Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer • No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)

Written by Paul Jabara and Bruce Roberts, "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" is a song that needed just the right voices. Luckily, in 1979, those voices were making music. The song was a perfect fit for Streisand's album 'Wet', and certainly made for an enticing new part of Summer's 'On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2'. Both ladies could sing, and when their voices came together, nothing could stop them. The song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, and found it's way to the top of the charts worldwide. I mean, how could this not be a hit, with two incredible voices raising up with such grace and strength. Enjoy "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)"!

You can find Barbra Streisand's 'Wet' on iTunes and Amazon. You can find Donna Summer's 'On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2' on iTunes and Amazon. You could purchase both albums from Amazon for under $20.

American Idol 12 • Top 4 Sing One Hit Wonders & More

The Top 4 of American Idol Season 12 take to the stage tonight, the first time since Season 3 that the remaining four are all women. Heck, that is the only time in the history of the show one sex has dominated the top 4 positions. But in season 3, the producers stacked the deck, as the Top 12 was made up of 4 men and 8 ladies, as opposed to the 5-5 split this season. But that was also back in the day when the contestants needed to adhere to the themes of the shows, unlike this year, when the announced themes seem more like loose generalizations, "as long as we can praise Amber." This week, the fans voted what musical theme they wanted to see/hear, and they picked One-Hit Wonders. But after seeing the list of spoilers, I seriously am confused about the concept of what exactly makes a One-Hit Wonder. Procol Harum had three songs in the Top 40, and yet their biggest hit, "A Whiter Shade of Pale", makes the list here. "McArthur Park" was a one-hit wonder for Richard Harris, although he did appear in the film version of Camelot playing the lead on a fairly successful soundtrack album. Of course, most people will remember the version by the late, great Donna Summer, which is more like the version we shall hear. The second theme of the night, Contestant Free Choice, is perhaps the best of the season, as we finally get to hear music that is hopefully more current so we can judge how the young ladies sound in a contemporary setting, rather than a karaoke contest. Oh, let's just get this thing started.

Left to right: Candice Glover, Angie Miller, Kree Harrison, and Amber Holcomb.

The show begins giving us a look of the Top 4 during their auditions, to give us a thought toward how far they've all come. Thankfully Angie reminds us that we have a really tough choice to make, and then we are introduced to the judges and Crusty, who comes down the steps to the delighted screams of the audience. He reminds us there are only a matter of a few weeks left, and Amber, Angie, Candice and Kree all want to be in the final. He introduces them, and the audience goes crazy. Crusty sends them back to get ready for the show, and tells us about the ladies going to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. First up, we hear Amber's thought on her trip, and hear her singing a song by Celine Dion. She will be singing "The Power Of Love", originally sung by Jennifer Rush, and then popularized by Celine Dion.

As she begins to sing the song, I hear she is doing nothing really new with the song, and her voice lacks the volume and power of Dion. She does bring the song to a soft landing, easing off the volume. In truth, that is where her vocal strays a bit, sounding strained. I have yet to hear her really bring anything new to a song, save maybe costuming. Keith loved it, and thought it was a perfect choice for her. Nicki loved it as well, and thought the song was made for her. Randy thinks she has come the furthest this season, starting a girl, but now a woman. Mariah also loved her range and tone, and gave her the "hashtag POW" critique. I guess I remain "hashtag HUH?" Jimmy gets a chance to talk, and also heard the strain as well. But he still thinks the song will be tough to beat. Candice is up next, and she will be singing a song by Drake, who she had met a year ago and liked him. But first she tells us how moved she was by the kids at the hospital, who she saw as being so strong and brave. She will be singing Drake's "Find Your Love".

She slows it down a bit, taking it in the jazzy ballad route. She is in great voice, and this is a fantastic performance. She owned the song, and could not have sounded better. It was radio-ready, and I would buy it myself. Nicki starts off the critique, and wishes she hadn't changed it up so much, and thought it sounded too old-fashioned. Randy thought she over-worked the song, and needs to get out of church sometimes. Mariah disagrees, and thinks she takes chances, and takes her on the journey with her. Keith agrees with Mariah, and thinks she brings so much with her music. I am stunned, for I didn't see that critique coming, and just don't know what they are thinking. We don't get to see Jimmy this time, and go right to Kree and her time in the hospital. She seems very sweet and tender with the kids. She is going to be singing "It Hurt So Bad", a bluesy song by Susan Tedeschi.

I love the song, and think Kree delivers it so well. She added just the right amount of grit to her gorgeous voice, letting her star shine bright. I thought that was beautiful. Randy came on to basically feel the performance was alright, but nothing special. Randy is confused by it. Mariah loved it, and thought she delivered, and also connected to the audience. Keith thought she lacked the emotional connection to the song, and Nicki thought it was just not good enough. Wow, I am at a loss. After the stellar critique of the mediocre karaoke performance, and the beating down of two singers trying to give some artistry. Jimmy returns, and not only downs Kree's performance, he also disrespects the song. Sweet. Angie seemed to come alive with the kids, all smiles as she remembers the kids. She will be singing "Who You Are" by Jessie J.

