Rounding out my music related posts for today, I wanted to pick something mellow from the 80s and “Holding Back the Years” by Simply Red came to mind.  It’s on their album entitled “Picture Book” originally released in 1985.  Simply Red’s lead singer Mick Hucknall (aka “Red”) from the UK wrote the song when he was 17 years old.  The song is inspired by Red’s childhood having been raised by his father after his mother left the home when he was 3 years old. “Holding Back the Years” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1986.

Here’s the video…

Looking for some funky fresh tunes to add to your playlists? Check out ALL of my THROWBACK FRIDAY posts!!!

Read more about Simply Red on MTV.com.

I just heard “Let’s Chill” by Guy come up on my hubby’s playlist and it took me back.  It also reminded me that I don’t typically post true R&B songs as Throwback Fridays.  It’s that song we used to hope some guy or gal would catch your eye and ask you to slow dance hard as we did back those days, lol.  Today, at the moment it came up on the iPod, what came to mind is how hectic life can become and sometimes just slowing things down is just what we need, even if it’s for the 3 1/2 minutes a song is playing.

Guy was a R&B group made up of hitmaker Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, and Timmy Gatling.  After the release of their self titled debut album “Guy” in 1988, Timmy left the group and Aaron Hall got his younger brother Damion Hall.  “Let’s Chill” is on Guy’s sophomore album “The Future.”

As you finish out your Fridays across the world.  Remember, “Let’s Chill.”

Enjoy!

Guy – Let’s Chill
Uploaded by coolfunk. – See the latest featured music videos.

Check out ALL of my THROWBACK FRIDAY posts!!! (a good resource for your playlists)

With the much talked about Tiger Woods press conference on my mind today, I wanted to find a throwback song to capture some of my personal annoyance with the incessant media coverage and judgment of Tiger Woods.  Celebrity or not, we all deal with people who seem to be right there when things are going well for you and then turn when things get gloomy.

I haven’t paid homage to female rockers yet in my Throwback Friday posts, so I’m digging up some Joan Jett and The Blackhearts today from the crates.  Her most popular song was probably her cover of “I Love Rock and Roll” back in the early 80s.  That song was her only one to reach the coveted #1 spot on the Billboard music charts.

“Fake Friends” first track on Joan Jett and The Blackhearts’ album simply titled “Album” released in 1983.

Cheers! …and may the most true people be with you.

Joan Jett – Fake Friends
Uploaded by jpdc11. – Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- check out ALL of my Throwback Friday posts!!! (a good resource for your playlists)
• Joan Jett official website- www.joanjett.com
• Rolling Stone- Review of “Album”

UPDATE FEB 22, 2010: Chicago Radio is interviewing Doodlebug formerly of Digable Planets on Wednesday, February 23, 2010 at 11:00 AM CST.  You will be able to get the audio by clicking on the image in the post around that time.  Here’s the link to “Chicago Radio Portrait of an Artist: Conversation with Doodlebug of Digable Planets.”

OMG!!! I WAS Digable Planets when they were out.  They were that group that baggy jean overalls with the one strap unhooked, braid wearing, funky hat sportin, Mary Jane shoe steppin gals like me back in the day embodied.  Even cooler was that Lady Bug from the group went to Howard High School in Columbia, Maryland for some period of time- my home town!

I guess I’m in a jazzy mood as of late, but enjoy the ride with me!

Working on a playlist of the dopest throwback jams?

Check out all of my THROWBACK FRIDAY POSTS.

Funny.  This song is as relevant today as it was in 1988.  People still get on rappers about sampling music, and “Talkin all that Jazz” was Stetsasonic’s defense of the hip hop explaining that they were using existing beats to create a new art form.  One of my sisters brought up this early 80s, Brooklyn native, self proclaimed hip hop band earlier this week, and I knew that they’d be my pick for this week’s Throwback Friday post.  They were loaded with hits, and it made choosing a particular song to represent them even more challenging.  “Sally,” “A.F.R.I.C.A.,” and “Freedom or Death” are just a few that come to mind.

The blog T.R.O.Y. has a post called “In Full Gear, 20 years later” that I think is one of the best tributes written to old school hip hop.  Fans should give it a read.

Enjoy! 

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- all of my Throwback Friday posts
• Soul and Funk Revue- Ouhh Presents: DJ Remike- Stetsasonic: The original hip hop band

OMG!  I used to love this song back in the day.  Takes me back to playing on my club soccer team.  It was one of those songs when we were carpooling to a soccer game and it came on, we begged the parent to turn it up and would sing along.  I don’t think my parents were so in love with me singing along at that time to a song called “Naughty Girls” but that’s when you sang and danced in innocence, and the beat was so perfect for roller skating at Skateland. LOL!!!  Mind you,  Samantha had a series of racy hits like “Touch Me” and “I Wanna Have Some Fun.”  Not to mention, that spent her early career in Britain’s “Daily Sun” newspaper as a “page 3″ topless model.  According to her IMDB profile, she was the youngest “page 3″ model at age 16.

You HAVE to watch this video!  It captures 80s fashion so well.  The dance moves.  “Naughty Girls” came from Samantha Fox’s self titled sophomore album in 1987 and made it to number 3 on the US Billboard pop charts.  The album marked her cross over success from the UK to the US.

Enjoy!

