A week ago I was encouraged by the news of the improved health of singer/songwriter Robin Gibb. Then again, we all know cancer has it’s own agenda and Robin lost his battle yesterday. There are many songs I could mention that highlight Robin’s voice but the one that always makes me smile is his cover of the Beatles “Oh, Darling!” from the 1978 movie Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Along with big brother Barry, Robin penned the words to dozens of songs, such as “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?“ My heart is a little broken today and I have a feeling this question will continue to go unanswered.
Last week I took several days off from blogging because I just wasn’t in the mood to piece two sentences together. A few days ago I was inspired to craft a blog after hearing the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive” on the radio during my morning commute. I wrote about my love of the Brothers Gibb and the impact their music had on me as a child of the 70s. The very next day a music legend from the 70s passed away: Washington, DC’s favorite son Chuck Brown, the “Godfather of Go-Go” music. Yesterday morning as I clicked the “Publish” button with my Chuck Brown tribute, the breaking news of the death of the Disco Diva Donna Summer was all over social media. Donna Summer had lost her private battle with cancer. The news simply took my breath away.
It’s ironic to say that phrase because ultimately I am still breathing and I am speaking about those who no longer have the ability to do so. For the second time in two days another instrumental musical artist was taken away from us. When musical artist pass away we have their music, which keeps them alive forever. That’s such a gift.
As a teenager I had the album On the Radio on heavy rotation. With the loss of these two legends I know who will be on my playlist in heavy rotation over the next few days. I will “turn up the old victrola, gonna dance the night away.” May they both rest in peace and make heavenly music together.
This year we have already lost several music legends: Whitney Houston, Etta James, Adam Yauch and the two DCs: Don Cornelius and Dick Clark – both of whom had iconic TV shows that played the soundtrack of our lives and showed us all how to get down on the dance floor. But yesterday all of us who grew up in the Washington, DC area received the news we didn’t want to hear – our beloved Chuck Brown was gone.
He was known as the “Godfather of Go-Go.” He was a walking, talking, groovin’ landmark of Washington, DC. Many of you reading this may have no clue what Go-Go music is – it is a fusion of funk, jazz and soul that uses nonstop percussions and drums. Go-Go music perfected the art of call and response with the crowd. Chuck Brown said the style got its name because “the music just goes and goes.” And thankful for all of us, his music will go on and on.
Chuck taught us how to “Back It On Up,” reminded us “We Need Some Money” and told us it’s OK if you felt like “Bustin’ Loose.” Chuck exposed us to jazz tunes through sampling James Moody’s “Mood for Love,” Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing” and Harry Bellafonte’s calypso classic “Day-O.” He took Sly and the Family Stone’s “Family Affair” and gave it some extra funk with a Go-Go flair. He put a twist on the Woody Woodpecker theme song, pleaded for Joe to Run, and begged us all to ask him to “Wind Me Up, Chuck!” And even though he would tell us in his tongue in cheek way that “Chuck Baby” don’t give a (rhymes with truck)…we all know he did. In a 2006 interview he said:
I’m not retired because I’m not tired. I’m still getting hired, and I’m still inspired. As long as I can walk up on that stage, I want to make people happy. I want to make people dance.
While surfing the dial for tunes on my commute this morning I stopped as soon as I heard the Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive. I love the Bee Gees. I’ve always loved the Brothers Gibb: Big brother Barry, twins Maurice (may he rest in peace) and Robin and baby brother Andy (God rest his soul). The recent news of Robin being on his death bed sunk in as I listened to Barry’s falsetto ring through my speakers. I heard Robin’s health was on an upswing and ironically the phrase “Stayin’ Alive” seemed extremely apropos.
I was a child in the 70s, so the Bee Gees were a part of the soundtrack of my youth. I was convinced their voices were so high because their pants were too tight. Then I thought they were trying to overcompensate by wearing the open jackets or button down shirts to show off their chest hair as proof of their manhood. The mind of an adolescent will make you think such things. These trademark images made for one of my all-time favorite skits on Saturday Night Live: The Barry Gibb Talk Show. God bless Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. If I ever need a pick me up this tune will do the trick:
Hearing baby brother Andy’s tunes make me nostalgic as well. At 30 years old, he left this world way too soon. Only a few hits under the belt of his tight fitting white pants. Why was that a fashion trend back then? I digress. Back to the music. I am not sure which song makes me smile more: I Just Want to Be Your Everything, Don’t Throw It All Away, Shadow Dancing, or Love Is (Thicker Than Water).
