Anyway, at night, Thunder 107 would count down the most requested songs of the day (like most Top 40 stations) and they had a really cool weekly segment – “Rush or Flush”. They would play a brand new song and listeners were directed to call a 900 number (at 99 cents per call, please ask parents’ permission before calling) to either RUSH (I liked it!) or FLUSH (I hated it!) Songs that were rushed would be immediately added to heavy rotation. On the other end of the spectrum, songs that were flushed would not be played again on the station. (Not always a good thing if the song became popular later – such was the case with “Hole Hearted” by Extreme.) By this stage of the game, Rush or Flush was relegated to emerging or unknown artists.

That night, the featured song on Rush or Flush was a brand-new single just released on Elektra Records, “Save Me” by Lisa Fischer. I actually didn’t hear the song when it was broadcast – I left the tape running while I went to answer the phone. I didn’t even think about the fact that I was still recording the rest of the Top Eight at Eight until I was sitting on my bed reading the new Rollling Stone when the tape stopped.

So I was on the Concord Trailways bus to Vermont the next day when I heard the song for the first time. It ended up being flushed by a slim 52/48 margin. I was lucky to have captured it during its lone broadcast. Being an upbeat R&B/dance single, it was not likely to be played on the other radio stations in my area – as this did not mesh with any of the other formats – oldies, country, AOR, or easy-listening.

From the first few bars of the song, I was hooked. The follow-up to the number-one R&B hit “How Can I Ease The Pain” earlier that summer, “Save Me” could have been classified as a generic early ’90s R&B/dance song, suitable for any Jazzercise class in middle America.  But upon listening to the lyrics:

creatures in wilderness wile away

pleasures, sick or obsessed

Getting freaky in the wilderness. Right up my alley. I was lucky enough to find the 12″ single a few years back. The remixes are uneven at best, but it was truly only purchased to capture the original mix without radio announcers stepping on the front and back of the track.

Let me know what you think. Catch the video HERE. Classic 1991 – Very ‘Levi’s “Button Your Fly” ad campaign’  with the writing all over everything. Love the platinum bob wig…

A – Aguilera, Christina:  Just a pop singer with a killer set of pipes until 2001′s cover of “Lady Marmalade” from the soundtrack of Mouiln Rouge. This LaBelle remake crossed her over. Recommended Listening: “Beautiful (Valentin Club Mix)”

B – Black Box: Italian House group who illegaly sampled Martha Wash and Loleatta Holloway’s vocals and set them to some of the best house beats of 89/90. Recommended Listening: “Everybody Everybody (Le Freak Mix)” with vocals by Martha Wash.

C – C+C Music Factory: Robert Cliviles & David Cole began remixing house music for others in the late 80s. When they took Martha Wash’s command “Everybody Dance Now!”, set it to music, and shot to number 1 on the charts in April 1990, the olny problem was that Ms. Wash wasn’t shown in the video. Zelma Davis (who is a damn good singer on her own, just not on this song) was. Scandal ensued, and Ms. Wash settled in court, and today, the video has a disclaimer that the vocals are not provided by the lady on the screen. Try this: “Just A Touch Of Love” – vocals by Zelma Davis.

D – Donna Summer – This Boston native is the Queen of Disco. Since 1975, she has been churning out some of the highest quality dance music while still staying completely relevant. Her latest album, 2008′s Crayons, brought her first album-length collection of new music in 17 years. Lost gem: “Romeo”, from the soundtrack to Flashdance.

E -  Etta James – Recent comments about President Obama & Beyonce aside, this lady can saaaaaaaaaaang! Any and all of her tunes are just amazing, the best arguably being “At Last”. In 2002, she released in INSANE cover of the Rolling Stones 1978 “Miss You” as a bluesy-rock tune. Can’ t  miss remix: “Miss You (Illicit Club Mix)”.

F – “Finally” was released by CeCe Peniston in late 1990. The subject of one of my first blog posts, hearing this song for the first time was a religious experience on the dance floor. Best Mix: The original 12″ album mix. This one is impossible to improve upon.

G – Gloria Gaynor, singer of the ubiquitous disco single “I Will Survive”. Released in December 1978, the single has proven to be a survivor in itself, still a regular radio standard 30 years on. Ms. Gaynor has released so many memorable songs, and is one of my favorite disco divas. Check out: “Never Can Say Goodbye (12″ Extended Mix)”

H – Heart – the best balls-out rock group fronted by women ever! Okay, so this blog is usually dedicated to dance music, but divas are not genre-specific. Ann Wilson’s powerhouse vocals and her sister Nancy’s hot guitar licks made for a kick-ass combo in the 70s for such songs as “Barracuda”. In the mid-80s, they came back to the forefront with a string of big haired power ballads like “Alone”, “These Dreams”, and “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You”. Don’t miss: “Crazy On You“.

