Hit the Dance Floor • 1992

Clockwise: CeCe Peniston; Felix; Snap1; Kris Kross; Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson.

Ready to get a start to your weekend? Well, to help you look forward to it, how about taking a glance back to another time? If you were heading out to the clubs in 1992, there are countless songs you might find yourself shaking your hips to, so I thought I would visit some of my favorites from the time, and also topped some of the Billboard charts way back when. I will start with the amazing CeCe Peniston, but not the song you are thinking about when you hear that name. Sure, you immediately thought about "Finally," an amazing song to be sure. However, that was a huge hit in 1991, and in January of 1992, Peniston released "We've Got A Love Thang," and it went to # 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for two weeks in a row.



British DJ Francis Wright is a name that might not register with too many people. But if you found out he went by the name Felix and was behind the 1992 #1 Dance hit "Don't You Want Me." The hit sampled Jomanda's "Don't You Want My Love," and was credited as Felix featuring Jomanda (co-produced by Rollo and Red Jerry). Not ring a bell yet? It most certainly will as soon as you hit the play button...



Another big hit for the year came out of Europe, only this time it was Germany. Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti formed Snap! in 1989 under the aliases Benito Benites and John "Virgo" Garrett III, fearing their German names might scare people away. However, on the heels of their big hit "The Power," Snap! released "Rhythm Is a Dancer," featuring singer Thea Austin and rapper Durron Butler. The song went to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart.



Now, no list of hot dance music from the 1990s could go out without the name of Janet Jackson on it. Her music was just so consistently great during the period, there are many songs you can call on here. But this time out, I will choose "Best Things In Life Are Free," an amazing duet with Luther Vandross. The song was recorded for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced soundtrack to the 1992 film, Mo' Money. The song rose to #0 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and went to #1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and #3 on the Dance Club Play chart.



"Jump" was the first single from teen rappers Kris Kross, aka Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith. The song was written and produced by Jermaine Dupri, and spent an amazing eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. It was also #1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart, and #2 on the Billboard R&B chart. The song went Double Platinum in sales, and could be heard anywhere people were dancing.



Have a great weekend!

Idol Tackles The 21st Century

The generic announcer's voice intros the judges, and then Crusty, the host. With Paul gone, the quirk-factor of the line-up has dramatically decreased. This leaves a season that is bathed in boring and swaddled in mediocrity. Speaking of which, they surprise us with a performance from the eliminated Idols to date, proving that the audience isn't particularly partial to women or, well, minorities. Ashthon, Karen, Pia, Thia, Naima and Paul performed Pink's song Rockstar.



Wow, seeing Paul and Pia singing together was just so train-wrecky... Such an odd way to start the show. After a break, Scotty was the first one to take to the stage, singing Swinging by LeAnn Rimes. If there was a safer, more predictable move for Scotty, it would have him breaking out some Josh Turner... He sang it with little missed notes, and less emotion. Oddly, the judges kind of agreed, calling it safe, and a bit boring.



James is next, and he chose to sing Muse's Uprising. Opening the song in a lower register wasn't the slickest of moves for James. The chorus rings in his sweet spot, and soon he is jumping around his falsetto for no apparent reason. He added little to the song, and rather paled in comparison to the original. Jennifer and Randy nominate it for best of the night, and Steven found it to be wonderful, like T-Rex. Huh?



Before the break, we are told Haley is taking on Adele, and I visibly cringe. Oh, how I love Adele's sophomore album, and fear what is to come. When we return, Crusty is overheard telling the marching band they are being paid, and he plans to use them. They play him on to the stage to introduce Haley. She is singing Rolling In The Deep, and again I have fear. I sit here stunned, as I think she is doing a nice job with it. I have to laugh, as the judges have a lukewarm response to her.



Jacob sings Dance With My Father, the Luther Vandross song. He lost his father at a young age, so this song means a lot to him. He has an odd shrill quality to his voice tonight, a little heavy on the head voice. They all think the emotion was great, but the performance less than stellar. Wow, they are actually going there. And then Randy says he needs the old Jacob to bring the church back. Well, Randy, you crazy!



We return to see Casey on the stage, and he will be singing the Maroon 5 song Harder To Breathe. I love this song, and am a bit fearful once again. And once again, I am surprised, as it is not as bad as I had feared. Well, until the end of the song, when Casey takes it off the rails. And when he goes to Jennifer at the table and kisses her, I just sigh. He ladled the gimmicks on the song, and I just think he lacks musicality. The amazing syncopation utilized by Adam Levine is totally lost on Casey, as that section comes across winded and vacant. Next!



Of course, the judges feel the exact opposite. They love him, and think he is this jazz genius. I am at a loss. Thankfully, Stefano is up next, and will be singing Neo, the hit song Closer. Wow, he managed to take all the dance out of a Neo song, that ain't easy. Vocally, it comes closer to muddled mess than it does to music. His dancing wasn't good, but I have to let it go. Of course, the judges thought it was very good. And they are trying to sell him as this sex God. Really? I mean, I know this isn't a pretty group, but can't you just let that go this year?



Lauren closes out the show, returning to country. She is singing Born To Fly by Sarah Evans. The song is rather generic, but she is singing the crap out of it. She has more depth in her voice than all the men combined. She was really good tonight. Unlike the men, however, she doesn't have an over-inflated view of her abilities. The judges love her, and tell her to believe in herself. I would agree with them.



With the recap, I am reminded that for me, the two girls ruled the night. Lauren and Haley were the strongest, and the boys a bit of a huddled mass on the floor. My bottom group would be Jacob, Stefano and James, with Stefano finally hitting the road. But then again, I have been really off the last few weeks!

Worth Another Listen - Johnny Maestro & Brooklyn Bridge

Doo-Wop great Johnny Maestro, who passed away just over a year ago, had no problem breaking some barriers on the way to making some great music. Born John Mastrangelo, he knew singing was a passion from an early age. He began his professional career in 1957 at just 18 years of age, singing in the group, The Crests. One of the reasons this is somewhat monumental is that it was one of the first interracial singing groups in the industry, including 3 African-Americans, a Hispanic, and an Italian-American in the line up. One of those was a beautiful African American named Patricia Van Dross, sister of the legendary singer Luther Vandross.



They had a major hit with the song Sixteen Candles, an amazing memory from 1958, and later the inspiration for the John Hughes hit of the same name.



He left the Crests in 1960, at first to do solo work. Soon he was back in another band, called the Brooklyn Bridge. In 1968, they released the iconic Jimmy Webb song, The Worse That Could Happen, which went on to great heights on the charts.



On March 24, 2010, Maestro left his family while at his Florida home. He was 70 years old.