Soulful Saturday - Rene and Angela

Ah, it has been so long. I have no issue in saying that since April 21, 2016 I haven't really been feeling like posting music. It is hard to see your idols pass away. Y'all remember that song "American Pie" by Don McLean? Truly, that cold day in April was the day the music died a bit for me. I was not even a week out of the hospital after having my daughter and the news of Prince's passing was soul crushing. Soul.Crushing. You know why? Because I often use music to get through shit. Rough times, happy times, death, birth, school... life. We all have a life soundtrack... and Prince is in heavy rotation in my soundtrack. So after thinking about it and taking a considerable amount of time off from my Soulful Saturday gig, I am back... because somebody might need a few songs for their life soundtrack.

So for today: Rene and Angela. Dynamic Duo of 80s greatness! Big hair, a Jheri Curl and soulful lyrics-- what's not to love? Their videos are everything that the 80s represent-- shoulder pads, glitter electronic sound, makeup applied with a heavy hand. Their songs have been sampled... so you have heard parts of these songs before. Some songs have been remade by a couple of R&B singers-- y'all already know that I love originals. Rene and Angela definitely had some bangers... here are some songs for your life soundtrack. Let's get after it! 

My First Love

**A tarnished ring, on a tarnished chain** That high note... Get it, Angela!!



You Don't Have To Cry

Also known as the original Ride or Die Anthem. This love song is serious, y'all hear me-- and the rain in the background? Killing it.

 

I'll Be Good

This song was heavily sampled in the 90s. The original is an 80s classic.

Soulful Saturday - Kid N Play

Annnnnnnnnnd, I'm back. It was fun taking the summer off. Baby K is getting big and sleeping through the night... mostly. Thankfully. I was a little crazy there for a while; it was like having a Betsy Wetsy doll that cried and slept in 15 minute intervals. But here I am... hopefully on the other side of that craziness. So what have I been doing this last month? Watching the news, watching the clusterfuck that is politics in America and listening to good music! We have also been galavanting all over the city... and hopefully those adventures will be covered in a "what I did on my summer vacation" post a little later.

Baby K and I were on our way to a meet up this morning and early 90s music was on the radio. Since I still remembered ALL the words, I figured that maybe I should feature some early 90s music on this Soulful Saturday. Here we go... Kid N Play. OMG. It is so weird to post videos from Kid N Play because they are so... mature now. Mature, meaning they are older than hubs in real life. Mature, meaning they are now above the age of 50. Holy shit! LOL Regardless, back in the late 80s, early 90s Kid N Play were EVERYWHERE. They had records, movies (House Party, anyone?), cartoons and clothing lines. I do mean they were everywhere. I had the LARGEST crush on Play. Like, whoa. Mrs. Christopher Martin. HA! Remember when you used to write your name like you were married to someone who didn't even know you? Oh, just me? Moving on...

Their music was fun. The House Party movies were hilarious... the girls were cute, hair was big, lycra clothing was... abundant. Their music (now and then) is exactly what you need to get your Saturday moving along-- and that is exactly what it helped me do this morning. Enjoy!!


Rollin With Kid N Play




Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody



Back to Basix



**Just in case you missed the infamous House Party Rap Battle...**

Soulful Sunday - Divas of Rap

I often say that I don't like rap music. That isn't necessarily true... I don't like rap music of today. Because it sucks. The end. LOL. No, really, rap music of today does not hold a candle to rap of the 80s and 90s. As Momma Hot, Black and Bitter would say, I'm just not into that "slap your momma, kill your daddy" music. I also can't be down with music where the n word is thrown around, every other word. Can.Not.Do.It. That isn't just nostalgia or my age, honestly. I like(d) the empowerment of the early rap... and the ability to actually UNDERSTAND the lyrics. It was about beats but mostly artists wanted you to be able to HEAR and get what they were saying. Generally what they were saying was 1. get your shit together or 2. they were the best in the business-- and I can get behind both sentiments. They regularly sampled from GREAT music, often touched on pertinent social issues and (generally) had clothes on in videos. Miracle, right? The window for good rap music was the 80s through the year I graduated from high school (1996). After that, the decline was fast and real (sad face). Here are a few rap divas from a time when rap was played on my discman-- that was not that long ago. If the discman was long gone before you were born, sit back and listen to some real rap!


