.  This one's the latest of hers in that genre and here's hoping there will be more one day soon...



Monday, June 6, 2016

Song of the Day - Be Mine (Live) - Robyn


The Governors Ball music festival took place this weekend in New York City, and one of the headliners for Friday night's performances was none other than the inimitable Robyn.  Oh I had this concert in my sights for months now and I am truly sorry I missed it.  Robyn is not only a gifted singer and songwriter, she is a very lively and exciting performer too.  Here's a tune of hers I actually learned the last time I saw her live and this particular version of Be Mine is the third different incarnation of the tune I've heard and it's just as good as either the slower or the faster versions, falling somewhere in between.  Check out Be Mine...



Sunday, June 5, 2016

Pride Month Song of the Day - Into the Blue - Kylie Minogue

When I've got my back up against the wall
Don't need no one to rescue me
Cause I ain't waiting up for no miracle
Yeah tonight I'm running free
Into the blue...


Virtually any Kylie Minogue song is a perfect fit for Pride Month and one of her most recent singles is also one of my favorites. Into the Blue was the lead single off of her 2014 Kiss Me Once and it is as much of an anthem as anything she's ever done.  Check it out...



Saturday, June 4, 2016

Song of the Day - Aftertaste - Shawn Mendes


I'm actually surprised I've never posted a Shawn Mendes tune before on here.  I caught him doing Stitches, his biggest hit to date, on the Billboard Music Awards a couple of weeks ago, and I will say the boy is talented.  Here's another tune of his, the predecessor to Stitches.  It's more of on the slower side, but it really allows him to show off his gifted pipes.  Check out Aftertaste...



Friday, June 3, 2016

A Flasback Friday Pride Month Song of the Day - A Deeper Love - C & C Music Factory



June is LGBT Pride Month and throughout the month I will be sprinkling in tunes that commemorate the theme.  First up is a jam from way back in 1991.  Back in the early 90's, acts like Robert Clivillés and David Cole's C&C Music Factory ruled the airwaves with formulaic dance tunes that were high energy and featured powerful lead female vocals (can anyone say "Martha Wash?").  Though the duo had greater hits than this one, it fits our theme oh so nicely.  So go check out C&C Music Factory's A Deeper Love and then go out and have a great Friday...



Thursday, June 2, 2016

Song of the Day - Heatwave - Robin Schulz, featuring Akon


I've been so happy to see that Robin Schulz has put out a new single from his fantabulous album, Sugar, and it's one of my favorites.  Heatwave features silky smooth-voiced Akon over an island-jammish music track that's easy on the ears and perfect for a summer sunset.  I'm just not sure about the chicken in the video, though, lol.  Check out Heatwave...



Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Song of the Day - Till the World Ends - Britney Spears



Here's my favorite Britney song for your Hump Day.  I was a little surprised and upset that she did no songs from Femme Fatale in her medley performance at last week's Billboard Music Awards, especially this one.  Cause it's all about dancing...