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Who Sings It?  The 1990s – Part Two: On The Beat

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Welcome back to Part 2!

The tracks on this set show the influence that John Garabedian’s weekend radio show, Open House Party, had on my buying, listening and charting habits.

Of the 20 songs in this Part 2, half are songs I can remember hearing on Open House Party.

C&C Music Factory’sGonna Make You Sweat” marks the third time in three volumes that Martha Wash provides the lead vocals for a studio group.

In 1989, she sang lead on Seduction’s “(You’re My One and Only) True Love.”

The following year, Black Box’s “Everybody, Everybody” featured Wash.

Unfortunately, in each of these cases, Wash had to take legal action to get the producers involved to properly credit her work.


There was no such drama surrounding “Tom’s Diner,” the offbeat dance hit for DNA featuring Suzanne Vega. But there could have been.

Originally, the producers took the track from Vega’s 1987 LP Solitude Standing (the same album that produced “Luka”), and remixed and released it without her permission (though crediting her vocals).

However, Vega liked the remix, and her label agreed to provide a proper release.

It, like Luka, became a Top 5 hit.


Vega’s track wasn’t the only odd base for a dance-pop hit in 1991.

Enigma made a dance hit out of Gregorian chant, of all things, and took “Sadeness, Part 1,” to No. 5.

Austria’s Bingoboys took an old instructional dance record and played off rapper Princessa’s takedowns on “(Show Me) How to Dance,” hitting No. 25 pop.


Several songs sampled or remade hits to create something new.

Troop, Levert and Queen Latifah all contributed to the New Jack City soundtrack remake medley of Stevie Wonder’s “Livin’ for the City” and The O’Jays’ “For the Love of Money.”

Father M.C. built “I’ll Do for You” from a sample of Cheryl Lynn’s “Got to Be Real…”

…While Heavy D and the Boyz remade “Now That We Found Love,” previously recorded by The O’Jays and Third World.

Rapper Monie Love teamed up with vocal group True Image to turn a Spinners hit written by Stevie Wonder into “It’s a Shame (My Sister).”

And 3rd Bass’ sneering Vanilla Ice takedown, “Pop Goes the Weasel,” ironically samples multiple hits including Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” and the Who’s “Eminence Front.”


Let’s look at a few songs that weren’t dance hits.

Chris Isaak earned his only major pop hit with his spare midtempo “Wicked Game…”

…While actress Jasmine Guy broke into the pop top 40 with “I Just Want to Hold You,” an R&B ballad akin to Janet Jackson’s “Let’s Wait Awhile.”


From the world of rock:

England’s Jesus Jones soared to No. 2 with “Right Here, Right Now,…”

…While The Black Crowes, originally from Georgia, took “She Talks to Angels” to No. 30.

While Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox racked up solo hits, Dave Stewart earned his own, teaming up with Dutch sax player Candy Dulfer for “Lily Was Here,” a No. 11 instrumental in July.

The only song unavailable on Spotify this time is the Peace Choir’s remake of John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance,” available here on YouTube. (A great recording? No. But definitely a sonic time capsule of 1991.)

Here’s the Spotify link for the rest of this set:

Which ones do you like? Hate? Share your thoughts in the comments.


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Chuck Small

Journalist-turned-high school counselor. Happily ensconced in Raleigh, N.C., with hubby of 32 years (10 legal).

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rollerboogie
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November 18, 2024 9:42 pm

Good selection. I knew 13 of these, and I don’t dislike any of them. Like the last batch, a bunch of them are on the playlists I made of house music from ’90 and ’91, culled from the comment section and Tom’s column. Of the non-dance tracks, Wicked Game is an all-time fave of mine and a karaoke go-to. I’ve never gotten tired of hearing it.

ISurvivedPop
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November 19, 2024 7:01 am

This post is clearly stretching the series title a bit because anyone who knows “She Talks to Angels” at all knows that the Black Crowes sang it

rollerboogie
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November 19, 2024 7:20 am

In other news, I just woke up from a dream in which I was with a group of people brainstorming on who should record a cover of Islands in the Stream.
We came up with Miley Cyrus and Luke Bryan. You’ve done a few articles featuring duets, Chuck. What do you think? Did my dream pick a decent pair to record that song? I have no idea, as I barely know what Luke Bryan sounds like.

Last edited 15 days ago by rollerboogie
rollerboogie
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November 19, 2024 7:42 am
Reply to  cstolliver

Thanks, Chuck. I feel reassured that my subconscious has things handled while I’m asleep.

Ozmoe
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November 19, 2024 7:54 am

I’m glad to know that I’m not the only man in his 30s who was listening to John Garabedian’s Open House Party on the radio Saturday nights in the 1990s. These are all quirky hits showing to me how much more diversified the pop playlist was then as opposed to now. My favorite is “Sadeness, Part I” just because it was so out there then (and now) to be in the top 5. And I’m glad that Martha Wash finally got recognition and hopefully a lot of money for how badly and frequently producers used her vocals without credit.

Virgindog
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November 19, 2024 9:42 am

The biggest surprise here for me is finding out that Candy Dulfer is Dutch. She’s been a part of the American Jazz and Rock scenes for so long I assumed she was from New York or something. My bad.

Some of these names don’t ring a bell at all. Father M.C.? Lisette Melendez? Peace Choir? I’ll have to give them a chance.

rollerboogie
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November 19, 2024 9:58 am
Reply to  Virgindog

That Lisette Melendez song on the list is a banger. You should listen to it.
My advice for the day.

mt58
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November 19, 2024 12:31 pm

And so for today’s edition of “Sentences I Didn’t Think I’d Be Typing,“ I may or may not have an article upcoming that features Bingoboys.

You have been warned.

JJ Live At Leeds
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November 19, 2024 12:55 pm

Well this is a surprise. An appalling Eurodance hit that made in the US but sank without trace here? I have never heard of the Bingoboys and I don’t intend finding out what I’ve been missing.

Chris Isaak, Monie Love, Vega/DNA were big favourites for me. Enigma started off as something new and unusual but I got bored with them after Sadeness. That was a #1, a position their first two albums reached as well.

Heavy D And The Boyz was a big song of the summer. It’s entwined in my memory with days out at the beach.

rollerboogie
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November 19, 2024 1:38 pm

That Bingoboys track is not appalling to me at all. It’s fun.

JJ Live At Leeds
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November 19, 2024 2:06 pm
Reply to  rollerboogie

I’m happy to take you at your word.

cappiethedog
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November 20, 2024 3:25 pm

The title track off Monie Love’s Down to Earth was remixed and released as a single. It didn’t chart. I think the original version stood a better chance. I’m not familiar with “It’s a Shame(My Sister)”. I like it. But in my opinion, Monie Love shines the brightest on her guest MC spot on Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First”. I was so ready for Love’s debut. (Did you see Saroise Ronan in The Outrun? Wow. It’s not your standard recovering blackout drunk film. Have you visited the Orkney Islands?)

JJ Live At Leeds
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November 21, 2024 2:36 am
Reply to  cappiethedog

I’m out of touch, I’d not heard of The Outrun let alone seen it. In my younger days I’d have been all over it. Life gets in the way.

I haven’t visited the Orkney’s either. Though they are on a list of places I’d love to get to. Scotland has a range of windswept but ruggedly beautiful island chains to visit; Shetland Islands and Western Isles are strong contenders too.

Zeusaphone
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November 19, 2024 1:52 pm

Candy Dulfer is one saxy lady

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