While I wonder where Samantha’s been over the years, I see she was on UK’s “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!” on ITV in 2009 and looks like she hasn’t aged a minute in 20 years (see article “I’m A Celebrity kicks off with Sam Fox in shark-infested waters, as Katie Price arrives in Australia to join camp” from UK’s Mail Online).

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- all of my Throwback Friday posts
• Metro UK- I’m a Celebrity 2009 signs up ex-Page 3 model Samantha Fox
• Filmbug- Samantha Fox (bio)
• The Official Sam Fox Fanclub- www.samfox-fanclub.com

Bonus Vid…

interview with Samantha Fox after getting kicked off “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!”

This week’s Throwback Friday selection was a no brainer considering that I covered the “Let’s Talk About Pep” launch party on Tuesday night.  There are not many female MCs that really have broken into the hip hop scene at the level that Salt-n-Pepa did at their prime.

Here’s one of all time favorites from Salt-n-Pepa called “Shoop.”

Enjoy!

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- all of my Throwback Friday posts
• VH1- The Salt-n-Pepa Show
• DivaStation- Salt-n-Pepa (biography)

“Blog’d: Remembering Teddy Pendergrass, Health Trailer Still Tickles Sasha Frere-Jones“

...and follow them on Twitter- twitter.com/mtv_music

Ever since I heard about Teddy Pendergrass’s passing on Wednesday this week, the song “Wake Up Everybody” has been in my head.  It’s such a fantastic, positive song about making the world a better place, but in nearly every report I’ve read nobody mentions it.  In light of all the things going on in the world today, it’s as relevant now as it was in 1975.  At the same time, I’m the same person who posted a Throwback Friday tribute to Michael Jackson that was a duet he did with Roberta Flack in the children’s classic by Marlo Thomas “Free to be You and Me” called “When We Grow Up” (see “Throwback Friday- Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack ‘When We Grow Up’“).  Pay attention folks, I got some good stuff up my sleeve. 

I recently posted information on “VH1 Rock Docs” paying tribute to “Soul Train” (see “VH1 Rock Docs presents ‘Soul Train: The Hippest trip in America, Feb 5, 2010“).  In light of both events I find it fitting to post Teddy Pendergrass performing “Wake Up Everybody” on Soul Train back in 1975 with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

Enjoy!

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- all of my Throwback Friday posts
• Teddy Pendergrass Alliance- www.teddypendergrassalliance.org
• Affrodite.net- Legendary soul singer and Philly native Teddy Pendergrass dies at age 59
• Black Voices- Teddy Pendergrass: Ailing, hospitalized yet thankful
• Soul Walking- Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
• Teddy Pendergrass website (not sure if it’s official site)- www.teddypendergrass.net
• NY Times- Teddy Pendergrass, R&B soul singer, dies at 59
• Philadelphia Inquirer- Singer Teddy Pendergrass dies at age 59
• Rolling Stone- R&B great Teddy Pendergrass dead at 59 after cancer battle
• The Urban Daily- Teddy Pendergrass’ Music lives on through sampling

I’m amazed that John Lennon’s original version of “Imagine” only reached #3 on the Billboard charts while he was alive (it later reached #1 after his death).  At the same time it is a universal, classic song of hope and peace that has been covered by numerous artists such as Joan Baez, Dolly Parton, Rick Springfield, and Tracie Spencer.  In New York’s Times Square, what a sobering moment it was for me to hear “Imagine” playing just before the stroke of midnight as has become the tradition.  I was watching on television, and can only imagine (no pun intended..ha ha) what it must feel like actually standing out in Times Square in that moment.

Released in 1971, “Imagine” is as relevant today as it was then.  My first exposure that I can readily recall was when Tracie Spencer was having her moment in the music spotlight back in 1989.  She was a product of the original “American Idol” style singing competition called “Star Search” (it pains me to know that some of you may never have heard of that show nor watched it).  There’s a talented singer that seemed to disappear into thin air.  I need to do some research on her and see what she’s up to these days.

Anyhooz, I digress…

Happy New Year, folks…

If hearing this song over the past few days leaves you wanting more of the late John Lennon, check out “Nowhere Boy” about Lennon’s teen years now playing in UK Theaters and set to be released in the US in Spring 2010.

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- all of my Throwback Friday posts
• Entertainment Daily- Up to 1 million revellers at Times Square to usher in 2010
• IMDB- Nowhere Boy
• The Observer- Nowhere Boy (film review)
• Beatlepress Blog- John Lennon early life bio “Nowhere Boy” coming to US theaters
• John Lennon official website- Hard Rock International Announces “Imagine There’s No Hunger Campaign”
• Imagine Peace- information about Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavik, Iceland
• Justice Building- Imagine
• BBC News- In pictures: Lennon remembered

Bonus Track

“Imagine” as covered by Tracie Spencer

I wanted to post a classic on Christmas morning to get us all festive.  Christmas isn’t Christmas without a little Nat King Cole in it.

Have a good one y’all!

If you would like to submit your own Throwback Friday request, hit me up via my…

• CONTACT page
• TWITTER (@ifelicious)
• MYSPACE (myspace.com/ifelicious)
• FACEBOOK (facebook.com/ifelicious)

Feel free to share a story to go with your song request as well!

Related Links

• Ifelicious Thoughts- all of my Throwback Friday posts
• Biography.com- Nat King Cole
• IMDB- Nat King Cole