In the event that you were unable to listen to the audio, I’d like to encourage you to please select and share your favorite jam (song) from years 1966, 1976, 1986, and 1996 in the comment section.
Although the “My Jams” series was exclusively focused on Soul and R&B, I urge you to link jams from ANY genre!
***Be aware that certain “My Jams” posts contain adult language and situations. Also, song dates may vary. For example, I might have been jamming a song in 1986 that was actually released in 1984.
My Jams posts always contain a whole lot of Black U.S. Southern Vernacular, coarse language, sexual references and adult situations. Oh, and they are always long as hell so if you don’t feel like reading you might wanna press on! But you’ll miss some fun if you do! Read at your own risk!
Today, I get my chance to show what I can do! Can you believe it? I’m a varsity cheerleader at the biggest school in the city and we are about to perform for the first pep rally of the school year. By the way, this is also my very first performance on the varsity squad. No more cheering from the sidelines like I had to do when I was junior varsity.
Right now, I am standing in line beside the bleachers waiting for the band to cue us to run to the center of the gym and cheer to our school fight song.
While I wait for the cue, I can’t help noticing how funny acting people can be. Some folks don’t speak to me anymore. But I also got folks walking up and speaking to me that NEVER spoke to me before; now, all of a sudden, they want to be my friend.
Honestly, I really want to say to the ones who stopped speaking, “You ain’t gotta speak cause you mad!” And to the ones that never spoke to me before—but are speaking to me now, I want to say, “Don’t speak to me now if you didn’t have time to speak to me before.”
But I don’t say any of that, I just politely smile and keep moving.
Anyway, I feel so nervous and excited! I can’t wait for my chance to finally move from the sidelines to center stage. Oh yeah, we’re gonna perform “Turn it on”–which the crowd loves! We’re also gonna hit them with a new one today. You see, we’re gonna do a cheer with a collapsing mount called “Dynamite.”
You just wait until they see that!
Sorry for switching subjects but I wonder if my Grandma is watching me from Heaven? I really hope so because she once made a cheerleading outfit for me when I was a little girl. She was probably thinking that I’d be a good cheerleader since I always had such a big mouth! You probably remember that she died in March just one year after my Uncle Willie passed.
Hmmm….I wonder what she would think if she could see me now? I just miss her so much!
Uh oh! The band’s brass section just started playing the opening notes to the fight song!
That’s my cue!
I’ll see y’all later—-I gotta GO!
This one is for you Grandma! I love you!
Rest in Peace.
“On on ARC! We are right for the fight you see! Hold that ball and hit that line. Every Musketeer will shine…”
🙂 🙂 🙂
You go ‘head on Lil Lady G! You had a vision and you made it happen! Chile, can’t nobody stop you if you’re prepared and you’re willing to dream!
Oh but you know I gotta go back and address some shit before I get to these jams.
First off, it is never cute to treat people according to their ‘status.’ Check this out, if you don’t f*ck with somebody when they’re down—don’t EVEN try to start f*cking with them when they come up! People can see through that! Just dammit stop it! And yes, I meant to say it just like that! Just dammit stop it!
Which brings me to my second, and most curious point. Don’t hate!
Ok, let me supplement this by informing you that Lady G subscribes to rapper Trick Daddy’s philosophy on haters. And what is that pray tell? Well in an interview, someone once asked Trick Daddy to define a hater. Allow me to paraphrase Mr. Daddy’s response:
Look at it like this, if I drive up to the club in the baddest ride and I walk in dressed to the nines with two bad chicks on each arm and you don’t say nothing–You are a hater! I mean, how could you NOT notice that?
YAAASSSSS! By that definition, there are PLENTY of haters out there!
Oh no….Please don’t do that!
Ain’t nobody saying that you need to fawn all over a person, but if given the chance, give some kind of positive acknowledgement when you see somebody on the come up. Stop being a gotdamn crab!
