Tag Archives: Music History

Diana Ross and The Supremes Supreme Mix

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Diana Ross and The Supremes Supreme Mix. My room as a kid was cluttered with The Supremes ’45s’ with the old blue Motown label. I remember my first radio. It was a little red Panasonic plastic ball radio that only played AM. At that time, most music was still on AM so it was fine. I even brought it with me to the beach when we went down the shore. A year or so after that, I received a Panasonic hand-held cassette player as a birthday present. I used to place the cassette player next to my radio and record songs through the built-in microphone when I heard a song I liked. There were many Diana Ross and The Supremes songs that made it to tape, most of them on the medley. Of course, all of them were missing the first five seconds or so of the song since I had to wait to see what they were going to play. Glad we have moved forward in technology since then:)

Diana Ross and The Supremes Supreme Mix on Motown Records

Diana Ross and The Supremes Supreme Mix on Motown Records

I will not write about their history since the missumusicz has done an excellent job of collecting and reporting their history and that of many of the Motown artists of that period. What a career they and Diana had – true legends who set the foundation for female groups still to this day. I still get to play their music regularly as a professional Event and Wedding DJ.  A quick snapshot of Diana Ross and The Supremes commercial success; 33 of their singles reached the Billboard Top 40 in the US, 23 reached either the US orUK Top 10, and 12 of them reached the number-one position on the US pop chart with “Baby Love” also topping the UK pop chart. 12 of their albums reached the Top 10 in either the US or UK, with five of them going to number-one.

Diana Ross and The Supremes Supreme Mix Music Video

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

John Lennon Imagine

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John Lennon Imagine. I remember the bittersweet night of being a professional DJ at a club in Randolph, NJ on a Monday night, it was December 8,1980. The club was mostly packed, especially for a Monday night in winter. The dance floor was jamming and everybody was having a good time. A young woman came up to the DJ booth and begged me to play Bruce Springsteen. I explained that the dance floor was full and she would have to wait till it thinned out, otherwise everybody would probably stop dancing. She finally convinced me to play him while she was standing there. I had the record in my hand when one of the bouncers ran up and told me John Lennon had just been shot and killed. I dropped the record on the floor of the DJ booth. After the song playing was over, I turned on the mike and announced his death. I asked for moment of silence and then played “Imagine” before returning to my regular set, although not regular at all. It is the moment I think of the most when I get behind my turntables, then CD Players and now MacBook. Growing up, he was hero my hero with his music and desire for peace.

John Lennon Imagine Music Video

The next day, as Program Director of the local college radio and DJ, I stated that we only play John Lennon Imagine and music by John Lennon for the next twenty-four hours.

The Beatles and John Lennon Imagine Icon

 

“BMI named John Lennon Imagine one of the 100 most-performed songs of the 20th century. The song ranked number 30 on the Recording Industry Association of America‘s list of the 365 Songs of the Century bearing the most historical significance. It earned aGrammy Hall of Fame Award and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. A UK survey conducted by the Guinness World Records British Hit Singles Book named it the second best single of all time, andRolling Stone ranked it number 3 in their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time“. Since 2005, event organisers have played it just before the New Year’s Times Square Ball drops in New York City. Dozens of artists have performed or recorded versions of “Imagine”, including Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Joan Baez, Elton John, and Diana Ross. Emeli Sandé recorded a cover for theBBC to use during the end credits montage at the close of the 2012 Summer Olympics coverage in August 2012. “Imagine” subsequently re-entered the UK Top 40, reaching number 18.” Wikipedia

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

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It is interesting how songs change their cultural shape and form over time. When Steam released the song “Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” in 1969, I doubt very much Gary De Carlo thought it would be a song used as a way to hate and taunt people fifty years later. It is actually a love song in a way, not your traditional love song but still not hateful or a way to give somebody ‘the finger’ through music.

 

I think the first seeds of the negative perspective of the song  Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye originated with cheerleaders leading this song as a way to say ‘goodbye’ to the fans and players of the other team that they beat after a game; pretty simple and harmless stuff. It may be indicative of todays culture that this simple song, Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, has gone from a number one hit on Billboard Hot 100 in 1969 to a cheerleaders chant to a way to disrespect a person or group with anger and force. The artist literally meant for the person to actually kiss the man goodbye, like a real kiss. He says, “I still love you girl, I still need you girl”. These are not words of hate or taunting…

Steam Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Music Video

Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye was meant to be the ‘B side’ of Gary’s first single because he did not like it. The record company wanted him to release it as an ‘A side’ single so Gary changed it from his real name to Stream, to not be identified with the song personally. Bananarama released a cover of Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye in 1983, which also enjoyed commercial success. The video of Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye has a woman punching a man in the face, as a way to ‘kiss him goodbye’. This may be when the song changed from a soft, playful tune to one of hate and anger. This goes in line with the current climate in the USA that supports women taking their anger out on men physically, as if it will solve the cycle of violence of men towards women.

Reaction To Women Abusing Men In Public

Hate and violence do not quell hate and violence, they expand it. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us this many years ago (click the link for the entire speech).