I – Iceland is the home of one of music’s most quirky and thought-provoking songstresses, Bjork. Since getting her start as the lead singer of The Sugarcubes, she has made her indelible mark on the music world. In my opinion, the most iconic images of Bjork are the music video for her single “It’s Oh So Quiet” anof the much-parodied swan dress she wore one year to an awards show. Finest Moment: “Violently Happy (Masters at Work 12″ Mix)”

J – Janice Robinson was the voice of the mid-90s dance “group” Livin’ Joy, whose hits included “Dreamer”. Janice released a new mix in 2006, aptly titled “Dreamer 2006″ – Must Listen: “Don’t Stop Movin’ “

K -Kristine W. has been a staple of the dance charts since 1994, cranking out hit after hit. From “One More Try” and “Land Of The Living” to “Stronger” and last year’s cover of “The Boss”, she’s a can’t miss powerhouse diva. Try this: “Some Lovin’ (Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix) – Murk vs. Kristine W.”

L – Loleatta Holloway is one of the most sampled vocalists ever, thanks to her 1980 stunner “Love Sensation”. Sampled into hits such as “Ride On Time” by Black Box and “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch, her legendary voice is worshipped in the dance community. Her Finest Hour: “Relight My Fire” by Dan Hartman. That’s Loleatta as the background vocalist.

M – Martha Wash came into the spotlight in the mid-70s as a backup singer for Sylvester. In the early 80s, she was a Weather Girl. The late 80s and early 90s brought more notoriety when it was discovered that her voice was illegaly used by both Black Box (“Strike It Up”, “Everybody Everybody”) and C+C Music Factory (Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) . Her first solo album in 1992 brought hits like “Carry On”. In 1998, she teamed up with RuPaul for a remake of her 1982 hit “It’s Raining Men” Still going strong after more than 30 years, she’s still releasing killer singles and playing club dates. Her Finest Hour: “Catch The Light (West  Mix)”

N – “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” is probably the best Diva Duel of them all. An 11-minute epic of proportions only seen during the height of disco’s meteoric rise, Paul Jabara wrote and produced this masterpiece for Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer. This gem has been covered many times, most notably for me by k.d. lang and Andy Bell of Erasure, recorded for the soundtrack to the 1993 film The Coneheads. Best Mix: The original 12″ album mix. This one is impossible to improve upon.

O – “One” was a hit single by U2 from their 1991 album “Achtung Baby”. In 2006, dive Mary J. Blige recorded the track as a duet with U2. Mary J. is a true R&B diva of epic proportions, beginning with 1992′s “Real Love”to her 1995 duet with Method Man “You’re All I Need” to her blazing 2006 jam “Be Without You”. Try this: “Family Affair (Spanish Fly Remix)”

P – Patti LaBelle has been in the biz since the early 60s as a member of the Blue Belles. In the 70s, she fronted the amazing LaBelle (“Lady Marmalade”), and since the 80s she’s been releasing solo work, and acting. In 1995, she contributed to the soundtrack of To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar with “Turn It Out”, and most recently, it has been announced that LaBelle will reunite after more than 30 years apart. I can’t wait. Try This: “New Attitude”.

Q – Queer. You really can’t have divas without the gays. WE MADE YOU BITCHES!!!! And we loved every minute of it.

R – RuPaul is the (drag) queen of all media – there is nothing that he can’t do. Since his major-label debut in November 1992, the unforgettable single “Supermodel (You Better Work)” RuPaul has been on a non-stop ride of singing, acting in TV and film (in and out of drag), being the first spokesperson for M.A.C. Cosmetics, hosting his own talk show, and appearing in ad campaigns for such diverse products as Bailey’s Irish Cream, WebEx, and Jack In The Box. His newest venture, RuPaul’s Drag Race, an elimination-style reality competition, premeired on the LOGO television network last week. Fierce Track: His 1997 cover of Bonnie Tyler’s “If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man)”

S – Sylvester was a cross-dressing dance legend. Fifteen years before RuPaul, Sylvester burst on the scene in a big way with such hits as “Dance (Disco Heat)” and “Do You Wanna Funk”. Backed by the Two Tons O’ Fun, and working with producer Patrick Cowley, he was a forerunner of the Hi-NRG genre of the early 80s. His Finest Hour: “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)”

T – Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way” was a dance chart-topper in 1977. It’s been released and remixed more times than I can count. More than a one-hit wonder, but she still is best known for this dance classic. Lost Gem: “Love Masterpiece” from the soundtrack to the infamous disco film Thank God It’s Friday.

U – Ultra Nate is a prolific diva, putting out hits since the Early 90s. Usually dragged out around Pride season, the lyrics of her 1997 hit “Free” celebrate freedom and brotherhood of all mankind. The mix usually played on radio is the Mood II Swing Radio Edit. Not bad, but much better if you can find it is the “Free (Full Intention Club Mix)”.

V – The Village People are not necessarily considered divas, but Victor Willis, the lead singer from 1977-1979 and co-writer of virtually all of the hits has one hell of a voice, and his replacement (still with the group today) Ray Simpson also has a great voice. These guys are two of my favorite male disco divas. Must Listen: “Village People” with vocals by Victor Willis, and “Liberation” with vocals by Ray Simpson.