Now that we got that out of the way!
How you doin’ in the year 1984? Chile, my friend Roger from the UK, reminded me to read 1984 -the book. Baby, George Orwell was trying to sprinkle you cats with a little knowledge. Ya girl has been an Orwell fan since she read Animal Farm.
Bump what you heard, Lady G is quite well read!
Ok are you ready to get into these jams?
Let’s go!
My Jams ‘84
Careless Whisper by Wham
Ok so y’all need to stop talking so damn much! Just kidding. Honey George’nem brought us this gem from the UK! Mama used to love “Everything she wants.”
“I’m never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm.”
Cheating is bad but payback is a real bitch!
When Doves Cry by Prince
Yessir, Prince decided to switch that thang up a little bit and sing in his lower register. That joker had a helluva range-you hear me?
“Dig if you will the picture of you and I engaged in a kiss…”
Oh hell yeah!
The Glamorous Life by Sheila E
Yaasss baby them Latina Chicas know how to get off! Honey that Queen Diva tore them drums up then she kicked the damn cymbals—-Now what!!!
“She wants to lead the glamorous life…without love it ain’t much!”
A sista came to slay!
Sugar Walls by Sheena Easton
Baby Prince done turned that white girl out! She used to talk about her baby taking the morning train. Now she talking about sugar walls! But what does that mean?
“Come spend the night inside my sugar walls”
OK, I see!
Farewell My Summer Love by Michael Jackson–Re-released
Y’all somebody went back and dug up one of Mike’s old jams and either re-released or released it for the first time.
I loved it because that year I had a little summer love with a dude down in ‘Bama.
Ask cousins Liz and Jennifer; they know who it was!
If Only You Knew by Patti LaBelle
Now, this is how a ballad is supposed to be sung. Honey, Queen Diva Patti set this shit right here on FIRE!
“I said you don’t know how much I need you…”
YAAASSS!
DEAD to DEATH!
You Me and He by Mtume
Aw shit, here we go with another one of them damn triangulations!
Folks need to stop that nonsense. Lady G don’t know nothing about that kinda stuff 😉
What is we gon’ do?
“I don’t wanna let you go, no, no, no, no!”
I wanna know what love is by Foreigner
Ok so when I saw the video for this one I was CONVINCED!
I loved this jam! But who doesn’t?
Tears by The Force MD’s
What? Ain’t these some rappers? Don’t rapper supposed to rap?
Whaaaa? They can sing!
I just be damned!
“Tears, tears, another heart knows my pain.”
TC? Yessir!
Mr. Groove by One Way
Chile this one makes me think about my cousins Bruce and Rasul (Squirt) walking around Dale Road with a boom box! Them two jokers were NOT to be fucked with. Bruce wore a chain–bitch I don’t mean gold chain–I mean a real chain! Mess with him if you want to.
Squirt came from Chicago and his daddy, Bobby, was so bad he could walk in any gang territory and get much respeckkkk! Even the gangstas didn’t f*ck with Uncle Bobby!
Now what does that tell you?
Shackles by RJ’s Latest Arrival
“Shackles on my feet”
YAAASSSS!
Off and on Love by Champaign
Baby, I guanran-damn-tee you forgot this jam! If you didn’t you NEED to holler at me in comments. I love the scatting at the end–kinda made me think about Scotti and Walter’nem from the Whispers.
Love need and want you by Patti LaBelle
Aw shit now!!!!!
That Queen Diva DID that with this jam!
“And I just want you to know….how I feeeeel…how I feeeeel…oh I…”
My son and I have a running joke about that line related to Big Boi’s sample of it a few years back.
“I love and need and want you baby!” Repeat ad infinitum!
Hard Times by Run DMC
Baby, that beat was banging!
“Hard times spreadin’ just like the flu, watch out homeboy, don’t let it get you….”
Y’all don’t know nothin’ ‘bout that!
