Disco Playlist: Thelma Houston: “Don’t Leave Me This Way”
Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way” starts seductively slow through its intro and first verse, only to be offset by a powerhouse chorus. These slow and fast moments create a beautiful balance, all while showcasing Houston’s passionate vocals to convey that necessary tone of desperation. Musically, the disco era embraced violin and bass as prominent instruments, and this track features both, providing another merge of classical meets club. Yet it’s when the tambourine comes in at the outro that the song is at its fullest, a perfect companion to the drums, poppin’ bass and Houston’s commanding vocal run.
Pop Playlist: Deee-Lite: “Deep Ending”
Shuffle through and land on just about any track on Deee-Lite’s World Clique album and it’ll be a good one. Such is the case with “Deep Ending,” which features a plethora of piano, plus an in-your-ears hi-hat, and other groovy, funky features for which the trio was renowned. A clever play on lyrics also runs through the track, as Lady Miss Kier goes from “I’m depending on you…” to “I’m deep-ending” to “I’m at the deep end,” as she sings of a relationship about to… end.
Pop Playlist: Sheena Easton: “For Your Eyes Only”
This theme song to the 1981 James Bond film, featured Sheena Easton on vocals and in the opening credits, the only singer to appear as part of these signature, silhouette-heavy sequences. Easton’s vocals are crisp; the song’s verses are soft and seductive, using the classic espionage phrase as a parallel to convey the love, devotion and “fantasy you freed in me/only for you.” By the chorus, Easton lets this classified secret out, only to hide in the shadows of those intentionally softer verses once again, confirming “For Your Eyes Only” as a smartly constructed track. (Other Poptimum picks from this sensational singer: “Morning Train” as sweet pop vocalist, but by mid-’80s steered toward “bad-girl” singer [“Strut”; “Sugar Walls,” written by Prince; “U Got the Look” with Prince].)
Bob Marley: “Three Little Birds”
The first verse of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” is so good, it just has to be repeated in the second. This sunny 1977 song, which paints a happy start to a new day, was originally featured on Exodus, and later appeared on Marley’s 1984 greatest-hits collection, Legend, which is one of those rare albums that, dare to be said, should be required in everyone’s music library. It’s hard-pressed not to feel better or even happier after listening to the track. The lyrics, “Don’t worry/about a thing/‘cause every little thing/gonna be alright” is the leading reason, plus the soothing sway that reggae can inspire doesn’t hurt either.
Label-Mate Legends Step Back in Time
BBC Radio 2’s festival in Hyde Park last weekend featured headliner, Kylie Minogue singing some selections from Golden, and some Kylie classics of course, to a massive crowd of (reportedly) 60,000. Jason Donovan joined Kylie on stage during “Especially for You,” and in another feel-good musical moment, Rick Astley and his still-phenomenal voice stepped out in front of a welcoming audience to sing “Never Gonna Give You Up,” and Kylie’s “I Should Be So Lucky,” with his former PWL label mate. Their harmony at “… gonna play/And if you ask me how I’m feeling” delivers all the feels. It’s a fun return to 1987 and the “hit factory” days, plus a reminder that true talent stands the test of time.
Neil Simon: The Write Stuff
The playwright and screenwriter, Neil Simon passed away today at the age of 91. Known for his smart, sharp tone, two (of the many) films easily considered required viewing: 1976’s Murder By Death; 1978’s California Suite.
