Here is one of my all-time favorite songs. It was released in 1994 by the duo Jam & Spoon. Sadly, half of the duo (Mark Spoon) died in 2006 from a heart attack at the age of 39. They made some of the most beautiful techno music ever!
Jam & Spoon - Right In The Night
Also from 1994, here is a song from another favorite duo of mine, Tokyo Ghetto Pussy. After reading about Jam & Spoon on wikipedia, I found out they also released music under the pseudonym Tokyo Ghetto Pussy. I have loved both of these duos for 17 years and never knew they were the same people. LOL
I am a lover, not a fighter. And when it comes to music, my musical taste knows no limits. Since I grew up in a small farming community, country music was everywhere. As much as I hated country music while I was growing up, I actually like it now. The Dixie Chicks are my absolute favorite country band. I use country band loosely since the Dixie Chicks were disowned by the country music business for making a comment about Dubya. And in the end, Dubya had such a low approval rating, yet the Dixie Chicks still aren't allowed to play in the country music business games. All I can say to that, the country music is much sadder place without the wonderful Dixie Chicks. But on with this post....
The two sisters in the Dixie Chicks, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, are releasing a new album with the new name The Court Yard Hounds. One of the tracks is called, Ain't No Son. The song is about a gay son who comes out to his homophobic father and is disowned. The bluegrass intro to the song is the son saying he wants to talk to his dad. The rest of the song is more rock like and is the angry father disowning the son. It is a very powerful song. But at the same time, it is also a very sad song knowing that this is happening all over.
Here is what Emily Robinson said recently in an interview about the song:
"I turned the TV on, and it was A&E or one of those documentary kind of shows about these poor teenage kids who are devastated that their parents won't let 'em stay in the house because they found out they were gay," she explains. The lines, 'You ain't no son to me/Eight pound baby boy I bounced on my knee' were around from the very beginning. That idea, how can you have kids and love them so much and one day decide not to -- it just boggled my mind."
"Ain't No Son" by the Court Yard Hounds
I've got something to say
I'm scared and so afraid
Can you take me as I am
Come what may our blood is all the same
I'm still your little man
He said you ain't no son to me
You ain't no son to me
Eight pound baby boy I bounced on my knee
No, you ain't no son of mine
You ain't no son of mine
Aw, forget it girls there ain't no use in trying
Don't expect to get my love for free
And don't blame me
Well this ain't no fun for me
This ain't no fun for me
Oh boys should be boys
That's how it should be
You ain't coming home
No you ain't coming home
Til you walk the straight line
You'll be out on your own
Don't expect to save your soul for free
When you're the one who turned your back on me
Aren't you a sight to see
Yeah, you're a sight to see
What you call freedom makes you look like a freak
You must get around
Cause it sure got around
Don't you know that I can't show my face in this town
Don't think I'm gonna get you up off of me
When you're the one who turned your back on me
Stranger, stranger on the wall
When the neighbors come to call
I just don't know what to say
So I'll put you away
This time I won't leave a trace
I'll fill up the empty space
When I put you, I put you away
I put you away
He said you ain't no son to me
You ain't no son to me
Eight pound baby boy I bounced on my knee
No, you ain't no son of mine
You ain't no son of mine
Aw, forget it girls there ain't no use in trying
Don't expect to get my love for free
When you're the one who turned your back on me
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
Shame on you
Shame on you
Shame on you
Matt Alber is back again with remixes of his beautiful song End of the World. He re-recorded the vocals for both of these awesome mixes. This song is still one of my favorite songs ever. And both of these remixes are available on iTunes.
Matt Alber - End of the World
Saul Ruiz Club Mix
Matt Alber - End of the World
Morgan Page Pop Mix Extended Remix
Matt Alber - End of the World
I don’t want to ride this roller coaster I think I want to get off But they buckled me down Like it’s the end of the world If you don’t want to have this conversation Then you better get out Cause we’re climbing to our death At least that’s what they want you to think Just in case we jump the track I have a confession to make It’s something like a cork screw
I don’t wanna fall, I don’t wanna fly I don’t wanna be dangled over The edge of a dying romance But I don’t wanna stop I don’t wanna lie I don’t wanna believe it’s over I just wanna stay with you tonight
I didn’t mean to scream out quite so loudly When we screeched to a halt I’m just never prepared For the end of the ride Maybe we should get on something simpler Like a giant balloon But I’ve got two tickets left, and so do you Instead of giving them away to some stranger Let’s make them count, come on Let’s get back in line again and ride the big one
Don’t you want to fall, don’t you want to fly Don’t you want to be dangled over The edge of this aching romance If it’s gonna end, then I wanna know That we squeezed out every moment But if there’s nothing left can you tell me why That it is you’re holding onto me Like it’s the end of the world
Boy George is getting ready to release a new single, Amazing Grace, which is simply AMAZING! This song/video are stunning in their graphics and melody.
