NYC Song Of The Week: “El Tigeraso” – Maluca

…Wait, lemme stop dancing first. Just give me a minute…

… … … … …

I could have put this song up for my international post or for hype song of the week, it’s just that good and I would describe it as hype music..but all roads lead back NYC. I have to give shoutouts to Buraka Som Sistema and Le Poisson Rouge for exposing me to this talent, my neighbor from uptown, @MALUCAMALA. I first heard her at a show at LPR, she opened for BSS and she was hot. A good live act.

182nd and Audubon, huh,  sounds more like 177th and Amsterdam, Highbridge Park in the Summer. Cookouts turn into dance parties, abuelo with the piragua cart and the coquito at the bottom. (That’s grandpa, snowcones and frozen coconut and rum drinks for all my unilingual readers out there.)

I can play this track over and over, it just resonates in my head and I just let it keep running. Then twenty minutes later I realize I’m playing a playlist with only one song in it. After one more listen, then I stop.

See more Maluca.  See more Buraka Post.

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

Hype Song of the Week “Whip It” – Devo

THIS VIDEO IS SO ODD!!

There are really too many oddities to count,but let me try, you tell me if I missed any. Just the motley crue of characters makes the set up ridiculous on its own: some cowboy and cowgirls, futuristic turtleneck-wearing, flower pot hat musicians, a live-action mannequin and a matronly lady. What’s up with the log cabin and the hay, it’s so obviously a sound stage. The cross-eyed Asian woman trying to shoot a beer can out of a guy’s hand is  hilarious, probably a little because that kind of joke totally wouldn’t fly with in today’s ultra politically correct society. (Americans don’t even use the word fat anymore.) The subtitles are funny too, all #TWSS- worthy. One says, “ride’em cowboy” and the older lady holds  a big bowl of white cream and says “come and get it.” That says enough. The video ends with the drummer, who has been playing with only one drumstick the entire time, runs off the set like there’s a fire, for no reason. Odd.

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

International Artist Of The Week – Vanessa Paradis – “Be My Baby”

This artist is international, but the song is definitely a throwback and it’s in English, but I like it. It’s from 1992. The real reason why I picked it is because I was trying to have four weeks of French artists: David Guetta, Les Plastiscines, Yelle, now Vanessa Paradis. One of my old bosses first put me on to this song years ago. The is Vanessa back when she was with Lenny Kravitz, long before she became Johnny Depp’s wife and the mother of his kids.

Doesn’t she just look angelic and serene in the whole video, I guess it’s the French sensibility and the black boyfriend. This video has Early 90s Lenny written all over it.

<<<Last Week's Artist<<<>>>Next Week>>>

Throwback Song Of The Week – “I Only Have Eyes For You” – The Famingoes

This song really is a classic. A song I still play to this day (well that’s not saying much, I listen to all the old stuff I post-you cant beat the oldies.) Every time I hear this song, I picture taking Donna Jo to the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance, that’s the night I first let her wear my letterman’s jacket. I remember being woozy from the punch when we were at Make-out Point, this song was playing when Donna let me go to third in the back  of my dad’s Chevy.

Clearly that never happen…must be a past life.

My little sister used to crack me up when I played this song, she used to do the Lean Wit It Rock Wit It dance in super slow motion…and the funny thing is, the go together.

These guys in the video are cracking me up, those leisure suits and lapelles of so 70s. And the lead singer is really earning his paycheck.

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

Emo Song Of The Week “Life On Mars” – David Bowie

If you’re afraid of clowns, This Is Your Warning. David Bowie use to pack on more make up in the 70s than Tammy Faye. (I’m still kind of shocked he got Iman, he must do tricks) But this is one of my favorite Bowie Songs of all time, every time I hear it, I have to play it twice, it’s actually expected now.  I always picture some epic break-up scene in my head when I hear this. Some part sound so heart-felt and emo.

<<<Last Week<<<>>>Next Week>>>

NYC Song Of The Week “Planet Rock” – Afrika Bambaataa

Just hearing this song makes me want to watch Krush Groove and start break-dancing.