What I do know – the dance number from Saturday Night Fever for You Should Be Dancing is joy rising for me. Who can’t use a little bit of that every once in a while?
As your body grows bigger
Your mind grows flowered
It's great to learn
Cause knowledge is power!
It's Schoolhouse Rocky
That chip off the block
Of your favorite schoolhouse
Schoolhouse Rock!
5, 10, 15, 20 of the best Schoolhouse Rock music videos. Relieve your childhood, sing along and enjoy!
The roadways are bombarded with so many signs that give warnings, provide directions and alert the possibility of two or four-legged beings nearby.
There’s a new sign I’ve passed recently that is refreshing and is mood enhancing.
I am not sure if these are only in my county or popping up nationwide.
I don’t know if it’s an attempt to ease road rage. Maybe it’s just a simple reminder to smile. I like that. C’mon Kirk Franklin, bring it home for me -> press play below.
In 1980 when Fame hit the big screen the world was introduced to Gene Anthony Ray. When his character Leroy Johnson hit the dance floor to audition for the School of the Arts, let’s just say some jaws dropped and hit the floor as well.
If you were a fan of Fame you remember Leroy refused to wear tights (in the beginning at least) and he was known for his short shorts and painted on jeans. I often wondered what kind of material those jeans were made out of because they needed to be forgiving and supportive at the same time. Leroy was that guy who had that bad boy exterior but would melt your heart when he’d break into a high kick, fall down into the splits, spin around, whip his body up then do a back flip and end with a shimmy-shake in 5 seconds flat. What a talent.
The movie was full of energy, great singing and dancing. This iconic scene with the song of the movie’s title could easily be the inspiration for today’s flash mobs:
Even though she had starred as the title character in 1976′s Sparkle, Irene Cara shot to stardom in Fame. Her vocal styling gave us tender and melodic on Out Here on My Own and she brought the sass in the jam Hot Lunch. One of my favorite songs from the movie was written and sung by actor Paul McCrane who played Montgomery:
I love how he performed the song 30 years later on NBC’s Harry’s Law:
The film’s climactic ending spawned copycat renditions of I Sing the Body Electric at graduation ceremonies throughout the 80s. Who didn’t feel like they could take on the world after this orchestrated masterpiece:
You can’t talk about Fame without mentioning the woman who was there from the first take on the movie set to the last take of the TV series in 1987: the one and only Debbie Allen. Without her choreography and direction there would have been no Fame. There would have been no famous tapping of the stick with the line:
You got big dreams…you want fame, we’ll fame costs and right here is where you start paying in sweat.
It was great seeing Gene Anthony Ray and Debbie Allen continue in the TV series. Someone else who continued was cast dancer Michael “Det. Eddie Torres” DeLorenzo. The next few clips you can witness his fro and his footwork. First, check him out at the end of the TV show opening, along with Jasmine “Whitley Gilbert” Guy:
I have to say RIP Dominique “Poltergeist” Dunne after that scene. I also have to mention that I find it funny how the characters of Coco and Danny pop up at the end of the scene after all the serious dancing is over. It’s amazing how the musical and dancing talent on television has grown. I don’t think that many of the principal actors on the TV show Fame would have made it through any audition process today. Even with that said, that doesn’t stop me from having a few more musical numbers that I loved on the show. This scene was a classic student-teacher moment:
I never thought that the character Doris should have been singing, but this was one of her more memorable performances:
Recently Janet Jackson told Anderson Cooper she didn’t have a good experience on the show, but this is a favorite moment of mine from her first episode called “Indian Summer” and she sang her own song “Two to the Power of Love.”
