Donna Summer

Artist: Donna Summer

LP: 12" single

Song: "State of Independence"
[ listen ]

Yesterday at work as we were loading up our mail trucks in the garage, we were trying to think of 4th of July songs we could sing while we worked. We couldn't really think of any. "State of Independence" by Donna Summer was the only one I could come up with. (Well, I actually thought of this one too, but I didn't mention it, since the last thing I wanted to hear anytime before noon was one of my USPS colleagues trying to sing it.) Of course nobody knew what I was talking about when I suggested the Donna Summer song, and I couldn't offer much help, since the only lyrics I could recall and present in their proper sequence were: "This state of independence shall be—This state of independence shall be!" But now I've got the lyric sheet, so I'll be better prepared for next year.

Written by Jon & Vangelis and produced by Quincy Jones, the 7" version of "State of Independence" went to #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of 1982. The song would definitely make it into my own top 40 list of best songs of the 1980s. And take a look at the roster of famous voices supporting Ms. Summer in that all-star choir!

[ Donna Summer: December 31, 1948 — May 17, 2012 ]

John Doté

Artist: John Doté

LP: 12" single

Song: "Gypsy Jane"
[ listen ]

There's a dog named Gypsy on Wallingford Route 75 that barks ferociously at me from behind the gate of her yard when I deliver the mail, but she's a sweetheart when I meet her on the street when she's on walks with her owner. Her owner told me that Gypsy speaks Spanish, so when I deliver mail there, I try calming her nerves by greeting her in her own language: "Hola, Gypsy. ¿Como estás, perra bonita?" It doesn't really seem to make any difference, probably because of my accent. I've tried singing "The Gypsy" to her, which seems to briefly confuse her, but then she goes right back to barking at me again. This week I'm going to try singing "Gypsy Jane," since I have a hunch she prefers late-'80s disco to classic ballads by The Ink Spots.

John Doté was born in the Bronx (why do I feel like I could have guessed) in 1955 and then moved to San Francisco in the '70s (why do I feel like I could have guessed) and became a popular drummer in the music scene there, working with Buddy Miles and Gregg Allman. Doté had a knack for music production, with credits including the theme songs for the popular TV shows "Dallas" and "Dynasty." He also handled promotions for big hits by both Janet and Michael Jackson...but not for Elmo and Patsy. You can read more about John Doté here.

Jade

Artist: Jade

LP: 12" single

Song: "I'm Gonna Get Your Love"
[ listen ]

I found this 1982 Canadian disco gem at Al's Music, Games and Video down in Federal Way after attending my Carrier Academy training for USPS on Friday. (We offer competitive prices on shipping! And have you seen our new George H.W. Bush 'Forever' Stamp?) Al's has moved a few blocks up the street to a new location since the last time I dropped by, but I forgot to snap a picture of their new place! I'll grab one on Thursday though, after my Promaster and 2-ton truck drivers' training that's also scheduled at the USPS headquarters down there. (I already learned how to drive the small trucks last week.)

Nancy Martinez, who recorded under the name Jade early on in her career, was born in Montreal, Quebec on August 26, 1960. She reportedly scored a number of disco hits (I'm not sure that "I'm Gonna Get Your Love" was one of them, though it certainly should have been), but Nancy has gone jazzy in more recent years. She has been described as, and I quote: "grounded" and "generous"..."radiating a good energy and strength of character." Nancy continues to perform today and also teaches music, as you can read for yourselves here. I'm hoping, likely in vain, that Nancy will one day suddenly reappear as Jade, with humongous feathery hair and a hot new single for the dance floor!

[ Jade — aka. Nancy Martinez ]

 

[ Al's Music, Games & Video — Federal Way, WA ]

The Smiths

Artist: The Smiths

LP: 12" single

Song: "Girlfriend In a Coma"
[ listen ]

I splurged on a few things at Everyday Music on Capitol Hill the other day when I found some neat '80s stuff in the 'new arrivals' bin there. One of them was this 1987 12" single by The Smiths, in excellent condition! 

(I'd actually brought in a bag of records to trade, which included some neat old LPs from Mexico, Spain, Central America, Brazil, and other South American countries. I usually get a pretty good deal in trade at Everyday Music. Unfortunately, $5 guy was working there again when I went in. I'd encountered this guy before, several months ago, when I'd carted two full bags of records about ten blocks from where I'd finally found parking in hopes of trading them in for store credit. Some of the stuff was of the thrift-store variety, granted (The Lennon Sisters, anyone?), but there were also some neat old Motown records and other funk and soul LPs included. I was taken aback when he offered just $5 total for both bags. I was like, "Is this guy nuts?" But my arms ached, and so I accepted just because I knew I wouldn't be able to carry all that heavy vinyl another ten blocks back to the car.