Click the link to see the video. The video cannot be embedded currently.
it was just another ordinary day,
how could you know your life was going to change,
forget about tomorrow,
don't be a slave to time,
because life is in the moment
I remember the first time I heard Culture Club and Boy George. I was in 10th grade, and my geometry teacher (who was a great guy) couldn't believe they would let a guy who dressed like that on television. All I can say is, thank God we have changed that much! Boy George is an amazing song writer/singer. While his post-Culture Club music hasn't been the most "top of the charts", the music has such emotion and feeling. He is a very gifted story teller.
Here is a new remake of Michael Jackson's Thriller done by Imogen Heap. She slowed it way down. I have never been a very big MJ fan, but Thriller was a pretty good song. BUT, and you should notice that is a BIG BUT, this version is awesome! It gives the song a whole new spin.
This video is of a remix of the song that possessed my friend, Jeff, and I through the end of the 80's and all of the 90's. We first heard this song sometime in 1989. The local gay bar had 1 copy of the song. Jeff fell in love with this song first. I don't remember hearing it, but he kept raving about this song. We had no idea who it was singing. Even worse, we never heard the song anywhere else. The dj that was working that night was no help either.
A few months later, they played the song again. I heard the song this time and I also was in love. Luckily, the dj was more cooperative and gave us the artist's name. Unfortunately, the only copy they had of this song came from a music mixing company. They only sold their music to dj's and nightclubs. This began 12 years of hell for us!
The problem was that this song just didn't exsist in the U.S. Or at least, we couldn't find any existence of the song. Another problem we had is we weren't sure of the exact spelling of her name. Ankie Bagger isn't exactly a typical name. We were constantly visiting every record store we could find and looking for variations of how we thought her name would be spelled. Not only could we not find her music anywhere, nobody had ever heard of her either. Finally coming to the conclusion that we would never find a record or cd of hers, we started religiously looking through the compilation collections. We figured this was our best bet on finding this song.
During the early 2000's, Jeff and I both became fans of "music sharing" Peer-to-Peer (P2P) websites. We both started with Napster before it was taken away. We also tried a few other places that would last a while before they would close down. At each one of these sites, the first song we would look for was always Where Were You Last Night. It wasn't until we discovered a new P2P site that we finally stumbled upon our own holy grail. I remember typing in her name when I started using the latest P2P program. The first few months, nothing would show up. But one day, on a whim, I typed her name in again. And VOILA! Not only did the song show up once, it showed up TWICE! Two different people had the song! After more than 12 years, we had found that elusive song that had escaped us for so long!
I don't remember who found what. But between Jeff and me, one of us had found the original version and a few days later, the other one had found the remix version. We later found out the song had even been remade by another band. But, the original by Ankie will always be that song that drove us crazy. And I dedicate this song to Jeff, who would have turned 40 earlier this month. Whenever I play this song, I always think of the great times we shared. And I always remember all of the time we spent in record stores searching for some woman named Ankie.
So it is 8 days...I lied! LOL Here are 2 great videos. The first is from when Absolutely Fabulous was the rage. Pet Shop Boys - Absolutely Fabulous
This next one is the PSB's performance at the Brit Awards 2009, right after they accepted the Outstanding Contribution To Music award. Look for Lady Gaga (singing Dusty Springfield's part) and Brandon Flowers (from the Killers) singing my fave It's A Sin. Pet Shop Boys - MegaMix performed live at the Brit Awards 2009
Luv ya guys, I am in Milwaukee watching PSB! Eat your hearts out. And do you choose the hard or soft option?
Here is the last set of videos leading up to me seeing the PSB concert in Milwaukee.
Here are the top 2 of my favorite PSB songs. Both songs definitely have to do with being different (gay). The first, It's A Sin, has always been my number 1 song. This video is of them live in concert in Rio. I love this version, it also includes some of I Will Survive. Those 2 songs fit perfectly together! Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin
The second is my favorite song from Very. Pet Shop Boys - Can You Forgive Her
Here is the sixth set of videos leading up to me seeing the PSB concert in Milwaukee.
Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done To Deserve This
And continuing with their remakes of other great songs, here is their version of a Village People song. This is from the 1994 Brit Awards performed with the world famous Llanelli Male Voice Choir. Pet Shop Boys - Go West
Here is the second set of videos leading up to the PSB concert in Milwaukee.
This was the first release from their latest album, Yes. (Does anybody still call them albums???) Recently, they have had some mediocre releases, but they did an excellent job with Yes! Pet Shop Boys - Love Etc.
This video features Little Britain performing as the Pet Shop Boys. The song supposedly is about George W. Bush and Tony Blair's relationship. Pet Shop Boys - I'm With Stupid
1 week from tonight, I will be in Milwaukee to see the Pet Shop Boys. I last saw them in 2002, and while that show was very laid back from their usual concerts, I was still in awe.
