I thought they were most nauseatingly cheesy. What say you?
― Bimble, Sunday, 23 September 2007 07:49 (5 years ago) Permalink
Classic, if for In a Special Way alone!
Chuck and Kevin to thread.
― JN$OT, Sunday, 23 September 2007 08:37 (5 years ago) Permalink
they are classic you dickcheese
― deej, Sunday, 23 September 2007 10:10 (5 years ago) Permalink
Fuck a dud button!
― The Reverend, Sunday, 23 September 2007 10:20 (5 years ago) Permalink
Fuck a Good Lord Do You Think I Care button, too.
― Andy K, Sunday, 23 September 2007 11:50 (5 years ago) Permalink
Check this out for the audio only, obviously:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcC0T6tb3sI&mode=related&search=
― JN$OT, Sunday, 23 September 2007 13:35 (5 years ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― ILX System, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 23:01 (5 years ago) Permalink
i do kind of hate that el debarge song for short circuit tho
― deej, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 23:05 (5 years ago) Permalink
Don't hate something just because you don't understand it.
― da croupier, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 23:09 (5 years ago) Permalink
haha please i'm a fan of camp lo!
― deej, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 23:10 (5 years ago) Permalink
If you didn't know the movie, you'd swear "Who's Johnny?" was about a guy who's delighted to learn that his girl's fucking a guy named Johnny.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 23:22 (5 years ago) Permalink
I'm a big fan of Weird Al's "Here's Johnny." And of In a Special Way of course.
― Matos W.K., Wednesday, 26 September 2007 23:55 (5 years ago) Permalink
"he smiled IN THAT SPECIAL WAY," har har.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 23:57 (5 years ago) Permalink
I am sort of looking for El DeBarge's solo debut, but it doesn't seem very easy to track down. Lots of great songs in there.
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 27 September 2007 07:56 (5 years ago) Permalink
Fucking biggest dud ever.
― Alex in NYC, Thursday, 27 September 2007 12:16 (5 years ago) Permalink
First album I bought. Just after my 13th birthday I was in the local recordstore with my best friend, ready and psyched up to buy my first LP. First I'd checked Songs from the Big Chair, then I briefly pulled this one out. Best friend said "I know which one you're going to buy - Tears for Fears". Contrarian me took another brief look at the horrible cover of the LP I was holding, stepped up towards the counter and pulled out my birthday money to buy Rhythm of the Night. Great way to start a record collection...
― willem, Thursday, 27 September 2007 13:12 (5 years ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― ILX System, Thursday, 27 September 2007 23:01 (5 years ago) Permalink
In A Special Way is the second greatest album of all-time (after Low-Life). The last song on In A Special Way is Bunny DeBarge's "A Dream." It is the second most beautiful song in the English language (after "Good Kids Make Bad Grownups").
Once when I was ten, my family and I went to a Greek restaurant. Someone jerk ordered this horrifying cheese that just burns forever. It filled the entire space with a hideous, nostril-raping stench. Totally offensive and anti-social (order something else, fucker!). I tried holding my breath for long stretches of time so as to repel the invasion. But it gave me a bloody nose. One of THE worst restaurant experiences of my life.
THAT was nauseatingly cheesy, Bimble. DeBarge is not.
Other points:
We all know the greatness of their ballads has no parallel. But let's not discount how terrific they were in fast mode: "Dance The Night Away," "Hesitated," "Strange Romance," "Be My Lady," "I Give Up On You," "Rhythm of the Night," "The Walls (Came Tumbling Down)," etc.
Best El solo song: "I'll Be There"
I first thought Bunny was flipping us off on the back cover of In A Special Way. Instead, she's just snapping.
I'm extremely embarrassed to admit that I've never heard Bunny's solo album In Love (although there may be more than one). Anyone know it?
I'm not embarrassed to admit that I haven't yet read that mammoth story on their woes in Vibe (right?). Too painful. Someone inform Eldra (can I get a Bunny?) he's a genius before it's too late.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 28 September 2007 03:49 (5 years ago) Permalink
If you're too lazy to pull out your vinyl promo copy of In A Special Way that you bought for fifty cents at some college town in Illinois, check out "A Dream" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZsaF3Ecmu4&mode=related&search=
My favorite moment in all of music comes at 3:59 (in that youtube video) where the main hook gets doomed up. Even though it creeps along at a snail's pace, it's as kinetic as any punk I know.
Oh god I can barely stand how great this song is!
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 28 September 2007 04:00 (5 years ago) Permalink
the Vibe story isn't that mammoth; it reads very quickly and I wish it had gone into greater detail, which seems like a function of the word count more than anything (that and there's not enough emphasis on what they did as opposed to what they became).