YoYo - You Can't Play With My YoYo

**So listen to my Y-O, here's my bio and next to me, you're not fly, no!**






Monie Love - It's A Shame (My Sister)

**You've been kissed, dissed, listed as a dumb one-- I hope he likes sad songs, he's gonna hum one** NOTE: I want to post this song for some of y'all after I read your Facebook posts... let it go, girl.



MC Lyte - Poor Georgie

**If you love someone you should say it often. You never know when they'll be layin' in a coffin**


Salt N Pepa - Expression

**I'm not a man, but I'm in command; Hot damn, I got an all girl band**




Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y

**Since he was with his boys he tried to break fly. I punched him dead in his eye and said, "Who you calling a bitch?"**

The Death of an Icon - Prince

It's been seven hours and thirteen days... since you took your love away.

Almost two weeks ago the world lost an icon and I have been unable to process that loss or write anything about it until now. I don't use the word icon loosely. I know most people do, but the title belongs to Prince. A music icon that legends are written about. An all encompassing beautiful force. A true work of art. I knew it would happen, but it pisses me off that in less than two weeks most people aren't talking about him anymore. Well, they are talking about the fact that he may or may not have had a will. They are talking about whether he had a drug problem. But not many people are talking about what he would want us to talk about... his music. A catalog UNMATCHED.

On a personal level, it wasn't JUST the music that made me love Prince. It was that supreme confidence that he had. Listen, maybe it was because he was short. Maybe it was because he was so unapologetically himself. I'm not sure exactly what it was but from the first bar of the first song that I heard, I was hooked. Age 8. 30 years...the love grew. I mean how could you NOT love a man that is secure enough to wear eyeliner and mascara (after the 80s)? How could you not love a man secure enough to give whole concerts in heels taller than ones that line my closet/whose hairstyles put most women to shame? How could you NOT love a man that routinely featured women in his groups-- as lead singers, lead guitarists, saxophone players, keyboard players and drummers? How could you NOT love a man that was (by most accounts) a self taught musical genius and was a perfectionist about what represented him? How could you not? A man that gave us the most beautiful love song ever (it is Adore, by the way, and no... you don't want to argue with me about that). A man that exuded self confidence (hello, ass out chaps); a man that was Black... and proud.

You know how you can figure out who a true fan is? It is actually easy-- they know more than just the top 40 (popular) hits by a person. They know more than the first album. They know the B-sides that most people have never heard of. They aren't mad that his songs aren't on youtube because they have already PAID for them. These are the people that will remember exactly where they were when they heard that Prince was found unresponsive at Paisley Park. Those same people will know where Paisley Park IS and what it IS. Those same folks will have silently shed tears for their lost friend. Friend... because the music made you realize some shit about yourself. Friend... because the music got you through some shit. Some tough shit. Some world ending shit. Or some new love shit. Or some new beginning shit. Friend... because we realized a long time ago that all of Prince's songs weren't about sex. And some of the ones about sex were about so much more. Friend... because he helped orchestrate the soundtrack of the life you continue to live. Friend... because he lives on through you and the music he left behind. Friend.

How do you say goodbye to a friend?

Soulful Saturday - Pat Benatar

A few weeks ago, Lefty and I took a short trip east on 70 to a cute little town called Zanesville, for a Pat Benatar concert. What?! Oh yes, that is right, Pat Benatar. Now, we have been trying to see this showstopper for a while. We got tickets twice last year and the show was rescheduled each time. We actually joked-- wondering if this concert was going to happen, but we took the trip anyway. It is about an hour in the car... and really, who wouldn't travel an hour to hear Pat Benatar belt out some 80s songs and hopefully NOT do a dance move.

This concert was part of her 35th anniversary tour with her seriously adorable husband. Seriously adorable. Like, hot. And when I tell you that we had a ball. Y'all, we had a BALL. There was dancing in the aisles. There was some loud singing along. Think of it as a two hour, stationary car concert... because that is what it was. And I loved every moment of it.

I think that Pat and Neil are still touring. If they are, do yourself a favor, GET THEE TO THE CONCERT. She still sounds and looks great and they compliment each other perfectly. Below, for your enjoyment (and mine-- reliving the night) here are some rocking selections from Ms. Pat Benatar. Feel free to dance, or just grab that paddle brush off your bathroom counter and sing along. If you want to dress in 80s clothes and crimp your hair, I can get with that-- just make a video because I need evidence that it happened! :)


We Belong




Hit Me With Your Best Shot





Heartbreaker/Ring of Fire (from another 2015 show!)





