BOARDSIES DECIDE: Best Song Ever By Black/Partly Black Music Act.

Reberetta

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

If Aris changed his vote, surely it's 5-4 to Mariah and the Boyz that are still transitioning into Men...

Correct. Your favourire Mariah is through, you can sleep well tonight.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Since I'm somehow a Mariah fan now, can we throw this song into the mix for the craic, as a write in vote... It's the one song of hers I genuinely like.

I'll vote for it over any of the 3 in that last match...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRNRymrv9k

the purple tin

Sonny Boy Williamson

Irish Aris

ShaneU wrote: »

Yay he voiced the black kid in Captain Planet!

Boo Arsenal fan!

Reberetta

Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You

Reberetta wrote: »

Cypress Hill are back in a three-way after Jim Croce was deemed not black enough to be eligible.

Ha, who'd have guessed he'd be the Rachel Dolezal of the music world?! :pac:

Zaph

Sonny Boy Williamson Keep It To Yourself

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

I think that's all 10 of my nominations through to Round 2 now. Don't think I have a winner on my hands, but always great to get the whole roster through the first round.

I'm amazed that I only lost one in the first round, the incredible Reverend Al Green. However there have been a lot of old-school songs which has really suited my nominations, I was genuinely only expecting one or two to make it to round 2.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Deleted User wrote: »

Ha, who'd have guessed he'd be the Rachel Dolezal of the music world?! :pac:

Who?

JP Liz V1

Necro wrote: »

Gnarls Barkley Crazy 5-3 Mariah Carey & Boyz 2 Men One Sweet Day

C'mon, the guy threatened LeVar, that's more than enough to vote against this headwreck of a tune!!

:eek: thats crazy

Also I vote Cypress Hill

Reberetta

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

Since I'm somehow a Mariah fan now, can we throw this song into the mix for the craic, as a write in vote... It's the one song of hers I genuinely like.

I'll vote for it over any of the 3 in that last match...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRNRymrv9k

Sure, people can vote for the above if they want.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Reberetta wrote: »

Sure, people can vote for the above if they want.

Grand so, changing my vote from Minnie Riperton to Mariah Carey because it's clearly opposite day...

C'mon Mariah!

Necro

G'wan so

Mariah for President!!!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

All 4 on 2 votes each is it?

Just need one more nutjob to come along and vote for Mariah for the craic and cause a major upset...

Minnie

Damn I’m late!

Irish Aris

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

All 4 on 2 votes each is it?

Just need one more nutjob to come along and vote for Mariah for the craic and cause a major upset...

I'm in. A vote for Ms Carey from me!!

Irish Aris

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Minnie

Damn I’m late!

ah, we missed the deadline?

It said 11, Aris.

Kolido

Surely Mariah Carey is no more black than Billy Joel and the poor chap who mentioned him got laughed out of the building.

Reberetta

Strawberry Milkshake send Minnie through with overtime vote.

Cypress Hill Hits From the Bong 2
Minnie Riperton Lovin You 3
Sonny Boy Williamson Keep It To Yourself 2
Mariah Carey Always Be My Baby 2

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Kolido wrote: »

Surely Mariah Carey is no more black than Billy Joel and the poor chap who mentioned him got laughed out of the building.

Mariah Carey is actually mixed race though.

Billy Joel isn't.

Reberetta

First round completed. Only 128 left now-down to the real nitty gritty.:pac:

Results

Curtis Mayfield  Move On Up  6-3 Lou Bega Mambo No. 5
Eternal I Wanna Be The Only One 5-3 Puff Daddy I'll Be Missing You
Cameo Word Up 5-2  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles You've Really Got a Hold on Me
 T.I feat. Rihanna  Live Your Life 2-5 Five Star Rain or Shine