Over the next 7 days, I am going to post some of my favorite PSB videos. Here is the song that started my PSB infatuation. This was the very first PSB song I ever heard. Of course, it was their biggest hit ever in the US. I discovered both PSB and Erasure around the same time. I wasn't even completely out to myself at the time, and I had no idea about either PSB or Erasure at the time. In fact, it would many years later before I would find out about their gayness. And who says gaydar doesn't exsist. It worked for me, even when I couldn't admit I was gay. Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
And this is one song that has always kept a strange musical power over me. For whatever reason, I have always loved this song since the first time I listened to Introspective. It is definitely not the best song ever released, but all the same, I am always in love with it. Pet Shop Boys - I Want A Dog
Check out this version of Toto's "Africa". This is done without any instruments or any synthesizers. And yes, it includes the rain and thunder. The thunderstorm is very well done! The song is done by Perpetuum Jazzile, a jazz choir from Slovenia.
Okay, this is a stretch for St. Patrick's Day, but here it goes. In the 80's I was totally in love with U2. Joshua Tree was by far one of my favorite albums at the time. So when the Pet Shop Boys released their version of Where the Streets Have No Name in 1991, I was totally in love. An excellent song being remade by one of my new favorite bands. I first discovered PSB's version from their Discography album. I had just came out a few years earlier and was discovering my new found sexuality. Pet Shop Boys were bing played all the time at the bar and this was one of the great PSB songs being played all the time. So first up, here is PSB's remake of Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You).
And one last stab at 80's/90's dance music with an Irish twist, here is Baltimora singing Tarzan Boy. The song was released in 1985, but it didn't hit the charts here until 1986, eventually peaking at #13 in March, 1986. Even though Baltimora was actually an Italian group, the frontman of the act was Jimmy McShane from Ireland. Even though Jimmy McShane is seen in the video and did all of the performances, he was NOT the singer. Music producer and musician, Maurizio Bassi, is the one that was the vocals behind Baltimora. Baltimora is considered a one-hit act even though they did have a few other songs that skimmed into the Top 100 of a few countries. Unfotunately, Jimmy McShane died in 1995.
I remember hearing both Chains of Love and A Little Respect while I was in college. I immediately fell in love with Erasure. This was about the same time that I started dealing with my own sexuality. Both of the songs really hit home with me. Erasure just put out a new release, Total Pop! - the First 40 Hits.
Here is their first hit, Oh L'Amour. This is the video remix from Total Pop!.
I first posted about Matt Alber and his AMAZING song/video on January 27, 2009. Since then, it has become #1 internet search link for my blog. So I thought I would post a little more about the song. I still listen to this song every day. I really urge you to buy his CD, Hide Nothing.
He recently (February 23, 2009) performed lived at the Defying Inequality on Broadway. It was an event held to raise money for the marriage equality rights. They raised over $400,000! The list of performers is included after the jump.
Here is what Matt Alber says about performing at Defying Inequality:
I was invited to perform my song at Broadway's benefit concert for marriage equality on Feb. 23rd, 2009,
alongside the likes of Ellen Degeneres, Harvey Fierstein, Keith Olberman, Carson Kressley, Stephen Schwartz and Cyndi Lauper. The event raised over $400,000 for the fight for equal rights. (tidbit: When I walked off the stage Linda Carter (aka Wonder Woman) kissed me and gave me her phone number.)
LYNDA CARTER! Damn, I have been in love with her every since I watched Wonder Woman as a kid.
Performers at Defying Inequality on Broadway, February 23, 2009
Cyndi Lauper
Stephen Shwartz
Marc Shaiman
Matt Alber
Shoshana Bean
Douglas Carter Beane
PJ Benjamin
Mike Birbiglia
Stephanie J. Block
Tamara Braun
Daniel Breaker
Lisa Brescia
Kerry Butler
Lynda Carter
Gavin Creel
Harvey Fierstein
Jane Fonda
John Gallagher, Jr.
Malcolm Gets
Judy Gold
Jonathon Groff
Jayne Houdyshell
Crystal Hunt
Mark Indelicato
Allison Janney
Capathia Jenkins
Carson Kressley
Nathan Lane
Leigh Ann Larkin
Adriane Lenox
Rue McClanahan
Phyllis Newman
Kelli O'Hara
Keith Olbermann
Nicole Parker
David Hyde Pierce
Billy Porter
Christine C. Quinn
Seth Rudetsky
Sherri Saum
Rev. Al Sharpton
Carole Shelley
Christopher Sieber
Doug Spearman
Sally Struthers
Tamara Tunie
Michael Urie
Scott Wittman
Also the cast/members of
Sesame Street
Billy Elliot
The Color Purple
Gypsy
Hair
Jersey Boys
The Lion King
The Little Mermaid
Mamma Mia!
South Pacific
Spring Awakening
Wicked
Laughing Pizza
Don't Quit Your Night Job
The Broadway Boys
NYC's Gay Men's Chorus
Here is the video of this Deborah Harry hit from 1989. Of course, by hit I mean dance song. I remember dancing to this song on top of the speakers at C-Street (for those of you who have been to what used to be one of the best dance bars in Illinois!) Deborah Harry, as the lead singer of Blondie, is one of the best pop/punk singers ever.
Here is the video for the song. Deborah Harry as a vampire! EXCELLENT! This is the video that was posted on Boy Culture. I had never seen the video before, but I love it. Definitely from the 80's. Boy Culture also posted that the song was written by the two main singers from the Thompson Twins. I never knew that.
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