To watch

on DVD

February 8, 2008 Earworm

There is a commercial for a dance compilation that pops up continuously on the Logo network. It's obnoxiously loud and its contents remind me of why I lost interest in club music sometime around the early nineties. There are, however, a few snippets that take me back with a smile on my face and one hand in the air - the other hand holding a smart and fashionable cocktail, of course. Ce Ce Penniston's "Finally" is one of those tracks, which surprises me since I've not played it in years.

A rarity in club music, "Finally" actually has a lyric that tells a story. Ce Ce walks us through all her romantic false starts in a sweet street girl voice before growling a ferocious "Finally" and then babbling about what's happened as though she's still recovering from a throw down of the finest order.

I know nothing about what's become of Ce Ce Penniston but I hope that she's still feeling that rush.

Have a great weekend.

February 07, 2008 Earworm

There's no doubt that Copeland's lyricist, Aaron Marsh, has traces of loves past all over him. On "Careful Now" he sings:
"Maybe you should make a list for me
of everything important in this world
in order of urgency
'cause I don't know how to feel?

Well, it's nice that he gives warning but it's too bad that he doesn't mention anything about trying to learn how to feel. As is too often the case in these times, warnings of one's shortcomings are usually considered instant absolution of the outcome. As if the lazy cliche of "I'm okay, you're okay" wasn't bad enough, it then became "I'm okay, good luck with you, whatever"

You can't even give Marsh credit for sticking around long enough to be comfortable to share such intimate weaknesses. After all, this is Emo, which means that this dialog probably occurred on the first date.

At least he showed up.

"Careful Now" is from Copeland's 2006 album, "Eat, Sleep, Repeat"

February 06, 2008 Earworm

I recently stated that the arrangement of Leonard Cohen's "True Love Leaves No Trace" has always seemed to me like a few different songs bumped into each other during the
last dance of the prom, but I realize that I missed the mark with my description. It may be a last dance but the arrangement is better suited to a bar. It's the lyric that belongs to the prom:

"As the mist leaves no traces
on the dark green hill,
So my body leaves no scar on you,
and never will"

As beautiful as that verse is to me, I've always had trouble believing. It's not that I think that Leonard's lying, it's that his seems to be a truth believed only after a few too many bendings of the elbow, uttered by a lopsided grin behind a mask of cigarette smoke. It sounds right for the moment but never for the long haul, when the morning light exposes everyone's reality.

If true love leaves no traces, how can it be real? What was felt? What was learned?

"True Love Leaves No Traces" can be found on "Death of a Ladies' Man".

February 05, 2008 Earworm

Speaking of dancing and love, Shannon's "Let The Music Play" placed dance floor courtship front and center on her biggest hit. She achieved this by having conversations with love, who offered advice like "just keep the groove and then he'll come back to you again". Presumably these words of wisdom were given while Shannon and love were waiting in line at the bar, or perhaps, while powdering noses because with a record this thunderous, you wouldn't have been able to hear a word anyone was saying on the dance floor.

"Let The Music Play" was the brainchild of Chris Barbosa and Ed Chisolm who decided to up the ante of New York's Electro sound by adding Latin syncopation. The result is generally referred to as the first fully formed Freestyle record although there are always dissenters to claim otherwise. Regardless, it was the first record in the Freestyle er, style to break out of clubland and into the pop charts.

In 1983, "Let The Music Play" was a truly amazing experience in the clubs and when armed with two copies of the 12 inch, the better the dj, the bigger the excitement. As a radio experience, it was much needed proof that not only did dance music not die with disco, but that it was still growing. It would also prove to be the foundation for any dance pop and r&b music of the 80's that wasn't built at the altar of Prince.

Shannon left the music business after three albums; two great, one mediocre, and went back to school. Popping up on Todd Terry's terrific "It's Over Love" in 1997, she was a welcome relief from the over-emoting, wailing dance floor divas that succeeded her. The legacy of "Let The Music Play" is continually tweaked every so often with a new remix but the result has never lived up to the original.

February 04, 2008 Earworm

The Shangri-Las' "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" not only taught us the new way to spell love - L-U-V - but also made those who recognized that The Dud was the most exciting option in Mystery Date feel less alone. "Dirty fingernails, oh boy what a prize" is just one of the many fine reasons that Mary Weiss sings the praises of the boy that Milton Bradley shunned.

Not falling victim to the idealized and unattainable All-American, she recognizes a diamond in the rough -"He's good bad, but he's not evil" - and follows her heart. She knows what she wants and there's no doubt that she knows how to get it.

When the other girls ask Mary, "Is he a good dancer", she replies incredulously, "Whaddyou mean, is he a good dancer?" "Well, how does he dance?", she's asked; "Close. Very, very close" she replies and you can plainly hear that her eyes are closed as she savors the moment.

Those of us who have ever loved a dud close our eyes and nod.

See the Shangs lip-sync "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" on Shivaree

See the Shangs sing "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" on Shivaree