song of the day – “Housequake” | PRINCE | 1987.

It’s hard to believe that April 21, 2019 marked the third anniversary of the passing of Prince.  But, for me and for Maryhope, and for millions of fans around the globe, he still holds a place in our hearts and iPods and Spotify playlists and record collections and radio shows and then some.  And it was a Spotify playlist that inspired renewed interest in “Housequake,” from Prince’s 1987 double-album masterpiece, SIGN “O” THE TIMES.

The full album cover of Prince’s SIGN “O” THE TIMES.

I absolutely love and adore Prince & The Revolution’s brilliant PURPLE RAIN soundtrack, and always will, but it’s SIGN “O” THE TIMES that remains as my favorite album from him, for 16 different and wonderful reasons.  “Housequake” is one of those reasons.  And, excitedly, I’m not alone with my praise for this album.  It was Prince’s masterpiece in the eyes of many in the industry. 

In 1989, TIME OUT magazine called it the greatest album of all time, while that same year, The Cure’s Robert Smith said SIGN “O” THE TIMES was one of the best things about the 80s.  Dublin’s HOT PRESS magazine ranked the album No. 3 on their list of the 100 Best Albums Of All Time,  No. 16 on the same list for Britain’s NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS (NME), No. 8 on SPIN’s list of the 100 Greatest Albums (1985-2005), and in 2003, SIGN “O” THE TIMES was ranked at No. 93 on ROLLING STONE’s list of The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.

For years now, Maryhope and I have been creating and sharing playlists with each other, and at the beginning of this year, I created one of the best playlists I’ve ever put together, titled after a fun 2003 song called “Hip Hip Chin Chin,” by Nu Jazz and Lounge act Club des Belugas, based out of Germany.  For someone who programmed a weekly radio show for over 20 years, comparatively, this 27-song playlist took me three weeks to get right.  But it worked — and included the likes of the Incredible Bongo Band, Kool & The Gang, INXS, The Stone Roses, Big Audio Dynamite, Beastie Boys, Wu-Tang Clan, Grace Jones, Janet Jackson, Björk, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie and Blondie.

This is the cover art for a Spotify playlist I put together back in January 2019 for the new year.

Maryhope told me the one thing missing from this awesome playlist was Prince.  In response, I put together a kickass 40-song all-Prince playlist called “that skinny MOTHERFUNKER with the high voice,” paraphrased from a line Prince described himself as in “Bob George,” from Prince’s controversial (and limited) release, THE BLACK ALBUM.  I think it took just a day or two to put that Prince playlist together.  “Housequake” was the fifth song I put on the list.

Originally the B-side of Prince’s No. 2 hit with Sheena Easton, “U Got The Look,” Prince started recording “Housequake” the day after he announced the breakup of The Revolution.  He called “Housequake” (in most-likely a post-Revolution musical statement) a “brand-new groove.”  And it’s one of four songs on SIGN “O” THE TIMES (including “U Got The Look”) to feature Prince with sped-up vocals as his alter-ego of that time, Camille.

In his altered high voice, Prince’s “Housequake” starts with a resounding “Shut up already!  Damn!” (which he brilliantly repeats at the end of the song in his normal speaking voice).  “Housequake” could very well be an homage to James Brown, and inspired actor Chris Tucker’s character of Ruby Rhod (especially the high voice) 10 years later in the brilliant 1997 Bruce Willis film, THE FIFTH ELEMENT.  And, HOLY CATS!  Something I just learned TONIGHT (which blows my mind and explains a lot about Chris Tucker’s performance), was that French director Luc Besson said Prince was actually supposed to play Ruby Rhod, and Prince even met with French clothing designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, but in the end, Prince wasn’t able to sort out his tour schedule with the shooting schedule. 

HOLY CATS!  Prince’s proposed outfit by designer Jean-Paul Gaultier,  if he had appeared as Ruby Rhod in THE FIFTH ELEMENT.

Aided by the fun and Electro-Funk of “Housequake,” are the huge talents provided by Jazz trumpeter Atlanta Bliss, and saxophonist Eric Leeds, who both worked with Prince post-Revolution.

Prince was apparently a fan of playing “Housequake” live, and while it was never officially released as a single, on the 12” single version of “U Got The Look,” Prince also released an extended version of “Housequake” (Prince had a history of putting extended B-sides on his 12” singles.  I don’t recall any other artist or band who ever did that!  Genius!).

An alt-backing cover of “U Got The Look” featuring “Housequake” as the B-side.

“Housequake” might not be one of Prince’s most-remembered songs, but it’s a huge favorite of mine, and now Maryhope’s.  And, I did end up putting “Housequake” at the end of that HIP HIP CHIN CHIN Spotify playlist, because, as she has rightfully said, “no one can follow Prince.”

Prince, performing “Housequake” live in 1987.

Miss you Prince, wherever you are.  And thanks for always getting our groove on and thanks for your delivery of four words that will always make us laugh every time you say them, in any voice:

“Shut up already.  Damn.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd9v8eJ_8Ow

Prince, 1987.

song of the day – “Think” | ARETHA FRANKLIN | 1968 / 1980.

