Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: The Flirtations

Wonderland Burlesque's

 Down The Rabbit Hole:

The Flirtations

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the musical legacy of the often overlooked girl group, The Flirtations.

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From Wikipedia:

The Flirtations are an all-female musical group who have recorded since the early 1960s.

In 1962 in New York City, Lestine Johnson and sisters Ernestine Pearce, Shirley Pearce and Betty Pearce from South Carolina formed a group called The Gypsies. By1964, they'd signed to Old Town Records, where they released their debut single Hey There, Hey There. The song achieved airplay on local radio stations, leading to a second single, the J.J. Jackson-written Jerk It, which proved more successful, reaching #111 on the US Pop Chart and #33 on the R&B chart. At that point, Lestine Johnson left the group, replaced by Viola Billups. The Gypsies released two additional singles for the label in 1966, bringing an end to their time at Old Town Records.

The four women landed at Josie Records, renaming themselves The Flirtations. Their first single for the label was the well-regarded northern soul dance song, Change My Darkness Into Light. However, DJs ignored it, sales suffered and they were dropped by the label. The quartet moved to Festival Records, where they released Stronger Than Her Love and Settle Down, but again, there was no interest.

By 1968, Betty Pearce had left the group, reducing the Flirtations to a trio. After winning a small local talent contest to see who could sound the most like the Supremes, they packed their bags and headed for England, where they were signed to the Parrot label. They were immediately enlisted as the opening act for the label's star act, Tom Jones. Oddly, they only recorded on single for Parrot,  Someone Out There. Thanks to a number of television appearances, it rose to #2 on the Bubbling Under chart in September of 1968, and charted in the Netherlands, peaking at #25.

Moving to Deram Records in late 1968, the group recorded what would become their signature recording, Nothing But A Heartache. The song rose to #1 on the Bubbling Under chart in December 1968 and gave the Flirtations a second Top 40 hit in the Netherlands, reaching #36. Somebody was listening, and in March of 1969, they embarked on an 18 date tour of the UK with Stevie Wonder and The Foundations.

Nothing But a Heartache was re-issued in the US in early 1969, debuting at #93 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March of 1969. The song spent 14 weeks on the chart, peaking at #34. The follow-up, South Carolina, was a ballad and reached only #111 in July 1969. In 1970, two singles were released, with What's Good About Goodbye My Love" snagging the #17 spot on the R&B chart. In July 1970, the trio scored another semi-hit with Can't Stop Loving You, a song former labelmate  Tom Jones also recorded. While the ladies' version only got as high as #93, Jones' reached #3 on the US Adult Contemporary chart and #5 on Canada's AC chart.

A sixth, and final, single was released on Deram in 1971, but failed to generate any heat. From that point on, their singles were no longer released for the U.S. market. It was at this juncture that Misty Browning, replaced Viola Billups, embarked on a solo career as Vie and as Pearly Gates. Browning was subsequently replaced by Loretta Noble. Throughout 1972, the group became the resident vocal band on the long running BBC TV series It's Cliff Richard, backing Richard on various numbers, while performing their own songs and singing backup for other guests on the show.

Throughout the 1970s the Flirtations released material on various major labels - Polydor, Mojo, and RCA, with little success. The band was rediscovered in the disco and Northern soul circuits of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the U.S. and their sound evolved with the times. They recorded Hi-NRG tracks in the 1980s, including Back On My Feet Again, which reunited Billups with the Pearce sisters. The track became a major hit in South Africa in 1989, reaching #6.

The group enjoyed a bit of renewed notoriety in the UK, when Nothing But A Heartache was used in an advertising campaign for KFC.  In 2007, the ladies were recording  for Centre City Records, and in 2009, released their first single in 20 years, Roulette.  The track peaked at #10 in Music Week's Commercial Pop Club Chart in December of 2009.

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Jerk It - The Gypsies

Change My Darkness Into Light - The Flirtations

Someone Out There - The Flirtations

Nothing But A Heartache - The Flirtations

What's Good About Good-bye, My Love - The Flirtations

Love, Love, Love - The Flirtations

Can't Stop Loving You - The Flirtations

One Night Of Love - The Flirtations

 

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Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Four: The 25th Day Of Last December by Roberta Flack

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Four: 

The 25th Day Of Last December by Roberta Flack 

 

 Four days to go!

Time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up.

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical.

Next up... from 1977, the achingly soulful sound of the amazing Roberta Flack with the understated The 25th Day Of Last December.

