Shady Train - Ep. 18: Good Times with My Cutie Pie!

BOOTH ANNOUNCER:

Shady Train...

the hippest trip in America!

60 nonstop minutes across the

tracks of your mind into the

exciting world of Soul!

And now the host of

Shady Train...

Don Cornelius!

Hi there! You're right on time for another super slick ride on

the big train. You know the drill. Only the cool kids get in

and every tune's a bad mamma jamma. 

And we are delighted to have with us what has become just about

everybody's favorite group, and certainly ours here at Shady Train.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW! 

Led by Nile Rodgers, they are as much responsible for the current

disco craze as anyone. As they join us to do their latest single on

the Atlantic label, their second chart-topping smash of the year

entitled "Good Times," hands together and make some noise

please, gang, for the fabulous-- Chic!

"Good Times" - Chic

(July/Aug. 1979, highest chart pos. 

#1 Hot 100 & Cash Box & R&B) 

And look out now, don't hurt yourself. It's the

Shady Train gang... the Shady Train Line. 

They're gonna get up and boogie to a sound that's

one of the baddest things around. 

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW! 

It's the husband and wife team of guitarist Ronald Muldrow and

singer Ricki Byars Muldrow. Together they call themselves

Chemise and this is-- "She Can't Love You!" 

"She Can't Love You" - Chemise

(1982 single released in The Netherlands)

And here's a lovely lady from Hawaii

with one of the biggest songs from

the hit movie Saturday Night Fever. 

START VIDEO NOW! 

As she joins us courtesy of RSO 

Records and our good friends

over on Burt Sugarman's

Midnight Special to do her

 #1 charting international

hit "If I Can't Have You,"

a warm welcome please

for-- Yvonne Elliman!

"If I Can't Have You" - Yvonne Elliman

(Apr. 1978, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100/#60 R&B,

from OST of Dec. 1977 film Saturday Night Fever,

perf. on Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special)

START VIDEO NOW! 

And that's just

half the ride.

Stick around for

more super soul

sounds when

Shady Train

continues right

after this. 

START VIDEO NOW!

And we're excited to have aboard

the train a Trinidad born English-

man who's been rackin' 'em back,

and that's no fiction, it's a natural

fact. He's Billy Ocean, here to

perform his latest single on the

Jive label, his 4th chart-topping

hit in as many years. Billy says:

"Get Outta My Dreams" and

"Get Into My Car!" 

"Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" - Billy Ocean

Mar./Apr. 1988, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box & R&B) 

START VIDEO! 

And we are pleased to have with us

a funky R&B band from Detroit led

by vocalists Al Hudson and Alicia

Myers. Recording as Al Hudson &

The Partners in 1979, they released

"You Can Do It," an R&B hit in the

U.S. that also reached the top 15

in the UK. Since that time, their

name has changed, but the

excitement of their music

has stayed the same. 

As they join us to do their latest single on the MCA label entitled

"Cutie Pie," let's make some major noise, gang, for-- One Way!

"Cutie Pie" - One Way

(June/July 1982, highest chart pos. #4 R&B/#61 Hot 100)

START VIDEO NOW!

And hold onto your hats. There's a

def ditty comin' outta New York City.

The gang's movin' down the line and

lookin' real fine, tuffin' up their stuff,

boppin' to the beat and and poppin'

to the percussion on this hot one by

Jimmy Ross, a little thing called--

"First True Love Affair!" 

"First True Love Affair" - Jimmy Ross

(Oct./Nov. 1981,highest chart pos. #50 R&B) 

And if that don't do it for

you, nothing ever will.

We hope you'll get

into it with us again

next time when we

pop open another

six pack and toss in

an extra cool one

for good measure.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW! 

 

You can bet your last money, it's all gonna be a stone gas,

honey. I'm Don Cornelius, and as always in parting,

we wish you love... peace... and soul!

"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" - MFSB

(Theme from Soul Train feat. The Three Degrees)

(Mar./Apr. 1974, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box & R&B) 

That Was Then - This Is Now, Vol. 8: The Jarring Juxtaposition of Female Vocalists Past and Present!

                                        

 You've come a long way, baby... 

 and these jarring juxtapositions 

 offer indisputable proof! 

Welcome to Vol. 8 of my series

Jarring Juxtapositions:
That Was Then - This Is Now!

It is not my intention to pass judgement. (That's your job. :) This series
merely invites you to compare apples and oranges. Hard as it might
be for you to believe, I enjoy all of the female recording artists
you are about to see and hear. Join me on this jarring journey
back and forth through time as we compare the look,
the sound and the attitude of female singers

then... and now!