Hey DJ by The World’s Famous Supreme Team
“Hey DJ just play that song, keep me dancin’ all night..”
Baby, all the DJ’s was digging on this jam. Back then, if you were new and you really wanted to get your stuff played, all you needed to do was mention the DJ.
Hell it still works these days, ask that pretty little island girl Ree Ree.
Note: Lady G cannot be bothered to google the proper spelling of her actual name—Again, I’ll let you do that.
Sex Shooter by Apollonia 6
Oh hell yeah! This was the jam. But, oh hell naw, she couldn’t sing!
“Sex shooter, shooting love in your direction.”
These chicks were eye candy for the fellas! Prince wasn’t no dummy.
Honey when Vanity left, Prince went right out and got him another one just like her!
Lessons learned:
Don’t get shit twisted, you can always be replaced!
Don’t f*ck with The Purple One. Period! And the Dot.
C.O.D (I’ll deliver) by Mtume
“I deliver, C.O.D.”
YAAASSS!
Please don’t ever try to question the credentials of James Mtume! He is the truth! You can believe that!
“Just call my name, in a hurry, it’s not the same without you…”
I simply CANNOT!
Take a chance by Nuance
Picture it, Sicily….No I’m just bullshitting you 🙂
Picture it, 1984, A high school football game in the South with two bands, Laney and Josey, competing to see who gon’ blow who out to this jam! Competition is hot!
But Laney won that one!
YAAAASSSS!
Don’t worry Josey, you will live to fight, and win, another day 😉
Weekend Girl by S.O.S Band
I can imagine my girl Chevvy telling some begging dude back in 1984, “I’m a weekend girl, and I don’t have time on the weekdays!”
Okaaaay!
You better tell him girl!
We need some money by Chuck Brown
Chuck was on that real, real, real….Reaganomics and that trickle down theory was some bullshit–money was tight as hell in 1984!
But the party went on!
Come on T. and G. Let’s get up on this go-go!
“Master card, Visa, American Express, I ain’t got nothing ‘gainst no credit cards but the cash is the best!”
Yessir, Mr. Brown was the originator! You better ask somebody from the DMV! I told y’all before that Lady G got mad love for my folks in the D.C., Maryland, VA area!
Chic cheer by Chic (1984 remix)
Yeah you know this one! Nile on that guitar with Bernard echoing him on bass!
YAAASSS!
No Parking On The Dance Floor by Midnight Star-1983-but I had to say something in 1984
Baby Midnight Star made Lady G sweat all her damn perm out dancing!
Boy when I got off the dance floor my eyeliner and mascara had done run all down my face.
A bitch was looking like a gotdamn fool!
But that’s okay! I had a good ass time!
“Moving violations are easy to fix just tell the DJ to fix it in the mix!”
You Turn Me On by Rick James
Yaaasss! Rick doing what he does best on this jam!’
Runaway Love by Linda Clifford (Correction- released in 1978 but we gonna jam it in ’84 ’cause that’s when it came to me)
Ladies, when you’ve had enough and it is time for that joker to go, put this jam on and tell his ass to kick rocks!
Honey, the music here is tight but please do not skip out on Queen Diva Linda’s monologue about that low down ass joker right there!
But before she goes into that, I love to hear her sing:
So stop messin’ with my heart
If you don’t mean it
And stop messin’ with my love
If you don’t care
Don’t come in here
Talking bout love
And you know
You’re using me baby
Cause I ain’t got no
Heartaches to spare
Alright now!!!!!
Secret fantasy by Tom Browne Ft. Siedah Garrett
In this one Siedah, at the beginning of the song, seems to be saying “Talk to me quick!” but I got no idea if that’s right.
Either way, that was my dear Oscar’s favorite part.
Ok, so let me explain the whole Oscar thing. You see, my cousin Jen-Jen and I used to make homemade tapes together. For some reason we started referring to all of our tapes as “Sid and Oscar Productions.