Luther Vandross  Never Too Much 5-4  Sam Cooke Wonderful World
Michael Jackson Wanna Be Startin Something  5-4 Warren G feat. Nate Dogg Regulate
Bill Withers Lean On Me  7-2 Fats Waller Ain't Misbehaving/Stormy Weather
Commodores  Nightshift  2-8 MC Hammer  U Can't Touch This

Kendrick Lemar King Kunta 4-3 Tupac Feat. Dr Dre California Love
Prince 1999 7-1 Craig David  7 Days
Sylvestor You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) 2-6 Stevie Wonder Superstition
2pac Changes 3-5 Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five The Message

Barrett Strong Money (That's What I Want) 5-1 Little Richard Tutti Frutti  
Marvin Gaye Sexual Healing 4-5 The Shirelles Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Prince  When Doves Cry 5-1 Percy Sledge When A Man Loves A Woman
Drake Hold On We're Going Home 2-3 Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers Why Do Fools Fall in Love 1-3 Edwin Starr War
Al Green Let's Stay Together 2-3 The Supremes Stop! In the Name of Love
The Penguins Earth Angel 1-2 The Platters The Great Pretender
Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance With Somebody 4-1 The Crystals He's A Rebel

MIA Paper Planes  5-4 Lionel Richie & Diana Ross Endless Love
Darius Rucker History In The Making 2-6 Booker T & The M.G's Green Onions
Boyz To Men  End Of The Road 3-4 Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child
Sister Sledge He's The Greatest Dancer 3-4 The Jacksons I Want You Back

 Ice Cube It Was A Good Day  3-2 Albert King Born Under A Bad Sign
Michael Jackson Human Nature 4-2 Mario Winans I Don't Want To Know
Nina Simone My Baby Just Cares For Me  5-1 Black Eyed Peas I Gotta Feeling
The Ronettes Be My Baby 5-1 Stevie Wonder I Just Called To Say I Love You

Vanessa Williams Colors Of The Wind 2-1 Charles & Eddy Would I Lie To You
Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine 4-2 The Pointer Sisters I'm So Excited
Sade Ordinary Love 2-1 SWV Weak
Fats Domino Blueberry Hill 4-1 Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Dream A Little Dream

The Fugees Killing Me Softly 1-5 En Vogue feat. Salt N Pepa Whatta Man
The Supremes Baby Love 4-2 Youssou N'Dour feat. Neneh Cherry 7 Seconds
Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi Tightrope 2-4 Toni Braxton Unbreak My Heart
Chic Le Freak  4-2 Parliament Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)

Al Wilson The Snake 5-4 Gladys Knight and the Pips Midnight Train To Georgia 
Little Willie John Fever 3-6 The Drifters Under The Boardwalk
Muddy Waters Mannish Boy 6-5 Run DMC It's Like That
Prince Purple Rain 7-3 Kool & The Gang Celebration

The Stylistics You Make Me Feel Brand New 2-5 Soul 2 Soul Back To Life
Big Mama Thornton Hound Dog 2-6 Four Tops I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
Mississippi John Hurt Talking Casey 2-6 The Supremes You Can't Hurry Love
Whitney Houston  I Have Nothing 5-3 Shaggy It Wasn't Me

Candi Staton Young Hearts Run Free   4-3 Beyonce Halo
Milli Vanilli Girl You Know It's True 0-6 Lenny Kravitz Fly Away
Ray Charles Hit The Road Jack! 7-0 Sarah Vaughan Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Ms. Dynamite It Takes More  1-5 Destiny's Child Say My Name

Aretha Franklin Respect  6-5 Lauryn Hill Doo Wop (That Thing)
TLC  Waterfalls 10-0 Busta Rhymes feat. Mariah Carey I Know What You Want
Mark Morrison Return Of The Mack 7-4 Dionne Warwick Walk On By
The Game and 50 Cent Hate It or Love It  1-8 Michael Jackson Thriller

