Tag Archives: Old School Fridays

Old School Friday: Movie Soundtracks

09 Friday May 2008

Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones

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by vivrant thang on old school fridays

Once again, it’s on. This week’s theme is music we love from some of our favorite films. I’m a HUGE movie buff so I really could have gone crazy with this. I’ll probably return to it in a later post.

My first selection is from the soundtrack of Love Jones, one of my all-time favorite movies – and soundtracks for that matter. The movie came out in 1997, which would make it ineligible for OLD School Fridays. However, there was one song on there that is certainly old school and one of my all time favorites.  It elicits so many emotions in me every time I listen. I just have to stop what I’m doing and….feel. I meant to post it during Jazz Appreciation Month (which I let slip by…where did April go?) Better late than never.

Enjoy “In A Sentimental Mood,” a collaboration by two of THE best to ever do it, John Coltrane and Duke Ellington.

I’m going to switch it up a bit for my other two selections. I absolutely love 70s blaxploitation films. I have a whole collection of them, including most, if not all of Pam’s Grier’s work. That was one badmamajama. Kicking ass and taking names – all while looking fierce. My shero!

I decided to go with two songs from one of my favorite 70s films, Superfly. That was a badasssss soundtrack and Curtis Maryfield is a badmutha…shutyomouf!

Superfly

Freddies Dead

What the hell. Before I go, I have to give it up again for my man, Bilal who started my week off right with a hell of a performance on Sunday night. This is not old school so consider it a bonus track.

From the soundtrack of another of my all-time favorite movies, Love and Basketball, and from my top fifty songs list, here is “Soul Sista.” (I captured the live performance of this song from Sunday’s show during which soul singer Ledisi joined him. Absolutely sick. Stay tuned.)

Hope you enjoyed my trip down movie memory lane today. If you’re not an OSF participant, share some of your favorite old school movie soundtrack songs in the comments.

Head on over and check out the other participants. This is a great theme this week and I KNOW you will enjoy what they come up with.

  • Electronic Village
  • Chatting Over Cocktails
  • Ms Grapevine
  • Quick
  • Marcus LANGFORD
  • Cassandra
  • Danielle
  • Lisa C
  • Chocl8t 
  • DP
  • Kreative Talk
  • MarvalusOne
  • Regina
  • LaShonda
  • AJ
  • Sharon
  • Invisible Woman
  • Believer 1964
  • Dee
  • SJP
  • sHaE-sHae

    • Old School Friday: Artists We Admire

    02 Friday May 2008

    Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones

    ≈ 11 Comments

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    by vivrant thang on old school fridays

    I didn’t have to give much thought to my choice for this week’s spotlight. The assignment was to pick an artist(s) we want to be like or want to sound like.

    Usually, I try to step outside the box a bit with my selection – showcase artists people may not have heard about or not thought about in a while. Couldn’t do that this week. I just finished talking about all the reasons why I love this woman and damnit, it bears repeating!

    Hopefully, I’m preaching to the choir when I talk about this woman’s musical ability. The words and sounds that come out of her mouth are heaven sent. Her live performances have moved me to tears. I shouldn’t need to convince any of you about that. You should already know. So I’ll talk about some of the other things I admire about J-I-L-L-S-C-O-T-T.

    • I admire how comfortable she is in her own skin.
    • I admire her sassiness, her beauty, her unabashed sensuality, and her rawness. She’s a cusser like moi.
    • I admire that she was able to pick herself up and keep flying after loving that deeply  – and losing.aside: She might have had an extra shot of six of Crown Royal on ice but you never once heard about a DUI or any other public antics. You have also never heard her say one negative word about him. That’s a real woman. Now a chick like me would have been hollering to anyone that would listen about his bitchassness. I’m just sayin.
    • I admire the path she has taken and how she is following her dreams. She’s gone from scooping ice cream in North Philly to being a three-time Grammy Award winner, published author, and star of the big and little screen.I can’t wait to see what’s next.

    She’s the shit ya’ll….the REAL thing.

    Bow down to the queen.

    My Love

    The Way/ Whenever You’re Around

    [youtbe=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jXfUn6o7Sg]

    The REAL Thing

    Hungry for more? Be sure to check out my review and videos from the concert I attended last month.

    The party’s not over ya’ll. Check out some of the artists that other Old School Friday participants admire.

  • Electronic Village
  • Chatting Over Cocktails
  • Ms Grapevine
  • Quick
  • Marcus LANGFORD
  • Cassandra
  • Danielle
  • Lisa C
  • Chocl8t 
  • DP
  • Kreative Talk
  • MarvalusOne
  • Regina
  • LaShonda
  • AJ
  • Sharon
  • Invisible Woman
  • Believer 1964
  • Dee
  • SJP
  • sHaE-sHae

    • Old School Friday: Men With Perms

    25 Friday Apr 2008

    Posted by in Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

    ≈ 17 Comments

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    by vivrant thang on old school fridays

    Lawdhamercy, they really showed out when picking this week’s theme.

    There was a plethora (love that word) of artists I could have chosen whose doobies were and are tighter than mine ever was.

    I give props to all of them, especially Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire who I KNOW has to sit up underneath that dryer for at least 2-3 hours. No ma’am!

    I figured your Purple Royalness would be a popular choice for this one so I decided to dig a little deeper.

    Before Prince, there was this man.

    Any guitarist worth his salt today has to bow down to the memory of Jimi Hendrix and how he revolutionized the soul (and rock) music genre.

