My Long-Term Love for Baltimore Club

Call it what you want: nasty, stupid, repetitive, violent, ignorant, degrading, annoying, I don't care what you call it, I still love true Baltimore club and have since the very first mixes I heard in middle school in the early '90s.


Perhaps, its an acquired taste of mainly B-More natives but there is just nothing that comes close to those beats and basslines for me when it comes to dancing and anytime I hear it, no matter where I am, I cannot help but bumping my shoulders to the beat (and you're lucky if I don't drop down and get a full eagle on!).


Ever since high school, when I wasn't old enough to get into the clubs, I relied on 92.Q's 9 o'clock mix with DJ's Boobie, Miss Tony and K Swift to bring me the latest beats. Me and my best friend at the time would practice our dance moves (for when we could actually get into the clubs) or for the opportunities to inpress our friends in school. It was just a great love for me. And though I'm getting much older and out of the actual club scene these days, I still love and appreciate the genre and hope it stays strong and grows.

My old favorites are The Perculator, Doo Doo Brown, Get Ya Guns Out, Shake That Ass Girl, Charlie Brown, The Drill Company, Zulu and so many more I can't even name. I actually made a list once in high school and got up to over 100 club song titles.
I hope it never dies but gains more respect in time.







RIP DJ K Swift, a favorite of mine since high school.

What Ever Happened to Jody Watley?

Homegirl was the ish back in the '80s. She had the look, the dance moves, the fashion. I remember wanting big hoops earrings just like she had and still rock them til this day. I also remember thinking that was all her hair and being fascinated but how she can attain such a head of hare (I was naive in the '80's). And the hoop skirts she used to dance around in. I think I was more into her look than anything else.

It seems her career began to cool off in the early '90s, though she continued putting out albums well after that, puttnig out her last album in 2006, apparently.

Jody Watley on Wikipedia

My Favorite Musicals

I love musicals. Most of the ones I see anyway. I'm the dork who not only watches a musical but I get involved with them, try to learn the dance moves, the lyrics to every song and will go out a buy a soundtrack to listen to in my car. Yes, I am that music dork. One of my dreams has always been to star in a musical. Hey, I can still dream, right?

Chicago

Saw this movie before I saw it on stage and was blown away by the effects, the songs and dancing. Helluva storyline too, I have this soundtrack on CD and will belt it out in the car.

Character I'd Love to Play: Velma during the intro, Roxie throughout and most of the cellblock chicks during their number "He Had it Coming."

RENT

This one took me a bit to get. I saw the movie and wasn't impressed. Then saw it on stage, still kinda meh. But some songs kinda stuck in my head and I rented it again. Slowly, I became a fan. But unlike most musicals, I'm not in love with every song but the few I love "Out Tonight", "Seasons of Love" and "No Day But Today" make it worthwhile.

Character I'd Love to Play: Mimi, the HIV+, heroin-addicted, Spanish, stripper junkie. What else!?

Annie

Fell in LOVE with this musical as a kid, so much in fact, I used to try and ditch my parents in the mall in the hope of becoming an orphan so I could run the streets, singing songs just like they did. Every song is my favorite. Haven't yet seen it on stage. One day.

Character I'd Love to Play: Annie, of course!

Grease

Who doesn't love Grease? Seriously! No reason to even explain, this is one of the best musicals ever!! Never saw it on stage but its coming to Bmore in 2009 and I plan on getting my tix.

Character I'd Love to Play- Sandy for most but Rizzo since I could relate more to her.

The Lion King

*sigh* I need to grab some tissues even time I even think about this musical because it always brings me to tears. Twice I've seen it on stage abd there is just something overwhelming about the story of Simba and Mufasa and the African costumes, song and dance and how the animals come to life that just brings me to tears. My all-time favorite stage play.

Character I'd Love to Play: None, I'd rather watch, it is so good.

Little Shop of Horrors

Another childhood favorite, I've never seen this on the stage but know every single song in the movie (and most of the dances).