― Matos W.K., Friday, 28 September 2007 05:54 (5 years ago) Permalink
Serious question: Kevin, when are you gonna write the great early '80s post-disco R&B/whatever-ya-wanna-call-it book?
Btw, sorry to hear about your traumatic saganaki (flaming Greek cheese) experience. I always kinda liked it myself, and I'm no real fan of any type of cheese. Nevertheless, I do apologize on behalf of my peoples and myself.
― JN$OT, Friday, 28 September 2007 07:42 (5 years ago) Permalink
Except that it's the girl who's asking him, "Who's Johnny?"... At first, when I didn't realize the Johnny in question is Johnny 5, I thought the song was about El DeBarge's secret gay lover. Which would've been cool.
― Tuomas, Friday, 28 September 2007 08:04 (5 years ago) Permalink
Was there an album called "In a Special Way"? I thought that was a quote from "Who's Johnny", which was included on El DeBarge's very eponymous solo debut.
― Geir Hongro, Friday, 28 September 2007 12:06 (5 years ago) Permalink
http://www.amazon.com/Special-Way-DeBarge/dp/B000001AHP/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6543344-3444458?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1190984986&sr=1-1
― JN$OT, Friday, 28 September 2007 13:11 (5 years ago) Permalink
Was there an album called "In a Special Way"?
Gets apoplexy. Dies.
Then brought back to life by:
Andy K could probably write a better one. Right now, I'm trying to finish my dissertation on pop music in Hollywood cinema 1980-present. But I have at least an essay in me about American romantic notions about the death of disco in the late 1970s and the post-disco move underground in the early 1980s vs. Canadian ironic notions of same.
Ya know, I'm not 100% certain it was saganaki because I've been in the same room with saganaki since and it didn't bother me. So either it was something else or they really fucked it up. Or I was just being a big baby (I was about ten years old, after all). In any case, no apologies necessary. HUGE fan of Greek food here.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 16:27 (5 years ago) Permalink
Ha! I've had one or two traumatic experiences involving parents and Greek-American restaurants myself, so I can certainly sympathize. However, yer probably right--whatever that shit was that they brought out that one fateful day, they no doubt seriously fucked it up.
Also: dammit, somebody's gotta write that there post-disco book one of these days; I need a handy buyer's guide for that pre-house/techno period. *Sobs*
― JN$OT, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 16:43 (5 years ago) Permalink
I have at least an essay in me about American romantic notions about the death of disco in the late 1970s and the post-disco move underground in the early 1980s vs. Canadian ironic notions of same.
That sounds genius.
― dad a, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 17:46 (5 years ago) Permalink
yeah, you gonna write about house?
― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 18:17 (5 years ago) Permalink
Ugh one day...
And thanx, dad a.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 22:23 (5 years ago) Permalink
has anybody heard his album In the Storm from 1992? iTunes description & samples make it sound REALLY interesting and ambitious
― J0hn D., Sunday, 13 April 2008 19:36 (5 years ago) Permalink
well now i would have sworn if there was ever a reason to bump this thread it would be this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfvGmx5Z_PM
― sleepingbag, Sunday, 13 April 2008 22:47 (5 years ago) Permalink
Still the worst fucking shit ever.
― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 13 April 2008 23:21 (5 years ago) Permalink
Worse than Starship circa 1985?
― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Sunday, 13 April 2008 23:47 (5 years ago) Permalink
has anybody heard his album In the Storm from 1992?
It's hands down his very worst solo album. He was obviously trying to invoke Marvin Gaye when he should have been invoking his own genius which far outstripped Gaye's anyway (Rong thread irrelevants, don't waste your time). Fortunately, he did just that on his next, and best, solo outing, Heart, Mind and Soul. But if you're already digging the samples, go 4 it.
well now i would have sworn if there was ever a reason to bump this thread it would be this
Why on earth would we bump this thread for an undistinguished cover of "Time Will Reveal?"
Better than Killing Joke.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 14 April 2008 00:06 (5 years ago) Permalink
I reviewed it for Rolling Stone when it came out! But I doubt the review is in their online archives. And yeah, "interesting and ambitious" sounds about right, though not exactly all that good, as I recall...Okay, what the fuck, I'll see if I can find it in the hall filing cabinet!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand....I found it! Gave it 3 stars (out of, what, 5, right?) Summarizing: Lots of collaborations a la Quincy Jones, "stoned haze" a la Tone Loc (both of whose albums he'd appeared on in recent years), "but El goes further, scooping up portions of Innversions, Sign O' The Times, Here My Dear, There's a Riot Goin' On, and America Eats Its Young. He samples Sly, George Clinton, the Beastie Boys and somebody cruising through Detroit tuned into Electrifying Mojo on WJLB. El sermonizes about souls sold to the devil, frets about 'the similarities between man and machine,' turns into Prince and say he wants to be your whore, then quotes Ecclesiastes. This is an album about sin -- mostly sex -- in ghetto crack dens, the fast lane, your neighborhood."