Bruno Mars Just The Way You Are 2-7 Little Eva Locomotion
Nina Simone Feelin Good 6-3 Public Enemy Fight The Power
Gloria Gaynor I Will Survive  7-2 Dinah Washington What A Difference A Day Makes
Michael Jackson Billie Jean 7-2 The Isley Brothers Twist and Shout

Earth, Wind & Fire September 6-3 The Supremes Where Did Our Love Go
Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On 6-4 Johnny Nash I Can See Clearly Now
Sade Smooth Operator 4-5 Neneh Cherry Buffalo Stance
The Emotions Best Of My Love 4-5 The Sugarhill Gang Rapper's Delight

 Blind Willie Johnson Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground 4-5 Seal Crazy
Jay-Z 99 Problems 5-6 Janet Jackson Together Again
Phylis Nelson Move Closer 5-2 Honeyz End Of The Line
Nicky Minaj, Ariana Grande & Jessie J Bang Bang 0-10 Eagle Eye Cherry Save Tonight

Diana Ross Love Hangover 3-4  Nat King Cole The Christmas Song
Jimi Hendrix All Along The Watchtower 6-2   Aaliyah Try Again
Howlin' Wolf: Smokestack Lightning  6-3  NWA Straight Outta Compton
Mississippi Sheiks: The World is Going Wrong 4-3 Labi Siffre I Got The

Kanye Stronger  3-6   Bob Marley One Love
Tracy Chapman Baby Can I Hold You 5-3 Dobie Gray Drift Away
Blind Blake Diddie Wa Diddie 3-6  James Brown This is a Man's Man's Man's World
OutKast Ms. Jackson 5-4 The Dixie Cups Chapel Of Love

Louis Armstrong  What a Wonderful World 8-0 Patti LaBelle Lady Marmalade
Tina Turner Proud Mary 5-3 Salt N Pepa Push It
Irene Cara  Flashdance What A Feeling 2-6 Donna Summer  I Feel Love
Ben E. King Stand By Me 7-1 Nas feat. Lauryn Hill If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)

Elmore James Shake Your Moneymaker 3-7 Michael Jackson Beat It
Dizzee Rascal  Dance Wiv Me 6-4 Chuck Berry Maybelline
Bill Withers Ain't No Sunshine 8-2 Carl Douglas Kung Fu Fighting
Lisa Maffia All Over 2-5 Missy Elliot Work It

Bob Marley No Woman No Cry 5-4  Billy Ocean When The Going Gets Tough
Sun House Death Letter Blues 3-6 Pharrell Williams Happy
Sam & Dave Soul Man 5-4 The Dells Oh What A Night
Mary J. Blige Family Affair 2-7 Chubby Checker The Twist

The Temptations My Girl 6-4 Prince Kiss
Isaac Hayes Theme From Shaft 6-3 Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze
Sam Lightnin' Hopkins Let's Pull A Party 4-6 Coolio Gangsta's Paradise

Massive Attack Unfinished Sympathy 6-2 Brandy & Monica The Boy Is Mine
Rihanna, Jay-Z & Kanye West  Run This Town 2-8 Gloria Jones Tainted Love
Michael Kiwanuka  Cold Little Heart 5-4 Grover Washingon Jnr. Just The Two Of Us
Muddy Waters I'm Ready 6-2  Emilia Big Big World

Alicia Keys Fallin  6-2 Billie Holiday Strange Fruit
Michael Jackson  Man in The Mirror 6-3 Will Smith feat. Coko Men In Black
Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg Still D.R.E 7-2 Chubby Checker Let's Twist Again
Leon Bridges River 3-5  Tammi Terrell & Marvin Gaye Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Chic My Forbidden Lover 2-4 Wilson Pickett In The Midnight Hour
Freddie King Hide Away 3-4 Roberta Flack The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
George Benson Give Me The Night 1-5 Sam Cooke A Change is Gonna Come
Ray Charles  Mess Around 2-4 The Four Tops Reach Out I'll Be There