Characters I'd Love to Play: The Do-Wop girls


The Wiz

Now this one falls into a different class. I actually don't like this movie and can't recommend it but the Quincy Jones produced soundtrack is worth a listen. Every song, really is very good including "Home" "He's the Wiz", "Slide Some Oil to Me" and the gospel song "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News". Never saw the stage play and am honestly not interested. But the soundtrack, great peice of work.

Character I'd Love to Play: The Scarecrow just to sing "You Can't Win"


Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Based off my all-time favorite childhood book, I saw this movie very late at 14 years old trying to entertain my neice and got caught up in it myself. Funny, cause it seems like this movie and the Ooompa Looompas have made some sort of comeback in recent years and you see them in the media a lot. But it really is a cute movie with great songs. I even hear the song "Cheer Up Charlie" in my head at times when I'm feeling a lil down. Gene Wilder at his finest!

Character I'd Love to Play: Veruca Salt, just to sing "I Want it Now"

The Enchanting Minnie Riperton

I stumbled up on this video of a live performance of her hit song Loving You on YouTube and I was blown away. I mean we all know she can hit that crazy high note but to see live footage of her singing the entire song with such ease and switching it up a bit just gave me chills and showed me what an exceptional vocalist she was and what extreme talent she had. So tragic that she passed away at such an early age (31).

Watch this video until the end. Her range is astounding.

Favorite Video of the Moment

I know you all will be thinking, girl get off Beyonce's bra strap but believe me, I was not feeling this song the first tome I heard it and I still think it sounds very much like Get Me Bodied.

BUT, the video, however, I think is nearly brilliant. Granted she borrowed the idea from another, but I think the simple white background featuring her and 2 bootylicious dancers, along with her tight choreography (I'm a sucker for good choreography) made this one stick in my head for days.



And I was thinking if I could learn some of that dance, that would be a workout right there!

Favorite TV Theme Songs

Diff'rent Strokes
No surprise here. Who doesn't like this theme song. I remember thinking the line 'they got nothing but their jeans" was just sad. Like why point out just how poor they were? I also didn't get why there were different versions but I preferred the one where they ended it by singing.
Mmmmmm.

The Jeffersons
This is my favorite song to sing when I'm moving up in the world and it doesn't matter where cause I'll still sing "to the eastside...in the deluxe apartment in the skyy-yy-yy. But who does not get some spirit and clap along to this:

Fish don’t fry in the kitchen;
Beans don’t burn on the grill.
Took a
whole lotta tryin’ just to get up that hill.
Now we’re up in the big
leagues.
Gettin’ our turn at bat.
As long as we live, it’s you and me
baby
There ain’t nothin wrong with that.

Family Ties
I remember watching this show and thinking all white families, all over the US were like the Keatons; upper middle class, two-parented households, happy, balanced, well cared for. What else did I have to go by? I barely knew real white kids growing up and the ones I did seemed to be just like them. It was just sweet, loving kind of song. Sha la la la.

Taxi
I reluctantly watched this show when I was little ('twas a bit too grown up for me) but I did like the jazzy, smooth theme song. It's no wonder some hip hop or R&B producer hasn't yet caught on and remixed this in a current song.

The Wonder Years
Ahhhh. One of the best. When this came on, I stopped what I was doing to stare at the screen and sing along. I actually have this on my iTunes and the full-length version is even better. Good soulful stuff!

The Greatest American Hero

Look at what's happened to me, I can't believe it myself. Suddenly I'm up on top of the world,

It should've been somebody else.

When I saw Fahrenheit 9/11 some years back, they played this song over a montage of our dear President Bush and I totally forgot I even knew the song and sang along to every word. Me and other people in the theater. I barely even remember the show, just this theme.

Welcome Back Kotter
Another on on my iTunes, I just think this is a great tune.

Golden Girls
I almost forgot about this one. Cause how and their momma ('cept mine) didn't like this song. I still know all the words and will put my own R&B flow to it.

Three's Company
(sorry, couldn't find the link)
Best known for its '70's 'wah wah' guitar intro, you just can't sing this theme song without smiling. And thinking of Jack Tripper. Oh how I loved this show.