Released by Atlantic Records on December 13, 1977, The 25th Day Of Last December served as the lead single from Flack's highly-anticipated Blue Lights In The Basement album. Written by Gene McDaniel, The 25th Day Of Last December perfectly captures the after tones of a love gone and the memories of holidays past. Billboard wrote: "Roberta's back in time for Christmas with a strong seasonal tune that could be a classic wrapped up in an LP containing nine other soft, warm ballads that are impeccably produced and arranged... Her voice shines through..."

The 25th Day Of Last December peaked at #58 on Billboard's R&B chart and #28 on the AC chart in the US. The album, which also contained her sensuously stirring duet with Donny Hathaway, The Closer I Get To You, was a huge success, peaking at #8 on the album charts, and remains a stellar moment in Flack's musical catalogue.

The 25th Day Of Last December - Roberta Flack

Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Ten: It May Be Winter Outside by Love Unlimited

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Ten: 

It May Be Winter Outside by Love Unlimited

Time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up. 

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.  

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical. 

Next up...  the silky sounds of  Love Unlimited with It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's Spring).  

Nobody does it better... than Mr. Barry White.

From Wikipedia:

It May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It's Spring) is a song co-written by Barry White and Paul Politi. It first became a minor hit for American singer Felice Taylor in 1967, reaching #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and # 44 on the R&B chart,

It was recorded later in 1973 by Love Unlimited, a girl group formed by Barry White, featuring his wife, Glodean James; her sister, Linda James; and their cousin Diane Taylor. It appeared on their album Under the Influence of... Love Unlimited. This version made it to #83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #35 on the Billboard R&B chart in the US. However, it was a much bigger success in the UK, reaching #11 on the UK Singles Chart.

A marvelous slice, featuring Barry White's smooth hand and an-almost Supremes like sensibility, It May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It's Spring) perfectly captures the yearning and hope of the season.

It May Be Winter Outside 

(But In My Heart It's Spring)

 - Love Unlimited

Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Twelve: First Snow In Kokomo by Aretha Franklin

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Twelve: 

First Snow In Kokomo by Aretha Franklin 

It's time once more to climb into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day.

This holiday season I'm setting the dial for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up. The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.  

So, get ready for some songs of the season by some of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical. 

First up... it's the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. 

In 1972, she included the self-composed First Snow In Kokomo on her album Young, Gifted And Black. A rambling, heartfelt affair, it captures Franklin in a moment away from the public eye. The song captures her recollections of a trip to her partner's  (Ken Cunningham) parents home in Kokomo, Indiana. Franklin had recently become a mother for the fourth time. As the narrator, she illustrates the first snow in a small town, with the various characters living in the moment around her. Franklin frequently described her offstage persona as "the lady next door". This serves as a glimpse into her life away from the spotlight. "It’s Aretha as the observer of life rather than Aretha in the center of the action," Aretha’s sister Carolyn once said, "In the end, though, it was something of a fairy tale"

First Snow In Kokomo - Aretha Franklin

1972

Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: Noisettes

Wonderland Burlesque's

 Down The Rabbit Hole: 

Noisettes

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the multi-influenced music of the phenomenally talented Noisettes.

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London composed of singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa and guitarist Dan Smith - and, at one time, drummer Jamie Morrison.

Formed in 2003, the Noisettes gradually formed a reputation for being one of the rowdiest live acts in London. Early feedback about the band was largely positive. Entertainment Weekly placed the band on its November 2005 list of Six Indie Brit Bands on the Cusp, and said the band possessed a "sound like high-drama, heavily syncopated swagger-and-sway rock, spearheaded by incandescent frontwoman Shingai Shoniwa." In a March 2006 article on UK bands, USA Today said, "The incendiary Shingai Shoniwa leads this London blues-punk band, known for its feral and explosive live show."

Ever evolving, the group would eventually showcase Shoniwa's unique vocal style with a sophisticated blend of new wave, D,I.Y. punk, rock-a-billy, mersey beat, and vintage soul, with elements of dance, rock and pop. Theirs is a truly unique sound with Shoniwa serving as the perfect visual embodiment.