Prince Let's Go Crazy 6-2 Martha & The Vandellas Dancing in the Streets
Ike and Tina River Deep Mountain High 6-1 Shanice I Love Your Smile
James Brown I Got You I Feel Good 7-1 The Ink Spots I Don't Want To Set the World On Fire
Dr. Dre Forgot About Dre 4-5 Sly & The Family Stone Family Affair

Usher DJ Got Us Falling In Love 1-6 George McCrae Rock Your Baby
Notorious B.I.G Juicy 0-7 The Supremes You Keep Me Hanging On
TLC No Scrubs 4-3  The Marvelettes Please Mr. Postman
Blackstreet No Diggity 4-3 The Staple Singers Let's Do It Again

LL Cool J Mama Said Knock You Out 5-4 B.B. King The Thrill Is Gone
Rihanna & Jay-Z Umbrella  4-5 Jackie Wilson (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher
The Cast Of Hamilton Non-Stop 4-3 Shaggy feat. Rayvon Angel
Chaka Khan I Feel For You  2-3  Boney M Daddy Cool

Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland Dilemma 2-6  Aretha Franklin I Say A Little Prayer
Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye You Are Everything  5-2 Little Richard Long Tall Sally
Sister Rosetta Thorpe Strange Things Happening Everyday 0-6 Bo Diddley Bo Diddley
Alexandra Burke Start Without You 3-4 Bobby McFerrin Don't Worry Be Happy

Alexander O’Neil & Cherelle Saturday Love 1-7 James Brown Sex Machine
Ol Dirty Bastard feat. Kelis Got Your Money 4-5 The Impressions  People Get Ready
Alicia Keys  No One 5-2 Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas
The Fugees ft. A Tribe Called Quest Rumble in the Jungle  1-6 Bob Marley Is This Love

The Temptations Papa Was A Rolling Stone 6-2  Boney M Rasputin
Earth Wind & Fire Let's Groove 6-2 De La Soul feat Chaka Khan Ain't All Good
Chuck Berry Johnny B. Goode  7-1 TQ Westside
Tracy Chapman Fast Car  6-2  Robert Johnson Sweet Home Chicago

Rick James Super Freak 6-4 Ray Parker Jnr. Ghostbusters
Prince Buster Madness 5-4 The Drifters There Goes My Baby
Gnarls Barkley Crazy 4-5 Mariah Carey & Boyz 2 Men One Sweet Day
Otis Redding  (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay 5-3 Etta James At Last

Minnie Riperton Lovin You 3-2 Sonny Boy Williamson Keep It To Yourself, Cypress Hill Hits From The Bong, Mariah Carey Always Be My Baby

JP Liz V1

Kolido wrote: »

Surely Mariah Carey is no more black than Billy Joel and the poor chap who mentioned him got laughed out of the building.

She is Black Irish

4 through 6 out

Reberetta

Back tomorrow afternoon sometime. Thanks to everyone who voted today.

Fun Facts about songs and artists eliminated, copied and pasted for insomniacs out there.

Fats Waller Ain't Misbehavin/Stormy Weather
An American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer, Waller's innovations in the Harlem stride style laid the groundwork for modern jazz piano. His best-known compositions, "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose", were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1984 and 1999. Waller copyrighted over 400 songs.He became one of the most popular performers of his era, touring internationally and achieving critical and commercial success in the United States and Europe. He died from pneumonia, aged 39.

Waller told Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (of Jack Benny fame) that he wrote the song on a miniature piano while in jail on an alimony charge. His lawyer sold the song to a publisher for $250 so Waller could pay back his alimony and get out of jail. But that may be apocryphal.

According to Mark Steyn's A Song for the Season, co-writer Razaf was with Waller in his Harlem apartment when they wrote the song. When he arrived at the apartment, he heard Waller playing "a marvelous strain, with a complicated middle. I straightened it out with the 'no one to talk with, all by myself,' phrase, which led to the phrase 'ain't misbehavin',' which I knew was the title." Together they finished the song in five minutes and headed to the theater to show Harry Brooks. Along the way, a bird dropped its load on the song sheet. "That's good luck," Waller said. "But I'm sure glad elephants ain't flyin'."

