Soulful Saturday - 1992

1992. The year I started high school. Jesus. Making these flashback posts really makes me feel old. That is fine because if I feel old then the fact that I say shit like "we had the best music back then" fits the conversation. There are so many songs that were released in 1992 that speak to me-- way more than the ones that I have posted below. Luckily, most of the ones that I want to post have made it on previous Soulful Saturday lists (like Mary J. Blige singing One with U2, or the EnVogue ladies slaying us with Giving Him Something He Can Feel or Boyz II Men, you get the idea). What an amazing time for music. What an amazing time to be growing up and experiencing this art. What a privilege to be able to look back and say that, in one year, you experienced both Eric Clapton and Blind Melon. Arrested Development and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Pearl Jam. Lenny Kravitz. Shit, even Billy Ray Cyrus. These songs stick with you, like a great meal... they automatically transport you back to those happy, carefree times. The sad times. Teenage angst. Love. Loss. Life.

Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers


Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton


Damn, I wish I was your lover - Sophie B. Hawkins


Rhythm is a Dancer - Snap


Tennessee - Arrested Developement


No Rain - Blind Melon

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 Sunday - PM Dawn

Damn, the deaths that have happened in 2016 have been unrelenting. Y'all. I am not going to get over losing Prince and the deaths just keep coming. I think that one of the reasons I am so affected is because these folks are so close to my age. Like, I grew up listening to them... going through formative years TOGETHER with them. Take, for instance, this latest loss: Prince Be. Lead singer for PM Dawn. He was 46 years old. My husband is older than that. I am dangerously flirting with turning 40. These are my peers that are passing away. That shit, by itself, is disturbing. Scary. Add in that his music guided me through high school, y'all can see why I am extra upset.

Most folks know about PM Dawn because they were on the soundtrack to the movie Boomerang. That soundtrack made lots of folks famous. I remember when I heard "I'd Die Without You" when watching that movie... man. I had to find out ASAP who was putting out those melodies. Hearing these three featured songs always takes me back to 1991/1992. I was a freshman in high school... and trust me, that is enough explanation. Fourteen years old, trying to figure out love songs. Hot mess.

Music is funny, right? It allows the musician to put themselves ALL THE WAY out there. You don't have to accept who they are-- that is the beauty of differing musical tastes. Prince Be totally flew his "freak flag." I mean, this was the early 90s, folks were not wearing silk hoodies and lace over their eyes, making slow jams with their brother AND the guy whose music they sampled. These songs are beautiful. This is real R&B. Real hip hop. Here is to hoping that Prince Be rests peacefully.


Set Adrift On Memory Bliss I'd Die Without You Looking Through Patient Eyes

Soulful Saturday - Kwame

So way back when, when I was young, there was a music revolution happening!! Part of that musical revolution was Kwame. He was super cool, he had that blonde streak in his high top fade... he wore polka dots. As I live and breathe, he was the dark skinned candy man of my little pre-teen dreams. And guess what? He is STILL fine. YES!! And he is still in the music game. And I am still infatuated. Let Kwame have a concert in Columbus... Let that happen. Y'all will have to come rescue me from jail; the charge will be some kind of jumping on the stage and living out my pre-teen dreams, slaughtering lyrics like an asshole. And it would totally be worth it.

My chocolate dreams, realized.

Ownlee Ewe



The Rhythm



Sweet Thing


You Gotz 2 Get Down

Soulful Saturday - Wedding Songs

I shouldn't even have to type that things are headed into high gear around here… our "pre-wedding" reception is exactly one week from today-- and you know, a wedding ceremony on the 23rd. There are last minute preparations happening, last minute RSVPs coming in and (surprisingly) no freak out sessions. Lefty and I don't see each other much because we work different shifts, so there have been no catastrophic meltdowns-- not that there would be. I mean, we are an older kinda couple and I think that we both know that the plans will get done, or they won't and we will deal.

This weekend I will be up to my eyeballs with music. Music for our cocktail party and a playlist for working out, and the honeymoon trip. If you haven't noticed, I am kind of a music snob-- ok, not a snob, but I totally believe that the right music transforms a moment-- and how important do you think the moments that we will have next week have with our families are? Exactly. So here are a few jewels that I am (probably) adding to the playlists.