Love Is A Battlefield (yes, yes it is)
**ps I hope that whoever talked Pat into that dance sequence never worked on another music video for the rest of their lives.

Soulful Saturday - Freddie Jackson

Let's just consider this post (among several others) as my ode to the 80s... because I think it has been that long since Freddie has had a hit. However, these ARE classics that you can listen to over and over again, so I guess he really does not HAVE to come out with one more album... but come on. We all need more music videos with big hair, shoulder pads, sparkling sport coats and great R&B lyrics, right? Right!

 You Are My Lady



 Have You Ever Loved Somebody



 Rock Me Tonight



 Jam Tonight

Soulful Saturday - 80s Edition

Ahhh, the 80s. The decade of crazy clothes, ridiculously tall hair and the middle school years for Miss Hot, Black and Bitter. Oh, the music was fab! I look back at some of these videos and laugh (I'm looking at you, Oran "Juice" Jones and Eddie Murphy), cry and remember. These songs rock!!

The Rain - Oran "Juice" Jones

*Did this man say "you without me is like cornflakes without the milk"??? LMAO!! OMG. Ridiculous.
*You was with the Juice!



Slow Down (Extended Version) - Loose Ends

*Is this the part you take my heart to wipe your feet on?



Baby, Come To Me - Patti Austin & James Ingram

*Classic



Against the Odds - Phil Collins

*Who DIDN'T have a break up and play this song over and over? This is damn good. Sing it Phil!!!
*Take a look at me now- cause there's just an empty space. And there's nothing left here, to remind me... just the memory of your face.
*And you coming back to me is against all odds, and that's what I've got to face...



True Colors - Cyndi Lauper

*Poster child for the 80s. She is outlandish, colorful and beautiful.

Soulful Saturday- Whitney

There are only a few superstars that can go by ONE name. Prince, Cher, Aretha and Whitney are the first four that come to my mind. Whitney is a super hot mess right now, with people walking out of her concerts, alleged drug abuse, her crazy ass ex-husband, family fights, etc. But above and beyond ALL that, Whitney can SING. Say whatyou want about her personal craziness, but that chick has a voice that does.not.stop. If she wants to be crazy on her own time, I'll just have to pop in a tape of her early stuff and sing and dance around. I've been doing that while pulling up these videos! LOL Whatever!! :) Get ready for the 80s hair! Woo hoo, Whitney! Get it girl!

Didn't We Almost Have It All?


All The Man I Need


I Will Always Love You


Saving All My Love For You



Heartbreak Hotel

Soulful Saturday- Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam

Remember when videos would tell a story, and not just feature some hootches grinding on an ugly rapper who is throwing money in the air?? I do, and let me tell you- Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam did it better than most!! These videos are the epitome of 80s grandeur. OMG, the fashion, the synthesizers, the... tackiness of mesh shirts and bangs over the eyes. I.LOVE.IT!!
Other than the God awful dancing, the huge earrings and the jheri curls, the fact remains that Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam recorded some of the best, most remembered music of the 80s. If you grew up within 15 miles of my parents house, you knew their music because I BLASTED it, especially my very favorite song (All Cried Out). I am amazed (and not in a good way) that 80s fashions are coming back in style. Please, let's leave the big hair, mullets, shoulder pads and spandex to passed times (please)... but the music can make a comeback. That, I would love. Here's to a fantastic flashback! :)

Lost In Emotion
* that is some set of teeth @ 1:04



I wonder if I take you Home
*Love that interracial love is highlighted in this video!!
*Does the chick @2:15 have her hair fashioned into a unicorn horn? That is NOT allowed!!
*Will you still love me, if I take you home?



Head To Toe



All Cried Out
* Amazingly beautiful
* WHO is that gorgeous man with the Fabio hair in this video? Where can I find him? :)



Extra- All Cried Out was remade in the late 90s by a group named Allure and 112. I actually like this version too! They sound really good together...



And just in case you wanted to know what Lisa Lisa looks like now-a-days... eat your hearts out, she still looks great!!