Ain't Misbehavin' has been recorded by many other performers over the years, including Anita O'Day, Sarah Vaughan (for "Sarah Vaughan in Hi-Fi"; 1950), Bing Crosby (for "Songs I Wish I Had Sung the First Time Around"), Billie Holiday, Eartha Kitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Django Reinhardt, Harry James, Miles Davis, Kay Starr, Frankie Laine, Art Tatum, Floyd Pepper, Sonny Stitt, Sam Cooke, Johnnie Ray, Sidney Bechet, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Elkie Brooks, Eyran Katsenelenbogen, Willie Nelson, Kermit Ruffins, Leon Redbone, Freddie White, Dave Brubeck, Johnny Hartman, Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, and Bill Haley & His Comets (who recorded a rock and roll version during 1957). Johnnie Ray's version scored number 17 in the UK Singles Chart during May 1956. Alicia Keys performed this for the 2013 movie The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan.

In 1960, Tommy Bruce and the Bruisers had a number 3 hit in the UK Singles Chart with their cover version of the song. During 1976, Leon Redbone performed the song on Saturday Night Live. It served as the title song of the successful 1978 musical Ain't Misbehavin'. Country music artist Hank Williams Jr. recorded a version for his 1985 studio album Five-O. Released as a single, the song peaked at #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart and earned Williams a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male.

It was one of 365 Songs of the Century selected by the RIAA, and it was one of fifty recordings selected for inclusion in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress during 2004.

Ariana Grande & Nicky Minaj Bang Bang
Ariana Grande
The first solo artist to hold the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, the first woman to succeed herself at the top of the UK Singles Chart, and the first act to chart lead singles from each of their first five studio albums in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. With her 2020 collaborations "Stuck with U" and "Rain on Me", she broke the record for the most number-one debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the first artist to have their first four number-one singles debut atop the US charts. She is the record-holder among female artists, for the most songs charting in the top 40 simultaneously, with 11 on the February 23, 2019 chart. On February 23, 2019, Grande became the first solo artist to occupy the top 3 spots in Billboard top 100, and the first overall artist to do so since The Beatles.

She has received various accolades throughout her career, including one Grammy Award, one Brit Award, two Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, and eight Guinness World Records. Billboard has recognized her as Woman of the Year in 2018 and as the most accomplished female artist to debut in the 2010s. Having amassed billions of streams thus far, she was the most streamed female artist of the 2010s on Spotify and Apple Music and is currently the most followed woman on Spotify and YouTube.

Nicky Minaj
Minaj has received numerous accolades, including six American Music Awards, twelve BET Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, and two Billboard Women in Music Awards. She has also been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards. Her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, debuted atop the charts in several countries. Minaj has sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best selling music artists.

Kool & The Gang Celebration
Kool & the Gang's only American #1, sax player Ronald Bell told Billboard that the song came out of a time of religious study. "The initial idea came from reading the Q'uran," he explained. "I was reading the passage where God was creating Adam, and the angels were celebrating and singing praises. That inspired me to write the basic chords and the line, Everyone around the world, come on, let's celebrate."

Kool & the Gang have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and, in 2006, a Music Business Association Chairman's Award for artistic achievement. As well the band has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame and been bestowed with a Soul Train Legend Award, the Marian Anderson Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During 2018, the Bells, Brown, and Taylor were also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Their discography includes 23 studio albums and almost 70 singles. They have sold 7.5 million and 4.5 million RIAA-certified albums and singles, respectively, in the US. Worldwide, they have sold 70 million albums.

