Saturday, October 11, 2003
Still working on the "dance classics" project. Thanks for all your suggestions, and keep 'em coming (use the Comment box, if you'd be so kind).
This week's downloads are now up (to your right), and they're both on the list.
Diana Ross came back big time in the late '70s once she embraced dance music - not simplistic, tacky disco, but dance music with strings, horns, and passion behind it, expertly written and produced. Two of her big hits pre-diana were "No One Gets The Prize" and "The Boss." Motown, in a genius move, had the two songs mixed together expressly for discotheque consumption, and the resulting 12" was one of the biggest dancefloor hits of 1979. For the first time ever, it's now available on a Diana CD, on the bonus disc to the diana: Deluxe Edition, just released - full of one dance classic after another.
Most people know Luther Vandross as a balladeer, but when he revs up and lets loose, he makes some sterling dancefloor tracks, as well - all the way back to Change's "The Glow of Love," sampled by Janet on "All For You." [Did you know that Luther also sang backup for Bowie in the '70s on hits such as "Young Americans" and "Fame"?] In 1998, for his first album on Virgin, I Know, Luther decided to toss the kids in the clubs a bone - and what a burnished-gold bone it is. "Are You Using Me?" is cowritten and produced by Masters at Work, and bears their signature stamp of funky guitar, swirling strings, and lush backing vocals. The best part, however, is that this scrumptuous musical sundae is topped by those perfect pipes of Vandross. It appears here in its Masters at Work Mix, extended from the album version. Masters at Work = classic. Luther Vandross = classic. MAW + Luther = need I really say more?
Additions to the list:
1. 808 State - Pacific (6:28)
4. Basement Jaxx - Miracles Keep On Playin' (Red Alert Remix) (5:56)
7. Bob Sinclar - I Feel For You (6:03)
9. Chaka Khan - I Know You, I Live You (Tony Humphries Mix) (7:47)
11. Daft Punk - One More Time (single edit) (3:54)
17. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit (13:12)
18. GQ - Disco Nights (Rock-Freak) (3:57)
20. Indeep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (5:40)
21. Janet Jackson - Throb (4:35)
28. Machine - There But For The Grace Of God (7:12)
29. Madonna - Deeper And Deeper (4:54)
32. Moby - Everytime You Touch Me (Beatmasters 7" Mix) (3:52)
35. Odyssey - Native New Yorker (5:29)
39. Real McCoy - Come and Get Your Love (3:14)
40. RuPaul - Supermodel (You Better Work) (3:59)
46. The Gap Band - Early In The Morning (3:57)
47. The Gap Band - You Dropped A Bomb On Me (4:06)
[Can't decide which Gap Band track to go with!]
Subtractions:
13. Fela Kuti & Africa '70 - Africa - Centre of the World (17:31)
19. Linda Clifford - Runaway Love (MAW rmx) (5:54)
28. René & Angela - I'll Be Good (7:25)
Still can't decide on Prince's "I Wanna Be Your Lover"... not sure just how danceable it is. But there's gotta be a Prince song on the list, right? Also, as you can see, I did add a Madonna track; I'd somehow forgotten how undeniable "Deeper and Deeper" is.
This week's downloads are now up (to your right), and they're both on the list.
Diana Ross came back big time in the late '70s once she embraced dance music - not simplistic, tacky disco, but dance music with strings, horns, and passion behind it, expertly written and produced. Two of her big hits pre-diana were "No One Gets The Prize" and "The Boss." Motown, in a genius move, had the two songs mixed together expressly for discotheque consumption, and the resulting 12" was one of the biggest dancefloor hits of 1979. For the first time ever, it's now available on a Diana CD, on the bonus disc to the diana: Deluxe Edition, just released - full of one dance classic after another.
Most people know Luther Vandross as a balladeer, but when he revs up and lets loose, he makes some sterling dancefloor tracks, as well - all the way back to Change's "The Glow of Love," sampled by Janet on "All For You." [Did you know that Luther also sang backup for Bowie in the '70s on hits such as "Young Americans" and "Fame"?] In 1998, for his first album on Virgin, I Know, Luther decided to toss the kids in the clubs a bone - and what a burnished-gold bone it is. "Are You Using Me?" is cowritten and produced by Masters at Work, and bears their signature stamp of funky guitar, swirling strings, and lush backing vocals. The best part, however, is that this scrumptuous musical sundae is topped by those perfect pipes of Vandross. It appears here in its Masters at Work Mix, extended from the album version. Masters at Work = classic. Luther Vandross = classic. MAW + Luther = need I really say more?
Additions to the list:
1. 808 State - Pacific (6:28)
4. Basement Jaxx - Miracles Keep On Playin' (Red Alert Remix) (5:56)
7. Bob Sinclar - I Feel For You (6:03)
9. Chaka Khan - I Know You, I Live You (Tony Humphries Mix) (7:47)
11. Daft Punk - One More Time (single edit) (3:54)
17. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit (13:12)
18. GQ - Disco Nights (Rock-Freak) (3:57)
20. Indeep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (5:40)
21. Janet Jackson - Throb (4:35)
28. Machine - There But For The Grace Of God (7:12)
29. Madonna - Deeper And Deeper (4:54)
32. Moby - Everytime You Touch Me (Beatmasters 7" Mix) (3:52)
35. Odyssey - Native New Yorker (5:29)
39. Real McCoy - Come and Get Your Love (3:14)
40. RuPaul - Supermodel (You Better Work) (3:59)
46. The Gap Band - Early In The Morning (3:57)
47. The Gap Band - You Dropped A Bomb On Me (4:06)
[Can't decide which Gap Band track to go with!]
Subtractions:
13. Fela Kuti & Africa '70 - Africa - Centre of the World (17:31)
19. Linda Clifford - Runaway Love (MAW rmx) (5:54)
28. René & Angela - I'll Be Good (7:25)
Still can't decide on Prince's "I Wanna Be Your Lover"... not sure just how danceable it is. But there's gotta be a Prince song on the list, right? Also, as you can see, I did add a Madonna track; I'd somehow forgotten how undeniable "Deeper and Deeper" is.
# posted by Thomas : 11:36 AM
