Destiny's Child - "Emotion"

Taking it all the way back to DC3 and these slick 90’s looks!

This song popped into my head because damn, was I having some feels today. I think we all have those days, and today was mine.

"Emotion" is a song written by Barry and Robin Gibb. It was first recorded by Australian singer Samantha Sang, whose version reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978. The Bee Gees recorded their own version of the song in 1994 as part of an album called Love Songs, which was never released, but it was eventually included on their 2001 collection titled Their Greatest Hits: The Record. In 2001, "Emotion" was covered by the American R&B girl group Destiny's Child. Their version of the song was an international hit, reaching the top ten on the US Hot 100 chart and peaking in the top five on the UK Singles Chart.

So today, with all the feels, I choose Destiny’s Child’s version of “Emotion” as my, let it out baby, go on and scream, one more day, song for a, this too shall pass, it’s ok to not have all the answers, heart don’t fail me now, Tuesday.

Oh God, it’s only Tuesday.

Chet Baker - "Look For The Silver Lining"

I’ve written about the incredible Chet Baker many times. His soft entrancing tones, his musical prowess, his battle with addiction, his fall from grace, and his beautiful reemergence as an entirely new type of storyteller is the kind stuff that legends are made of.

His tender version of this classic from “Annie” softens your heart on hard days, and today has been hard.

So, taking the lyrics to heart, I choose Chet Baker’s rendition of “Look For The Silver Lining” as my, stay hopeful, beyond the rain, above the clouds, song for a, skies are still blue, stars are still shining, hearts are still warm and welcoming, Monday.

Jewel - "Hands"

This has been a really, REALLY difficult week. I think it’s ok that we collectively pull in to ourselves and provide a little self care.

Remember, what you’re doing is enough. You’re working hard enough. You’re helping enough. You are doing enough.

Your hands are all that you can control. Use them wisely, carefully, and most importantly know that how and what you use them for is enough. We’re in this together. It will take all of us, our collective hands together, to help heal this problem. When the load becomes too much to bear, rest, you’re doing enough. There are many other hands here working with you, and many hands make light work.

So today, with my heart weary and my hands working, I choose Jewel’s “Hands” as my. with tired eyes looking to the sky, with weary feet on well trod paths, with voices raised in a harmony of humanity, song for a, the only way out is through, together we stand, hearts like links in a chain, Friday.

Trisha Yearwood - "Not A Bad Thing"

I’ve spent the last few days alone in my home. Leaving for short walks and a few runs through my neighborhood. What I’ve noticed, for maybe the first time, was children playing in the streets, fewer cars on the roads, neighbors chatting with each other jovially, and just a general sense that as a community (and in each community) people are coming together to fight back the spread of the virus. Amidst the doom and gloom of the news coming out about the Coronavirus (Covid-19) it’s inspiring to see these little touches of humanity springing up. Similar to the videos popping up of whole neighborhoods in Italy singing and performing for each other. The only way through this is together, and I have faith in the human spirit that we will do just that.

So I started thinking about this song, and how very bad things, can help good things spring up. Sung by the voice of a country music generation, it’s set around the idea that being alone, doesn’t always mean you’re lonely, and that sometimes it’s not actually a bad thing.

So today, with the sun peaking through, I choose Trisha Yearwood’s “Not A Bad Thing” as my, look for the silver lining, you’ll see it shining, hold on until tomorrow, song for a, united we stand, together we fight, We is stronger than I, Thursday.

Dr. Kucho! - "Patricia Never Leaves The House (Dr. Kucho! Remix)"

Daniel Manzano Salazar (born 4 December 1972), better known by his stage name Dr Kucho!, is a Spanish house DJ/record producer. He is best known for his 2005 single "Can't Stop Playing" with Gregor Salto. The song was re-released in 2014, remixed by Oliver Heldens and vocals from Ane Brun were added. The song then had success in the UK, reaching number 4 in the charts.

Dr. Kucho started in 2010 releasing “New School Tribal”, a tune with African roots and catchy chants that reached the number 26 of Beatport’s house top downloads in just one week, maintaining this position and closers for weeks. It seems that Dr. Kucho has a special drive to start each new year full of energy, as he demonstrated on January 2009 when he released new remixes of “Patricia never leaves the house”, the tune that opened him the doors of UK market in 2001, this re-release with remixes from Dr. Kucho himself, Gregor Salto, Peter Gelderblom and Mike Haddad & Royce Haven was one of the best sellers at Beatport during the beginning of the 2009.

In these trying times a little levity can crack the malaise. So let’s all have a collective giggle.