Gladys Knight & The Pips Midnight Train To Georgia
Starting out as simply The Pips in 1952, derived from a cousin's nickname, the group reached commercial success after signing with Motown Records in 1966. After a year and a half, the group recorded the first hit single version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" in 1967, which led to several hit singles for Motown's Soul Records label, including "Nitty Gritty", "Friendship Train", "If I Were Your Woman" and "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)", before leaving the label for Buddah Records in 1973, where they recorded the hits "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me", "I've Got to Use My Imagination" and their number-one hit single, "Midnight Train to Georgia". Contractual difficulties with their labels forced the group to record side projects until 1980 when they signed with Columbia Records. Later hits included "Save the Overtime (For Me)" and the Grammy-winning single "Love Overboard". In 1989, the group disbanded with the Pips retiring and Knight embarking on a successful solo career.

Gladys Knight & the Pips are multiple Grammy and American Music Award winners and are inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal group Hall of Fame in 1996 and 2001 respectively.

Boyz II Men End Of The Road
It set a new record for longevity, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks. They proceeded to break this record with the subsequent releases of "I'll Make Love to You" and "One Sweet Day" (with Mariah Carey) which, at fourteen and sixteen weeks respectively, each set new records for the total number of weeks at number one.

Consequently, Boyz II Men is among the music industry's elite with regard to time spent at number one in Billboard history with 50 cumulative weeks, ranking fifth behind Presley, The Beatles, Rihanna and Mariah Carey. Furthermore, when On Bended Knee took the number one spot away from I'll Make Love to You, they became only the third artists ever (after The Beatles and Presley) to replace themselves at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. These achievements were enough to earn them recognition as Billboard magazine's biggest boy band during the period of 1987 to 2012. Boyz II Men has received four Grammy Awards. In June 2017, a section of Broad Street (from Christian to Carpenter Streets) in Philadelphia was renamed "Boyz II Men Boulevard". This section of the street is near the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where the members once attended.

Albert King Born Under A Bad Sign
Called "a timeless staple of the blues", it had a strong crossover appeal to the rock audience with its synchronous bass and guitar lines and topical astrology reference. It became an R&B chart hit for King, and numerous blues and other musicians have made it perhaps the most recorded Albert King song. British rock group Cream recorded "Born Under a Bad Sign" for their third album, Wheels of Fire (1968). Musicologist Robert Palmer described Clapton's playing as "practically Albert King parodies".

It was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll".

SWV Weak
SWV (Sisters With Voices) is an American R&B vocal trio from New York City, New York whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) Johnson and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)", "I'm So into You", and "You're the One".They have sold more than 25 million records worldwide.

The song Weak sold over one million copies domestically and was awarded a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for two weeks. Outside the US, the single reached number six on the New Zealand Singles Charts.

Youssou N'Dour feat. Neneh Cherry Seven Seconds
Released in 1994, it peaked within the top ten of the charts in several countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. It climbed to the top position in Finland, France, Iceland, Italy and Switzerland. It stayed at number one for 16 consecutive weeks on the French Singles Chart, which was the record for the most weeks at the top position at the time.It also won the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Song of 1994.

The title and refrain of the song refers to the first moments of a child's life; as Cherry put it, "not knowing about the problems and violence in our world". Shocked by the single's enormous commercial success, she told The Independent in an interview, "We did it as an experiment. The tune grew on its own, completely out of proportion. It was out there doing its own thing. But that is a dream when you write a song."

Parliament  Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)
One of the most famous P-Funk songs,  included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", it was Parliament's first certified million-selling single, going Gold in 1976.

Featuring George Clinton, who is regarded, along with James Brown and Sly Stone, as one of the foremost innovators of funk music. they developed an influential and eclectic form of funk music during the 1970s that drew on science fiction, outlandish fashion, psychedelia, and surreal humor. Clinton would go on to influence 1990s hip-hop and G-funk. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, alongside 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. In 2019, he and Parliament-Funkadelic were given Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Big Mama Thornton Hound Dog
Thornton's only hit record, it has sold over 500,000 copies, spending 14 weeks in the R&B charts, including seven weeks at number one. It is listed as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in February 2013. Thornton's other recordings included the original version of Ball and Chain, which she wrote.

