She's A Bad Mama Jama: Carl Carlton, Patti LaBelle, and Rick James / Teena Marie

"SHE'S A BAD MAMA JAMA" CARL CARLTON

Back in the 80's, this was THE JAM!  Carl Carlton was a two hit wonder, Everlasting Love was popular but this song is his legacy.   Love the opening lyrics, "She's a bad mamma jamma, just as fine as she can be".   I remember hearing this song on the cassette player blasting out loud on the basketball courts growing up, great 80's jam!

"I KEEP FORGETTING"   PATTI LaBELLE
Go out and find a copy of Patti LaBelle's CD "Classic Moments" of cover tunes released in 2005.  She covers artists who you are not supposed to even attempt to remake:   Aretha, Michael Jackson, Elton John, and matches the "untouchable" originals.  Here Patti covers the Michael McDonald #1 hit, "I Keep Forgetting We're Not In Love Anymore" and adds a great female twist to the timeless pop gem.

"FIRE AND DESIRE"  RICK JAMES and TEENA MARIE

BET Television has a great show called Unsung which chronicles classic R&B or hip hop giants from the 80's and tells the story of how they got started, their success, and ultimately "what ever happened to"...   Teena Marie's was excellent.   She was described as a spitfire, a voice that rivaled Chaka, an artist who black audiences loved but never broke through to the white audience.   Barry Gordy loved her talent, as did ex-boyfriend, Rick James.   Here is their finest moment, the ultra-romantic and sexual, "Fire and Desire"!

 

Michael Jackson Tribute: Alicia Keys, Teena Marie, Boys II Men, Chris Brown, The Game

"LOVERGIRL"                       TEENA MARIE

One of the hottest jams of the 80's!   R.I.P. Teena.    "Hook, Line, and Sinker baby, that's how you caught me", "I got a vibe on you the first time you saw through me", so many classic lines.   Teena is so sexy in this one, jamming on her guitar, classic 80's video!

"FEELING YOU, FEELING ME"             ALICIA KEYS

This is only 2:08 but it's Alicia at her best.    This song is an interlude on her 2003 CD, The Diary of Alicia Keys.   Sexy, passionate.... this needed to so much longer.     The music is hypnotic, soothing, orgasmic, best interlude ever?

"BETTER ON THE OTHER SIDE"     THE GAME, CHRIS BROWN, and BOYZ II MEN

"This the kind of song that make the angels cry
I look up in the sky ask God why?"


This one came out within a week of Michael Jackson's death in 2009.    The Game's tribute to Michael's life, music, and how much of an influence he had on all of us.   MJ rightfully holds the title, Kind Of Pop, for being the greatest entertainer in the last century.     Thriller = #1 selling CD,  MJ's videos = artwork, greatest ever, Concerts = groundbreaking in their creativity!