It’s March 25, 2019, and today I’m remembering the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who would have been 77 years old today.

Regardless of what kind of music you listen to, it’s hard to imagine a time when Aretha and her music wasn’t a part of your life.  When I really started getting into music back in 1979, my knowledge of Aretha, as well as interest in her music, was embarrassingly limited.  It took me about six years to climb on board the Aretha train, but after I did, there was no turning back.

After Aretha passed away on August 16, 2018, BILLBOARD published a list of Aretha’s 20 biggest Hot 100 hits.  Overall, she made 73 appearances on the Hot 100 between 1961 and 1998, the most Hot 100 hits for women and a record she held onto until 2017.  Out of her Top 20, nine of those hits, not surprisingly, were from the 60s, including her first No. 1, “Respect,” at No. 2 on the list, “Chain Of Fools” at No. 5, “Think” at No. 12, “A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)” at No. 14, and “I Say A Little Prayer” at No. 16.

Out of her Top 20 hits, four of them were from the 80s, including her biggest hit ever, 1987’s No. 1 duet with George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” “Freeway Of Love” at No. 4, “Who’s Zoomin’ Who” at No. 10, and her collaboration with Eurythmics, “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves,” at No. 20.

Aretha Franklin and Eurythmics’ David Stewart and Annie Lennox, hamming it up during 1985’s “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves.”

One thing I noticed about Aretha’s singles chart history is that she went 12 years without a Top 10 hit here in America.  1985’s “Freeway Of Love” returned her to the Top 10 (and Top 5) in high fashion.  Her 1985 WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO album was her biggest-selling album ever.  But, as awesome as “Freeway Of Love” is, it’s not what really started her comeback.  That happened years before.

When film director John Landis was putting together a movie version of the SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit for The Blues Brothers, Dan Aykroyd, who co-wrote the film with John Landis, lobbied, and in fact insisted, that Aretha and other R&B superstars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles would appear in the film, replete with speaking parts that worked around the songs each of them performed in the film.  Other Blues legends like John Lee Hooker and Pinetop Perkins appear in the movie too.  The casting for this film, which also includes the wonderful talents of Carrie Fisher and John Candy, was absolutely brilliant.

The casting of Aretha was absolutely brilliant as well.  She had gone through a rough time in the second half of the 70s, and several of her albums on Atlantic Records did not do well.  In 1979, after 12 years, she left the label for which she had much of her greatest success.

Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Aretha Franklin in THE BLUES BROTHERS.

In THE BLUES BROTHERS, Aretha plays the owner of a soul food restaurant, and the wife of Matt “Guitar” Murphy, who works in the restaurant as a cook.  After John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s attempt (as Jake and Elwood Blues) to get Matt  (lead guitarist) and “Blue Lou” Marini (saxophonist; who also works at the restaurant) back into The Blues Brothers Band, Aretha memorably bursts into song and dance to try and get Matt to stay.  That song is her 1968 Top 10 hit, “Think.”  When Aretha (as Mrs. Murphy) is unsuccessful at her attempt to keep Matt (and subsequently, “Blue Lou”) from leaving with Jake and Elwood, she ends her scene with one very convincing and hilarious word: “Shit.”  Fucking brilliant.

Aretha Franklin at the end of her hilarious and memorable scene in THE BLUES BROTHERS. “Shit.”

And, I contend it was Aretha’s performance in THE BLUES BROTHERS that reignited her success in the 1980s, five years before “Freeway Of Love.”  (NERDY SIDE NOTE: Even though Aretha had left Atlantic in 1979, “Think” was featured on THE BLUES BROTHERS soundtrack, which was on the label of The Blues Brothers — Atlantic Records.)

Also in 1980, the founder and president of Arista Records, Clive Davis, signed Aretha to Arista, a label she would remain with until 2007.  Her first two albums with Arista saw her biggest album success since 1974, but it was 1982’s JUMP TO IT album that brought Aretha her first gold album in 10 years, and her first Top 40 hit on the BILLBOARD Hot 100 in six years — the album’s title cut.

The song “Jump To It” (co-written by then-up-and-coming R&B recording artist Luther Vandross) reached No. 24 on the Hot 100, No. 4 on BILLBOARD’s Dance chart, and spent four weeks at No. 1 on BILLBOARD’s R&B chart. 

I didn’t get to pay tribute to Aretha last year, but on her birthday, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity (same goes for Matt “Guitar” Murphy, who sadly passed away a couple of months before Aretha).

The poster for Aretha’s self-titled 1986 album, with album cover art designed by Andy Warhol.

You are definitely missed, and though it took awhile for me to jump on the Aretha train, I’m so glad I did.  I’ve always had a special amount of R-E-S-P-E-C-T for you, and your scene-stealing performance in THE BLUES BROTHERS will always make me laugh and make me THINK! about your incredible contribution to music in the 80s and for all time…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY66elCQkYk

A great shot of John Belushi, Aretha Franklin and Dan Aykroyd, 1980.