Murder by Death is an homage to classic murder-mystery novels, features characters inspired by famous fictional detectives, gathered together at a creepy manor for dinner and a “lovely murder…” The cast is a collection of greats (David Niven; Alec Guinness; Maggie Smith, as high-society Dora Charleston; basically everyone in the movie). Here, Dick (played by Niven) and Dora arrive, greeted by a blind butler (Guinness). Simon’s witty writing is evident, and at times could be subtle, yet not any less hilarious. The fast-paced delivery only makes the lines even better, with Smith owning a fabulously deadpan punchline:
California Suite features four different stories that take place at a posh Los Angeles hotel. One of which serves as comedic commentary on Hollywood and awards shows, as Maggie Smith (yes, the same Smith) plays Diana Barrie, an English actress nominated for a Best Supporting Actress award, in town for the ceremony. (Smith actually won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for this role.) Every line Smith utters is gold, and the dialogue with Michael Caine is again fast-paced, like watching expert tennis players volley shots over a net. (Also of note: Jane Fonda’s Hannah, a bitter New Yorker visiting her happy-in-California ex-husband to discuss custody arrangements.) But here, Smith’s drunk Barrie returns to her hotel room after a long, disappointing night:
House of Pop: Mid-Century Modern & the Music Video
Turned to MTV Classic’s “House of Pop” today to find the video for Wilson Phillips’ 1990 hit, “Release Me.” This track once again highlighted the group’s pleasant harmonies, while the video showcased the legendary Stahl House in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. The home was designed by the architect, Pierre Koenig in 1959, and continues to be an icon of the mid-century-modern aesthetic (floor-to-ceiling glass; clean structural lines; orb lighting, to name a few features).
Disco Playlist: Donna Summer: “Spring Affair”
From “the first lady of love,” for the first day of spring, take a listen to Donna Summer’s “Spring Affair.” Released in 1976, it was part of her Four Seasons of Love album. The Giorgio Moroder/Pete Bellotte-produced track is the best way to welcome the new season.
Pop Playlist: The Cars: “Shake It Up”
Listen to The Cars’ 1981 hit, “Shake It Up,” in comparison to their late-70s material, and one can hear how the band did just that. With a sound that at first was more rock-oriented with tracks like “Just What I Needed,” “Good Times Roll,” You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” and “Moving In Stereo” (yes, the song that played over that Phoebe Cates scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High), “Shake It Up” is pure pop-new-wave. With the birth of the MTV/music-video generation beginning in 1981, Ric Ocasek and the band embraced this sound through the new decade, with pop-ballad, “Since You’re Gone,” and later with 1984’s Heartbeat City (“You Might Think”; “Hello Again”; “Magic”; “Drive”).
Get Up, Jeanie: Flashdance Scene Takes on Whole New Meaning
With all the figure skating on TV over the last two weeks, couldn’t help but think about 1983’s Flashdance. Jennifer Beals’ Alex, Pittsburgh welder by day, dancer in a bar by night, dreams of a bigger life. So too does Alex’s friend and co-worker, Jeanie, who is a figure skater by day, waitress in a bar by night. One memorable scene (of many) captures the pressure of becoming a professional athlete; the solitude of an ice skater under the spotlight; a reminder of how years of practice and sacrifice can come down to one performance. The scene features Laura Branigan’s 1982 hit, “Gloria”; it’s upbeat, yet it takes on a different tone by scene’s end. The actress, Sunny Johnson, who played Jeanie, passed away at the age of 30, a little over a year after the film’s release, which now only adds to the scene’s already devastating portrayal of potential and possibility never to be fully realized.
Pop Playlist: Kylie Minogue: “I Should Be So Lucky” (Live in New York)
In 2009, Kylie Minogue launched her For You, For Me tour, exclusively visiting parts of North America as a labor of love and appreciation for loyal fans. An audio recording of the Hammerstein Ballroom stop in New York was released, and featured the torch-inspired version of 1987’s “I Should Be So Lucky.” This ballad incarnation first appeared during her Intimate and Live tour in 1998, and allows the Stock, Aitken and Waterman-penned hit to showcase the heartbreak of unrequited love, and the versatility of Minogue as pop star and jazz chanteuse.