Boy oh boy was fashion crazy in the 80s, they look like a cross between a Psychedelic Village People and the 80s Hood Clingons from a galaxy far far away. I think my mother was in this concert.

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

Hype Song Of The Week “(Doo Doo Brown) I Wanna Rock” – Luke

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!

Every hood cookout plays this song at least once and it’s usually at the end, once the older people and the children go home. This is how babies are born. When this song comes on, people literally drop their drink, their plates, put away their phones and GO IN on the dance floor.  You might feel a little embarrassed after this song goes off, you might have on a couple fewer articles of clothing and probably didnt even get their name..

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

International Artist Of The Week – Yelle (12/9) [Repost]

Three weeks of French artists in a row  (I must like the country or something…they have great fries and toast). Good music, though.

This is Yelle, a cool French pop artist I first got put on by my friend Fariyal. Thins is back like two years ago maybe when we were going rampant with the music swapping.

I posted this last Wednesday but when I reread the post after I sent it out, I thought it lacked luster and really wasn’t good enough. I didn’t really even listen to the songs. If I did I would’ve know that I love this first song, Je Veux Te Vior, like a fat kid loves cake…like Joan Rivers likes plastic surgery. Around 2m, 30s, the song gets real 80s and I know it’s ripping a song I’ve heard from when I was like 2 or 3, but the memory’s too hazy for me to recall (on with the mission of me trying to figure  this out.) I gotta start downloading more Yelle to get to know her catalog… I like “Ce Jeu” too. Shoutout to @foucaultdude for the remix, I didn’t know about it until now.

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

Throwback Song Of The Week “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” – Frankie Valli

Before Lauren Hill, Save Ferris, Muse and Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You, there was the songster, Frankie Valli. I’ll admit I got put on by listening to the Jersey Boys Soundtrack, then I had to go back and find the original. Doesn’t Frankie kind of look like Mike Brady in this freeze frame.

*BONUS* “Sherry”

Emo Song Of The Week “Daria” Theme Song

This takes me back to when I actually watched MTV. Real World, Loveline with Dr. Drew and Adam Carolla and Daria… Daria was the original Debby Downer/Ms. Underwhelmed, she reminded my of the cartoon version of Janeane Garofalo’s high school days.

This is the Daria Tribute mad by MacClac.

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

This post was written with @PerfectEnigma in min, her Emo twitter rant range from AntiHorny sexcapades to delayed Bursar’s checks and suicidal laptops. It’s like Tracy Chapman 2.0

A Happy Birthday’s In Order: NYC Song Of The Week “Empire State Of Mind” – Jay-Z/Alicia Keys

How fitting is this,  Jay-Z’s 40th birthday is on my NYC song day. Hmmm, does Jay have any New York videos out right now? Ummm, yeah he does, i should know, I directed it. I kid, the is a Hype Williams joint and I love it. I can name about 97% of shots in this video. [RealTalk] I wonder if he’ll spend his 40 at 40/40. *Other Jay Posts*

<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

Hype Song Of The Week “Push It” – Salt N Pepa [With Bonus Videos]

When I was writing last week’s hype post it made me think of this song, but like with the Slick Rick’s “Mona Lisa,” the intro is the best part and that’s something you can’t find with video. So play the audio, PLAY I SAID!!

[SALT-N-PEPA "Push It" (w/Intro)]XXXXXXXX<<<Last Week’s Song<<<>>>Next Week>>>

“…Now wait a minute y’all, this dance ain’t for everybody, only this sexy people.  So all you fly mothers get on there and dance…DANCE I SAID!!…”

This concert/video is a classic: the hair, the low-impact dance moves, the clothes, the cinematography: I’m five years old all over again.

M.I.A.’s “Bamboo Banga” made me think of Salt N Pepa because they’re both upbeat songs. I know M.I.A.’s a fan, listen to this version of the song Sunshowers. This  is an earlier version than the Arular Album, it’s from Piracy Funds Terrorism, EP, produced in-part by Diplo.