"It's a song cycle. And like most such animals, especially ones that rely on studio clutter, the music comes off a bit disjointed at first. But before long you surrender to the sheer wash of sound --meshes of high-pitched church voices, audacious 'interludes' of electric wah-wah funk, piano-boogie jazz and liquid salsa, extravagant strings dousing sax solos. The thread running through it all is El's falsetto, still God's gift, yet older and wiser. Can an angel get away with such stuff? Let's hope so."
Okay, so... maybe I should have kept my copy?
― xhuxk, Monday, 14 April 2008 00:14 (5 years ago) Permalink
No Xgau review, strangely enough!:
http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=el+debarge
― xhuxk, Monday, 14 April 2008 00:18 (5 years ago) Permalink
Fwiw, "guests include Kool Moe Dee, Patti LaBelle and Maurice White." (So maybe not that many?)
― xhuxk, Monday, 14 April 2008 00:20 (5 years ago) Permalink
man Chuck your review makes it sound pretty great! it's on iTunes, I might wind up getting it
― J0hn D., Monday, 14 April 2008 01:13 (5 years ago) Permalink
Alex is back!
Asking whether Debarge are worse than Starship circa 1985 is a very good question. They're both plumbing the depths of crapdom, for sure.
― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You, Monday, 14 April 2008 01:25 (5 years ago) Permalink
DeBarge>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (insert about 50 more rows of those)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Killing Joke>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The Cocktoe Twins>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Starship c. 1985
― Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 14 April 2008 11:35 (5 years ago) Permalink
sigh
― J0hn D., Monday, 14 April 2008 14:10 (5 years ago) Permalink
A sigh of worship for DeBarge no doubt.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 14 April 2008 14:37 (5 years ago) Permalink
sorry I revived the thread. I will avoid reviving threads that encourage people to take the "you don't like it? well it's heaps better than WHAT YOU LIKE!! WHAT YOU LIKE SUCKS!" tactic
― J0hn D., Monday, 14 April 2008 15:16 (5 years ago) Permalink
Killing Joke had better beats.
― zumzumzum, Monday, 14 April 2008 15:17 (5 years ago) Permalink
kjb vs bimble, the most boring fake-authoritative argument about subjective taste ever
― deej, Monday, 14 April 2008 15:23 (5 years ago) Permalink
Oh gawd, J0hn. I expect heavy-handedness from deej but not you. I did all those >s as a light-hearted joke which obviously backfired. But I thought the sheer amount of them would convey that. Sheesh.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 14 April 2008 15:51 (5 years ago) Permalink
And fwiw, I never said Killing Joke sucks. I love them. I even dug Pandemonium.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 14 April 2008 15:54 (5 years ago) Permalink
How about DeBarge's late '70s/early '80s band Switch? Their slow jams can't be beat!
― Patrick South, Tuesday, 24 June 2008 16:29 (4 years ago) Permalink
Man, Heart, Mind & Soul is FANTASTIC.
― gross rainbow of haerosmith (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Saturday, 21 August 2010 01:28 (2 years ago) Permalink
ignore this album at your peril smooth quiet storm lovers
― gross rainbow of haerosmith (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Saturday, 21 August 2010 01:45 (2 years ago) Permalink
hey everybody listen to this album it is fucking outstanding
not drunk...just grooving
― gross rainbow of haerosmith (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Saturday, 21 August 2010 01:53 (2 years ago) Permalink
i will definitely look into it. thread revive is timely b/c i heard the tale end of some previously-unknown-to-me debarge song on radio the other day and made mental note at the time to do some youtube research in that area
groove on
― dell (del), Saturday, 21 August 2010 01:56 (2 years ago) Permalink
heard "rhythm of the night" on the radio today - obv not their best - Sounded great anyway/CLASSIC
― what happened in the 80s stays in the 80s (m coleman), Saturday, 21 August 2010 03:08 (2 years ago) Permalink
http://www.thegrio.com/entertainment/el-debarge-squanders-second-chance-with-latest-drug-relapse.php
― buzza, Thursday, 17 February 2011 07:38 (2 years ago) Permalink
:(
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Thursday, 17 February 2011 08:37 (2 years ago) Permalink
You Wear It Well sounds like the best song in the world to me today.
― Johnny Fever, Friday, 5 October 2012 20:09 (7 months ago) Permalink
It's zippy fun
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 October 2012 21:02 (7 months ago) Permalink