Shania Twain - From This Moment On 

Let's not kid ourselves, Shania can sing AND she is one super, duper hot Canadian. I remember when this video came out-- that dress was EVERYTHING then, and it still is!!

**You're the reason I believe in love. And you're the answer to my prayers from up above.**

 
 

Surface - Shower Me With Your Love

**Fairy tales, they do, sometimes come true. If you believe it could happen to you**

 


 Michael Buble - The Way You Look Tonight



Edwin McCain - I Could Not Ask For More 

I can't lie-- I totally wanted Edwin to be more attractive, but he makes great music, and really, that is all that matters!

**These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive. And these are the moments I'll remember all my life. I've got all I've waited for and I could not ask for more.**

 


Savage Garden - I Knew I Loved You 

So.Very.Fitting for Lefty and I

**I knew I loved you before I met you, I think I dreamed you into life. I knew I loved you before I met you, I have been waiting all my life.**

Soulful Saturday - Happy New Year, Go Get It!

HAPPY NEW YEAR...

I want to start out this new year with an inspirational Soulful Saturday. I know this is the time of resolutions, new beginnings, renewal; time for people to start over. I'll meet that time with my own bit of musical inspiration for you. I'm not big on gospel music. I mean, I have a few favorites, but generally, I leave gospel music on the shelf with country and rap. I call that shelf the 'um, no' shelf.

However, I freaking LOVE this song! Can you say that you freaking love a gospel song? Is that kosher? Eh, either way, Mary Mary lights my whole day on FIRE when I hear them sing this song. I put the lyrics below so you can read along. It is more than a few months old, but who cares? It fits with starting anew and is totally going to be one of my anthems this year. 2013 is not ready for me (or you either...) Go after what you want! Light a fire under your own ass! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!?! Go Get It!!


 

Lyrics

It's like you're looking through a telescope/ you see where you gonna be
Growing, getting better/ you're not the person they see
Can't be mad at the things you been through/ cuz they built your muscle
Now you're stronger than you've ever been/ they can't stop your hustle

Your Faith ain't never small/ that's what brought you this far 
See you got your dreams and you got your prayers
and you got Your God he gone take you there
See everybody has a season and I believe this one's yours
Cuz you been workin, waitin, this what you been prayin for 

Go get it, Go Get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it Go get your blessing
Go get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it
It's your time, it's your time, it's your time, it's your time

You were made to live a good life and that's what I believe
So hit the floor, say a prayer start working/ you got to do something
It's alright to crawl before you walk, it's alright to walk before you run
But if you wanna get what you never got, gotta do something that you never done 

[Repeat Chorus]

You've been qualified
With his mercy, multiplied
You cannot be denied
Cuz you're finally certified
It's official
Go ahead and testify
He's gonna bless you
You gonna bless him
Now God be glorified

Fed Up Friday- Ahhhh!!

So, I took a little break from Fed Up Fridays because I didn't want to be a "complainer"... Um, now I am of the mindset that if people didn't want to hear me complain, then they wouldn't give me stuff to complain about. That is my story and I am sticking to it. So here is the newest edition of Fed Up Friday.

*Congress: Really? You can't come to an agreement on the budget? We are facing a government SHUT DOWN because both sides are pouting about not getting their way? You are holding out over Planned Parenthood?? Way to go conservatives... you don't seem close minded AT ALL with this move. Our soldiers who are putting their lives on the line for a country that allows "church" groups to picket their funerals may not get paid because you can't figure out how to give the citizens .05% of what they need and still get 80% of what you want? Ooooo, y'all make me sick. The sad thing is... it will always be like this because the vast majority of Americans are too stupid OR lazy OR both to vote you out. Shame on us all.

*People pushing aid for other countries on me: Look, I understand that some detrimental things are occurring in other parts of the world. BUT, there are detrimental things happening HERE also. People are losing their homes, their jobs, dying from preventable diseases, not being able to get health care, being failed by our educational system and routinely going to bed/school/work hungry because they have to choose between eating and paying bills... just to name a few. So no, I DON'T want to buy a shirt and have the proceeds go to Japan, or Haiti, or anywhere else. I WANT to buy a t-shirt that is going to help people be able to return to New Orleans six years after devastation hit their city. I want to purchase something, anything that is going to be able to pay some claims that are rolling in after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. I want to buy something that will financially help American families pay for health care, or bail out some of our American cities that have financially struggled for decades, or bail out the public school system so that every American student can have his or her own books. Can you do that? No? Then get the hell out of my face.