[Legal machinations will not allow me to reveal which one of us was Sid and which one of us was Oscar. Please don’t try referring back to my previous sentences because y’all already know I love to refer to myself in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person–YAAASSSS!]
Back to business…
First of all, Siedah was the business. She wrote or co-wrote MJ’s “Man in the Mirror.” So you know she made some serious coinage. But, aside from that, she could blow! She was often asked to sing back-up/session for more well known acts.
I’m not sure why she never went much further than that–maybe she opted not to. One thing is for sure, it damn shole wasn’t because of her voice or her looks. That Queen Diva was gorgeous and, as I said, she could sing! I just can’t call it!
As for this jam, baby it’s a killer! Honey, if you were to put this one on at a dance in 1984-85, the fellas would be trying to ask you to slow dance. Chile the ladies would quickly respond, “Naw, this is fast enough for us to dance separately.”
Yessir!!!!
I advise you to go check it out if you don’t remember it.
When I hear music by Debbie Deb
This jam right here and “Take a chance” can always take me right back to the 1980’s
Goodtimes!
Hanging downtown by Cameo
Chile Larry Blackmon got back on my good side with this monster. Here, he is giving me chill, he is giving me vibe, he is giving me ever-y-thing I need on this jam.
“I’ll be hanging downtown, kind of waiting, maybe I’ll try meditating….Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…”
Chile that joker even gave me some brass action.
Peep the sax! Oh yes!
Larry, you alright with me!
Make me a Believer by Luther Vandross
Nope, I simply CANNOT
DEAD!
You just can’t f*ck with this shit right here!
Feel the need by Anita Baker
Now y’all know I wasn’t gonna leave 1984 without giving you some nasty bass!
Well here it is…from Queen Diva Anita and Lady G to YOU!
Out on a limb by Teena Marie
Sid and Oscar Productions
Side A
Track 1
YAAAASSSS!
Dear Lover by Teena Marie
Sid and Oscar Productions
Side A
Track 2
Again, I say, YAAAAASSSSSSS!
Y’all already know how I feel about Lady T !!!
Here I usually list songs that Mama liked but I guess by now you know that Ms Girl had done jumped ship and started going back in time listening to her old jams! That said, I’ll just list some more ‘84 jams along with hip hop party jams.
More ‘84 Jams
Like a Virgin by Madonna
I feel for you by Chaka Khan
Somebody’s watching me by Rockwell: Yaaassss MJ is rocking that chorus!
Out of touch by Hall & Oates
Breaking /No stopping us Ollie and Jerry: Yaaasss Ozone! Turbo!
Method of Modern Love by Hall & Oates
Solid by Ashford and Simpson
Miss me blind by Culture Club
Somebody else’s guy by Jocelyn Brown
Centipede by Rebbie Jackson
Change of heart by Change
She’s Strange by Cameo
Encore by Cheryl Lynn
Feel so real by Patrice Rushen
Jam On It by Newcleus
Lovelite by O’Bryan
Body Talk by The Deele
Show me by Glenn Jones
Baby don’t break your baby’s heart by Kashif
Perfect combination by Stacy Lattisaw and Johnny Gill
Plane Love by Jeffrey Osborne
Joy Stick by Dazz Band
It’s a miracle by Culture Club
More more more by Atlantic Starr
Fo fi Fo Pieces of a Dream
Love me in a special way by DeBarge
Swoop I’m Yours The Dazz Band
No One’s Gonna Love You SOS Band
Pretty Mess by Vanity
Lollipop Love by Bryan Loren
30 Days by Run DMC
What people do for money Divine sounds
Tenderoni by Leon Haywood
Prime time by Mtume
Just my luck by The Deele
Fragile by Cherrelle
I wanted your love by Luther Vandross
Intimate Connection by Kleeer
Don’t stop by One way
Hip Hop Party Jams
Computer age push the button by Newcleus: YAAAASSS, this one is for Rodricka “The Freak!” Class of 1988
Fix-It in the mix by Pretty Tony
Egypt, Egypt by Egyptian Love
Well, it’s a wrap! I love you 1984, but it’s time to leave you in the midst of years gone by!