After all these years this next scene still chokes me up. The actor Michael Thoma who played drama teacher Professor Crandall had terminal cancer in real life and the cast knew it as they sang this song to him in his final episode:
The final clip may have brought the dance down memory lane to a two tissue halt. But if you stuck out the ride with me I hope it took you back to a time when you can see how the arts in schools were appreciated and celebrated. Without Fame there would be no Glee or Smash. It makes me want to slap on some leg warmers, crank up the tunes and do a few Leroy inspired shimmy-shakes.
Last week I expressed concerns about the choice of nursing home I made for my mom. Listening to my gut took me on the journey of researching new options and hitting the road with my aunt to visit half a dozen new places. After crisscrossing three counties, meeting some really wonderful administrators and learning a lot about the different nuances of elder care facilities all roads led back to my original choice. I am happy I went the extra mile to see more places, which takes the notion I had for settling on a place off the table. I do however still have concerns for a few of the attitudes and personality traits of some of the “front of the house” staff members I have to deal with to get my mother’s affairs in order.
I am happy these individuals will have nothing to do with my mother’s daily hands-on care. The staff managing her care has presented themselves to me on every occasion as being warm, caring and competent. I will continue to take the brunt of any awkward exchanges with the business manager and the admissions coordinator.
It amazes me when the people who should ease the concerns of family members during such a difficult time in their lives, don’t and continue to retain their employment. I have chosen to take on the new mantra of The Osmonds’ One Bad Apple. In this case there are a couple of bad apples, but I can’t let their shortcomings spoil the whole bunch.
I’m an 8-hour girl. My body works best on 8 hours of sleep. I like the room dark and quiet. The ideal bed would have a slightly firm pillow-top mattress with a fluffy comforter. The glow from a clock, a night-light, or a cracked blind can keep me from drifting off. The slightest sounds keep my mind preoccupied so dozing is delayed. My method for a good night’s sleep doesn’t work for everyone. In college one of my roommates couldn’t fall asleep unless music was playing. That year Minnie Riperton sang me a lullaby each night; subsequently I learned her greatest hits in a couple of weeks.
Yesterday the family of Trayvon Martin heard the news that was music to their ears; I know it was for mine. Forty-five days after her child was murdered Sybrina Fulton said she was hoping she could finally get a good night’s sleep and rest. I am sure the arrest of George Zimmerman finally put several minds at rest. It’s interesting in cases like this that for one to get “rest” someone else needed to be “arrested.” In the long run no rest is truly assured for all parties and families involved, but justice can now be served in a court of law. It will be a long road before we hear the words “I rest my case,” but it’s on the horizon. Amen.
The parents of the Kentucky Wildcats are beaming with pride this morning – the parents of the players that is. I would gather the parents of the students that decided to riot, destroy private property and get arrested for public drunkenness are hanging their heads. There is a man in the hospital with serious injuries due to being shot. The only shots that should have been taken last night were the ones made with a basketball into a hoop. According to this article the mayhem in the streets was even more intense Saturday night after Kentucky beat Louisville to make it into the championship game. How could the city and the police department let this happen again two nights later? Were they prepared? Did they just chalk it up to this behavior is the new norm?
This phenomenon of trashing a town or city after the hometown team has brought home the trophy or beaten a rival unfortunately isn’t new, but it’s just plain stupid. I don’t recall being a college student and feeling the need to set fires and destroying other people’s property as some sort of rite of passage that has no consequences. Happiness should beget more happiness, not bring harm and destruction. The One Shining Moment for Kentucky is now just one shining spotlight on how people’s euphoria can turn awry especially if induced with personality altering substances.
The heavy metal band Quiet Riot is famous for singing the words
Come on feel the noise, girls rock your boys, We’ll get wild wild wild wild wild wild.
Well, a few of the Kentucky Wildcats did just that by living up to their school’s nickname.
A week ago I was encouraged by the news of the improved health of singer/songwriter Robin Gibb. Then again, we all know cancer has it’s own agenda and Robin lost his battle yesterday. There are many songs I could mention that highlight Robin’s voice but the one that always makes me smile is his cover of the Beatles “Oh, Darling!” from the 1978 movie Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
I am happy these individuals will have nothing to do with my mother’s daily hands-on care. The staff managing her care has presented themselves to me on every occasion as being warm, caring and competent. I will continue to take the brunt of any awkward exchanges with the business manager and the admissions coordinator.