Cheers
Classic! And probably my favorite. This was one of my favorite TV shows from the 80's and there as just a familiar, comfortable feeling when this show was on, like I was among friends (damn, that sounded corny, huh?)Nevertheless, I always hoped to have my own neighborhood bar to go to just like Cheers, wherever everybody knew my name.

Honorable Mention:
All in the Family -just classic
Sandford & Son -makes me think of junkyards and garbage, very '70s
Different World - always sang along
Hawaii Five-O - never watched a single episode but loved to dance to it, then cut it off.

Artists You'd Be Surprised I Listen To

No Doubt

I was a college freshman when I first saw the video for Spiderwebs. It stuck in my head and since I was nearly dying for some new experiences in the new college world I found myself in, I decided to take a chance and buy their CD. Felt like a big step for me since it was nearly rock and I was not a rock fan. But I became completely consumed with their ska sound and front-women Gwen Stefani's personal style. Been a huge fan ever since. I own every album and have seen them in concert. Oh how I miss them. Gwen go back! Do another ND album!

Prodigy

Another find, during my open-minded college days, Prodigy was introduced to me by a guy I met in college (and had a hot thing for). It sounded dangerous, rebellious, crazy, insane and just listening to it made me feel like I could go crazy (which I secretly wanted to). I still have to watch myself driving to this as it makes me speed like crazy.

Queen

I first heard We Are the Champions at the end of Revenge of the Nerds (one of my favorite 80's movies). Then heard Bohemian Rhapsody in Wayne's World. Then heard Don't Stop Me Now in another favorite movie, Shaun of the Dead (see a pattern here) and that was it. I became a Queen fan. More great songs came after.

Gorillaz

Can't even say why I got into them but I saw the video for Clint Eastwood and I was intrigued. Such a simple beat but haunting and amusing video.

Citizen Cope

Citizen Cope was introduced to me on a very first, memorable date. The next day I had to know who was that soulful, enchanting voice I'd listened to. 2 months later, I was at his show, 2 days into a flu but sangin' along. So underrated, Cope brings so much heart to his songs and lyrics.

Lily Allen

This is another rare time that I bought an album after seeing one video, Smile. Lily Allen's stuff is just fun. With songs about her little brother smoking weed, trying to get club head men out of her face ("I've got herpes"), gloating about how her exes pain makes her smile and oh yeah he never once gave her an orgasm, what is there here not to like!

Zero 7

In spring of 2002, during a rough period on my life, a video called Destiny came on MTV and it comforted me, though I can't explain why. The melody went right along with my sullen mood and I sang along for weeks before I bought the entire album Simple Things. I was delighted by the rest of it. Each song sounded carefully crafted. True works of art, in my book and I keep hunting down more by them.

Bon Jovi

Crazy, huh? Though I was an MTV-head as a kid, I despised hair bands and Bon Jovi. Flash forward to maybe 2006, I'm at Howl at the Moon with friends, drinking and having a ball when this comes on. A friend, who was drinking heavier than I began wailing to this song, cracking me up! It then became an instant classic for me and suddenly I think I got it. The whole hair band thing.

New Kids on the Block

Let me be clear, I used to be a huge fan...when I was 12. Blame it on my cousin from Connecticut who came down to stay for the summer and was in love with Joe McIntyre. I think within a week of her influence, I was then also hooked on Donnie Wahlberg. And it was fun, the whole New Kids thing. Can't say I'm feeling their music now but they have a special place in my music history.

Degrading Songs You'll Still Catch Me Bouncing To

I typically don't like what I consider songs that degrade women, but every now and then a beat comes along and I'll be in the club and it gets me. And there I'll be wiggling hips like some video ho!

Get Low - LiL John & The Eastside Boys
This song has everything. My favorite lines: can I play with your pantyline? Stop! Then wiggle with it YEAH! Back, back, back it up AHHH!