THAT WAS THEN

ANNETTE

A "Teenage Wedding"? How romantic!

It's America's sweetheart Annette Funicello!

Watch and weep as our favorite Mickey Mouse Club mouseketeer

ties the knot and sings her song on a single released at the start

of 1963, an innocent teen pop relic found on the 1962 album

Maurice Chevalier and Hayley Mills Take You to Teen Street. 

"Teenage Wedding" - Annette

(January 1963 single from the 1962 album

Maurice Chevalier & Hayley Mills Take You to Teen Street) 

THIS IS NOW

 THE REGRETTES 

Now meet the California punk rock band The Regrettes...

a group I like so much that I arranged for them to be the only

"This Is Now" act in this edition of Jarring Juxtapositions. 

Prior to forming The Regrettes in 2015, lead zinger Lydia Night

(above in blue jacket with pink flowers) fronted the LA-based

pop rock duo Pretty Little Demons. Before joining Lydia and

The Regrettes, lead guitarist Genessa Gariano (right) led her

own LA band called Genessa. Best known for performing

punk rock, garage and "riot grrrl," a music genre I will

explain in a bit, The Regrettes lace their songs with

elements of 1960s doo-wop, surf rock and pop.

On her list of influences, leader Lydia includes

Phil Spector's popular girl group The Crystals,

Patsy Cline, Lesley Gore and Motown artists

The Marvelettes, Diana Ross and Four Tops.

You can hear those 60s influences in Regrettes songs and see it

in their videos including the one produced for their first single,

"Hey Now," a song co-written by Lydia Night. Travel back

in time with Lydia and her band to 1962 as they appear

on sleazeball Dick Dickey's American Bandstand 

style television dance show for teenagers. 

"Hey Now" - The Regrettes

(Sept. 2016) 

THAT WAS THEN

DIANA ROSS

Originally recorded by R&B/Disco diva Thelma Houston in 1973,

the song "Do You Know Where You're Going To" was

most famously performed by Diana Ross. 

Here's the former leader of the Supremes as a solo artist

singing her chart-topping hit, the theme to the 1975

romantic drama Mahogany in which she starred. 

"Theme from Mahogany

(Do You Know Where You're Going To)"

- Diana Ross (Dec. 1975/Jan. 1976, highest

chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box/#14 R&B, 

theme song from Oct. 1975 film Mahogany) 

THIS IS NOW

 THE REGRETTES 

As I mentioned earlier, The Regrettes are associated with the genre

"Riot grrrl" which is an underground feminist punk subculture

movement that combines feminism, punk music and politics.

Riot grrrl began in the early 1990s in the Pacific Northwest

and since then has expanded to at least 26 other countries. 

In the vid for their 2018 single "Seashore," songwriter Lydia

and her Riot grrrl posse are feeling their oats, laying it on

the line, telling it like it is and sending sexist men

back to the Stone Age where they belong. 

You're talkin' to me like a child

But my words are growin' stronger

And my legs keep gettin' longer 

You're talkin' to me like a child

But I'm not a helpless baby

Not waitin' on you to come save me 

"Seashore" - The Regrettes

(June 2017) 

THAT WAS THEN

PETULA CLARK

Penned and produced by ace UK composer Tony Hatch, the song

"Round Every Corner" was waxed by Brit pop star Petula Clark

and released in the summer of 1965. Pet described the ditty as

"an anti-protest song" - one that uses the musical structure of

a children's singing game to convey a message of optimism. 

"Round Every Corner" - Petula Clark

(Nov. 1965, highest chart pos. #21 Hot 100/#23 Cash Box) 

THIS IS NOW

 THE REGRETTES 

Far be it from The Regrettes to shy away from protest.

They practically invented it.

In the video for the band's 2018 single "Come Through," a song

co-written by Regrettes leader Lydia, the strong, independent

heroine calls out her bf and kicks him to the curb. 

You don't come through

Like you say you do

Now I don't need you to

'Cause I don't need you 

"Come Through" - The Regrettes

(Feb. 2018) 

Regrettes... I played a few

And hope you think

They're worth the mention

To show how far we've come

Long way to go, was my intention

I planned each charted song

Each dancin' step along the byway

And more, much more than this

I did it my way 

Have a Shady day! 

Squid Pro Quo, Game One: RED LIGHT!

ATTENTION!

Welcome, all players, to a

Shady's Place exclusive...

 SQUID PRO QUO! 

GAME ONE:

RED LIGHT!

