The Night Shift

What would those basement parties have been without Earth, Wind & Fire?  Every garage band wanted to play like them (when they weren’t playing Kool & the Gang); everyone who thought they could sing wanted to hit Philip Bailey’s high notes.  Oh, and the slow jams!

“That’s The Way Of The World” was my first EWF album. I’m not even sure when I bought it. I had “Shining Star” as a single (remember vinyl 45s?); but getting the album didn’t seem a priority until I heard “Reasons”. I remember that I arrived at college intent on showing how hip I was by letting EWF blast through my dorm door (the way kids were doing when I visited my brother at his school); only to hear EWF blasting through every third door I passed on the way to my room. Oh well, I could still fall back on J5 and the Tempts. I was sure that nobody there would have collections that rivaled mine.

“Gratitude” was a Christmas present from my godmother. She loved “Singasong”, and to this day, I think of her whenever I hear it. And, of course, who could forget that live version of “Reasons”? Studio “Reasons” was good for listening and lip-syncing in the dorm room; but, live “Reasons” was a true, blue-light-in-the-basement, up-against-the-wall, New Year’s Eve party slow jam.

Class of ‘75 – Earth, Wind & Fire by JBethune

Hello, all!

Ah, the Ohio Players.

The funk; the album covers…!  Where did guys store their albums after they taped the album covers to their walls?

Shortly after Cupid’s Hunt, I promised some Class of ‘75 mixes to celebrate those friends and classmates, lost and found.  I hadn’t forgotten; I guess I needed a trigger.

Earlier today, I heard “Fire” on the radio, and remembered those evenings in Woody’s car with Woody, Joel and Patty, riding to Buxton’s after picking me up from work; and the parties, dj’d by Todd, where people just weren’t sure when to stop dancing to “Running From the Devil”.  Then, I started thinking about all the other good music we danced, studied, slept and parked to that year.  I loved those artists; I loved that music.  It’s still background noise when I work; it’s still my lullabyes.

Hello, Linden; hello Roselle; hello, Rahway.  I know Gold Bell Bakery is long gone; but, is Buxton’s still around?

[soundcloud url="http://soundcloud.com/jbethune/sets/class-of-75-the-ohio-players"]

I wasn’t going to let April 2 pass without paying tribute to Marvin Gaye.  Had he lived, he would be 71 today.  There’s not much to say beyond that.  In light of the circumstances of April 1, 1984, I found “Piece of Clay” to be particularly beautiful and haunting.

This is dedicated to my mom, Ethel Mae McKenzie White, who celebrates her own birthday in two days and always had plenty of Motown playing around the house; to Curt Jones (I can’t hear “Too Busy Thinking  About My Baby” without remembering him singing that song on our bus to summer camp); and to my cousin, Patricia (I can’t listen to “Got To Give It Up” without remembering her wedding reception).

Is that the Temptations singing background on “Try It Baby” and “Your Precious Love”?

Marvin Gaye

Song – Artist (other than Marvin Gaye) – Album {time}

1. Nightshift Intro – The Commodores – The Commodores Anthology
2. Come Get To This – The Best of Marvin Gaye (Disc 2) {2:41}
3. Try It Baby – Anthology (Disc 1) {2:59}
4. Pride and Joy – Very Best of Marvin Gaye {2:07}
5. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Every Great Motown Hit of Marvin Gaye {3:16}
6. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby – Very Best of Marvin Gaye {2:57}
7. Stubborn Kind of Fellow – The Best of Marvin Gaye (Disc 1) {2:44}
8. Your Precious Love (feat. Tammi Terrell)– Very Best of Marvin Gaye {3:04}
9. I’ll Be Doggone – Very Best of Marvin Gaye {2:48}
10. Trouble Man – The Best of Marvin Gaye (Disc 2) {3:58}
11. I Want You – Very Best of Marvin Gaye {3:57}
12. Got to Give It Up, Part 1 – Every Great Motown Hit of Marvin Gaye {4;15}
13. After The Dance – The Best of Marvin Gaye {3:31}
14. Let’s Get It On – Very Best of Marvin Gaye {4:53}
15. Distant Lover [Live] –  Very Best of Marvin Gaye {6:18}
16. Sexual Healing – Slow Jams – {4:10}
17. What’s Going On – Anthology {3:58}
18. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) – Every Great Motown Hit of Marvin Gaye {3:16}
19. Inner City Blues  - Very Best of Marvin Gaye {5:28}
20. The World Is Rated X – The Best of Marvin Gaye (Disc 2) {3:50}
21. God Is Love – The Best of Marvin Gaye (Disc 2) {2:52}
22. Piece of Clay – Phenomenon: Music From The Motion Picture {5:11}

Hello, All!

It has been awhile.

Cupid’s Hunt was like giving birth…and I was tired!  I’m still listening to all the wonderful music posted for the event; and surfing from site to site listening to podcasts posted since then.  I’ve also moved The Night Shift to a web host to allow more growth and flexibility.  The move was not without bumps in the road; I had to create a new domain and continue to use the original domain to host the large mp3 files.  There’s no need  to dismantle the old domain for now.

The needle has landed!  Gone are the days when I haunted the Radio Shacks for parts.  Now, there is actually a TurntabeNeedles.com, and other sites that offer parts I can use to repair old changers I’ve refused to discard.  I can’t wait to bust some vinyl, though.

But, in the meantime, shout-outs and prayers for some March birthdays; for those who have left us and for those who grace us still; and especially for the birthday girls featured in what is my first ‘Girl Power’ mix.

• March 1     Harry Belafonte
• March 4     Miriam Makeba
• March 9     Bow Wow; Chingy
• March 10   Timbaland
• March 11   Marlon Jackson; LeToya Luckett; Bobby McFerrin
• March 14   Quincy Jones; Les Brown
• March 15   Will.i.am; Sly Stone
• March 16   Flavor Flav
• March 17   Nat “King” Cole
• March 18   Queen Latifah; Irene Cara; Wilson Pickett
• March 22   Stephanie Mills; George Benson
• March 23   Chaka Khan
• March 24   Mase
• March 25   Aretha Franklin
• March 26   Teddy Pendergrass
• March 30   Norah Jones; M.C. Hammer
• March 31   Herb Alpert

March Birthday Girls

Song – Artist – Album [Time]

1. Do You Love What You Feel – Rufus – The Very Best of Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan [4:30]
2. Ain’t Nobody (Album Version) – Chaka Khan – Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan [4:40]
3. Papillon (AKA Hot Butterfly) (Album Version) – Chaka Khan – Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan [4:10]
4. I Feel For You – Chaka Khan – Epiphany: The Vest of Chaka Khan [5:46]
5. Swing Down Chariot – Rufus – Rags to Rufus [4:24]
6. Pata Pata –Miriam Makeba – Pata Pata [2:57]
7. Think – Aretha Franklin – The Very Best of Aretha Franklin [2:19]
8. Son of a Preacher Man – Aretha Franklin – A Natural Woman and Other Hits [3:17]
9. Spanish Harlem – Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem [3:35]
10. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Aretha Franklin – A Natural Woman and Other Hits [5:33]
11. Border Song (Holy Moses) – Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem [3:22]
12. Fly Girl (LP Version) – Queen Latifah – Nature of a Sista’ [4:02]
13. U.N.I.T.Y. – Queen Latifah – Black Reign [4:11]
14. Big, Blond and Beautiful – Queen Latifah – Hairspray – Soundtrack [2:35]
15. Hit It Again – Luther Vandross/Queen Latifah – Dance With My Father [4:37]
16. Here We Go Again (feat. Norah Jones) – Ray Charles – Genius Love Company [3:59]
17. I Feel Good All Over – Stephanie Mills – Ultimate Collection [5:02]
18. Home  – Stephanie Mills – Ultimate Collection [3:35]
19. I Know Where I’ve Been – Queen Latifah – Hairspray – Soundtrack [4:13]

I also would like to thank the members of the Music Podcast Consortium and all the Cupid’s Hunt contributors for inspiring me.  I was a child in your playground, and you pushed my swing.

Thanks, and enjoy!

I’m Every Woman Birthday Party – Chaka Khan, March 23 by JBethune