W -The Weather Girls. Originally called Two Tons O’ Fun, Martha Wash & Izora Armstead were the long time backup singers for Sylvester, mentioned above. In 1982, they hooked up with Paul Jabara (writer of Donna Summer’s “Last Dance”) and recorded the ULTIMATE diva single – “It’s Raining Men”. Covered multiple times by such artists as RuPaul, the Young Divas, and one of the Spice Girls (her version sucked so I will not give her the courtesy of a full mention) it’s still a campy disco standard to this day. Best Mix: The original 12″ album mix. This one is impossible to improve upon.

X – “Xanadu” was a disco masterpiece written by Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra for the roller-skating train wreck of a film in 1980. Sung by Australian diva Olivia Newton-John, you cannot help but wish you were on skates… Best Mix: “Xanadu (Direct Hit Re-Edit)”

Y -”Young Hearts Run Free” was a smash 1976 single by Candi Staton. It was covered by fellow diva Kym Mazelle for the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet. More from Candi Staton: “Victim (12″ Extended Mix)”

Z – Zelma Davis was caught up in a firestorm in 1990 after being accused of being a talentless model lip-synching vocals by Martha Wash, despite having sung several tracks on C+C Music Factory’s debut album. She is a great singer, and most recently released a cover of “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” with Amber in the summer of 2008. Lost Track: “Live Happy” by C+C Music Factory – vocals by Zelma Davis.

Well, you’ve earned your degree in Diva 101. This is a beginner’s course – for further research and reading, keep reading this blog.

Black Box - Everybody Everybody (1989)

The Italian production group Black Box was one of the worst offenders. The model shown above, while stunningly beautiful, is not the singer, yet is shown dancing around and mouthing the lyrics of one Martha Wash in the song “Everybody Everybody“, and the more well-known “Strike It Up”. The story goes that the divine Ms. Wash (of The Weather Girls, and solo disco diva if you haven’t already taken Diva 101) was in the studio doing some demo work for the producers. These demos were just supposed to be that – demonstration tracks not for release. However, two of the biggest dance floor hits of 1989/90 came courtesy of Martha Wash, but no one knew until she eventually won a court settlement.

The lost gem of the album would have to be “I Don’t Know Anybody Else“. A huge hit in ’89, it’s been eclipsed by the scandals and better-known singles. It’s definately worth a listen. Again, an uncredited Martha Wash is on vocals.

Another diva that Black Box did the same exact thing to was Loleatta Holloway. Her 1980 single “Love Sensation” has become one of the most sampled singles ever, used (legally) in the 1991 hit “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch. However, it was the 1989 Black Box single “Ride On Time” that really began the discussion of sampling, legal or otherwise. The song’s title comes from the lyrics “thank you baby, ’cause you’re right on time“. Due to the mis-hearing of the word “right” – it became “Ride On Time” – doesn’t make much sense to those of us who speak fluent English, but dance music doesn’t need to make sense, right?

This was a common theme in music video at the time. Get a powerhouse vocal in the studio, and then find a model to mime the lyrics on film (a la Black Box & C+C Music Factory). Rapper Ya Kid K provided the MC duties for most of Technotronic’s albums, as well as a side project, Hi Tek 3.

Hi Tek 3 contributed a single to the soundtrack to the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie entitled “Spin That Wheel”.

That long introduction actually has little to do with the song I’m posting tonight, but I had to tell that story to tell you this one. Shortly after “Pump Up The Jam: The Album” left the charts, Manuella Kamosi, a.k.a. Ya Kid K left the spotlight and eventually married Technotronic’s other vocalist/rapper Eric Martin.

Eric was only featured on a few tracks on the album, but the standout for me was “This Beat Is Technotronic“.

Enjoy, and share your thoughts.

With brown cocoa skin and curly black hair, the object of my affection was seated at a table just yards away with his girlfriend. So many reasons for us never to be together, the largest hurdle being that I, too, was a fourteen year old teenage boy. Regardless, I could still look.

I lost myself in the music – finally, it had happened to me. I instantly became a disco queen. “Finally” ended and the unmistakable opening notes of “Jump Around” by House of Pain began. Spent of all energy, I returned to this plane. I was never to be the same.

LINK to the song download coming: I’m on my laptop in the living room right now, and want to get this posted. LOL

I have been in love with Kristine W’s music since the first time I heard this song back in the summer of ’96. “One More Try” was her first big US release that broke into the charts. I was nineteen and working in a pizza joint with a bunch of my buddies – this song came on the radio and I cranked it out. My friends were less than impressed, being the disco queen that I am, I recognized the makings of a true diva.

Two years later, I was in a club and I heard this remix for the first time. It was one of those “religious experience” moments that happen with me when I hear life-changing beats. To this day, Rollo’s Big Mix is in my top five remixes of all time. Enjoy!

One More Try (Rollo’s Big Mix) – Kristine W.