Image by luthien-black @ DeviantArt

Listen carefully to the instructions.

Examine the following list of song titles that contain the word "RED."

As you see, the name of the artist is included next to each song. 

"1,2,3 Red Light" - The 1910 Fruitgum Company
"Red Sails In The Sunset" - Tab Hunter
"Little Red Riding Hood" - Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
"Little Red Rooster" - The Rolling Stones
"Little Red Corvette" - Prince
"Red Dress" - Sugababes
"Red Red Wine" - Neil Diamond
"Red Rubber Ball" - Bobby Vee
"99 Red Balloons" - Nena
"Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" – Gene Autry
"Red River Rock" - Johnny And The Hurricanes
"Red Hot" Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
"Red House" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Now, you must correctly answer the following questions: 

1) Which song is based on a children's game that is the

first game played in the hit Netflix miniseries Squid Game? 

2) Which song was originally recorded in German?
3) Which is a hit instrumental?
4) Which artist name is incorrect and does not go with the song title? 

Image by amalare @ DeviantArt 

RULES:

* Players who correctly answer all four questions

will get a cookie and advance to the next round.

 

* Players who get any of the questions wrong will be eliminated. 

* Players who cheat by scrolling down for an answer will be eliminated.

 

* Players who refuse to participate in the game will be eliminated.

 SCROLL DOWN.

Image by magato98  @ DeviantArt 

LET ME REPEAT

THAT INSTRUCTION.

SCROLL DOWN.

Here again is the list of song titles followed by the questions and answers:

"1,2,3 Red Light" - The 1910 Fruitgum Company
"Red Sails In The Sunset" - Tab Hunter
"Little Red Riding Hood" - Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
"Little Red Rooster" - The Rolling Stones
"Little Red Corvette" - Prince
"Red Dress" - Sugababes
"Red Red Wine" - Neil Diamond
"Red Rubber Ball" - Bobby Vee
"99 Red Balloons" - Nena
"Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" – Gene Autry
"Red River Rock" - Johnny And The Hurricanes
"Red Hot" Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
"Red House" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

1) Which song is based on a children's game that is the

first game played in the hit Netflix miniseries Squid Game?

ANSWER: "1,2,3 Red Light" 

2) Which song was originally recorded in German?

ANSWER: "99 Red Balloons" was originally the German song "99 Luftballons."

Released as a single in its original German form, the song was a chart-topping

international hit that also reached #1 on the U.S. Cash Box chart. Ironically,

the English language single failed to make the chart in the U.S.

3) Which is a hit instrumental?

ANSWER: "Red River Rock" is an instrumental version of the folk/cowboy

song "Red River Valley."

4) Which artist name is incorrect and does not go with the song title? 

ANSWER: Bobby Vee is the incorrect artist for the song "Red Rubber Ball."

Bobby Vee had a hit with a song entitled "Rubber Ball." The Cyrkle had

the hit with "Red Rubber Ball."

 

If you correctly answered all of the questions above... 

Image by rossdraws @ DeviantArt 

... congratulations. You will survive to play the next game.

 If not... you will now be eliminated.

If you are eliminated, don't expect to leave with

a consolation prize and a copy of the home game.

"Kang sae-byeok, thanks for playing with me" - Ji-yeong (240)

Malcolm Winters - The 21st Century Feminine Mis-Teeq: Girlicious... (Most Certainly)... But Are They Nutritious?

"COME TO THE BACK - VIP - DRINKS ON ME."

Wassup? I'm

Malcolm Winters. 

As you recall from my first appearance

here at Shady's Place a couple years ago,
I'm Neil's brother on the award winning
soap  daytime drama The Young and
The Restless. When it comes to the
ladies, Neil's a little shy and I'm fly.
Neil's buttoned up. I play it loose.
Neil's uptight. I'm clean outta sight.
See what I'm sayin'? As the most
prominent fashion and glamour
photog in Genoa City (I've done
lots of model shoots for Jabot
Cosmetics) I know my way
around a darkroom and

beautiful women. I also
know a thing or two about
music. Quick history lesson:

In the mid

 20th century...

girl groups looked

wholesome, acted

innocent and
sang songs...
"Sincerely."

Girl groups of the 21st century look hot,
act naughty and sing sexy songs.

Then there's my Baby Girl. She's in a class

all by her bad self... see what I'm sayin'?

