I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz

Well, it's getting pretty late, and I wanted to write about something this evening.  I guess I got distracted chatting on the phone with friends, but that is always a nice distraction in my opinion!  I thought about a couple of songs but still had the Stevie Nicks "I Can't Wait" on my mind, so I thought I would take a look at the Nu Shooz version.  Somehow, I thought the group was international (from Sweden or something) but in actuality, they are from Portland, Oregon.  I read that they were picked up by a Dutch record label, who did a re-mix and then helped them top the charts in the U.S. and around the world.

This song was released in 1986 -- when I was in middle school.  I was probably in 6th grade, and I loved this tune.  Listening to it always makes me smile and think of school dances.  Watching the video today was a bit sad though, because I found myself becoming bored about two-thirds of the way through.  The dog with goggles in the beginning of the video is neat, but that's about it.  The rest of the video is a bit odd and disjunct, with magnets floating around and so forth.  The lead singer did have some amazing shoulder pads in her jacket, though.  I guess all in all this song is best on the radio.  It's the kind of tune you have to enjoy without a video.  It has some very interesting sonic elements -- chimes, bells, all kinds of synthesizers, interjections of an awesome brass and sax section, and a pretty groovy guitar ostimato (with a nice little bass guitar bit thrown in the mix).  Not much else I can say other than I think it must have been fun to mix this all up in the studio!

Let the Music Play

I think anyone who has not heard Shannon's "Let the Music Play" must have been hiding under a rock during the 80s -- and maybe even beyond.  This song was a huge hit when it was released in 1983, and I honestly think it has not lost one bit of momentum since that time.  It was considered the first "freestyle" song due to it's Latin-inspired rhythms, synthesizer, and drum machine beats.  I still struggle with what "freestyle" is, but that's okay, because this song is a winner.  I challenge anyone to listen and not get up and dance!

Meanwhile, I paid some attention to the lyrics back in the day -- although I reviewed them again this evening.  Aside from the chorus, I distinctly remember, "Guess he discovered we are truly lovers, magic from the very start..."  Something about "magic" and the word "lovers" in songs does it for me.  I mean, they are both great -- right?  I love the idea of "magic," and "lovers" is just kind of a word that can live in a song lyric.  We don't really use it much in casual speech, though.  I mean, you wouldn't hear someone say, "yes, they are lovers" or "hello, I'd like you to meet my lover" -- although it works really well in songs.  And, little did I know that love actually speaks in this song as well!  Shannon sings, "We started dancing and love put us into a groove...but now he's with somebody new...what does love want me to do?  Love said -- let the music play...he won't get away...just keep the groove and then he'll come back to you again..."  WOW!  I must have missed "love said" after all these years -- or maybe I heard it and assumed it was the wrong lyric.  Well -- thank goodness!  Love has spoken.  Listen to love -- love knows best!  Let the music play!  From now on, I will listen to love.

As for the video, it's pretty simple.  As a young girl, I was mesmerized by Shannon putting on lipstick with a brush in the beginning.  Simple things wowed me as a child.  The video is pretty simple, too, with Shannon front and center and some ballet-type dancers in the background.  The simplicity makes sense, because the song stands oh-so-well on its own.  She could be singing outdoors in the streets of New York, and it would be just as amazing.  This groove you can't ignore -- that's for sure.  Enjoy!

Take Your Time (Do It Right)

I can't believe I haven't written about this tune yet, because it is one of my absolute favorites.  It was also released in 1980 -- which means it just sneaks in as an "80s" tune.  You may argue this point since it doesn't really sound very "80s," but 1980 was just the turning point of the new decade.  So, there may have been some residual disco and funk in the early songs of the decade, and this is probably a good example.  But you know, whenever there is a good tune, it really doesn't matter when it was written or how it is classified.  I would certainly agree that this S.O.S. band tune qualifies as a classic for any decade.

There are just so many elements that make this song a hit.  There are also many different layers going on at the same time from an instrumental standpoint.  It's truly amazing.  I must say, the glockenspiel really does it for me.  I mean, how cool is it to have a glockenspiel in a pop/disco/funk/dance song?  It really works!  Then, there is this awesome guitar riff that is like a '70s funk motor, and it just cranks along all the way through -- keeping your body moving to the beat.  If you zone in on that riff, it could leave you in the most excellent funky daze.  There's also a terrific horn section with trumpet and sax -- very typical of the 70s.  They don't make wind sections like that in bands anymore.  I tell you -- those were some great gigs for brass and sax players, and those guys knew how to play.  I'm still jealous!  Anyway, the video is a classic, and I guess I didn't really hear the hand clapping until I watched the video.  The band is really happening, and they do so many things -- clap, play glockenspiel and sax, and just generally keep the groove going.  Mary Davis's voice is pure and smooth with depth and a wonderful soulful sound.  She sings about taking time when you get home to relax and, well, you know, have some couple's time -- "take the time to be alone...lock the door, pull out the phone."  Couldn't agree more.  I always thought in the chorus that she was singing, "Baby we can do it, take your time, do it right...we can do it baby...do it tonight."  In actuality, it's "Baby we can do it, take the time, do it right..."  Yeah, I guess I got confused from the title or just took it for granted.  Makes just a slight shade of difference between "take your time" and "take the time."  Whatever the case, this tune is the best!  I still have that guitar riff in my head...