But this time I parked closer. I browsed a bit while he looked the records over. Finally he made me an offer: "I can give you $5." I'm pretty sure this guy has no idea who Amalia Mendoza, Javier Solís, Lucha Villa, Jorge Negrete, or anyone else is that I stuffed into that bag, let alone that it's music people would pay money for. Or maybe he does. If you can add all that to the store's inventory for just $5, why not? I wasn't expecting $480 or anything, but maybe $30. When I brought in three bags of records a few months ago, another guy there offered $190 in trade; my friend traded in ten LPs there a few days ago and got $15. I bet she wasn't working with $5 guy. Anyway, I carted all my records back to the car, and then returned to do some shopping without any store credit from trade. I shouldn't let my pride stop me from adding a neat 12" single by The Smiths to my collection, right?)  

I'm adding a "T" to this one and dedicating it to my dear girlfriend Ryan, who recently moved to Tacoma. It's really serious!

[ The Smiths ]

Seventh Avenue

Artist: Seventh Avenue

LP: 12" single

Song: "Armed Robbery"
[ listen ]

The armed robbers made off with Seventh Avenue's clothes! This is one of the few things I picked up at Moby Disk, the sole record shop in the lovely town of Girona, where I spent a day and a night after taking a very early train out of Figueres. 

[ Girona, Spain ]

 
During my stay in Girona I visited the Museum of Cinema and then had a late dinner at a neat old restaurant called Café Le Bistrot. And then I got lost wandering the streets on the way back to my hotel. It was wonderful.

[ Museum of Cinema — Girona, Spain ]

[ Café Le Bistrot — Girona, Spain ]

But anyway, back to Moby Disk. Two nice young fellows were working at the shop, and though I finally worked up the guts to ask them for a photograph...I forgot to turn my camera's auto-focus on, so they're vague.

 
I don't know much about Seventh Avenue, except that they might be British, they may have previously been a little more disco, and they often end up wearing hardly any clothing...sometimes just towels.

...and they shouldn't be confused with the German Christian metal band nor the Latin Christian rock band (based in Atlanta, I think) that are also called Seventh Avenue. Unfortunately, I was unable to find photos of either of these other bands in the shower. More Seventh Avenue record covers here and here and here.

[ Moby Disk — Girona, Spain ]

Bauhaus

Artist: Bauhaus

LP: 12" single

Song: "Telegram Sam"
[ listen ]

With the arrival in my mailbox yesterday of this 1980 Bauhaus 12" single from my new friend Philippe in Poitiers, France, my early-4AD catalog collection is complete! Originally a popular single released in 1972 by T-Rex, this Bauhaus version—catalogue no. AD 17(T)—was very popular with the people of New Zealand, going all the way to #12 on their charts.

[ Bauhaus ]

Tin Tin

Artist: Tin Tin

LP: 12" single

Song: "Hold It"
[ listen ]

Stephen Duffy evidently only released two singles (and no LPs) with his group Tin Tin, and "Hold It" was one of them. It went to #55 on the charts in England in 1983, when Duffy was just 23 years old. (The other Tin Tin single was "Kiss Me," which, according to my sources, was released no fewer than four times! But it was released no more than four times either. In fact, it was released four times. One of those, in 1985, actually produced a top ten hit.) Mr. Duffy recorded under a number of other names too—Holy Tin Tin, Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy, Duffy, The Subterranean Hawks, The Hawks, Obviously Five Believers, The Lilac Time, Dr. Calculus, Me Me Me, The Devils—and was one of the founding members of Duran Duran, but he left the group in 1979, just before they became famous.

[ Tin Tin ]

U.T.F.O.

Artist: U.T.F.O.

LP: 12" single

Song: "Roxanne, Roxanne"
[ listen ]

This is one of the best rap songs I've ever heard. And I've heard at least a dozen. But don't take my word for it. VH1 ranked 1984's "Roxanne, Roxanne" #84 of the 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of all time. Dr. Ice, The Kangol Kid, and The Educated Rapper started out as dancers for Whodini—well two of them did, anyway—before forming U.T.F.O. (Untouchable Force Organization) in Brooklyn in 1984. This is their first single, produced by Full Force. Sadly, The Educated Rapper died this past June after a battle with cancer. More about U.T.F.O. can be found on Wikipedia here.

[ U.T.F.O. — Umm...Totally Forgot the Outfits ]

Cerrone and LaToya Jackson

Artist: Cerrone and LaToya Jackson

LP: 12" single

Song: "Oops, Oh No!" 
[ listen ]

"Oops, Oh No!" pretty much sums up this entire affair. Cerrone, what were you thinking? It's always a little depressing when you see someone who was on the cutting edge of fashion/glamour/music/nightlife...but then just a decade later they look like they might try to sell you patio furniture.