Y’all join me for the afterparty in comments! It goes on for days! It can’t stop, cause it won’t stop! Let’s share memories of ’84! Don’t forget to tell me your likes and dislikes from my list. Were there any surprises on my list? Tell me about the ones that I didn’t list. Remember my list is not in any order nor is it exhaustive 🙂
Diva of Soul riding out with Miss Time Machine. Destination: 1977
Warning: This is a long ass read! So get yourself together before you start reading it 🙂
“Gwin, them damn pancakes gon’ smack your ass upside yo’ head round 10:30 if you don’t eat!”
“But Uncle Bill, I don’t like them kinda pancakes, they too big!”
Mama didn’t never make no pancakes like the ones Uncle Bill made. I don’t like ‘em ‘cause they too thick and they got the wrong syrup.
But if I don’t eat ‘em I’ll have to wait until daddy come get me and who knows how long that’ll be.
Oh well, it’s this or starve so I better dig in. Bruce, Jen-Jen, Poley, Lil’Bill, Stevie and Tack already halfway through with theirs. Sandy, Granny and Pookie was lucky ‘cause they stayed with Madear…
Lawd have mercy! Uncle Bill’s heart was in the right place. He was simply trying to feed a whole gaggle of kids! You see, Uncle Bill was my Aunt Bobbie Sue’s husband and all the kids wanted to spend the night with Bobbie Sue, aka Bob! Bob was, and is, the life of the party! She always had the latest jams. I guess she was so cool because she was the youngest of my mother’s 11 siblings.
Oh yass baby, Madear was popping ‘em out back to back!
Just so you know, Tyler Perry didn’t invent the word Madear! Every black kid in the deep South had a Madear (mother dear) or a Big mama. To be clear, the terms Madear and Big mama are typically used when referring to one’s Grandmother.
I said ALL that to say this:
Welcome to 1977 baby! Chile somebody who identified himself as Airforce Buck Sgt. Cray C. Brown called asking me all kinds of questions about Miss Time Machine. Baby he wanted to know how I acquired her and how long I’ve had her. I says to him, “Look Buck Sgt. Crazy, you might wanna get out of my business before I call my play cousin Barack!”
I think he got the picture!
Enough about me, how are you doing in 1977? Can you believe that we are near the tail end of this decade? Time know it flies!
I see that everybody is present and accounted for. Geo over there in a badass white suit and T. Wayne is sporting an opened silk shirt with a medallion—YASSSS! San, the Miami Playette, is rocking a print blouse with some gauchos and boots baby! Please don’t hate! She’s a bad heffa!
Cousin Ron is over there trying on one of Uncle Jimmy’s old Airforce uniforms. I wonder why?
Alrighty then! Let’s get it in!
My Jams 1977
Don’t ask my neighbors by The Emotions
Good Gawd, Sheila is damn near whimpering on this jam and that’s a good thing!
How could any man resist a request from a woman with a voice like that?
I guarantee you she gets what she wants!
Boogie Nights by Heatwave
Ok, so there is this longstanding rumor that the Wilder brothers from Heatwave are my kinfolk. This all started when Madear made a passing comment after seeing them on Soul Train. I can neither confirm nor deny but I will say that Gwin’s mama’nem got some DEEP roots all up and through the great state of Ohio and that’s where them Wilders are from.
Either way, them brothers were bad!
But did you check out that jazz interlude at the beginning of this jam? Whaaa? Who else was doing that? And to think a bad British blue-eyed soul brother named Rod Temperton was one of the masterminds behind the whole thing! You better act like you know!
