About 2 years ago, I really got into Fatman Scoop after having the opportunity to see him live and I always really enjoyed his track “Be Faithful.” However, for whatever reason, I never thought about looking into the samples he used in it. Then yesterday, I saw Black Sheep’s “The Choice is Yours” and as soon as I heard that ‘Engine engine number 9′ I knew what I was listening to. Considered one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time, this 1991 song has made it’s appearance through music since it’s initial release.

Black Sheep – The Choice Is Yours [YSI]

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You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.
But I look around me and I see it isn’t so. Oh, no
Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs.
And what’s wrong with that?

I agree completely Mr. McCartney. What is wrong with that? I don’t what it is but I’m a sucker for many love heartfelt songs. Maybe it’s my severe lack of relationship communication skills or my constant emotional distancing. Regardless, I do just enjoy me a good emotionally charged message in my songs.

As an aside, this is not one of those songs that I think really portrays the message well. Anyone can say, “I love you.” However, I think Paul does do a good job just promoting love songs in general.

Wings – Silly Love Songs [YSI]

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Queen is one of those bands that will forever be ingrained in music history as being utterly amazing. From their weird noise synthesizer days to operatic rock ballads, they have had so many fantastic songs to choose from. Being a child of the 90s, I remember exactly how I was first introduced to Queen: The Mighty Ducks. After hearing “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions,” I immediately asked my parents to get me a Queen CD and I have hooked ever since, probably even more now. And you know, for all the great Queen songs out there, I think these are my two favorite:

Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now [YSI]

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Queen – Somebody To Love [YSI]

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I gotta be honest. I have done the Pip backup vocals at karaoke for this before just like Foreman and House did for Chase (video below). And yes, it was just as fun as these guys made it look. Gladys and the Pips tore up the charts with their soulful music and it still resonates today. “Midnight Train to Georgia” topped the charts at #1 off the album Imagination and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. I wish Gladys was my aunt too. Of course, then I’d be cousins with Turk which would be awesome (a scrubs reference for those of you who get it).

Gladys Knight  - Midnight Train to Georgia [YSI]

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House does karaoke with Chase and Foreman

Oh I remember the very first time I heard Barry White. I was in high school and taking a weekend trip with my friend’s family to Penn State for a football game. During the ride, they said they had to play the obligatory travel music and one of the first songs to come on was “You’re The First, The Last, My Everything.” As I sat there cracking up watching my friend do his best worst Barry White impression, I couldn’t help but love every minute of Barry. I guess it showed because they quickly repeated the song.

Today’s song, however, is actually off the same album. Barry’s first #1 single came out in 1974 with “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe.” When I listen to this song, I realize something. I don’t necessarily know what I want in a woman, but I know one of her qualities better be that she will make love with Barry White on. Haha.

Barry White – Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe [YSI]

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I recently borrowed a family members car and he happened to have XM radio. I used to have it but haven’t in 2-3 years now. Well I got bored of my normal alt rock and pop stations so I started scanning the channels and came across the classic soul channel (ch. 60 if memory serves me correct) and loved it. I realized just how much soul music I really enjoyed even more than a lot of classic rock I listen to. Needless to say, in the coming weeks, my Throwback Thursdays may become a bit more soulful. Today, I’m going with the classic Ray Charles and decided to do two songs.

Ray Charles – What’d I Say [YSI]

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Ray Charles – Georgia On My Mind [YSI]

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At work this summer, our theme is “The Decades” and this week was all about the 50′s so I figured why not pay my own dues to the 50′s? One of the greatest musical icons of the era was easily Elvis Presley. His name is beyond well known and his persona will live on. Hell, he’s continually impersonated in Vegas and Incubus has even juxtaposed his name to Jesus in  ”Megalomaniac.” I chose one of my favorite Elvis songs this week but also threw in a bit of a bonus with a the more modern JXL remix of his song “A Little Less Conversation” which was used in the opening to the show Las Vegas.

Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock [YSI]

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Bonus:

Elvis Presley – A Little Less Conversation (JXL remix) [YSI]

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Sometimes you just remember the very first time you heard a song. The first time I ever heard Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” was on King of Queens (Season 2, Episode 7, “Get Away”). It was used for comedic value and that was back in 1999 in my early teen years, but now the song has come to mean so much more and have that much more depth. I remember when my parents first told me that Marvin was killed by his father, and I just couldn’t fathom that. In many ways I still can’t. When Marvin Sr. was asked if he loved his son after shooting him, he only responded with, “Let’s just say I didn’t dislike him.” What a loss to soul and R&B. Marvin was truly amazing both vocally with his 3 octave range and his talent musically as multi-instrumentalist.

Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On [YSI]

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So my friend’s cell phone went off the other day and all we hear is, “The girl is pooiiisssoooonnnn.”  We both started laughing immediately because we knew exactly who was calling him and most likely what she wanted. As soon as I got home though, I had to listen to the song as a whole. It’s just one of those, I hear a little bit and need to hear the whole thing. Of course, Scrubs largely helped the fact that I enjoy this song so much because all I can do is picture Turk dancing to it (video below). Here’s Bel Biv DeVoe’s 1990 hit “Poison.”

Bel Biv DeVoe – Poison [YSI] (So sorry ID3 were messed on Hype Machine, fixed for download)

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Turk dances to Poison

Today’s song choice was simple and for obvious reasons. I work in a school and today was the much anticipated last day. Well, not last day in the normal sense. I have two weeks off before going back to work summer session. Regardless, this 1972 school anthem has always been one of my favorite ways to leave school for the summer. This was Alice Cooper’s first big hit and, honestly, it’s what I most remember him for without a doubt. Anyway, if you are out of school just for summer, or even forever as Cooper says, enjoy it. Carpe totem.

Alice Cooper – School’s Out [YSI]

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