by Monica (1995)90’s radio R&B is one of my favorite genres and Monica’s Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days) is one of the best examples.
I love that it feels like a teenage girl wrote the lyrics, its incredibly catchy and no one makes hit songs about their sensitive BFs getting all whiny anytime a lady needs her space.
Girl’s got to get cranky sometimes!
by Robert Palmer (1985)Addicted to Love (which is also awesome) may be Riptide‘s biggest hit but it’s I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On that’s been rattling around in my head.
It’s sultry, it’s mysterious, it’s Robert Palmer at his most well-dressed-man-surrounded-by-vacant-models-in-skin-tight-dresses best.
A lady named Cherelle also had success with the song with her Mary Jane Girls like cover and Mariah Carey covered it having, apparently, only known that 80’s girly dance version.
Palmer’s original is much more interesting.
by Debra Law (1981)Debra Laws’ Very Special sounds like young girls’ smiles when they first fall in love . It’s a very nice thing.
by Jaheim (2009)Synchronicity is a wondrous thing. Van’s obsessed with our clock radio, so decides he must play with it the very moment the R. Kelley-esque Ain’t Leaving Without You is on Hot 97.
I would have otherwise probably never heard it.
Jaheim, a Jersey native, presents here a passionate tale of a man in a club enraptured with a woman’s sexy body. Well worn territory for an r&b song? Perhaps. But I promise you’ll still enjoy it.
Jaheim, a Jersey native, presents here a passionate tale of a man in a club enraptured with a woman’s sexy body. Well worn territory for an r&b song? Perhaps. But I promise you’ll still enjoy it.
Considering that two of the songs on my short list are novelties, it’s not a huge shock my favorite song this year has been a rap about fast food.
You’ll also find an incredibly lovely folk ballad from a glam rocker, a sexed up metal jam and a pretty forgotten dream pop love song.
1. Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell
2. She Was Born to be My Unicorn
5. Poison
by Low (1999)True, Low’s Just Like Christmas is far more Midwest-indie than my tastes tend to run – and I can vividly imagine it as the soundtrack to a precious, folksy Volkswagen commercial, but it’s undeniably, a sweet Christmas ditty.
Very nice to see new, catchy compositions for the Holiday are being written not just as an after thought to make money but artfully and with genuine heart.
by Otis Redding and The DriftersWhite Christmas is a great holiday classic, cheers to Irving Berlin! But it’s roots are in the old fashioned Bing Crosby era sound and while there’s nothing wrong with that, the song really takes on new dimensions with more interesting renditions.
My favorites are The Drifters who lend a toe tapping doo-wop sound, while the incomperable Otis Redding spins his heart broken soulful magic and suddenly White Christmas is the best song ever!
It’s one of the holiday’s most covered songs, so if you don’t agree with my favorites, you can likely find one that suits you (Rick Astley, NKOTB, or Kenny G, perhaps?)
by Doctor Octoroc (2011)I continue my week of great Christmas songs!
Eight bit cover songs seem to be the it thing lately but you won’t hear me complain about it!
Especially when artists are making once mediocre Christmas songs into listening awesomeness like Ryu the Red Nosed Ninja.
Apologies to Rudolf, but it’s just never been one of my favorites.
As a spacey, spooky video game like tune, though it’s transformed!
The entire album, 8 Bit Jesus, is available here.
A great way to support an artist directly while gaining some nerdy holiday listening cheer.
by Julie LondonI am really into the holidays this year, just ask anyone that drops by and finds Christmas classics playing in our apartment all day.
Van is a huge fan, but for those that aren’t I’m recommending Holiday songs anyone would love all week.
Starting with the sultry voiced Julie London and her lonely I’d Like You For Christmas. It’s underplayed and hasn’t been covered a million times which is refreshing.
Plus it will make you feel like a heartsick pin up girl, staring out her window on Christmas eve.
And since I’m in the generous spirit, below are a few of this sexy singers amazing album covers.
by Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat (1989)When people post music videos on Facebook I tend to treat them with at most a passing glance.
It won’t take long to understand why, with Cha Cha Heels, things were different.
I might also note that the song was written for Divine, who sadly passed away before it could be recorded.