The group released two EPs, one in 2005 and one in 2006. The latter was used to showcase material for their debut album, What's The Time, Mr. Wolf?, released on Vertigo in February of 2007. Their commercial breakthrough came with their second album, 2009's Wild Young Hearts and its second single Don't Upset The Rhythm (Go Baby Go) which snagged the #2 spot in the UK and the #8 spot in Ireland. The song had been featured in a Mazda 2 television ad. A follow-up single, Never Forget You, also did well on the charts, peaking at #20 in the UK, #24 in Ireland, and #25 in Belgium and was featured in a DFS furniture advertising campaign - and later, served as the jingle for a TV commercials and all-media marketing campaign by Vodafone in Italy.

In January 2010, drummer Jamie Morrison abruptly left the band, leaving Shoniwa and Smith to soldier on as a duo. Biding their time, a couple of one-off's were recorded - the cover of a Buzzcock's song and a newly recorded version of their song Sister Rosetta which then appeared on the soundtrack for the 2011 film, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1.

New music surfaced in 2012.The album, entitled Contact, was released on August, 27, 2012. It received generally positive reviews, but failed to match the commercial impact of their previous album, charting 23 places lower and peaking at #30 on the UK Albums Chart. The lead single from the album, That Girl followed suit, peaking at #87 on the UK Singles Chart. 

Since that time, Shoniwa has released an EP in 2017 and her solo debut album in 2020. As of this writing, Noisettes remains a viable duo.

Don't Give Up - Noisettes

Wild Young Hearts - Noisettes

Don't Stop The Rhythm (Go Baby Go) - Noisettes

Never Forget You - Noisettes

Winner - Noisettes

That Girl - Noisettes

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Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: Fox The Fox

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Down The Rabbit Hole:

Fox The Fox

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the brief history of the electric R&B pop group Fox The Fox

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

 
Fox the Fox, was a Dutch funk band founded in 1981 by Berth Tamaëla and Sylvia Musmin (AKA: Silhouette Musmin). Among the members were bassist Gino Jansen, guitarist Kier van der Werf, keyboardist Roy Kuschel, and drummers Robbie Brans, Tjalling Bos and Han Langkamp. Musmin wrote all the lyrics, while and Tamaëla composed the music.

After working together for two years, the band finally released their first single, Flirting and Showing, which reached #40 in the Netherlands and Germany. A year later they released the single Precious Little Diamond. It snagged the #5 slot in Germany, #18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, #11 in the Netherlands, #15 in France, #38 in Belgium and #86 in the UK.  

Two albums and six subsequent singles followed, but to little success.

With the departure of Tamaëla in 1990, the band split up.

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Flirting And Showing - Fox The Fox

Precious Little Diamonds - Fox The Fox

She Don't Mind - Fox The Fox

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Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: Five Star

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Down The Rabbit Hole:

 Five Star

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the amazing success and history of the family group Five Star.

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

Five Star (5 Star) was a British pop group, formed in 1983, comprising siblings Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris, and Delroy Pearson. From 1985 to 1988, Five Star enjoyed four Top 20 albums (Multi-Platinum) and 15 Top 40 singles in the UK, thanks to their infectious,  Michael/Janet Jackson influenced pop. They were known for their extravagant costumes (all designed by Stedman) and also won the 1987 Brit Award for Best British Group.

Comprised of five members of the Pearson family from Romford, Greater London. Known for their flamboyant image, matching costumes and heavily choreographed dance routines. Masterminded by their father and manager, Buster Pearson in the style of Jackson 5. Buster Pearson set up the label Tent to release the group's records. Five Star Orchestra is the label's orchestra. During their heyday (1985-1988) the group collaborated with a series of top producers from the time.

Their debut single was released on Tent in 1983 and although it did not chart, it gave them TV exposure and a record deal with RCA Records. After two unsuccessful singles in 1984, their chart breakthrough came in 1985 with the release of All Fall Down which peaked at #15 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also enjoyed limited success in the US.

What followed was an astounding string of 14 more Top 40 hits in the UK, cementing their place as one of Britain's most popular recording acts in the second half of the 1980s. During this time, they also made continual in-roads on the US R&B and Dance Charts.

However, 1988 saw a swift drop-off in chart action for the group. An attempt to change their clean-cut image to a more adult-oriented leather-clad look, matched with a slightly harder-edged dance sound and a subsequent shift from RCA Records to Epic Records failed to correct course.

Then, in 1989, while promoting With Every Heartbeat, the group made an infamous appearance on the British children's TV show Going Live. During a live phone-in, a teenage caller verbally abused the group and asked why they were "so fucking crap".

In 1989, Stedman, on the verge of bankruptcy, was forced to move his family out of their mansion. To make matters worse, in October of 1990, Stedman Pearson pleaded guilty to a charge of public indecency, after being arrested in a public toilet in New Malden in London. 