Today, with a wink and a smile, I choose Dr. Kucho!’s “Patricia Never Leaves The House (Dr. Kucho! Remix)” as my, well here we are, alone together, it’s a little bit funny, song for a, it’s getting THOT in here, c’mon over to my house, and I laughed and I laughed, Wednesday.

Kraak & Smaak - "Toxic Love Affair (feat. Ivar & Sanguita)"

I woke up to this bop that a friend sent over to me on accident, and actually loved every groovy minute of it.

Kraak & Smaak is a musical production trio from the town of Leiden, Netherlands, consisting of Oscar de Jong, Mark Kneppers and Wim Plug. The three began recording in 2003. Their first album, titled Boogie Angst, was released in the UK 2006, and they began performing at music festivals and at clubs in the US and UK. Their songs were played on the radio and were used in television shows. Their second album, released in 2008, was titled Plastic People. They won an EBBA. 

This is from the 2016 Album Juicy Fruit and it’s lovely. Full of disco-funk and synth-dance beats it makes you wanna dance. We need more dancing right now.

So today, full of happy accidents, I choose Kraak & Smaak’s Toxic Love Affair (feat. Ivar & Sanguita) as my, get up and shake, put a little boogie in your woogie, let yourself laugh, song for a, it can’t all be doom and gloom, have some fun with it, who needs pants, Tuesday.

Amber Mark - "Heart Shaped Box (Cover)"

I’ve written about her before, but the idea that this artist is taking this time to create wild, wonderful, silly, things is inspiring.

So today, with my heart laying gently in it’s velvet lined silver chest, I choose Amber Mark’s cover of “Heart Shaped Box” as my, find you falling, lift up the light, crystal visions, song for a, hold me now, remember the feeling, sing for your sisters & brothers, Monday.

It seems there isn’t an embeddable link so here’s the direct one:

https://www.facebook.com/AmberMark/videos/646547659502537/

King Princess - "1950"

Mikaela Mullaney Straus (born December 19, 1998), known by her stage name King Princess, is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer from Brooklyn, New York. She is signed to Mark Ronson's label Zelig Records, an imprint of Columbia Records.

Straus was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York; she is the daughter of recording engineer Oliver H. Straus Jr. and Agnes "Aggie" Mullaney. Her parents divorced while she was young. On her mother's side she is of Irish, Italian, and Polish descent. On her father's side, her great-great-grandparents include Isidor Straus, a U.S. Congressman and co-owner of Macy's, and Ida Straus; they were from German Jewish families, who immigrated to the United States from the Kingdom of Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate. The couple died in the sinking of the passenger ship RMS Titanic.

Straus spent much of her childhood with her father in his Mission Sound studio. There, she learned several instruments, including bass, guitar, piano, and drums, as well as music-production techniques and insight into the music industry. Straus's inspiration in those years had come from the rock music of the bands Led Zeppelin and T. Rex, as well as Jack White. She attended high school at Avenues: The World School, a private school in Manhattan, and played volleyball.

After high school, Straus moved to Los Angeles to study at the USC Thornton School of Music. However, after a year, she dropped out in favor of her music career.

A music label offered to sign Straus at the age of 11, but she refused to do so. Straus refused because of her experience watching other artists work with a music label in her father's studio. The labels would control the artist's product, and change the feel of the music. She did not want to sign with a record label until she had a definition of her music, how she wanted to run the production, and with whom she would work.

In February 2018, King Princess released her debut single "1950". "1950" is a tribute to the 1952 novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, to the LGBT community and to queer love. The song reached a wide audience when British singer Harry Styles tweeted a lyric from the song. Straus followed this with her second single "Talia" in April. She released her debut extended play Make My Bed on June 15, 2018. Later that year, she earned Breakout Pop Artist of the Year honors from Vivid Seats.

In 2019, it was announced that King Princess would perform at Lollapalooza and Coachella. She played The Park stage at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival and was joined by Mark Ronson (dressed as King Princess) for a performance of their collaboration "Pieces of Us" from his 2019 album Late Night Feelings. Zelig Recordings released King Princess's debut album Cheap Queen on October 25, 2019. King Princess was the opening act for the European leg of Harry Styles' 2020 concert tour, Love On Tour. King Princess performed as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live (Season 45, Episode 7) on November 23, 2019.  She released a deluxe edition of Cheap Queen on February 14, 2020. The release included five previously unreleased new songs, including "Ohio".

Some loves are worth waiting for.

So today, wrapped in hope and held in happiness, I choose the radiant King Princess’ “1950” as my, find your light, take your flight, remember the first night, song for a, walk with my hand in yours, hold your hand to my window, let me hold away your fears, Friday.