“…Through violence you may murder the hater,
but you do not murder hate.
In fact, violence merely increases hate.
So it goes.
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness:
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Famous Quotes Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

Bananarama Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Music Video

Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye gained another round of popularity following the success of the film, Remember The Titans. The film’s last scene includes the men humming the chorus. The song itself was played earlier during the film as well.

Again, Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye is not a song about violence or taunting.

 
Here is the exact quote from the last scene from allsubs.org:
Older Sheryl: "People say that it cant work, black and white; well
  here we make it work, everyday. We have our disagreements, of
  course, but before we reach for hate, always, always, we remember
  the Titans."


DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

This Day In Music History: Tommy James

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It was on this date in 1987 that a very unique situation was manifested in the US Billboard Singles Charts. Tommy James had one of his songs, “Mony, Mony” by Bill Idol reach number one. This by itself is not unique but the fact that the week before another of his singles recorded by Tiffany, “I Think We’re Alone Now” was number one is unique!

Tommy James & The Shondells Mony, Mony

It is very unusual for songs written almost twenty years earlier to be back to back number one hits by different recording artists. Tommy James was a great singer and songwriter with may classic American Pop hits. Along with the already mentioned songs, Tommy James wrote and enjoyed success with songs like “Crimson and Clover”, “Hanky Panky” “Crystal Blue Persuasion”, “Draggin’ The Line”  and “Sweet Cherry Wine”. Joan Jett achieved success with her cover version of “Crimson and Clover” as well.

Tommy James was one of the musical artists that was continually in a fight with the recording industry and was left somewhat pennyless with all the hits he penned and recorded with his group The Shondells. It is a shame that this has to happen to artists like Tommy James and others.

Tommy James & The Shondells I Think We’re Alone Now

Enjoy the music videos of Tommy James originals!

The Tommy James Story

“The music of Tommy James is heard continuously, everyday, in every country in the world: on the radio, television or a film soundtrack. To date, he’s sold over 100 million records and has been awarded 23 gold singles plus nine gold and platinum albums…

As of 2011, over 300 artists have recorded their rendition of a Tommy tune (among them Prince, R.E.M, Tom Jones, Cher, and Concrete Blond) or performed his songs in concert (including Bruce Springsteen, Kelly Clarkson, Santana, and Broken Bells).

Over the years, Tommy’s music has graced countless movies, television shows, and advertisements. Notable appearances on the big screen include spots in Forrest Gump, Oliver Stone’s Heaven And Earth, Cape Fear, Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, We Are Marshall, Pirate Radio, and the 1999 summer blockbuster Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.” The Official Site of Tommy James & The Shondells

 

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Scissor Sisters Comfortably Numb

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When listening and watching this video Scissor Sisters Comfortably Numb on You Tube today, I was struck by the passion and voracity that people who chose to comment shared their opinions on this and the original version by Pink Floyd. It does not seem important to share my particular opinion, but what does some important is how personal the comments are! It is as if you we were stealing somebody’s only child from them, not a subjective comment on a pop song covered from classic rock legends. Why is this?

 

Why do we feel so emotionally charged about sharing our feelings about music?

 

What about music facilitates such force and even anger or sexuality?

 

Why are we insulted by someone disagreeing with our musical taste?

 

What do Pink Floyd think of this version of Scissor Sisters Comfortably Numb? Are they happy that more than thirty years later people still find value in their music or downright offended at the lightness of such a heavy, inward song?

 

Does it matter what they think about Scissor Sisters Comfortably Numb?

Will the ‘genre wars’ ever end?

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Queen and David Bowie Under Pressure

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Another ground-breaking music video. Queen and David Bowie collaborate to make this song and video. It portrayed what real poverty and stress are through the use all kinds of clips. It really gave the viewer an opportunity to experience ‘pressure’ through the lyrics and the images. Unlike most videos at the time, they were not as focused on being cool or sexy but actually sharing a message with grace and force.

 

Of course, Queen and David Bowie  were not the first to do so, nor the last. At the time, it stood out from the rest of the pack. The production quality of the images were of the highest level. Music, songwriting and lyrics were right up there as well. This is one of the music videos that those in the business use as a barometer for what is possible with some creativity and skill.

 

It is rare such visionary artists are willing to share billing like this. Queen and David Bowie were both on top of the industry and could have made something flashier or more commercial but they chose to funnel their collective popularity and talents to make something that mattered. I wish others would do the same. Music has always had its share of artists that give their time and energy to support social issues. This is just an example of one of the better efforts in that regard.

“Why can’t we give love, give love, give love?… This is our last dance. This is our last dance.”

It is interesting how the sound quality and production sound just like the stuff being produced today. A professional DJ can mix Queen and David Bowie with current stuff and there is no drop-off in audio quality or technology. I do, and people seem to like it!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Elton John Empty Garden

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Elton John Empty Garden. I still get emotional and shaky when I think of the night John Lennon was shot and killed12/8/1980. I was the professional DJ that night in a club and dropped the record I had in my hand when I was informed of this shocking event. It was and still is my “Where were you when J.F.K. was killed?” moment. This song was a tribute to John Lennon from his good friend and Godfather to his second son Sean, Elton John. It made remembering John all that much more difficult and real.

