Good morning and Happy Friday!I've been contemplating sharing this one for awhile, because as the days go by in this quarantine, it's getting harder and harder to keep it together. Many of you may not know this song from Queen M, but it was featured in the film Truth or Dare, as the number was the closer of the Blonde Ambition Tour, which is where this performance is from. Enjoy....
As I mentioned the other day, I've been working on a Spotify playlist for this very time we're living in. I've literally found dozens and dozens of tunes from all genres and all time periods to fit the situation we're in. Since we're all cooped up at home for who knows how long, at least there's music to fill some of the time. Stay tuned for the playlist, but in the meantime here's a very apropo jam from MC Hammer...
One of my favorite songs of all time is very appropriate for these days. It's very easy to lose faith and despair over the situation we find ourselves in, but we've got to be vigilant, see this through, and hopefully someday soon we'll be right back to where we started from. Happy Friday!
I haven't posted an Amy Winehouse song in such a very long time. I think this one fits the time we are in at this very moment, but though everything may seem dark now, we all have to take extra special care and the darkness will eventually dissipate. Here's Back To Black...
I've been watching a show on Amazon Prime called Red Oaks, which is a sitcom set in a 1980's Westchester, NY country club, and the best part about it is the music. Talk about bringing you back! Here;s one I knew I had to post when I heard it. Ah, memories! Here's Strut...
After posting Dua Lipa's Olivia Newton John inspired Physical the other day, I figured there's no time like the present to relive an iconic tune by an iconic performer Here's the original...
But I'm glad to be alive and in the land of the living
Oh, I can't believe that I survived
And I'm in the land of the living
Can't believe that I survived
In the land of the living
If I ever found myself in the position to do a drag performance, THIS would be my choice of song. I love how it starts off like a torch song, then works its way into a frenzied, bass-heavy dance track. Such a diva track! (*The album version is slightly better, but there's no video for that.)
I've been watching the Netflix series AJ & the Queen, starring Rupaul recently and I have to tell you, just the music alone makes it worth the watch. Case in point, here's a song featured in one of the episodes that I had completely forgotten about. If you were around in the late 80's, you'll surely remember Pretty Poison's Catch Me I'm Falling...
Yesterday was singer Sade's 61st birthday. That, coupled with her recent announcement of new music, her first since 2010's Soldier Of Love, surely deserves a spotlight this Friday. Exciting news indeed! Here's one of hers, and one of the, greatest songs ever...
I remember watching P!nk on VH1 Storytellers talking about the meaning of this song. Before that I had always thought that it was about a lost love, which is what is may seem from the lyrics, but that wasn't it at all. She said she'd written it for a friend she had in high school, one of the school jocks, who'd accidentally died from an overdose. She continued to say that over the years, whenever she performed the song, the person she thought about and for whom it became would change as various people in her life passed away, her grandmother, her friend, even her dog. Well, today I'm borrowing that song for my sister as we say goodbye to her for the final time. It's going to be a difficult day. Sigh!
Today's song isn't posted really for music's sake. I never really liked this second single by Frankie and the gang, but the video more than makes up for it. It wasn't long ago that the Cold War was still a big threat to world peace and this video came as a warning of what could happen if it ever heated up. Luckily, the Cold War ended, but in the years since then, Russia has proven to show it is still an adversary to us.
It seems these days that many Americans forget just how much of an adversary the Soviet Union was, and still is. Though the USSR no longer exists, Russia remains an oppressive state and its despotic leader continues to use Soviet-style strategies to spread Russia's influence far and wide, even here. Imagine Putin and Trump replacing Yeltsin and Reagan in this video. Would it still be the same, or would we see more of a tag team style match, the two of them against the world rather than a fight to the finish between them?
One of the most surprising things of this era is that many on the right view Russia favorably, with a spike in that favorability rating coming in 2017 at 40% favorablity amongst Republicans. (I wonder why!) Even more startling, there are a great number of Republicans who favor Russia over their fellow Americans, namely Democrats. It should be no surprise to anyone why this statistic exists.
While Putin's interference in our 2016 Presidential election should have been met with anger across all political affiliations, the side that won that election, no doubt partly due to this attack, seem to not care. That, to me, is a very sad state of affairs and very telling of the state we are in today. So for anyone reading, please watch the video and be reminded that even though the Cold War is long over, Russia is still not our friend and we should all, always, put country over party. Here's Two Tribes...
I was browsing YouTube randomly the other day and came across this video by a guy who calls himself Jamel_AKA_Jamal, and in it, he was reacting to hearing The Carpenters' Superstar for the very first time. The video was amusing to watch and it gave me a whole new appreciation for this original version of the song (I also love versions of it by both Luther Vandross and Joi Cardwell.). Since it's Flashback Friday, there is no better time than the present to share this classic of classics. Here's the inimitable Karen Carpenter and Superstar...
Since it's Flashback Friday, I wanted to post one of my favorite all-time Christmas songs. This one was first recorded way back in 1958 and has been used in countless movies and television shows. So yeah, here's Brenda Lee...
This week, Associated Press Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu named the top 25 songs of the decade and at the very top of the list is none other than Robyn with her classic Dancing On My Own. I, and at least a few NYC subway riders, totally agree! To check out the rest of the list of the top 25 songs of the decade, click here, and in the meantime, relive a classic...
It's Black Friday and pretty much the whole world (except those in retail! Boo!) gets to rest after a long day of eating and thanks. Here's a fun song from the recent past for your Friday, which does have a little bit of a connection for me to this weekend thanks to a little serenading I did to a bunch of kids once upon a Thanksgiving. Anyway, click play and try not to dance or smile. Here's Peanut Butter Jelly...
It's been awhile since I've posted any R&B, and the 90's was a great place to find some awesome grooves like this classic from Blackstreet. Check out No Diggity...