 Baby Girl  (Penelope Garcia)  

In previous posts on Shady's Place and on the old site,
Shady Dell Music & Memories, Shady Seaweed, Meg Griffin,
AIDA, Riley Blue, Thea Queen, Barry Allen and other hosts
introduced some of the most popular brash and sassy female
recording acts of the millennium including the Pussycat Dolls,
a group from LA, and Sugababes, a group from the UK.
In 2019, I introduced Atomic Kitten.

Today I present two
more 21st century
girl groups, one
from the U.S. and
the other from
the UK. Both
groups have
sizzling hot
images with
recordings
and videos
to match.

They are

Girlicious,

another LA

group formed

by the

creator of

Pussycat

Dolls...

and

Mis-Teeq,

an exciting

London-based

R&B and

hip hop trio.

To beef up their

portfolios, I took

publicity shots

of both groups

and displayed

the pix for

U to C.

GIRLICIOUS

The 2008 reality TV series Pussycat

Dolls Present: Girlicious showcased
fifteen female singers and dancers
competing for spots in a new dance-
pop/R&B girl group to be named
"Girlicious." Chrystina Sayers,
Nichole Cordova, Natalie Mejia
and Tiffanie Anderson made the
final cut and became the original
members of Girlicious. Tiffanie
Anderson left the group in 2009
and the act continued on as a trio.

In their videos,

the gorgeous ladies
of Girlicious pull
no punches. They
get their sexy on!

Take for example the group's
second single. Released in

2008, "Stupid Shit" shot to

number one on the Much-

Music Countdown. The

official video, in which the

sirens prance around in

school girl uniforms and

eventually strip them off,

won the award for the

Most Watched Video
on that site. In short...
these Girlicious gals

make Britney Spears

look like the Singing Nun!

"Stupid Shit" - Girlicious

(Apr./May 2008, highest

chart position #1

Muchmusic.com,

#20 Canada)

"Maniac" was the second single released from Rebuilt, the second and last

Girlicious album recorded after the departure of member Tiffanie Anderson.

The music video for "Maniac" was shot in East LA at the Linda Vista

Community Hospital, a filming location for dozens of horror movies

and other band videos over the years. The Girlicious vid you are

about to watch was declared illegal in 51 states... but became

the most requested and viewed video ever on MTV Brazil!

"Maniac" - Girlicious

(Apr./May 2010, highest chart pos. #74 Canada,

#11 Serbian Top 50)

"Public Image" was the theme of Episode 9 of Pussycat Dolls Present:
Girlicious. In this clip from the show, Chrystina, Tiffanie, Natalie and
Nichole are joined by Charlye Nichols, who was later eliminated,
in a fine performance of the Pussycat Dolls' song "Buttons."

"Buttons" - Girlicious + Charlye Nichols

(2008, live perf. on Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious)

MIS-TEEQ

The British R&B and UK garage girl group Mis-teeq started out as a quartet.

By the time they hit their peak of fame in the early 2000s, they had been
reduced to a trio consisting of lead singer Sabrina Washington, rapper
and songwriter Alesha Dixon and singer Su-Elise Nash.

Mis-teeq enjoyed success in the UK and across Europe, racking up

two top 10 albums and seven top 10 singles in a row. Mis-teeq's

biggest seller of all is the 2003 international hit "Scandalous"

which made the top 3 on the U.S. Dance chart and was

featured, along with the group members, in a series

of television commercials for Coca-Cola.

"Scandalous" - Mis-Teeq

(Apr./May 2003, highest chart pos. #2 UK,

#2 U.S. Dance/#3 Ireland)

Released as a single from Mis-teeq's

debut album Lickin' on Both Sides,

the song "One Night Stand" has two

official music videos, one produced

for UK audiences and the other

released in the U.S. to promote

the album stateside.

"One Night Stand" - Mis-Teeq

(Nov./Dec. 2001, highest cht. pos.

#2 UK Dance & R&B/#5 UK,

#4 U.S. Dance Club)

Two other songs on Mis-teeq's debut Lickin' album, "Roll On" and

"This Is How We Do It," were released as a double A-single in 2002.

One music video was produced to include performances of both songs.

"Roll On"/"This Is How We Do It" - Mis-Teeq

(July/Aug. 2002, highest chart pos. #7 UK/#10 Belgium)

The 21st Century

Feminine Mis-Teeq:

Girlicious... (Most Certainly)...

But Are They Nutritious?

You tell me.

Thanks for joining me for my
second go-around as host here
at Shady's Place. I'm jazzed
to do this again. Even as we
speak my peeps are meeting
with Shady's peeps to see if
we can make that happen, so

stick around. For now this is
Malcolm Winters reminding
you to keep your cool. It's

my golden rule. Later!