After hearing Thornton rehearse several songs, Leiber and Stoller "forged a tune to suit her personality—brusque and badass". Stoller said: "She was a wonderful blues singer, with a great moaning style. But it was as much her appearance as her blues style that influenced the writing of 'Hound Dog' and the idea that we wanted her to growl it." Leiber recalled: "We saw Big Mama and she knocked me cold. She looked like the biggest, baddest, saltiest chick you would ever see. And she was mean, a 'lady bear,' as they used to call 'em. She must have been 350 pounds, and she had all these scars all over her face" conveying words which could not be sung. "But how to do it without actually saying it? And how to do it telling a story? I couldn't just have a song full of expletives."

Followed three years later by Elvis Presley recording his hit version of the song, which at first annoyed Leiber who wrote, "I have no idea what that rabbit business is all about. The song is not about a dog, it's about a man, a freeloading gigolo." But Elvis' version sold ten million copies, so today few fans know that "Hound Dog" began as "an anthem of black female power." Similarly, Thornton originally recorded her song "Ball 'n' Chain" for Bay-Tone Records in the early 1960s, "and though the label chose not to release the song... they did hold on to the copyright—which meant that Thornton missed out on the publishing royalties when Janis Joplin recorded the song later in the decade.

Sarah Vaughan Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Nicknamed "Sassy" and "The Divine One", she won four Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. She was given an NEA Jazz Masters Award in 1989. Critic Scott Yanow wrote that she had "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century".

Dinah Washington What A Difference A Day Makes
A popular song originally written in Spanish by María Grever, a Mexican songwriter, in 1934 with the title "Cuando vuelva a tu lado" ("When I Return to Your Side"), it was popularized in English by Dinah Washington, who was an American singer and pianist, cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s".

Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performed and recorded in a wide variety of styles including blues, R&B, and traditional pop music. She was a 1986 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

the purple tin

3 of mine have gone through

Reberetta

Fun Facts

Koko Taylor Wang Dang Doodle

A blues song written by Willie Dixon, who also wrote Back Door Man, covered by The Doors on their first record, You Shook Me covered by Led Zeppellin on their first record,You Need Love (adapted by Led Zeppelin for Whole Lotta Love), amongst others- it was first recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1960. However, Wolf supposedly hated the song and commented, "Man, that's too old-timey, sounds like some old levee camp number".

In 1965, Dixon and Leonard Chess persuaded Koko Taylor to record it. Taylor's rendition quickly became a hit, reaching number thirteen on the Billboard R&B chart and number 58 on the pop chart. "Wang Dang Doodle" became a blues standard and has been recorded by various artists.

In 1995, Taylor's rendition was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in the "Classics of Blues Recording – Singles or Album Tracks" category. The Foundation noted that the song was the last blues single produced by Dixon to reach the record charts, and "became Koko Taylor's signature crowdpleaser, inspiring singalongs to the 'all night long' refrain night after night.

Eliminated in the pre-lims.

Etta James At Last
The songwriting team of Mack Gordon and Harry Warren wrote this in 1941 for the film musical Sun Valley Serenade. James recorded this in 1961 shortly after signing with Chess records. Leonard Chess thought James was a classy ballad singer and saw pop crossover potential in her; it was his decision to back her with violin orchestrations for the song. Her version went to #2 on the R&B charts.

Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles. She started singing at only five years old in her Baptist church choir. Known for her amazing voice, many people considered James the "Queen Of Soul" before Aretha Franklin claimed the title. Her stage name came from switching around the letters in her first name, Jamesetta.

James battled various drug addictions through the years, but it rarely affected her music. She was in the midst of her addictions and other personal and professional problems when At Last was recorded.