*LeBron James' mom: crazy bitch, sit your ass down somewhere. You can take the chick out the ghetto, but cannot take the ghetto out of the chick. Damn. Get a little money in your pocket and you act like a chicken head. Damn, you mess around with your son's teammate and then go on a drunken tirade? Yeah- LeBron needs to lock you up... in a tower somewhere.

*Music Industry: First, you are passing off some mediocrity as actual music 97.5% of the time, which is infuriating. Good beats are great at a club, but OMG what happened to real music? I will admit that I will bump some Britney occasionally, but that is just car noise. I want people who can SING!! And don't have tattoos on their faces. No, seriously.
- On that singing note: WHY, oh why is Adele being covered up and hidden in every video? She can sing, so that clearly is not the reason that she has to be sitting in every video. She is a bigger girl... who cares? She should own that and her music label should too. She can absolutely be a role model, so what lesson are we teaching if she is always hidden?? She sits in Rolling In The Deep while some weirdo dances in powder... I call bullshit.

*CEO of Caterpillar: you suck. I don't know what backroom deal Quinn gave you to say that you are staying in Illinois, but whatever it was I hope it was worth it. You should have stuck to your guns. Giving in too easily lets him know that you have a price... a low one.

*Pat Quinn. I already abhor your "leadership." Here is another reason why.

*"Urban Media Outlets" actually one in particular... world star hip hop. You are all that is wrong with "urban" centers in America. I watch a fight that happened in St. Louis and some chick get pissed on. 1. WTF is wrong with the people in these videos and 2. why would you allow them to post such crazy, self deprecating things? SMH, some people should be shamed.

*Honorable Mention shout outs to: Glenn Beck, my coworker, the tea party, this chick, Jalen Rose, this Libya bullshit and cheap gas being $4.20 a gallon.

A week of Thankfulness- Music

Today- and at least twice a day, every day- I an thankful for good music!! As seen during times when I have been having a rough time, I often will not write, I'll put up a video. Trust me, the videos that have made it to the blog have represented exactly how I felt at the time it was posted.

I have "f*ck it" days... and I post "f*ck it" music. I have days when I am reflective and that is the type of music that is posted, or that I am listening to. I cannot remember the last day that I didn't listen to music, and whenever it was- it probably wasn't a good day! I have so many memories tied to fantastic music from my youth and I can easily recall times with my family when certain songs play.

I express myself through music and the sappy Moximillion sends her special guy music through email to let him know that I am thinking of him... even if we aren't in the best place all the time. Music brightens my mood, or allows me to be angry, or shouts my thoughts in ways that I can't. I'm not talking about today's ridiculous crap either. I am talking about soul searching, pour your heart into a glass music. Nothing about poppin' bottles or making it rain in a club (yuck), but about love, life, struggles and triumphs. Music makes me go. It lets me breathe. It gets me through. It shouts politics and describes wearing your heart on your sleeve. It colors my world and I LOVE it!

Mushiness Caused by Insomnia

I can count on one hand the times that a song has evoked an emotional response from me. There are a couple songs that make me tear up as soon as I hear the opening beats, but mostly I hear music and correlate it with every emotion but sadness. I added another song to the list this morning. Maybe it was the Blackhawks win or just insomnia in general, but as I was sitting here, drinking coffee regular (that is what my mom calls it), listening to YouTube videos from my childhood and reading the newspaper online, I really connected with this song.