Disco Playlist: Vicki Sue Robinson: “Turn the Beat Around”
Vicki Sue Robinson shines as a vocalist on 1976’s “Turn the Beat Around,” but the spotlight gets put on musicians and their instruments. From horns and violins, to the guitar scratch and percussion, even the flute player is given rock-star status, the song is a celebration of all the components that go about creating a sound that “carries all the action.” It’s a latin-disco classic, made all the more fun by attempting to sing along to Robinson’s rapid-fire vocals, and lyrics such as “syncopated rhythm” and “rat tat tat…”
Pop Playlist: ABBA: “Mamma Mia”
One is reminded of how powerful the brain can be when a song is featured in a film, and even 20-something years later whenever the song plays, the film and the scene, are immediately conjured. So is the case with ABBA’s “Mamma Mia.” However, the film is not Mamma Mia, based on the stage play, and starring Meryl Streep, but 1992’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
With Felicia (Guy Pearce) a big fan of the Swedish pop group, it was only natural that a song (“Mamma Mia”) would find its way into the film, and it does during the finale. The scene is a celebratory one that has the drag-queen heroes, Felicia and Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) returning home from a long journey into the Australian desert. Geographically, they’re happy to be home, but the bouncy, cheerful-sounding tone of “Mamma Mia” also reinforces how much the duo are also at home in their hearts, doing what they do best, surrounded by the people who love them. The song-scene pairing is also a testament as to how ABBA’s masterful creations can still instill a warmhearted sense of comfort and at times (euphoric) joy.
Pop Playlist: Madonna: “Vogue”
Arguably, Madonna’s 1990 hit, “Vogue” is her signature song, one that will always come up in conversation when discussing the icon’s contribution to pop (music) culture. With its theme of dance floor as place to escape life’s “heartache,” Madonna and co-writer Shep Pettibone paint a scene where fantasy, through imaginative (fashion-pose) voguing, serves as inspirational recharge for one’s own reality, a space that gives “new life.”
The documentarian, Jennie Livingston had already been exploring similar themes in the New York gay underground of competitive fashion-fantasy balls and voguing “battles” years earlier, with her groundbreaking film, Paris Is Burning. Yet Madonna was the one to bring elements from this world into mainstream visibility (“Life’s a ball”). While the powerful documentary delves into far grittier territory, “Vogue” focuses on the glitzier aspects of old-Hollywood glamour. It becomes more than just a catchy dance song or stylish video, it’s indicative of how a savvy Madonna took something subculture and crafted it into one of her most mainstream successes, in turn, also influencing the pop-culture lexicon, the word not just a noun anymore or the name of a magazine, but now a familiar action verb.
David Fincher’s masterpiece:
A clip from Paris Is Burning, with the legendary Willi Ninja. Take note at 1:15 - 1:25, which features a young Jose Gutierez, who a few years later would appear in the video for “Vogue” and be a part of Madonna’s “Blond Ambition World Tour.”
Psychedelic Zodiac: Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man”
Just re-watched David Fincher’s 2007 film, Zodiac, about the crimes committed in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960s and 1970s by a person who called himself, The Zodiac, via cryptic letters and creepy phone calls to news outlets. The film is incredibly well-done, in depth and, at times, spine-tingling. It also does a fantastic job of using songs to establish timeframe and tone, best exemplified by the use of “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” recorded in 1968 by the singer, Donovan. The track is classic psychedelic ‘60s, and plays over a disturbing scene near the beginning of the film, as well as during the closing credits. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, and Robert Downey, Jr.; even the actors in smaller roles are equally memorable, including the (uncredited) actress, Ione Skye, whose father is… Donovan.
A chilling clip from Zodiac, featuring Ione Skye:
Allured into the Basement
“Are you sure there’s nobody else in the house?”
— Jake Gyllenhaal as cartoonist turned true-crime investigator, Robert Graysmith.
Paramount Pictures. Cinematographer: Harris Savides.
Pop Playlist: The Smiths: “Please, Please, Please…”
The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” is just shy of two minutes long, but it efficiently goes straight to the heart of desperate longing. The lead singer, Morrissey sounds as if he’s in mid-prayer, a plea to experience “Good times for a change.” Acoustic guitar, and the defeated sadness in his voice, create a somber tone, yet not one of complaining, but contemplation. There’s disappointment, but he’s also hopeful; he’s the “good man” who doesn’t want to “turn bad.” The lyric, “Haven’t had a dream in a long time” may be the track’s most vulnerable, with the later “what” in “get what I want” open to interpretation, the “what” replaceable with “who.” (Morrissey has in fact applied this lyric change during live shows.)
The song works well in the heartwarming (and heartbreaking) film about the confusion of unrequited love, (500) Days of Summer, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tom) and Zooey Deschanel (Summer). In the hopes of getting Summer’s attention, Tom plays the song out loud for co-worker and fellow Smiths admirer, Summer, only for Summer to walk right by his desk.
