Tag Archives: American music

RIP Evette Benton (1953 – 2021)

“Space Bass” (1979)

Evette Benton (1953 – 2021) was an American singer known for her background work as one of the vocalists of the The Sweethearts of Sigma. She can also be heard on such records as “Space Bass” (1979).

You could say that “Space Bass” is specimen of the space disco genre. In that genre, if it exists, should also be “Dancing in Outer Space”, “The Chase”, “Cocomotion”, “Powerline”, “Space Funk”, “Carry On”, “Turn Me On”, “Atmosphere Strut”, “Solar Flight (Opus 1)”, “Nobody’s Got Time”, “War Dance”.

You’re welcome

RIP William Shelby (1954 – 2021)

“I Don’t Want To Be A Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) ” (1979)

William Shelby was an American musician known for his work with Dynasty and Lakeside.

Dynasty is best known for their musical composition “I Don’t Want To Be A Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) ” (1979).

“I Don’t Want To Be A Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) ” (1979)

Lakeside is best known for their musical composition “Fantastic Voyage” (1980).

I did not have time to research if Shelby was involved with these two recordings.

However, while researching “I Don’t Want To Be A Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) ” (1979) I stumbled upon these other specimina of African-American musical compositions from the 1970s and 1980s that feature the word “freak” in their title: “I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You” (1975) is by Leon Haywood; “Le Freak” (1978) by Chic; “Super Freak” (1981) by Rick James and “I Need a Freak” (1983) by Sexual Harassment.

RIP Nanci Griffith (1953 – 2021)

It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go” (1989)

Nanci Griffith was an American singer-songwriter working in country, folk, and what she termed “folkabilly.”

She is known for such songs as the anti-war song “From a Distance” (1982) and the anti-racism anthem “It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go” (1989). That is her socially engaged side, which, as a matter of principle almost, does not interest me very much.

There is another side, the slice-of-life side, represented by her song “Love at the Five and Dime” (1986). This side interests me more, also because the “five and dime” of the title reminds me of Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982) by Robert Altman.

RIP Gift of Gab (1971 – 2021)

Gift of Gab’s Greatest Misses Vol. I Track 7: Way of the Light

Gift of Gab was an American singer-songwriter working in hip hop music.

The Gift of Gab “Everything Is Fine (ft Latyrx & George Clinton)”

MF Doom, who was also born in 1971,  died a couple of months ago. Both him and Gift of Gab were known for their multisyllabic rhymes.

The most inspiring figure in hip hop today is Madlib.