It seems so weird that a song from the early 90s can still get me a little teary-eyed, but yesterday was a rough day, and if that excuse doesn't float I am totally blaming crying on the lack of sleep. :)

Just as I was going through some random playlist on YouTube I was reading a story about Chicago crime (shocker). Clearly, my blog reflects the fact that I am not impressed with Jody Weis (Superintendent of Police), so I read all the articles I can that include him.... Hey, you never know, I could be wrong about the guy (highly unlikely) or I could just find more fodder for my disdain (that is more like it). So "You Will Know" is playing and I am reading about Jody saying that homicide in the city is up 4% versus this time last year. Immediately, I hate him. This is the same guy that violent crime was down this year. This is the same guy who said that he would take a pay cut to keep his job, but offered no suggestions on how we can hire more police, or adequately pay them... even though he makes upwards of $300,000. Every time I see his face, tv or newspaper, I find it hard to talk myself out of cursing at him. I seriously want to slap his face!

So maybe I just needed a hug this evening or something! Whatever the case, this song came on and I felt a little better. Whatever happened to inspirational mainstream music? I think we need something like this or We Are the World again. Knowing that at the end of the summer more *young* Chicagoans will be the victim of homicide is disheartening. I look around my neighborhood and the sinking feeling that I get EVERY day cannot be accurately described. The ridiculously disrespectful kids, the non caring, self serving parents, the homes in disrepair, the joblessness, the drug dealing, hell- the laziness. Whatever happened to caring? Pride in your community? Pride in yourself? I get sick to my stomach when I go to the grocery store and see people acting... stereotypically. The world has enough jackasses, so why are we allowing ourselves to become part of that statistic?

I look around at the kids in my neighborhood and think that the future is in some serious trouble. Maybe people thought that when I was growing up? But I don't overhear conversations about becoming doctors and lawyers or store owners. I overhear stories about banging chicks, becoming a baby daddy (jeez, I hate that term) and playing basketball in the NBA. These kids are begging (silently) to be led in the right direction and we are doing them- and ourselves- a disservice by not setting boundaries for them. As a society, we should be ashamed that it has gotten this far from the goal of producing productive members of a working society. Where are the fathers?? You know, men who are an example for *all* the children that he is responsible for fathering? Where are the men that go to work and pay to support *all* their children? Where is the love and respect that children can only get from a father figure? Where are the real mothers?? You know- the ones that teach their kids wrong from right... the ones that you want to grow up and emulate. The ones that go to work to put food on the table, showing her children that independence is a wanted virtue? Where are the families?

Did I need Jody Weis to tell me that homicide was up 4%? Nope- I read the paper every day and I see a steep decline in my community already- and I know that it is city, state and country wide. Did I need Jody to tell me that our children are in jeopardy? No, I see it everyday. Parents are not visible, children are running the street. They think they can do what they want. They think that the world owes them.... and it doesn't. It is unfortunate and we need to work together to turn it around. Quickly. Before the kids decide they don't care; that they are not worth saving. We have to show them that times won't always be fantastic when you do the right thing, but it all pays off in the end. They are looking at us- and we are not showing them a great example.

So, for the music:

Key lyrics:

*I fought hard, y'all to carve out my place.

* Stand up tall, don't you fall... You will know.

* Your dreams ain't easy, but stand by your plan.

Soulful Saturday, #2

Melissa Etheridge is awesome. Yep, I love her. Her voice is mesmerizing and can pick me from the lowest depths. Isn't that the purpose of music? I hope so!! Such passion, such...perfection- before and after her battle with cancer. A-MA-ZING.

Key Lyrics:

* I'm the only one who'd walk across the fire for you. And I'm the only one who'd drown in my desire for you. It's only fear that makes you run, the demons that you're hiding from. When all your promises are gone- I'm the only one.

* Her eyes and arms and skin won't make it go away. You'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow that holds you down today.

Soulful Saturday

James Morrison - Nothing Ever Hurt Like You

Nice bluesy feel... puts me in the same mood as "Ain't never loved a man the way that I loved you" by Aretha. Love it!! :)

My favorite line? "You made me see... that you don't get to taste the honey, without the sting of the bee..."

James Morrison- You Make It Real

Maybe it is the very cold weather that has made my musical taste slip to the sappy side. Maybe it is the shortened winter days, maybe it is my advanced age! :)
Whatever the case, one of my new musical infatuations is James Morrison.

My favorite line: "When my head is strong, but my heart is weak... I'm full of arrogance and uncertainty. When I can't find the words, you teach my heart to speak- you make it real for me..."