I'm not a fan of Grace Jones, but I AM a big fan of Trevor Horn, who co-wrote and produced this track. This is, essentially, a Buggles song. Yes, Buggles, the group who did "Video Killed the Radio Star," the first song played on MTV. "Video" was co-written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes (who later was keyboardist for Asia, the band that did "Heat of the Moment"), and Bruce Woolley. Horn and Woolley co-wrote "Slave to the Rhythm" along with Simon Darlow and Steve Lipson, both of whom worked on the second and last Buggles album.
Aren't you glad you asked? You didn't? Oh... sorry... :)
Hee. I love your knowledge of music! It's a funny thing, I have never considered myself knowledgeable about any particular artist or genre, but spending years with a musician (my Beloved Ex was a truly excellent writer, front man, and guitarist/bassist) and just living in the world for the better part of five decades and being exposed to an almost bewilderingly diverse variety of music, I've learned enough to be dangerous and pointless.
Grace's voice has always been, to me, almost as striking as her persona. Powerful and sometimes deep, it is, even so, mellifluous and smooth. Given the extremity of her looks and fashion, this may seem at odds, but I've always appreciated: Grace Jones didn't need to be a screamer, she was emphasis personified without needing to press the point.
Her "la vie en rose" is soft and has a quality I can't call sweetness exactly - and yet, I can't not call it that. But "Warm Leatherette" is where I just die of Grace's inimitable, weird, impossible to ignore, danceable funk.
As you may have noticed, I'm a big tango fan. 'I've seen that face before' is an arrangement of the Piazzolla classic 'Libertango'. Both the Piazzolla and the Grace Jones version are fantastic fun to dance to.
Ohh, I can well imagine that, Tom! Now I need to turn that on while I'm cleaning house and see what parodic dance moves I can come up with that only the cat and dog need ever see ...
6 comments:
I'm not a fan of Grace Jones, but I AM a big fan of Trevor Horn, who co-wrote and produced this track. This is, essentially, a Buggles song. Yes, Buggles, the group who did "Video Killed the Radio Star," the first song played on MTV. "Video" was co-written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes (who later was keyboardist for Asia, the band that did "Heat of the Moment"), and Bruce Woolley. Horn and Woolley co-wrote "Slave to the Rhythm" along with Simon Darlow and Steve Lipson, both of whom worked on the second and last Buggles album.
Aren't you glad you asked? You didn't? Oh... sorry... :)
Hee. I love your knowledge of music! It's a funny thing, I have never considered myself knowledgeable about any particular artist or genre, but spending years with a musician (my Beloved Ex was a truly excellent writer, front man, and guitarist/bassist) and just living in the world for the better part of five decades and being exposed to an almost bewilderingly diverse variety of music, I've learned enough to be dangerous and pointless.
Grace's voice has always been, to me, almost as striking as her persona. Powerful and sometimes deep, it is, even so, mellifluous and smooth. Given the extremity of her looks and fashion, this may seem at odds, but I've always appreciated: Grace Jones didn't need to be a screamer, she was emphasis personified without needing to press the point.
Her "la vie en rose" is soft and has a quality I can't call sweetness exactly - and yet, I can't not call it that. But "Warm Leatherette" is where I just die of Grace's inimitable, weird, impossible to ignore, danceable funk.
Diane, I don't know much about Grace Jones, but I find your conversation with Colin fascinating and educational.
And I love music.
"Use your faults, use your defects; then you're going to be a star." I love it! That's a keeper. :-)
Hi, Lilac! Grace Jones' music is worth a try. She's marvelous, and unlike anyone else.
As you may have noticed, I'm a big tango fan. 'I've seen that face before' is an arrangement of the Piazzolla classic 'Libertango'. Both the Piazzolla and the Grace Jones version are fantastic fun to dance to.
Ohh, I can well imagine that, Tom! Now I need to turn that on while I'm cleaning house and see what parodic dance moves I can come up with that only the cat and dog need ever see ...
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