(real) one-hit wonder of the week – “Genius Of Love” | TOM TOM CLUB | 1982.

Between late 1979 and the end of 1989, there were nearly 500 (real) one-hit wonders of the 80s that reached the BILLBOARD Hot 100 just one time, a list that includes Soft Cell, Gary Numan, Timbuk 3, The Church, Bronski Beat, Nik Kershaw, The Buggles, The Waitresses, Ultravox and two different bands named The Silencers.  Once a week, I’ll highlight a (real) one-hit wonder for you.

In 1981, NYC’s Talking Heads was on a break between albums, and Tom Tom Club was born, founded by one-half of Talking Heads – real-life husband and wife Chris Frantz (drummer) and Tina Weymouth (bass, backing vocals).

Tom Tom Club actually started out as a side project between Talking Heads albums, exploring more of a combo platter of New Wave, Synthpop, Funk and Dance Rock, and was comprised of Chris and Tina, and whoever they could get to help out, including Tina’s three sisters on backing vocals, and Adrian Belew, the then-new frontman, singer and guitarist of the legendary Prog Rock band, King Crimson.

Chris and Tina actually got the name Tom Tom Club from a dancehall in the Bahamas while Talking Heads were on hiatus in 1980.  They had bought a house in Nassau, Bahamas, and their new neighbor was Chris Blackwell, owner of Island Records, who arranged for some studio time for them at his own Compass Point Studios.

The result was their first single, “Wordy Rappinghood,” released on Island in the U.K. and other parts of the globe in mid-February 1981.  People were enamored with this fun, quirky hit, and it reached the Top 10 in the U.K., France, Holland, Ireland, Italy and Spain, and spent a week at No. 1 in Belgium in September 1981.

That month also saw the release of the second Tom Tom Club single, “Genius Of Love,” followed by the release of their self-titled debut album.  At this point, the singles and album had not been released in America.  When “Genius Of Love” was released worldwide but not in the U.S., demand was so high that 100,000 copies of the single were sold as imports.  Well, that (finally!) prompted Sire Records to make a deal with Chris and Tina and the album was released (finally!) in late 1981.

Three weeks into 1982, “Genius Of Love” (paired with “Wordy Rappinghood”) spent a week at No. 1 on BILLBOARD’s Dance chart.  A week later, “Genius Of Love” debuted on the BILLBOARD Hot 100 at No. 87.  For nearly three months, it made a slow climb up the chart, before making a big leap into the Top 40 in April 1982.  Their time in the Top 40 was short-lived, though. 

“Genius Of Love” spent a couple weeks at No. 31 and departed the Hot 100 after 17 weeks.  The single did, however, reach No. 2 on BILLBOARD’s R&B chart, and though they released six studio albums between 1981 and 2012, and a number a singles, Tom Tom Club wouldn’t reach the Hot 100 again.

“Genius Of Love” (along with songs like “Wordy Rappinghood” and their sweet cover of “Under The Boardwalk”) were instrumental in getting its parent album certified for a Gold album here in the U.S. in 1982. 

Over the years, “Genius Of Love” has been sampled many times, mostly by Rap / Hip-Hop artists like Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, Public Enemy, Ice Cube, 50 Cent and 2Pac, but was most notably sampled by Mariah Carey in 1995, and her song “Fantasy,” which spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100.  Chris and Tina were apparently on board with the sample, and I’m hoping they (along with “Genius Of Love” co-writers Adrian Belew and Steven Stanley) got a crapload of money for it.

Tom Tom Club in 1983; a promo shot for their second album, CLOSE TO THE BONE.

You know, Tom Tom Club may have started out as a side project, but many years ago, they outlasted Talking Heads and they are still together today.  I sadly missed them every time they came to Portland, but if they ever returned, you can bet I’d be there.  I wouldn’t have said that in 1981, though. 

I confess to you here that when “Genius Of Love” was climbing the Top 40 in early 1982, you could prolly hear me saying, “What the hell is this?!”  In my youth.  I eventually caught up to everyone else and grew to love the song as I stepped away from my youth, and couldn’t imagine my life without it today.  For starters, it’s a damn fun Dance song with a creative video (even Frank Zappa was a fan), and it pays tribute to fellow musicians like Bootsy Collins, Smokey Robinson, Bob Marley, Sly And Robbie, Kurtis Blow, James Brown.

In the nine months I’ve been doing this bloggy thing, I’ve noticed the process can be pretty funny.  I’ve written posts and had revelations about the song I’m writing about while working on the post.  And I just had another one.  Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth are geniuses – of music and of love.  They’ve been together for nearly 40 years, and in the entertainment industry, that’s pretty Goddamn impressive.  But, they also got me to love their song.  It took awhile, and maybe some kick-ass Talking Heads songs in between, but I finally got there.  I’m not only in heaven when I hear “Genius Of Love,” but it’s definitely what I consider fun, natural fun…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRzF5HA0iLY