Dance Rap Song of the Day - Da Dip - Freak Nasty

Straight outta 1996, today's dance rap jam is a classic that's actually hard not to dance to.  Check out Freak Nasty and Da Dip...Happy Friday!

Dance Rap Song of the Day - Gold Digger - Kanye West, Jamie Foxx

I'd like to preface today's post by saying I am not a fan of Mr. West.  However, I guiltily admit that I get great pleasure from this particular song.  Here's Gold Digger...

Hump Day Song of the Day - 212 - Azalea Banks

One of my favorite all time dance/rap jams comes from Azalea Banks and this hot, dance floor jammer!  Check out 212...

Dance Rap Song of the Day - This Is How We Do It - Montell Jordan

One of the earliest authentic dance rap jams comes straight outta 1995 and Montell Jordan's irresistible This Is How We Do It...

Song of the Day - Living In America - James Brown

It's not exactly dance rap, but James Brown's Living In America, from the fourth Rocky movie, is as close as it gets to both the genre and themed for today.  Happy Memorial Day to all!

Dance Rap Song of the Day - Shoop - Salt-N-Pepa

It's a beautiful Memorial Day Sunday and all the more reason for some music that makes you move.  Salt-N-Pepa's Shoop isn't exactly a quick hip shaker, but it is very...um...yeah!

Dance Rap Song of the Day - Low - Flo Rida

Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur

The whole club was looking at her

Flo Rida is one of the best in the dance/rap genre, and it all started with this irresistible...well rap dance jam.  Here's Low... 

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Who Am I - Beenie Man

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  Summer is unofficially here and it's time to start with some summer jams.  We'll be celebrating summer over the next month or so with a genre of music that I absolutely love, dance rap.  We get it started with more of a reggae-tinged dance rap tune, and a classic one at that.  Since this song put the bug in my ear to feature the genre for the month (I'm actually looking for a beema!), well, here's Beenie Man... 

Song of the Day - Fantasy - Sofi Tukker

I absolutely love everything Sofi Tukker does, and although this tune is much tamer than much of what they've done, I think it's one of my favorites!  Check out Fantasy...

Hump Day Song of the Day - Blast Off - Gesaffelstein, Pharrell Williams

French artist Gesaffelstein teams up with Pharrell Williams for this dark, thumping, catchy tune that I've been wanting to share for a long time.  Here's Blast Off...

Song of the Day - Nothing Breaks Like a Heart - Mark Ronson, Miley Cyrus

Here's a really nice song from back last November that I'd overlooked here, though it's been in my regular rotation ever since then.  Nice tune! Here's Nothing Breaks Like a Heart...

Song of the Day - This Baby Don't Cry - K. Flay

I first discovered rock chick K. Flay a couple of years ago with her Alanisette Blood In the Cut and I've followed her ever since.    Well, Flay's putting out a new record and the first single is this funky ditty.  Check out a live performance of a Macy Grayesque tune, This Baby Don't Cry...

Song of the Day - I Don't Care _ Ed Sheeran, Justin Biever

It was only a week ago that this super duper collaboration was first released to the listening public and it didn't take long to catch on.  The video came out just a couple of days ago and is as fun as the light-hearted song is.  Check out I Don't Care...

Song of the Day - Too Much - Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Jepsen's got a new song, and it's oh so good!  The fifth single from her upcoming Dedicated album is a catchy, rhythmic three minutes of pure fun.  Check out Too Much...

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - I Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley

I know this is a bit out of character for me, but I've been listening to a lot of Elvis lately.  You see, I've never really admitted to it, but both my mom and dad were big Elvis fans and I pretty much grew up learning a lot of his music.  Of course there were so many songs to choose from, but I chose this one in particular for a reason...

First of all, I Can't Help Falling In Love is one of the most tender, beautiful songs ever recorded.  Secondly, my mom and my dad.  A few years back, I had gone to a cousin's wedding in upstate New York with my mom.  It was a really nice wedding and we both had a good time overall.  Well, sometime during the reception, I had gone outside for a smoke and when I returned to the reception hall, my mom was outside the party room, crying.  This song had played and for the first time since he had passed away, Elvis made my mom think of my dad and at that moment, I saw love I hadn't seen in a long time.  Pretty special!  Here's Elvis...

Song of the Day - City of Sound - Big Wild

A couple of months ago I posted a new song by a dance artist known as Big Wild.  I said back then that I'd be keeping an ear out for more from this guy, and I have.  Here's another retro throwback with a little neo-disco feel.  Check out City of Sound...

Hump Day Song of the Day - Flexible - Dawin

I first discovered Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Dawin back in 2014 with his debut single, and an all time favorite, Just Girly Things.  Well, he is back with another catchy, dancey tune called Flexible.  Check it out...