 

John Lennon was my hero growing up. His words and music about peace, love and personal action are still with me today and have shaped my being. I was crushed when he died. Somehow, Elton being a friend of his and one of my favorite writers at the time made it seem better since he too was grieving the loss of a special man personally. Elton John Empty Garden.

 

Elton had performed on several Lennon songs and even appeared onstage with him at his final concert in 1974.  When he performed this song at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show in August 1982, Elton was joined onstage by Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon.

 

There has been some discussion of which “garden” Elton John Empty Garden was writing about. Perhaps the “empty garden among the flagstones” are the thousands of flowers that were left at the entryway to the Dakota that night and through the following days. People simply did not know what to do with their grief and so they gathered outside the Dakota with their flowers and radios and sang his songs into the morning. Yoko had to send her assistant outside saying she loved the singing but it was keeping her awake so would they gather again that Sunday and remember how “John loved and prayed for the human race. Please pray the same for him.” Others say John’s beauty and creativity itself was ‘the garden’. Still others argue that it is actually Madison Square Garden where they played together especially John’s last performance. Regardless of the truth, all of them have equal and different pull at my heart, they all work for me and feel true.

 

This remains one of the most touching and emotional songs for me. “Hey Hey Johnny, won’t you come out to play?”Elton John Empty Garden.

 

I miss you John. Where are you?

Elton John Empty Garden

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

A Flock of Seagulls I Ran

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A Flock of Seagulls were really one of the bands that are generally regarded with breaking ground for other musical acts in the then, new video music scene. The wild and creative hairstyle by lead singer, keyboardist and former-hairdresser Michael “Mike” Score made them an international success with their techno sound and beats. The video A Flock of Seagulls I Ran, was also considered very creative and interesting at the time.

 

Those of us who were fortunate enough to be professional DJs in clubs that utilized videos as part of the environment then, loved playing “I Ran” since it appealed to people both as a great dance song but also hysterically entertaining to look at his hairstyle on a huge screen. This was a new and cutting-edge component to the club scene and music videos were just starting to shape the music industry.

 

A Flock of Seagulls I Ran reached #1 in several countries and is still a highly requested song today for professional DJs.

A Flock of Seagulls I Ran

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Stevie Wonder Superstition

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All professional DJs have a few songs we know will work in most situations young and old, Black and White, Rock, Reggae and Hip Hop. For me, Stevie Wonder Superstition is one of the songs for me. While others from the Motown era and beyond have reached higher international acclaim, Stevie has just continued to make great music and share with us his messages of hope, peace and the struggle with a forceful beats and rhythms.

 

I had the opportunity to see him live as a birthday present many years ago at Radio City Music Hall. A great show from a great performer. Stevie Wonder Superstition was one of the highlights.

 

When I first began as a professional DJ, I used to play Stevie Wonder Superstition on ’45’ nearly every show and was always accepted well. In fact, the old ’45s’ on vinyl when played too often would get ‘burned’ and make a noise from the groove it produced from over-play when played in the beginning. This is one of the records I needed to replace due to professional DJ burn. Today, I seem to still get that same response from all audiences. While it is easier to use Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna as back-up plans; I like to use call on my old friend Stevie Wonder Superstition.

 

Enjoy the performance of Stevie Wonder Superstition!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Beatles First Visit to USA

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It is hard to imagine that there was a time music existed before The Beatles. I realize how short-sighted that is to write but still what’s on my mind. For those who were not born yet to witness Beatlemania, there is not really a way to accurately convey just how big they were and how quickly it happened. If you can visualize Beyonce, Lady GaGa, Akon, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus all wrapped into one band in its impact and complete domination of the Billboard charts. They were their only real competition for many years. In 1964, during the week of 4 April, the Beatles held twelve positions on the singles chart, including the top five. Just to make sure you understood what was just written, The Beatles had the top five songs and twelve in general! The Beatles First Visit to USA!

 

The influence of The Beatles still continues today. They were the avalanche that made the British Invasion what it became and paved the road for the British artists in America today. The mindset of peace and imagining a world with equality, respect and freedom for all are still with us. The legacy of The Beatles outlasted their actual careers together as a musical group. They were together for less than a decade and here we are almost forty years later still listening to and appreciating their greatness and artistry. From the days of cute ‘moptops’ to Sargeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and finally Let It Be, The Beatles have left their mark globally and definitely for me personally. The Beatles First Visit to USA!

 

I remember the first ’45’ I owned was The Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand. It is where this all started for me. In a world dominated by performers more interested in being noticed by paparazzi than trying to create world peace and love, groups like The Beatles are missed. Maybe it is time for some of the major acts of today to step-up and lead the way for the next generation. The Beatles First Visit to USA!

The Beatles First Visit to USA! Who will be the ones to do this?

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