“Please, Please, Please…” has been covered by Deschanel (She & Him), and the Dream Academy, whose version appears in the film, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Pop Playlist: Depeche Mode: “Enjoy the Silence”
English synth-pop icons, Depeche Mode had one of their biggest successes with 1990’s Violator. It featured strong singles, such as “Personal Jesus,” “Policy of Truth,” “World in My Eyes” and this song, “Enjoy the Silence.” From the start, “Silence” bounces with a deep synth-bass line, while a tender guitar riff softens the sound. But not too soft, for when Dave Gahan adds his vocals to the first verse, the mood intensifies once again. “Silence” is essentially a (dark) ballad: “Words are very unnecessary/They can only do harm.” Yet drum-machine beats and brilliant transitions, particularly the one between the chorus and second verse, give the song a surprising sense of catchy vitality, allowing it to become an alternative-pop and dance hit in several countries.
Below is a clip from 2014’s Live in Berlin filmed concert, directed by Anton Corbijn, who also directed the music video for the song. The deep synth-bass line, as referenced earlier, comes in at 0:46 and is definitive Depeche. “Silence” never sounded so good.
Madonna Singin’ in the Ring & “Causing a Commotion”
Check out this “fight to the finish.” Filmed in Yokohama, Japan on Madonna’s “Blond Ambition Tour” (1990), the pop star and her two backing vocalists, Donna De Lory and Niki Haris, duke it out during “Causing a Commotion.” It’s the third song in the set list and one of the best in the show, for it captures some of the elements that make this such an iconic tour:
Style with sociological substance: Jean-Paul Gaultier’s versatile designs have Madonna going from corset to athletic (hoodie) wear, specifically a colorful jacket that smartly stretches to accommodate the famous cone bra. And then the gloves go on. Gaultier and Madonna play with traditional gender roles and iconography: doll-like ponytail; a pants-suit with lingerie (as outerwear); exaggerated (bullet) bra; unhinged garters; her character almost an engineered construct of masculine prowess and Metropolis-inspired (robo) femininity, with Madonna stating, “Let’s show these people how ladies can act.”
“The moves, baby”: Choreographed punches and uppercuts, and by the end Madonna is full of “below the belt” bragging rights, after the intentionally tongue-in-cheek “grudge match” of cartoon (“Three Stooges”) proportion.
Band: The bass intro with percussion congas; Jonathan Moffett on drums (2:10 captures his impressive speed to keep the beat). With Madonna on the main card, it’s important to remember that there’s actually a solid live band (3:09).
This is just one of the many performances that confirms the Blond Ambition Tour is still a clear winner… T.K.O.
Pop Playlist: The Beatles: “In My Life”
Reflection on the past is a prevalent theme in The Beatles’ “In My Life.” With lyrics by John Lennon, (life) change and its inevitability, in relation to places and people, give the song a melancholic, matter-of-fact sense. Superbly simple songwriting that captures aspects of the human condition (past loss; present love), along with a sweet melody and an unexpected (classical) bridge make “In My Life” a timeless track, a case where one could say that some things don’t change.
The Weeknd: “Secrets”: Lies, Eyes and ‘80s Samples
To anyone who remembers the ‘80s, the latest from The Weeknd, entitled “Secrets,” is a trip down memory lane. Lyrics in its chorus are pulled from The Romantics’ 1983 hit, “Talking in Your Sleep”; the transition from chorus to verse includes a direct pickup from Tears for Fears’ 1983 song, “Pale Shelter,” more specifically Curt Smith’s high-vocal climb of the lyric, “completely in command.”
The video, filmed in part at the Toronto Reference Library, sets a cold, barren tone to match the lyrical content that tells of a relationship full of lies, revealed “every time you close your eyes.” Ominous male figures in capes, which the female lead later runs away from, are perhaps indicative of her past catching up to her. Low-angle camera shots of these suitors, peering over balconies are reminiscent, in part, of the masquerade-ball scene in Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 film, Eyes Wide Shut. Use of deep red and the blossoming white bed that creates various geometric shapes also evoke other Kubrickian imagery.