Song of the Day - Take You Home - Dido

It's been way too long, but after an almost six-year hiatus, Dido is back!  And to top it off, she's still got it.  With this infectious single done in classic Dido style, with pulsing rhythms and her oh so soft, mesmerizing vocals, it's almost as if she never left.  Check out the awesome Take You Home...

Song of the Day - Let Me Down Slowly - Alec Benjamin, Alessia Cara

I first discovered young singer/songwriter Alec Benjamin about a year ago upon hearing his song, Boy In the Bubble.  I've kept tabs on his stuff ever since, but have never felt compelled to highlight him on a Song of the Day post...until now.  His latest, a reworking of a former (solo) song of his, now reworked to feature Alessia Cara, may just be the big hit this guy deserves.  Let Me Down Slowly is a catchy ballad featuring Benjamin's unique vocals paired with the lovely voice of Ms. Cara.  Nice tune!  Check it out...

Song of the Day - Mama - Spice Girls

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there, especially this one!

Song of the Day - Sympathy - Vampire Weekend

One of my favorite songs on Vampire Weekend's new and awesome Father of the Bride album is this high energy banger called Sympathy. Check it out and have a great Saturday...

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Express Yourself - Madonna

On Wednesday, this most iconic song of the most iconic performer celebrated 30 years since its release in 1989.  Still fantabulous!  Still classic!  Here's Madonna...

Song of the Day - Sunset Sesh - Cienfue

Panamanian indie artist Cienfue has got a new song out and it is fresh.  Written as an ode to the art of surfing, the tropical vibe of Sunset Sesh has quite an appealing, chill sound.  A lil Carlos Santana-ish, maybe>    Check it out...  

Hump Day Song of the Day - R.I.P. - Sofia Reyes, feat. Rita Ora, Anitta

Hump Day is here and we're finally on the down slope towards the weekend, so I think it's a good time for a hot new Latin-flavored jam.  Here's Sofia Reyes with a little help from her friends with R.I.P....

Song of the Day - Lost - Clara Mae

What is it with Swedes and pop music?  I mean, from ABBA to Robyn, Zara Larsson, Roxette, Tove Lo, etc., etc., etc., these guys know how to put out great pop music.  The latest Swede to get into the action is newcomer Clara Mae with this beautiful mid-tempo pop singalong.  Check out Lost...

Song of the Day - Sparrow - Emeli Sande

I wrote this piece ten years ago today...

I woke up this morning, as I do many mornings, with a song in my head.  Only the tune that landed in my head today was related to what was going to happen in just a little while.  The song, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, by the Temptations opens with the lines I’m still hearing now as I write this:

“It was the third of September.

The day I’ll always remember,

Cause that was the day my daddy died.”

Today George Myers, my father, passed on, and I awoke this morning knowing that it was going to happen.  We’d been dreading it for four days now, knowing that any hope of survival was near zero percent.  From the moment he was taken into the hospital, we were told that he had gone far too long without oxygen and that his brain was no longer functioning.  As the hours and days passed, we knew this was the one time he wasn’t going to beat it. 

We’d decided late last night to remove the support machines keeping his body alive, but we had to put it off for today because one of us was unable to be on hand.  It was an unpleasant situation, to say the least.  We all wanted to get past this anguish.  And having to wait until morning, waking up with the knowledge that your dad was going to die, is just too odious a circumstance to be in.  

Twenty eight years ago, my dad was diagnosed with Diabetes.  At first, none of us had been too familiar with the disease, but what we did know it was controllable one if you followed the guidelines associated with the having the condition.  In the beginning, dad was great about it.  He quit smoking.  He stopped drinking.  Changing his dietary habits, though, proved too difficult for him and this allowed this debilitating sickness to attack his body slowly and steadily for so long.

Early on, dad’s kidneys began to malfunction and he was sent to undergo dialysis treatments three times a week.  He was placed on a list for a kidney transplant.  I hadn’t known what dialysis was at first, and I don’t wish to speak of it here, but I know from dad’s experiences that it is not pleasant.

As is common with diabetics, one problem invariably leads to other problems.  To make things easier for his dialysis treatments, his doctor placed a plastic shunt in his arm.  I recall almost immediately there were infections, blockages, and other problems associated with the multiple shunts that were eventually placed within his arms.  These problems foreshadowed the more serious and painful things to come.  I can’t possibly recall the numerous problems dad’s experienced over the years, but here are some I remember:

-        While working in a local supermarket, a 2 liter bottle of soda fell off a shelf and landed on dad’s big toe.  An infection began to materialize.  That was in May.  By August, the infection had gotten so bad; he had to be hospitalized for over six weeks.  It was the first time we thought we were going to lose him, but he persevered and eventually pulled through.