Don't You Want Me?

Wow - kind of forward there, eh?  Well, I was listening to the radio while I was driving over the river and through the mountains to get home for Thanksgiving.  It was a long drive, and I happened to tune into a station that plays classic "American Top 40" shows from the 80s with Casey Kasem.  I remember when those shows were live!  Pretty strange since when I started the drive, I heard a current AT40 Countdown - I think Rick Dees hosts it now.  So, halfway through my drive, I was transported back in time to 1987.  Yes indeed - that was a great year.  I was in middle school, and my mittle sister was born.  It was the height of my attention to the pop world in all its 80s splendor.  The music certainly had changed from the early 80s.  We began to hear many more synthesizer-driven dance tunes, and videos had really evolved into mini epic productions that were often very sophisticated from a cinematic standpoint.

So, I was driving along, and Jody Watley's "Don't You Want Me" came on the countdown.  I used to absolutely love, love, love her music - but really her fashion sense for the most part.  I remembered how she had these huge crinoline skirts that would flow as she danced in her first hit video, "Looking for a new Love."  I really wanted one of those skirts.  There was no way that a 7th grader would be able to integrate that into her daily wardrobe, but hey, when it was time to dance around the bedroom singing into a twirling baton, I wanted to be properly attired.  Ms. Watley just seemed so cool and the epitome of current fashion.  She was a trendsetter, too, with everything pretty much over-the-top -- huge hoop earrings, long hair down to the waist, those huge puffy crinoline skirts, and of course, bustiers and other undergarments as tops.  The video is really well-directed, and it certainly adds a sophistication to the song that I didn't capture as I listened to the radio.  Goes to show how important videos were to the success of songs back in this time period.  They could really make or break the tune and certainly boost the wow factor of something seemingly "okay."

The song alone (without video) made me smile as I drove.  The song is about a woman and a man, and a potential romance.  Seems as if the man is giving the woman mixed signals, and she is saying, "Hey, uh, what's the deal here?  Yes or no?"  I guess it's kind of fun to build intrigue.  We saw that with sitcoms back in the day.  So, in the first verse she talks about him smiling "as though to say 'oh yeah'."  That made me smile, actually.  Wouldn't it be interesting if we all simply communicated by expression?  Maybe that would make the whole man/woman thing better.  Just kidding.  It actually made me think about middle school again, which I guess is why this song appealed to me at the time.  I'm kind of smirking now and thinking, "hmmm...." but it is all in good fun once again.  If you watch the video, you'll see that in the end she gets the guy, and everyone lives happily ever after :)

Heartbeat

It's pretty late once again - but not too late for an excellent 80s song to wish everyone well for the night.  I was looking through a few tunes on the web and came across one that I had completely forgotten about.  I was finishing middle school and just starting my freshman year of high school the year this song came out.  "Heartbeat" by Seduction was released in 1989, so it just makes it in the decade as an official 80s song.  Obviously, there were many styles and genres within the 80s category.  This particular group is categorized as "dance," "pop," "freestyle," and probably some other terms.  I think it is really a crossover genre between dance, pop, and R&B.  Nevertheless, this particular "Heartbeat" song is a great representation of a trend we saw in the late 80s - dance music with a synthesized drum beat and usually a trio of female voices.  Yes, this is long before Destiny's Child, and we see the legacy carried through today.  In fact, we can see this type of vocal ensemble long before the 80s if you think about the Supremes.  Anyway, the 80s dance version of the female trio has a pretty simple recipe - three ladies (one of whom has an extraordinarily powerful, soulful voice), synthesizer, and drum machine.  Doesn't really matter what the lyrics are.  All you need are a couple of oohs and ahhs, and of course, "baaaaaa-beeeee."  Sometimes, we hear, "oooh boy," and so forth.  Perfect for the middle school crowd, but still fun after all these years.  For all the clubbers who enjoyed these tunes, it really doesn't matter what the lyrics are as long as the beat is happening.  I can't believe that after all these years, I really didn't know what the lyrics were.  For my fellow 80s fans who were dancing along to this tune, the chorus is "heartbeat, you make me feel so weak."  Listen carefully, and you will hear an additional line, "my heart beats for the one I love."  It's kind of an ostinato.  Also, make sure to watch this video all the way through.  I hope you enjoy the awesome bass feature at 4:30.