Beyoncé covered this for the soundtrack of the 2008 movie Cadillac Records, which told the story of Chess Records. The Destiny's Child singer portrayed Etta James in the film.

Beyoncé also sang "At Last" at Barack Obama's first dance with his wife, Michelle, on the night of his inauguration as American president. Thanks to interest aroused by her rendition, Beyoncé's version entered the American Hot 100 at #67. All was well until Etta James spoke out at a concert in Seattle. Apparently miffed at not being asked to perform her signature song for Obama, James said: "I can't stand Beyoncé. On a big old president day, don't be up there singing my song that I've been singing forever."

James never gained massive popularity, but she eventually beat her two-decade drug problems and has been cited as an influence by many younger singers, including Christina Aguilera. She was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, and continued to tour and record into the '00s. She died on January 20, 2012.

Eliminated by Otis Redding Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay.


Second round matches coming up soon.

Declan A Walsh

Reberetta wrote: »

Fun Facts

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Etta James At Last
The songwriting team of Mack Gordon and Harry Warren wrote this in 1941 for the film musical Sun Valley Serenade. James recorded this in 1961 shortly after signing with Chess records. Leonard Chess thought James was a classy ballad singer and saw pop crossover potential in her; it was his decision to back her with violin orchestrations for the song. Her version went to #2 on the R&B charts.

Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles. She started singing at only five years old in her Baptist church choir. Known for her amazing voice, many people considered James the "Queen Of Soul" before Aretha Franklin claimed the title. Her stage name came from switching around the letters in her first name, Jamesetta.

James battled various drug addictions through the years, but it rarely affected her music. She was in the midst of her addictions and other personal and professional problems when At Last was recorded.

Beyoncé covered this for the soundtrack of the 2008 movie Cadillac Records, which told the story of Chess Records. The Destiny's Child singer portrayed Etta James in the film.

Beyoncé also sang "At Last" at Barack Obama's first dance with his wife, Michelle, on the night of his inauguration as American president. Thanks to interest aroused by her rendition, Beyoncé's version entered the American Hot 100 at #67. All was well until Etta James spoke out at a concert in Seattle. Apparently miffed at not being asked to perform her signature song for Obama, James said: "I can't stand Beyoncé. On a big old president day, don't be up there singing my song that I've been singing forever."

James never gained massive popularity, but she eventually beat her two-decade drug problems and has been cited as an influence by many younger singers, including Christina Aguilera. She was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, and continued to tour and record into the '00s. She died on January 20, 2012.

Eliminated by Otis Redding Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay.


Second round matches coming up soon.

I always associated Etta James with Piece of My Heart, which certainly got a fair bit of airplay over the years.

Reberetta

Second round will be first to 5 votes, no time limits, see how it goes.

Reberetta

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

I always associated Etta James with Piece of My Heart, which certainly got a fair bit of airplay over the years.

Erma Franklin, Aretha's elder sister, recorded the original version of Piece Of My Heart. If I'd known that before I might have included it.

Declan A Walsh

Reberetta wrote: »

Erma Franklin, Aretha's elder sister, recorded the original version of Piece Of My Heart. If I'd known that before I might have included it.

I think I remember that version as well.

Reberetta

FIRST TO 5 VOTES ADVANCES.

ROUND 2
Curtis Mayfield  Move On Up  v Eternal I Wanna Be The Only One 

Cameo Word Up v  Five Star Rain or Shine

Luther Vandross  Never Too Much v Michael Jackson Wanna Be Startin Something  

Prince  When Doves Cry v  Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind

Curtis Mayfield  Move On Up  v Eternal I Wanna Be The Only One 
Cameo Word Up v   Five Star Rain or Shine
Luther Vandross  Never Too Much v  Michael Jackson Wanna Be Startin Something  
Prince  When Doves Cry v Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind (New York)

FIRST TO 5 VOTES ADVANCES.