Since that time, Brother Rod has produced some music heavies. Can you say “Michael Jackson’s Thriller?”
By the way, I, Sexy Lady G am Gwin’s alter ego. Sometimes we are interchangeable and sometimes we are NOT! HA!
Float on by The Floaters
Uh oh! Now you know something is wrong when a group is named after the damn song. That fact alone screams “one hit wonder!”
No matter, this jam was the business!
Seems like everybody had a favorite Floater-regardless to zodiac sign. Y’all, I was kinda pissed that there were no Capricorns in the group. Does that sign have too many syllables for the song? Maybe if they had included just one Cappy they might have gone a little further! I’m just sayin’
Anyway, my favorite floater was Charles! YASSS!!! I don’t know, I guess it was the way that joker stepped to the mic and said, “Libra, and my name is Charles….”
Baby Charles commenced to work the HELL out of his verse. “Aww Chile…”
Do yourself a favor and fast forward to Charles. Holla back after you do.
Dance, Dance, Dance by Chic
Yass baby, Nile and Bernard brought some style and class to this joint! If you don’t believe me peep the visual! Those jokers were sharp to death in those designer suits! Let us not forget the sophisticated divas in the group! You couldn’t touch ‘em!
Whenever I want to go right on up to heaven I listen to the long version of this jam! The violins take me EV-ER-Y-WHERE!!! YASSS! This is one of the songs I want sung at my funeral right after they sing “The Upper Room.”
Naw, I’m just kidding!
Y’all better NOT play “The Upper Room” at my funeral! LOL!!
Ain’t gone bump no more by Joe Tex
Another novelty song! They used to do that a lot in the ‘70’s.
Gwin’s mama went to see Joe Tex at a club one night and she managed to get his autograph for her. She don’t know where the hell it is now.
How much do you think it would go for on e-bay? LOL!
Strawberry Letter 23 by The Brothers Johnson
Hell was it letter 22 or 23? I get it mixed up! Anyway, everybody was rocking this bad boy back then.
Brick House by The Commodores
This damn thang is a CLASSIC! Every generation knows this jam right here! Baby the moment Walter started bamming on them drums you knew what time it was. By the way, he was leading on this one-not Lionel.
One of my uncles used to say, “Let’s go look at some brick houses!” I didn’t know what in the devil he was talking about so I asked him what that meant. Homeboy said, “Look at your Auntie and that should explain it.”
OK, I got it!
Show you the way to go by The Jacksons
That’s right baby, them Jackson boys changed it up after they left Motown. I loved this jam.
Check out the way they looped around Michael’s voice as he says “ayyy” at the end of the jam. That’s kinda different….something tells me that we will hear this technique again (cough, cough… hip hop). Speaking of hip hip, RIP Afeni Shakur.
Go listen to it
🙂
Lovely Day by Bill Withers
This is one of my damn jammy jam jams Baby! This song will soften even the meanest of bastards!
Chile when Bill held that freaking long note in the word “day” I thought I was gonna lose my everloving mind! I really just cannot with Bill!
More than a woman by Tavares
Last week—um…I meant… last year I told y’all to check out the harmonies that are produced by siblings. If you didn’t do it then, now is your chance!
Tavares covered and KILLED this BeeGees jam! By the way, I freaking love the Bee Gees! Much respeck!
Oh yeah, this is another jam that I want somebody to sing at my funeral ‘cause Sexy Lady G is sho nuff more than a woman!
“Say you’ll always be my baby…”
If I can’t have you by Yvonne Elliman
Frankly Scarlett I don’t give a damn if this jam came out in ’76, ’77 or ’78! I wanna talk about it right now!
So, one night nearly 20 years ago I went to my favorite LGBTQ club to see the Queens in all of their splendor! Honey, can you believe them heffas made me lip sync this jam? Chile I was 3 sheets to the wind singing my ass off. Baby when I tell you I had done kicked off my heels and started spinning like Sylvester please believe it!