-          A little over ten years ago, dad got a call that a person with a donor kidney had passed and he needed to get to the hospital ASAP.  In what turned out to be his happiest hospital stay, dad’s surgery was successful and he got to spend Christmas with the greatest gift he’s ever received.  Dialysis was now a thing of the past.

-          About two years ago, dad began to have trouble hearing in his right ear.  It was soon discovered that he had a massive, benign tumor growing on his cerebrum.  With his state of health, surgical treatment was not an option, so he underwent 39 radiation treatments.  Soon after the treatments had finished, his hearing improved once again, but his new kidney had begun to fail.  In what turned out to be the beginning of his end, dialysis treatments once again became a necessity.

-         A more recent infection on his foot hadn’t been responding to treatments.  Intravenous antibiotics were no help as circulation problems were preventing the medicines from reaching the infected site.  A surgical bypass on his leg was ordered by his vascular doctor.  During pre-surgical testing, though, a blockage was found in his heart and a resulting angioplasty put off the vascular bypass.  The cardiac procedure was successful, and he was released from the hospital with the infected ulcer still oozing and painful on his foot.

-        Two weeks ago, and six weeks after the angioplasty, dad was brought back in to the hospital for the original vascular bypass to help fight the infection, which had gotten so bad that he had developed tendinitis in his Achilles tendon which prevented him from walking anymore.  He had had to give up his job and his car, which crushed him.  This surgery was successful, and the infection had begun to heal.

These episodes represent only a fraction of the seemingly countless health-related issues dad has had to contend with.  Late night phone calls became all too familiar.  Every time there was a new emergency, the situation led from a dire to insignificant, a false alarm.  Dad took each case in stride, with rarely an utterance of complaint, even through two toe amputations (Though he always hated the needles!).  We became too used to these episodes, expecting the same result each time.  We’d lulled ourselves into a belief that dad was a fighter who’d always bounce back and be around for years to come.  But it wasn’t meant to be this time.

The day after dad came out of the hospital, he experienced this episode which ultimately led us to today.  Now I’ve skipped ahead a bit from the first part of this story, but this part of dad’s story is more pertinent to the freedom from suffering he earned today.  Having been faced with the decision we all made, we knew we had no choice.  Dad deserved no more pain. 

In the end, he passed peacefully with his wife, his six children and other significant people in his life all around him.  The room was filled with anguish, devotion, love and a sense of collective relief as George finally let go of all that pain. 

So long dad!  I love you!

It was the sixth of May…

Though it's been ten years, my dad lives on still, in my heart and in those of all of the people who loved him.  Miss you dad!  Here's Emeli Sande and Sparrow...

Song of the Day - Walk Me Home - P!nk

P!nk's newest (and surprise) album, Hurts 2B Human, is out and processing in my brain still, as I've been away and not had much time for listening.  So far, though, I'm loving what I hear and I've gained a greater admiration for this, the album's debut single.  It's a downright uplifting P!nk classic!  Check out Walk Me Home...

Song of the Day - Patience - Tame Impala

Australian psychedelic rock band Tame Impala recently released their first  song in over four years and it is smooth!  Inspired by "70's disco and 90's house music," Patience does have a psychedelic feel in the vocals, with a percussive back beat reminiscent of something Hall and Oates did back in the day.  It's a hella cool song, so you should check it out...   

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Cha Cha Slide - Mr. C The Slide Man

A week ago Monday I was in Paris with a bunch of kids from the school I work at.  It was early evening and we were on our way to a restaurant in the Latin Quarter when we came upon a street deejay playing Cardi B's I Like It.  Well, one of the kids, Nick, started jamming out all by his lonesome and when the deejay caught it, he moved on with the music to entice the other kids to join along.  Cha Cha Slide came on and within seconds, thirty-five kids were jamming in unison to the well-known party tune.  Before you knew it, a crowd gathered around and the whole thing turned into a twenty-minute dance fest.  Here's the original Cha Cha...

Here's a little bit of that fun moment...(sorry about the sideways thing!)

Song of the Day - Love Again - RuthAnne

Here's a brand new, sweet soulful jam brought to you by Irish singer/songwriter RthAnne.  Check out the heavenly vocal and instrumental stylings of Love Again...

Song of the Day - Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles

Greetings everyone.  I am back from a long trip to various places in Europe and it feels good to be home.  I took this picture on my last morning, at sunrise, in Rome, and it surely is a great fit for today and today's song.  To me, the Beatles' Here Comes the Sun has always been a song of renewal and rebirth, and that's how I am feeling today.  So you go on and have a great day today and in the meantime, check out this classic...