    I went to a live show a couple of nights ago where the guitarist did all kinds of funky things with the instrument and some machines (see how much I know about it). All of the artistry and techniques he used can most certainly be traced back to Jimi.

    “Jimi Hendrix expanded the range and vocabulary of the electric guitar into areas no musician had ever ventured before. Many would claim him to be the greatest guitarist ever to pick up the instrument. At the very least his creative drive, technical ability and painterly application of such effects as wah-wah and distortion forever transformed the sound of rock and roll.”–From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

     

    And his ‘do didn’t look half bad either.

    Voodoo Chile (Live at Woodstock), 1969

    Hey Joe, 1967 performance
    (plays with his mouth – talk about making love with to your instrument..sex-ay! )

    All Along the Watchtower, 1970

    I’m a bass guitarist-loving chick myself but I had to post a couple of videos from some current day guitarists I love.

    Van Hunt In Concert at The Black Cat, 10/28/07

    Curt Chambers covering His Purple Royalness’, “U Got The Look”, 1/4

    The party doesn’t stop here. Take a stroll down memory lane with the other Old School Friday participants.

  • Electronic Village
  • Chatting Over Cocktails
  • Ms Grapevine
  • Quick
  • Marcus LANGFORD
  • Cassandra
  • Danielle
  • Lisa C
  • Chocl8t 
  • DP
  • Kreative Talk
  • MarvalusOne
  • Regina
  • LaShonda
  • AJ
  • Sharon
  • Invisible Woman
  • Rosemarie
  • Dee
  • SJP
  • sHaE-sHae

    • Old School Friday: Perfect Combination

    18 Friday Apr 2008

    Posted by in In Heavy Rotation

    ≈ 8 Comments

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    by vivrant thang on old school friday

    It’s another Old School Friday and they left a sista to her own devices this week. We were told to “do whatcha like!” I decided to go with a theme of “perfect combinations” – a few of the ultimate artist collaborations.

    This is by NO means a complete list.  It’s just a few songs that are inspired in part by my Top Songs list and by what’s been playing on the ‘pod this week. I took a few liberties with the rules as a couple of the songs are a couple years past 1993. I’d still argue that they are classics.

    Let me know what you think of my choices in the comments.

    What are some of your favorite old school perfect combinations?

    Perfect Combination, Stacy Lattisaw & Johnny Gill, 1984
    (Ahh…remember the time before Johnny was telling ‘Donkey’ to put on his red dresssss)

    Secret Garden, Quincy Jones f/Barry White, James Ingram, Al B. Sure, El Debarge, 1989(Sho you’re right!)

    Nothing Ever Felt Like This, Rachelle Farrell & Will Downing, 1994

    You’re All I Need, Meth and Mary, 1995
    (Shawwwttyyy I’m there for you anytime you need me…sigh, whatever happened to black love?) 🙂

    Nothing Even Matters, Lauryn Hill & D’Angelo, 1998
    (Ya’ll still matter to us…get your minds right and give us more music!)

    Honorable Mention:To get ya’ll ready for my Jill Scott concert review post (with video!) on Monday, I had to drop this one on you. This is when folks were still asking, “Who Is Jill Scott?”

    You Got Me, The Roots f/Jilly from Philly, 1999

    Here are a links to the other participants in Old School Fridays. Be sure to check them out. Great trips down memory lane:

    Old School Friday: Wedding Songs

    11 Friday Apr 2008

    Posted by in Soundtrack of My Life

    ≈ 12 Comments

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    I’ve been wanting to start posting weekly videos of some of my favorite songs, but there needed to be some kind of theme. Also one of my blog goals for this year is to interact with more bloggers.

    It was right on time when I happened upon this weekly meme over at Mrs. Grapevyne’s spot  where every Friday participants feature old school music (defined as pre-1993) with a different theme. Right up my alley since about 90% of the tunes on my Top Songs list (which has gotten unmanageable!) are definitely pre-1993!

    This week’s theme asked us to pick songs we want to hear at our weddings. This one was pretty easy since I’ve already chosen some songs in my Soundtrack to My Life meme.

    Songs on the list that are “old school”:

    • “Latest Greatest Inspiration”-Teddy Pendergrass (1981)
      (”You’re my latest, tell you you’re my greatest, my latest, my greatest inspiration, you inspire me, you just keep on lifting me up now, higher higher”)

    • “Betcha By Golly Wow”-Stylistics (1971) – I actually prefer Phyllis Hyman’s version but it’s not “old school”
      (”Betcha by golly Wow!, You’re the one that I’ve been waiting for forever, Forever will my love for you keep growing strong, keep growing strong”)

    • A Song For You”-Donny Hathaway
      (”I love you in a place where’s there’s no space or time”)(*Damn….)

    This is not a video but a recording of a live performance. Sends chills up my spine.

    •  “I’m Gonna Make You My Wife”-Whispers (1977 – a damn good year!)
      I’m gonna make you my wife,  Cause you’re my everything, all my hopes and dreams come true, I can’t live my life wth you”)        
    • Adore”-Prince (1987)
      (If God one day struck me blind, your beauty I’d still see”)

    Let me hear your old school wedding songs in the comments. Gotta keep it old school now – nothing after 1993! I had to take some good ones off my list. You have to suffer with me.

    Here are a links to the other participants in Old School Fridays. Be sure to check them out. Great trips down memory lane: