Shortly after Cupid’s Hunt 2010, I promised some Class of ‘75 mixes to celebrate classmates and friends lost and found. I haven’t forgotten. Every once in a while, a playlist forms in my head, only to (poof!) vanish like a puff of smoke. There were so many memorable songs that year (at least, I think so); I wasn’t sure where to start.
So, for Cupid’s Hunt 2012, I’ll focus on some of the love songs that rocked those blue-light-in-the-basement parties brought to mind whenever I hear one played on the radio. Nothing by Smokey (I’m glad I was able to finish his mix); and nothing by the Tempts (I’m working on their mix, too). I probably should have paid special attention to Barry White as well. Working with “Let Me Live My Life Loving You” has given me a few ideas. Also, there’s a little surprise by Solo from 1995. Hearing it the first time reminded me of “Let’s Do It Again”. Their sound it reminiscent of Sam Cooke; and will be featured in a tribute for him later this year.
But for now, pick your spot on the wall.
For Todd Grundy and the Furys, who threw the best basement parties I can remember.
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.
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?
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”?
Happy Birthday to Sly Stone . We miss him; and, he’s still around. This is also dedicated to my brother. It’s the hot summer of ‘69…he and his friends are in the cool basement listening to Sly records…I’m sitting at the top of the stairs (they can’t see me)…
Our prayers to the friends and family of Ron Banks , founder of the Detroit soul group, The Dramatics , who passed away at the age of 59. They really rocked the 70s for us with “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get”, a tongue-in-cheek favorite for Flip Wilson fans; “In The Rain ”, that kept the walls buffed clean at blue-light basement parties; and their cover of Billy Paul’s ”Me and Mrs. Jones ”, that knocked me to my knees.
Our prayers to the friends and family of Ron Banks , founder of the Detroit soul group, The Dramatics , who passed away at the age of 59. They really rocked the 70s for us with “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get”, a tongue-in-cheek favorite for Flip Wilson fans; “In The Rain ”, that kept the walls buffed clean at blue-light basement parties; and their cover of Billy Paul’s ”Me and Mrs. Jones ”, that knocked me to my knees.
TNS – The King Remix is a shortened version of TNS – For the Children of the Dream, released in celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King.
As it turned out, the mix was too long to download, one of my rookie mistakes. Also, once I showed my sister what I was doing, she urged me to expand my King idea into mixes that included speeches of Malcolm X, Medgar Evers and whoever else’s recordings that were available. I liked her idea. However, Black History Month just happens to be the shortest month of the year, and time is getting tight. So, should I run out of time getting other posts up, I want this one to stand.
I dedicate this entire section, all the mixes that I intend to include for Black History Month, to my mother, Ethel Mae McKenzie White. Long before black history was taught in the schools (you remember, textbooks that included only Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver), my mother taught us at home from volumes of The Negro Heritage Library, and with the speeches of Dr. King and Malcolm X on vinyl. Long before James Brown recorded “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)”, she had us saying it to ourselves so we could repeat it in public (back when being called “black” was considered and insult). She had a take-no-prisoners ‘pride, don’t hide’ attitude that she passed on to her children, and that I hope I’ve passed on to mine.
TNS – The King Remix includes “I Have A Dream” and “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” in their entirety. I also included Kirk Franklin’s “My Life Is In Your Hands” from the soundtrack of “Get On The Bus”, a movie about another march on Washington, D.C., the Million Man March.
But, we won’t celebrate Valentine’s Day on a Sunday again for another seven (?) years. And Millie just wouldn’t let me rest. Her song, “If You’re Not Back in Love By Monday” has been in my head all night. Is there more fitting a song for a Monday morning after a Sunday V-Day?
So, like a true night shift-er, I’ve been up for awhile keeping myself busy. I’d made a huge pot of chili for dinner, and the family is out cold with ‘the itis’. Law and Order is on TNT; Angel doesn’t air until 5am. It’s just me, with Millie and few others who sing of trying to get back what they once had.
This goes out to all those Cupid Hunters who are back in love this morning. No promos or intros (I didn’t have much time); just the music, with Millie’s , “Good night, everybody” at the end.
I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. I’ve already posted two Cupid’s Hunt mixes and managed to stay out of mischief. Why not just leave it at that? Well, because while I’m a hopeless romantic, there is still a bit of a devil in me.
When I was a kid, I loved Millie Jackson. Second only to those Jackson boys in the amount of vinyl I spun, Millie was played by me more often than any other female artist. The only hitch was that Millie’s frankness, and cheatin’ and “poor me” songs, really annoyed my mother; especially once I learned the lyrics. But, even she couldn’t stifle a chuckle during the last line of Millie’s The Rap.
So, with tongue-in-cheek, TNS - If Loving You Is Wrong is a collection of songs that got an, “Alright, that’s enough! Play something else!” from my mother. I’ve also included some newer songs: George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” and Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” (because their videos were just so cold); Shirley Murdock’s “As We Lay”; Luther V’s ”She Saw You” and TLC’s “Creep”.
I want to give a shout out to C. Brown, whose Love Lockdown Mix (for the love hater in you) on Flowlink.com has all but given me permission to speak up for the Cupid hunters who bought Valentine’s Day presents for themselves, and said the presents were from someone else.
