Category: Music

Song has some potentially NSFW parts, so if you're at work, HEADPHONES ONLY!

"There was a moment when their faces blossomed into the sweetest happiness, however—when everyone came together in a single lovely communion that was the reason they did all they did; and that occurred around six-thirty in the morning, when they took off their sweat-soaked T-shirts and screamed because Patty Jo had begun to sing: 'Make me believe in you, show me that love can be true.' By then the air was half-nauseating with the stale stench of poppers, broken and dropped on the floor after their fumes had been sucked into the heart, and the odor of sweat, and ethyl chloride from the rags they clamped between their teeth, holding their friends' arms to keep from falling. The people on downs were hardly able to move, and the others rising from the couches where they had been sprawled like martyrs who had given up their souls to Christ pushed onto the floor and united in the cries of animal joy because Patty Jo had begun to sing in her metallic, unreal voice those signal words: 'Make me believe in you, show me that love can be true.'" ~ Andrew Holleran, Dancer from the Dance

Haters gonna hate.

It's amazing how music has such strong memories attached to it. Whenever I hear this song I'm immediately transported back to a sunny Saturday morning in August 1986. Shortly after moving to San Francisco I'd found this record in the collection of the friends I'd initially been staying with. Loved it, so naturally I threw it on a cassette tape to play in the car. That particular morning I had gone out exploring and was driving down Lincoln Boulevard, sun roof open, wind in my hair (I had hair then), catching glimpses of the Pacific out the passenger side of the car. It was awesome. I had arrived in California and life was good.

Another one that would always bring Kent and I to the dance floor.

Since this song first came out in 1978, there have been countless remixes by countless DJs. A couple years ago Cerrone himself created an entire 70+ minute symphonic suite based on the original tune that is simply put, orgasmic. Here's a tease:

You can get it through iTunes here, or from Amazon here.

Of course the more enterprising among you will also undoubtedly be able to find the whole album for free online. Not that I'd ever advocate doing such a thing. 😉

I have no idea how this never registered on my radar back in the day. I only first heard it on a mix tape a friend gave me in the mid 90s. This Liebrand remix sent me in search of the original source material and once I found it, I immediately fell in love with the entire War of the Worlds album. Having been a big fan of "symphonic rock" in the late 70s, this fell nicely in line with the likes of Rick Wakeman, Yes, and many others:

Another song I strongly associate with Mr. Kelly…

I first bought this record (also pressed on red vinyl) in the fall of 1977. The sleeve was scented strawberry. Well played, A&M. Well played.

This record was a pain in the ass to get back in 1978; even moreso when I went to replace it in 2005…

Another song forever associated with a boy I dated back in the day.

Two things remind me of Brian Butcher: this song and a patchwork suede jacket I bought from the clothing store he was working in at the time. The last photo I have of him dates from 1982 (the one above is from 1979). We lost touch shortly thereafter and last I'd heard he'd relocated to Southern California. I often wonder if he's still among the living, and if so, where life has taken him.

The trouble with having dated men with fairly common names is that even in the age of the Internets it's impossible to track them down. Probably a good thing, come to think of it…

This was the first disco record I ever bought. Zip's Records on University Avenue in Tucson, Arizona. February 1977.

Of course, the album cover shown in the video above was way too risqué back then, so it was issued in the States with this art instead:

"She even let me leave my cowboy boots on." Heh.