“I know exactly what we need to get this party started!”

I can’t tell you who said that but one of my friends did say these very words.

But, the party almost ended before it could start. Why? Because of an unexpected ‘guest.’

Here’s what happened…

One night, my friends and I decided that we would all get together with our dates and have a ‘taco party.’

Everybody was responsible for bringing a side item.  I volunteered to bring tomatoes and lettuce.  The hostess, one of my best friends, provided the taco meat.  The remaining attendees chipped in to buy the jalapeno peppers, taco shells, cheese, etc.

Well, one of us had another ‘side’ item in mind–and that’s the person who said, “I know exactly what we need to get this party started.”

You know s/he was talking about alcohol, right?

Again, I still can’t tell you who this person was; he or she will have to remain nameless.

Just know that it wasn’t me.  Really, it wasn’t.

Anyway, as a group, we agreed to ride with ‘Nameless’ to Kroger to buy some wine coolers.  Nameless said all we needed to do was find an old wino, give him two or three dollars and ask him to make our purchase.

Remember, none of us are old enough to buy that stuff.

Once we got to the store, Nameless found a wino to buy the goods.  Just after the wino went into the store, Nameless rejoined the rest of us as we stood by the car waiting.

But then, the unexpected happened!

Somebody yelled, “There go Gwin Daddy comin’ out the store, everybody duck!”

I thought to myself, “Holy crap, what’s he doing here?  He gon’ catch us–I just know it!”

Oh, but here’s the crazy part, instead of Daddy going to his car and leaving, he just stood, as if he were planted, right there by the doors; I mean that joker wouldn’t move!  Dude just stood there and stood there and stood there.

I kept thinking, “What is he waiting for?”

Well, it didn’t look like he was waiting for anything in particular–he was just standing there sweeping the entire parking lot with a steely stare.

By now, our dear wino friend, who had just made our purchase, was about to walk out of the door.

I said to myself, “Oh hell, we cold busted.”

But before the wino could come out of the store, Daddy walked to his car, got in, and drove off!

Whew!  That was close!

It’s on now!

🙂 🙂 🙂

HA! HA!

YAASSSS!  Daddy had a weird habit of showing up at the most inopportune times!  Baby, that was NOT the first or last of these mysterious occurrences!

I don’t know; he had some kind of parental telepathy or something!

And on that note, Lady G got one thing to say to all the young babies that read this blog; and especially my dear Ric, “Me, your mammy and your pappy done already ran EV-E-RY game you trying to run now!”

Every last one–and I mean ALL of ‘em!

So please don’t get it twisted!  We already know what you’re up to BEFORE you start! You’ll never be smart enough to OUTsmart your elders!

My Daddy used to tell me, “Girl, I done FORGOT more than you know!”

Elders, can I get an AMEN?

Now don’t get me wrong, just like Martin, Lady G love you kids and I want you guys to be smart and safe.  Don’t be afraid to speak up when something ain’t right!  If you get into a situation that puzzles you, call an adult.  We’ll have your back!

Oh yeah, by the way, Daddy swore that he saw us all hiding in the parking lot!  Fortunately for us, our little party ended without incident.  That said, that’s not always the case.

And so,

Welcome to 1987! This is the figurative line of demarcation for Miss Time Machine.  She’s threatening to quit.

Homegirl said that if we want to make it to 1988 we gotta walk.  LOL!

Something tells me that I can convince her otherwise.

Are you ready for these jams?  Just remember this is a random sampling. I ain’t got time to tell you about all of ‘em. Also, an asterisk means The Tracy-Gwin Doctrine applies (for more info on that just hit me up in comments.)

So, let’s get it:

My Jams ‘87

Casanova by Levert

Yes, honey!  Levert brought it again with this bad boy!

I want to hold I want to squeeze ya too

I want to make sweet love to you

I want to be there when ya feel alone

Never letcha go, no

Gerald really was a big sweet Teddy Bear.

Chile Lady G still mourning that loss!

Don’t disturb this groove by The System

“All I want is just me and you (grooving baby, grooving baby)”

Them boys kilt it!  By the way, ‘kilt’ is past tense for ‘killed’ in Black Southern Vernacular!

Very heavy on the synthesizers but still my jam!

Let me be the one by Exposé

Have you ever had a song that you only like parts of? Or is Lady G just strange that way?

My favorite part is:

Only you can make me feel this way

I’ll give you all, come on, let’s get away

This love I feel will never ever fade

I’ll give you more and more so…

No shade to the rest of the song but Lady G just listens for this part.

*The Pleasure Principle by Janet Jackson

The video of Janet dancing.  Period.

Nothing else need be said.

Lies by Jonathan Butler

This is my girl Chevvy’s homeboy right here.  Coming to you straight from South Africa!

This joker was the jam.  Too bad it’s about a cheating ass woman!

“You cheated on me, you cheated on me

With a white lie, with a wicked lie…”

Chile bye, ain’t nobody got time for that- especially not Jonathan- with his good looking self!

*Jam Tonight by Freddie Jackson

Freddie took them damn lyrics and OWNED them!

He worked the hell outta that jam.

“Don’t you, don’t you, don’t you, don’t you wanna

Ooh, oh, oh don’t you wanna jam?”