Later that night we all started lip synching “You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille!”
Y’all I was walking around the club barefooted looking for my shoes. Fortunately, a gorgeous Queen who was sitting at the end of the bar was kind enough to have babysat my high heel steppas!
I ain’t never had more fun at a club than I did that night! This is a true story y’all! I couldn’t make this ish up if I wanted to.
Ms. Sexy Lady G loves the Queens and she loves this jam right here!
Slide by Slave
Yass! Drac is in the house!
This one is for my brass junkies! I gotta have some ‘Slide’ in my life!
“Why don’t you slide…?”
As by Stevie Wonder
I really, absolutely, simply, unequivocally cannot with Stevie on this jam. This is one of those tear jerking-hand clapping joints.
Just beautiful!
Superman by Celi Bee and Buzzy Bunch
I told you they liked novelty jams back in the ’70’s. I used to like this as a kid because I was taking violin lessons at the time and it was chock full of violins!
Hell the fact that they were singing about Superman didn’t hurt.
Sounds to me like home girl is proposing a sexual interlude with the man with the “S” on his chest!
I was gonna dedicate this one to Gwin’s son (Superman/Kryptonian) but there is way too much going on here! She’ll kill me about her baby!
That boy fine tho’
Sunshine by Enchantment
Just plain pretty! That’s all I gotta say!
Darlin’Darlin’ Baby by the O’Jays
That doggone Eddie Levert is killing me on this jam!
“All the thangs that you desire… I’ll do my best to give ‘em to you!”
Aw hell where is that man???
O-H-I-O by The Ohio Players
I have a special fondness for this jam because, as I said, me and Gwin got some serious family situations going on in the buckeye state.
Another brass junkie jam! Those jokers are blowing the hell out of them horns on this jam! If you like brass you gotta add this to your play list.
I’m going down by Rose Royce
“Time on my hands since you been away boy, I ain’t got no plans, naw, naw, naw, naw!”
I just be damned!
NOPE, I CAN”T!!!
While I’m alone by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
My Big ‘Brother’ Muhammad is Mr. Beverly’s bodyguard and that brother ain’t nobody’s joke! Try to mess with Frankie if you want to! Trust, you will get your grill busted!
Anyway, what can one say about Frankie and Maze? If you’ve never been to a Maze concert please check his schedule, book your concert tickets, flight and hotel right NOW!!! You will sho nuff get some ‘happy feelins!’
How smooth is Frankie? Huh? Tell me! Huh???
Your love is rated X by Johnnie Taylor
Your Uncle Johnnie does it again! However, he did things a little bit different on this one. Here he brought the romance. Check out the instruments; specifically that flute! Definitely mood music!
He probably could have got it back in the day! Did I say that? Hell he ain’t none of my uncle!
Voyage to Atlantis by The Isley Brothers
Can you say faded?
Naw, I’m just kidding!
Ok, no I’m not!
“I’ll always come back to you…”
‘Cause you love me baby by Deneice Williams
The bells in this jam are just so freaking sweet! Neicy floating on top adds the icing.
If you need to play a sweet jam, pick this one!
Well sir! I bet you thought I was never gonna shut the hell up! Y’all know I can go on and on and on with these jams. As you can see, these posts are getting longer and longer and I still have to leave stuff off! Please continue to stick with me. I got plenty more jams coming in the future.
Remember to hit me up with your 1977 faves in the comments section! I LOVE hearing from you guys!
“Come here quick and look at this little boy singing!”
That’s exactly what my mother said to my father in the year of our Lord 1969 as she watched a 10 year old boy with his brothers singing up a storm on TV! Surely you’ve already guessed who she was talking about right?
And with that…
Welcome to 1969 baby! The year that man first stepped foot on the moon, or so they say! Truth be told, the old folks around these parts still have their doubts 😉
In the music world, the year 1969 brought us the 10 year old that I just mentioned; Michael Jackson. He and his brothers were the cutest party of five to ever hit a stage.
