Old School Friday: Dance for Me!

HEYYYY I'm Back to Old School Friday! I've been missing out on all the fun, but today is one big ol dance party. Now in my senior year of college it turned out that the big dance songs for the majority of the college were Journey "Don't Stop Believin", Neil Diamond "Sweet Caroline" and Lynyrd Skynyrd "Sweet Home Alabama" If you ever want to see preppy New Englanders get all happy jumping up and down, play these songs. Really...this was in 2007, you wouldn't believe it. And I can't front, I love those songs as well. For a modern taste we got down to Madonna "Like a Prayer"

BUT,growing up I was in the very different world of Flatbush, West Indies USA. Since Obama declared this Caribbean Heritage month, here are some of the jams that will get any Caribbean party moving.



This next song, no lie I went to my friends birthday party when I was 9 and the whole family had a choreographed dance to it. My first experience with the Trini party style.



ANDD for good measure, this was on our elementary school Dancing with Richard Simmons to the 80s video we had to watch for class. Everytime I hear this song, I have to do the dance



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Old School Friday: Theme Songs

Yes this is the Saturday edition of Old School Friday!
This week's theme was tv theme songs which is right up my alley. But I'm taking myself away and NOT going to do any of my favorite shows, since they get mentioned so often anyway. I've actually been having a lot of tv theme song conversations with friends this week...but that's besides the point.

I'm in a space mood right now, but was never one to watch Star Trek....those weird shaped heads frightened me. Instead two sitcoms focused on the human fascination with space.

Why this show even existed? I'm still yet to understand.
Homeboys in Outer Space


For the longest time when I was little, I was convinced that if I could connect my index fingers perfectly, I could pause time and go about my business. It never happened


And one award show moment that will always stick out for me




Happy Old School Friday! ...on Saturday


*So obviously the greatest theme of my era was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Does anyone remember when they did that One World concert and Will Smith performed the theme song frm that show and everyone in all seven locations knew the song. That's power!


Other OSF Friday participants here: http://www.themarvalusview.com/osf/

HAUL,

Kim

Old School Friday: Threats-Jason Weaver

This man is too talented for his own good.





















Maybe not as much, but a good deal. Throw him a bone!




Actor/Actress Gone Singer/Singer Gone Actor/Actress

Rappers are way to skilled at this, so they have been excluded.

This week's Old School Friday is right up my alley. If you can't tell by my usual choices, I'm slightly obsessed with television and always think its great when there is a little musical feature. I discussed my obsession with Musical Guest Stars here (and provided handy You Tube references...so go check it out).

Most of us are familiar with a lot of the biggies. Tisha Campbell has had her fair share of opportunities to blow. Countess Vaughn outshined (okay, maybe not) Brandy on Moesha. Kyle and Max's love on Living Single was symbolized by his music career. And The Cosby Show/A Different World was really a big showcase, and little Raven got to start there. Heck, even Tatiana Ali got an opportunity to tell all of us to stop playing with her mind when Alfonso Ribiero wasn't dancing and singing all over the place.

Since we're keeping it Old School (ish)...I'm going to go against my original through to highlight the stars of Family Matters and dedicate this post to Jason Weaver, who was not a half bad teen actor. But maybe there's a reason his singing career never took off.

Singing with Brandy on Thea


Singing voice for Simba, since JTT didn't really hold a note


Little Michael Jackson


Smart Guy


He's gone on to do more movies, notably Drumline and ATL and played convincing roles in both. Here's to hoping for the best for him and that his career won't be remember like this.

As far as I know, this was the extent of his music career. But, he's only one call away...



An honorable mention goes to Joey Lawrence, because no one gives him any love at all anymore.


As for singers who can act ( a much harder transition to do well, unless your a rapper), besides for Marques Houston and Disney Channel kids(yes I am young) that's a little harder. But a few mentions (of which you are more than welcome to disagree) will include Whitney Houston, Ne-Yo (that new video is really good), Mandy Moore and Barbara Streisand. All of Patti LaBelle's roles don't seem to be acting per se.

I obviously have way too much time on my hands. Check out other OSF participants here: http://www.themarvalusview.com/osf/


EDIT: Ach, I must also shout out Sheryl Lee Ralph and Loretta Devine, the orignal Dream Girls. Forget Jason Weaver..this blog should have been about them. Ms. Ralph has gone away to second rate cable channels, but Loretta Devine still gets a song in or two on Eli Stone.

Old School Fridays:Favorite Male Singer

So Old School Friday came and gone, but I was lacking internet access. (How I survived this devastating affair? I actually interacted with people in person!) So in a very tired way I bring you a Favorite Male Singer. It's not going to be Michael Jackson. In an attempt to stick to semantics, I will also not include Boyz II Men,although it is obvious: I am a fan. And because I'm so late, I'm sure someone has taken Luther Vandross. It's also so hard to pick one favorite male artist. Before 1999, I don't think I was discerning enough to have just one. So here are three that come to mind right now.

For the entire minute he was around, I was a fan. Maybe cus' his sisters sang as well, and I like family acts.


Another. Sony BMG won't allow this to be copied and pasted. Since he also constructed one of my favorite soundtracks of all times, he gets double props.



Check out other OSF people here: http://mrsgrapevine.com/old-school-music-meme/

Old School Fridays: Social/Political Songs

Judging from the fact that I secretly burned one of my old professor's Black Power: Music of a Revolution disc collection, this Old School Friday is right up my alley. A younger, less wiser me of less than a year ago would have included Boys II Men's "Why Christmas" if only for the simple reason that I was convinced the lyrics were "It's gonna be a white Christmas. My brothers and my sisters...they don't have any toys."

1st up: Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes "Wake Up Everybody" The video with the actual performance, can't be embedded so here. And yes it was remade a few years ago.:



2nd. A song from the said burned disk. Ain't no Stoppin Us Now: McFadden and Whitehead. I really wanted this to be the graduation march song in the 8th grade.




3rd. West Coast All Stars "We're All in the Same Gang." I've featured it before, but its such a classic! Yea for Reebok giving away free videos.



CHECK OUT MORE OLD SCHOOL FRIDAY PARTICIPANTS HERE.

Old School Fridays: Motown

Is it a cop out for me to use this song seeing as how they start with the word Motown? Yes. Do I care? No. I'm young...this is the Motown I know.




Other Old School Fridays participants shown here

At least someone's getting publicity from Doug E. Fresh

The Doug E. Fresh dance turned into a song. Apparently she likes his Dougie.