Making love in the rain by Herb Alpert featuring Janet Jackson and Lisa Keith

I am guessing that Herb chose Janet to sing on this jam because she was a popular artist on his label.  No shade to Janet, but Herb probably figured he should add another vocalist for good measure.

Now we cooking!

No one in the world by Anita Baker

Anita was in a category all her own.  But…sometimes it sounds like she’s crying.

No matter, that Queen Diva could SING and she nailed this one.

Just call me  Sherrick

This is the onliest song I ever heard by Sherrick.

But wait, before I start to lying, he did do a helluva cover of The Originals’ “Baby I’m for real.”

That said, let’s add that joker to these jams!

Anyway, I just loved Sherrick’s voice.  He could blow!  When he sang in his upper register he reminded me a little of Phil Perry.  Seriously!  Go google it!

“You can call me what you wanna…anything you want to….Baby just call…call me, darling, call me.”

Show yo’ right by Barry White

Y’all ain’t ready!!  Honey, the Maestro is BACK!

Sho you right!

Love is a house by The Force MD’s

“You got the key!”

T.C.!  YAAASSSS!

Y’all don’t know nothing ‘bout that!

I want your sex by George Michael

Chile, the Genie is out of the bottle!  Baby, in the words of Little Richard, “And he ain’t never goin’ back!”

Georgie done started talking about sex!

Front and center!

But as he said, “Sex is best when it’s one on one!”

MONOGAMY–Okaaaay!!!

I feel good by Stephanie Mills

This Queen Diva sang the hell out of this jam–DO YOU HEAR ME?

Case closed!

Loving You by The O’Jays

What the hell did I tell you before?  The O’Jays ain’t never goin’ out of style!

And that’s as it should be when the music is good and the vocals are on point!

*Curiosity by The Jets

“I’ve got to know, is she just a plaything?”

Yes, baby she’s just a plaything and so are you my love!

Hold me by Sheila E

Sheila getting all sultry and thangs!

If you don’t remember this one, I’d advise that you get to googling ‘cause it was the shit!

I’m Bad by LL Cool J

I had to throw this one in as a dedication to my high school sweetheart!

You gotta give it to LL!  He wrecked the joint with this one.

“…I’m too bad for ya…understand?”

How many times has Lady G had to say that?

All in the name of love by Atlantic Starr

I’ll tell you upfront that I’m a diehard Sharon Bryant fan but the pretty Queen Diva singing this song did an excellent  job with ole handsome what’s his name!

You know..one of them Lewis boys with the pretty eyes.

Anyway, get this jam in your life!

YAAAASSSS!

“All in the name of love between me and you.”

“You and me, we’re overdue for getting together baby…”

Don’t be lonely by Cameo

“Don’t be lonely you’re not the only one who feels the way you do.”

Larry and his pared down Cameo is still on fire.

Go on without you by Shirley Murdock

Never again, will I let you go, now that you’re home
I missed you so, I love you forever
‘Cause you’ve earned my love
And I just wanna say it’s because of you, I’m wiser now

BAYBEE! When Queen Diva Shirley hit that “because of you,” she shut it down!

Down!

DOWN!

Google it!

But wait until you finish this!

Baby be mine by Miki Howard

“You never really got to know me!”

I just simply CANNOT with Queen Diva Miki!

NOPE! She KILT it!

I’m ‘bout to log off!

See y’all in paradise

Gone.

DEAD!

I need you tonight by INXS

INXS! YAAASSS, the white boys are in the house.

Lady G and the white boys always got along well.

Just ask some of her old classmates!

Hell, that should come as no surprise.  Your girl got friends all over the damn rainbow!

Anyway, this was one of my pop jams right ‘chere!

Every drop of your love by Stacy Lattisaw

Yes ma’am Queen Diva Stacy!

She DID that on this jam!

Just gets better with time by The Whispers

Another group that kept it coming through all of the decades!

Timeless!

But do you really think that both Walter and Scottie are singing at the same time?

They sound like ONE phenomenal dude to me!

Just want to tell you how I’m feeling inside

like I’ve been walking (cloud number 9)

Your love is rare and like the finest of wine

It just gets better with time

Said, it just gets better with time

Falling in love by The Fat Boys

At first, Lady G was a bit apprehensive about listening to a love song by some rappers, but the beat and the melody just cannot be denied!

“Fallin’ in love is a serious thing to do…before you fall in love make sure that love is true!”

I’d rock it right now TODAY–If it were an instrumental.

Just sayin.’

Rainy night by Chico DeBarge 

Lawd!  Tommy on “Martin” had me dying when he said, “Pretty Chico what dey called him!”

Well Chile this is one of Pretty Bobby DeBarge’s baby brothers!

He had longer hair than most women and this joker did NOT disappoint!  He could sing just like the rest of them DeBarge kids!  Queen Mother Etterlene DeBarge blessed them babies with some major TALENT!

Chico cut up with this one!

Sid and Oscar Productions

Side B

Track 7

Anyway, Lady G ain’t gon’ address the whole DeBarge story.  Just suffice it to say, Chico had to cut that hair before he sat down for them couple, two or three years.

“I wanna kiss the spot that makes you hot.”

Aww damn Chico!

Again, the witching hour is approaching!  We running up on twelve o’clock kids!

Well, 1987, let me say that I love you; you taught me a whole lot!  Peace to you!

Friends, be sure to meet me in comments to share your favorite memories and jams from 1987!

Next Thursday:  My Jams ’88