After a second album on Epic failed to chart (although, to be fair, it was not released in the UK) the label cut ties with the group. Star Five soldiered on, releasing albums on their own label in 1995 and 2001. By then, the group was honed to a trio consisting of Stedman, Denise and Lorraine.

More family turmoil followed in 2007, Stedman called the cops after receiving threats from his father, Buster. 

In 2009, Denise went on to have a limited solo career and the group continues to make periodically live appearances.

All Fall Down - Five Star

Let Me Be The One - Five Star

Love Take Over - Five Star

System Addict - Five Star

Can't Wait Another Minute - Five Star

Find The Time - Five Star

Rain Or Shine - Five Star

Whenever You're Ready - Five Star

Another Weekend - Five Star

With Every Heartbeat - Five Star

Profile - Five Star

from the television program Going Live

Shine - Five Star

I Love You For Sentimental Reasons - Five Star

Hit Medley - Five Star

Performed on Celebrity Big Brother

(2012)

 

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Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: Mary Jane Girls

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Down The Rabbit Hole: 

 Mary Jane Girls

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the work and history of the audacious Mary Jane Girls

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

The Mary Jane Girls were an American girl group formed in 1983, best known for their songs In My House, All Night Long, Candy Man, and their cover version of Walk Like a Man. They were protégées of musician Rick James and disbanded in 1987.

In 1983, Rick James proposed to Motown that Joanne McDuffie, his on-going backup singer, be offered a solo career but miscommunication caused the label to sign an all-female group, which became the Mary Jane Girls. The group consisted of members Joanne "JoJo" McDuffie, Cheryl Ann "Cheri" Bailey, Candice "Candi" Ghant, Kimberly "Maxi" Wuletich and Yvette "Corvette" Marine.

Joanne "Jojo" McDuffie was the lead singer, with the others filling out the group's style and appearance. On the studio recordings, McDuffie was backed by session vocalists rather than the other Mary Jane Girls. James wrote and produced the group's material. James said of the group, "I wanted there to be a Black female group in the industry that could express more reality with relationships to men. I wanted there to be Black girls who could really speak about love, the pain, money, power, hate and everything. Originally there were going to be three girls in negligees doing the punk thing."

Their first album was released in 1983, yielding the R&B hits All Night Long, Candy Man, and Boys.  In live performances, the Mary Jane Girls were backed by James' group the Stone City Band.

A second album was released  in 1985. It contained In My House, which became the group's biggest hit, reaching #3 on the R&B chart and then crossing over to the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it reached #7 , spending 12 weeks in the Top 40. It also charted on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at # 1 for two weeks in April of 1985.

The group recorded a third album – which was shelved for decades but finally released in 2014 as part of a larger Rick James retrospective. However, a single was released from the project in 1986, a cover of The Four Seasons hit Walk Like a Man, which was heard in the film A Fine Mess. It charted at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another single, Shadow Lover, was also released in 1986, but with no label support and on-going issues between Motown and Rich James, the group disbanded in 1987.

The group was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2019.

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Candyman - Mary Jane Girls

All Night Long - Mary Jane Girls

Boys - Mary Jane Girls

In My House - Mary Jane Girls

Walk Like A Man - Mary Jane Girls

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Wonderland Burlesque's As The Diva Turns! - Gaga, Jennie & Jourdin

Wonderland Burlesque's

As The Diva Turns!

 Gaga, Jennie & Jourdin

Spotlighting some recent diva turns...

I must say, you are in for quite the treat.

Up first? Finally. At last. The Gaga we all love and adore - the one who takes us to the dance floor - is back! So get your disco shoes on baby girl, Lady Gaga is spinning pure industrial magic with the heart-pounding Abracadabra!

Then, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, we have Jennie with help(?) from Dominic Fike, mourning the loss of a love that shall be named, as she imparts the R&B chill down of Love Hangover.

And finally, it's the lovely and luscious Jourdin Pauline, looping it old-style with an insistent groove sure to light up your sweet tooth as she slow stirs the bubbling Sugar.

All in all, a trio of destined-to be-classic diva turns.

Morta Oo Gaga, indeed!

Midweek hump?

Feeling in the dumps?

Here's some music to make your heart jump!

- uptonking from Wonderland Burlesque

 

Abracadabra - Lady Gaga

Love Hangover - Jennie feat. Dominic Fike

 

Sugar - Jourdin Pauline

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