Back That Ass Up- Juvenile
A song like this can turn a seemingly nice girl into a total freak. Sadly, it almost got me too! Favorite line- brrrr drummer chick!

Hoochie Mama - 2 Live Crew
Anybody remember The Jukebox network in Bmore in the late 80's? 2 Live Crew was in regular rotation and served to poison my young middle school mind.

Me So Horny -2 Live Crew
I was in the 6th grade when this came out and I knew it was dirty and made women look nasty and yet I sang along with the rest of my friends. Still a classic in my book. Me love you long time!

I Wanna Rock- Luke Campbell
The epitome stripper's song (in my opinion). I know for a fact that as long as I can still bump to this song I will never be homeless or starving. I can make some money if it came to it!....................(just jokes.............kinda!)

Favorite Hip Hop Artists

Jay Z

Mmmm, there is just something about his swagger, the tone of his voice and they way he delivers his lyrics that make me forgive the fact that he looks like a walrus and wanna be a big stanky groupie in his entourage. I feel him. Even when he's calling women b*tches (which I normally am not fond of), and telling girls to change clothes then go, his catchy hooks and bumpin' beats make me forgive and forget...then download.

A Tribe Called Quest

So subtle and so chill, they had me at Left My Wallet at El Segundo. Loving Q-Tip's mellow voice, they just give off some a chill vibe. I could listen to them for days and bonus, actually learn lyrics! They do no harm in my book.

Eminem

Whooo boy! Well I'm going to swing past being a typical girl by pointing out how sexy I find him but this white boy can rhyme like no other. When My Name Is came out, I honeslty thought it was a joke, little did I know he was going to come out the game as hard as he did.

Missy Elliott

Her lyrics are just CRAZY! I love how she's not afraid to make fun of herself, say outlandish things like spitting a loogie in someone's mouth and her beats (with Timbaland's production) is just bananas. You will always catch me bumpin' hips to her stuff. It's just fun and damned original.

Salt-n-Pepa

As a child of the 80's, how can I not be a fan. When Push It dropped, my 8 year old self felt like it was rap for girls. and I danced and sang along with their stuff through the early 90's. Nothing but good times there.

Outkast

Nothing but good stuff here. They just jumped straight out the box with their southern-influenced hip hop but that danceable beats I like. I still rock Ms. Jackson and Rosa Parks on my iPod on the regular.

LL Cool J

Again, not going to dwell on how FOINE he is, but going back to the '80s, he was a pioneer in hip hop blending street sounds with playboy good looks. I wasn't a fan until I heard I Need Love and saw a softer side to him. He made me wanna be an Around the Way Girl and a Jingling Baby with a Big 'Ol Butt', climb in the backseat of his jeep and be a Hey Lover. And he's still going. And still looking good.

Honorable Mention to:

• Lupe Fiasco- I'm loving what I'm hearing so far
  
• Beastie Boys- for Paul Revere
• Lauren Hill- probably the best damn female MC ever
• Run DMC
  
• Notorious BIG

Why This Blog?

I used to buy my faith in worship,

But then my chance to get to Heaven sli-i-pped
I used to worry about the future.

But then I threw my caution to the wind.

-"Canned Heat"- Jamiroquai

So why another blog? When the idea came to me it seemed like an epiphany. I'd been having a bit of blogger's block on my other blog for some strange reason; I would go weeks without having anything worthwhile to blog about or when I'd get an idea for a blog, by the time I found the time, the motivation was gone.

Then one night when I found myself up late, on iTunes, jamming some of my favorite songs, it occured to me: music. Music and my love of it and everything to do with it is something I could probably talk about and blog about forever. It's my passion, really. That night, I was up for hours thinking of all the topics I could cover and all the blogs I could write. I was excited!

So here it is. My blog devoted exclusively to all things music-related. The reason for the title? Anyone that knows me knows that I am non-religious (proud agnostic actually). There are few things in life that really, truly drive me and music is one (love being another).

So I've decided that music might as well be my religion as I've been and will always be a devoted follower.

That said, I pledge my devotion to all things music.

Hallelujah!