6/16/16 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: LL Cool J – Paradise ft. Amerie

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Paradise, is a song by rapper turned actor LL Cool J featuring R&B singer Amerie. The track was released in early 2003 as the second single from LL Cool J’s ninth studio album, 10 (2002). A music video, featuring clips from Deliver Us From Eva, was produced to promote both the single and the film. Continue reading

6/2/16 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: The Jackson Five- Forever Came Today

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Forever Came Today written and produced by the Motown collective of Holland–Dozier–Holland in 1967, for Diana Ross & the Supremes in early 1968. A disco version of the song was released as a single seven years later by The Jackson 5. Continue reading

5/12/16 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY- THE 80’S: Batdance- Prince

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The Batdance music video, directed by Albert Magnoli and choreographed by Barry Lather, featured dancers costumed as multiple Batmen, Jokers and Vicki Vales. Continue reading

4/21/16 (REPOST) O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Donna Summer- Love To Love You Baby and MacArthur Park

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Donna Summer, a five-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter gained prominence during the disco era of the late 1970s. Summer has reportedly sold over 140 million records, making her one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. She hols the distinction as the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the United States Billboard album chart and four number-one singles in the United States within a 12-month period.

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Love to Love You Baby is a song by American singer and songwriter Donna Summer released in 1975. It became one of the first ever disco hits to also be released in an extended form. The final recording lasted over sixteen minutes, and contained the sexiest “simulated” orgasms ever found on vinyl. According to the BBC, the song contained 23 “orgasms”. In an interview in 1976, Summer responded to a number of questions that she claimed she’d been asked about the process of recording the song: “Everyone’s asking, ‘Were you alone in the studio?’ Yes, I was alone in the studio. ‘Did you touch yourself?’ Yes, well, actually I had my hand on my knee. ‘Did you fantasize on anything?’ Yes, on my handsome boyfriend Peter.

Love To Love You Baby-Soul Train (1976)

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MacArthur Park is a song which Jimmy Webb originally wrote and composed as part of an intended cantata. Webb initially brought the entire cantata to The Association, but the group rejected it. Among the best-known covers are Donna Summer’s disco arrangement from 1978. In the autumn of 1978 Donna Summer released a multi-million selling vinyl single disco version of MacArthur Park. This reached number one on the American pop music sales charts for three weeks during 1978, and it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Summer was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female at the American Music Awards.

MacArthur Park- Live (1978)

3/31/16 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH THROWBACK THURSDAY: Paula Abdul – Opposites Attract

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paula_abdul_recreate_2_1_1437649905Opposites Attract, recorded by Paula Abdul and written and produced by Oliver Leiber, appeared on her debut album Forever Your Girl.  In the music video Abdul dances with cartoon character MC Skat Kat, voiced by The Wild Pair, Bruce DeShazer and Marvin Gunn. The music video includes an intro rap performed by Romany Malco. Continue reading

3/24/16 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: Aretha Franklin

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Aretha Franklin began her career singing gospel at her father, minister C. L. Franklin’s church as a child. In 1960, at age 18, Franklin embarked on a secular career. Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success to gain the title The Queen of Soul by the end of the 1960s decade.
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3/17/16 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH THROWBACK THURSDAY: Nina Simone- Mississippi Goddam


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Mississippi Goddam, written and performed by singer and pianist Nina Simone, captures her response to the murder of Medgar Evers in Mississippi; and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four black children. Released on her album Nina Simone in Concert, which was based on recordings of three concerts she gave at Carnegie Hall in 1964.   Continue reading

3/10/16 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Grace Jones- Slave to the Rhythm And I’ve Seen That Face Before

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Slave to the Rhythm is well-remembered not only for its musical content, but also for its artwork. Designed by Jean-Paul Goude, Jones’ partner at that time, the cover picture is a montage of several copies of a single photograph of Jones, that makes her hair look “extended” and her mouth “stretched”. The process of its creation is illustrated in the title song’s music video. Continue reading

3/3/16 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH- THROWBACK THURSDAY: Diana Ross- Standing Room Only Live At Ceasar’s Palace (1980)

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The HBO special, first aired in early 1980 as part of the network’s Standing Room Only series. It was taped in 1979 at Caesar’s Palace as Ross promoted her then-current album, The Boss. The album, featuring writers/producers Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, featured songs that showed off a range and power that many had forgotten Diana Ross possessed. This was a peak time in the diva’s career; Ross dazzled audience around the world with her demanding, Tony Award-winning An Evening With Diana Ross stage show, and starred with protege Michael Jackson in the 1978 film The Wiz.  Continue reading

2/25/16 O&A NYC BLACK HISTORY MONTH THROWBACK THURSDAY: Sam Cooke – A Change Is Gonna Come

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A Change Is Gonna Come is a song by Sam Cooke, released on December 22, 1964 by RCA Victor. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, “A Change Is Gonna Come” became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement. The song is widely considered Cooke’s best composition and has been voted among the best songs ever released by various publications. In 2007, the song was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress, with the National Recording Registry deeming the song “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important.” Continue reading