Even today, most folks will agree that it’s nearly impossible to fathom all of the ways in which MJ influenced music, dance, style and entertainment. And to think, his mother and my folks came from the same little patch of southern woods.
At any rate, here are my jams for the year that closed out the 1960’s!
I Want You Back by The Jackson 5
I don’t give a damn where I was or what I was doing, when I heard the intro to this song I started screaming! God help you if you were anywhere in the vicinity. Eyewitnesses will tell you that I repeated my version of the Michael Jackson spin until the song ended.
Believe it or not, all these years later, I still respond just about the same way. Only now, I spin three fourths the way ‘round—one time.
Someday We’ll Be Together by Diana Ross and The Supremes
Yeah, by now Ms. Diana had acquired top billing!
Based on personal experience, I’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t remember this song. For me, it is very special because my mom, who passed away a few years back, used to sing it when I was little.
My loves, it is very difficult for me to listen to this one now so I simply opt to admire it from afar.
My Cherie Amour by Stevie Wonder
Beautiful!
Honestly, I think that every girl has dreamed of being the topic of this song.
Incidentally, from what I understand, Stevie’s mother was also from the same place that MJ’s mom and my folks are from. I know, right?
Hot Fun In The Summertime by Sly and The Family Stone
This song is one of my favorites of all time! The piano intro is so haunting; it hits me smack dab in the middle of my brain’s wistful zone; but strangely enough, I love that!
I live for the way Sly likens summer days to a magical lady that appears at the “end of the spring” and goes away before the “first of the fall.” What a powerful metaphor! When I listen to this song, I imagine ‘her’ twirling in and out of my life, bringing and taking happy summertime memories with her.
“…and everythang is cool!!!”
Baby, I’m For Real by The Originals
If you want to write a love song, use this one as your template.
Okay, true story, when I was taking Taekwondo, I met a girl whose father was a member of The Originals. She confided that she never really mentioned it because most people were unfamiliar with the group. Well, needless to say, I was NOT unfamiliar so I must have asked her a thousand questions about her dad’s experiences. During our conversation, I shared that ‘Baby, I’m For Real’ is one of my favorite songs. She laughed and said, “I think dad was the one who sang the part ‘I see the little tears in your eyes about to fall, you are wondering if I’m for real….” To that, I screamed with delight! What are the chances?
Anyway, nowadays I can’t help thinking of her whenever I hear that song.
What Does It Take by Junior Walker and The All Stars
There is no way that you can listen to the sax in this song and sit still. If you have any amount of soul in your body, you will at least sway! “I’m gonna blow again for you!”
Baby Baby Don’t Cry by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
Ladies you know how it is when your man done messed up and you got somebody else in your ear talking all sweet. Nobody does the ‘sweet talk’ thing better than Smokey! His soft angelic voice can atone for any man’s prior relationship devilment. Believe it or not, devilment is a ‘real’ word that means exactly what it sounds like it might mean.
Hey fellas, when your lady cries and it’s your fault, you might need to heed the words of this jam. The last thing you need is a dude like Smokey sweet talking your baby.
It’s Your Thing by The Isley Brothers
This jam is so funky that even old folks were singing it! Most of ‘em probably didn’t realize that it advocates free love! Ha Ha! It’s hilarious to me that really good music can make you sing lyrics that are diametrically opposed to everything that you believe you stand for. Truly, I say to you, the funk here cannot be denied.
Now if you think this jam was tight, wait until I post “My Jams: ’73.” That’s when we start studying math and how them three younger boys added themselves to the original Isley brothers! I’m talking about Ernie, Marvin and Chris y’all!
3+3…’nuff said!
Well folks, I really hate to say goodbye to 1969 because it was a very special year for me! I’ve told you my favorites from the last year of the stormy sixties. What are your ’69 favs?
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