Angie is back at the piano, where the judges love her. I am not sure this is the right key, for her voice sounds a little shrill on the high end, and a little "pageanty" on the wordy parts. This just seems over-wrought to me, a big mess of sound that gives me nothing but a bit of a headache. She is met with a standing ovation by the judges. Heavy sigh. Mariah loved it, but wants her to deliver more original material, for that can deliver her a career. Keith loved it, but pointed out how it takes a while to get her into the performance that wasn't stilted. Nicki loved it, and thought it was amazing. Randy, of course, thought it was better than the original, and the best of the night. I am so damned lost by this panel, cause that isn't what I am hearing on my television. Crusty brings Angie's grandmother up on stage for a quiet moment, and it was sweet, but really, I am getting annoyed. Before a commercial break, Crusty tells us we are getting the first duet of the night, as Amber and Kree will be singing an Adele song. Well, isn't that original. Le sigh. Jimmy spares a few seconds to say he is thrilled Angie had control of her instrument, and has Amber and Angie neck and neck. Then back to Crusty, and her discover Kree and Amber will be singing "Rumour Has It". This is a great, but over-done song. Kree is in great voice, and there is such a depth to it. For me, Amber's voice pales next to it. Keith enjoyed the performance, but was looking for them to cut loose. Nicki thought Amber had a command of the stage, and that Kree lacked personality. Wow, I was watching another show altogether. They don't give Randy or Mariah a say this time. After the break, out second and final duet will be Angie & Candice, who sing Rihanna's "Stay", which also features Mikky Ekko. During the performance, both ladies struggle a little bit at times, and that surprised me with Candice. The performance got all messy for me, with lost notes and squandered lyrics. Of course, the judges gave them a standing ovation, and loved it, saying that is how a duet should be done. WTF. Moving on, like I am passing by an accident on the highway. The AT&T Theme contest named One-Hit Wonders as the theme, and the first one to take it on is Amber as she sings “MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris, later covered by the late, great Donna Summer.

This is not good, showing a lack of a bottom end of the voice, and some rough notes on the top end. And once again, it is a cover of the Donna Summer version, with nothing new or interesting added. I was a bit bored. Donna Summer added such fullness and depth to the song, not easy with those silly lyrics. Now, of course, Keith thought it was great, and Nicki thought she is ready for marketing. Randy is ready to sign her, and complimented the high notes that I thought she missed. Mariah loved the great low notes, which I also heard differently. Obviously, I have the judges for American Idol, but the singers for American's Got Talent on my television, cause what I am hearing ain't lining up with the judges. Jimmy gets a few moments, and disagreed with the judges, thinking the song was terrible, and not even Amber could save it. Nor those bad notes, Mr. Iovine. Next up, we have Candice singing “Emotion”, the song written by The Bee Gees and sung by Samantha Sang.

Candice was singing really well, and sounding great. The backup singers were not on, however. I thought she took the song and massaged it well. Nicki loved it, and thought she was back on her game. She also bitched about Jimmy calling out the judges, and Randy joined in. He also loved Candice. Mariah loved it, and mentioned she had a cold, and Keith mentioned he wished the ladies would sing something more current. Talk to your producers, babe. Then Crusty dragged out Jimmy, and stupidity reigned supreme, and poor Candice was lost in the shuffle as the judges and Jimmy whined at one another, refusing to leave the topic of Amber. But Jimmy did say loud and clear that Candice was better than Amber this round. Go figure, he got one right. After the break, it is time for Kree to return to the stage, and she will be singing “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” by Procol Harum, alhtough it was also covered by Annie Lennox more recently.

She walks to the microphone with some attitude, which seems to be what the judges are looking for. She is once again on top of the song, pitch perfect as she tells the story. She goes big on the notes, hitting the high end with ease and grace. That was a lovely performance, one I would surely download. Randy loved it, and thought she really redeemed herself. Mariah loved it, and looks forward to download it for her phone. Keith didn't love it, and thought it was a middle-of-the-road song, nothing special. Nicki loves her, loves the voice, but fears she will be in the bottom, and maybe going home tomorrow night. Now, that would be truly disappointing, for not only do I think she was far from the weakest performer, I also seriously doubt anyone is going home - there are three weeks remaining, and only two singers to eliminate. So, in my opinion, this week is all about drama with no conclusion. But I could be wrong. And after a long break, it is time to close the show out with Angie, who is singing “Cry Me A River”, originally a hit by Julie London.

Well, Angie is singing the song, and it sounds very dated, and very beauty pageant. She also lost some notes on the shouty section, veering off to the sharp end, with no sense of current at all. Of course, the judges all love it, and in fact, Randy calls her the best of the night. How Keith could call that celestial, but not point out the out-of-date aspect is beyond me. So I will move past the critique, and get to the recap. Hearing it back, I am reminded that inherently speaking, we have two singers in the competition, and Angie and Amber, too. Candice and Kree have so much more to their voices, and a greater knowledge of music, and I fear how this season will come to a conclusion. At the end, Ryan mentions a surprise twist tomorrow night, and I have to guess they will combine the votes from tonight with next week, to get back on schedule. But if I had to rank them on tonight's performances, I would say Candice took the evening, followed by Kree. For me, Amber's wan performances puts her at the bottom, while Angie was just above her. But we won't know until tomorrow night, so turn in to your Fox station at 8PM to get the twist. Who knows, maybe they are bringing Lazaro back!

Donna Summer Works Hard For Her Money

This is Labor Day Weekend, a national holiday in the United States that looks to appreciate the working men and women. As it is a holiday, I will be just featuring some light posting over the weekend, and taking some time to recharge the batteries. I thought it might be great to start the celebration with Donna Summer's 1983 classic She Works Hard For The Money. Actually, it celebrates the workers of the fairer sex, at a time when equal pay for equal work was certainly not the order of the day. Here is Donna making a statement of her own, and singing it live.



And while it might not be about working, I thought I would post another performance my the late, great diva. Only this time, she is making the dreams of one gay boy come true. You see, she sings "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" and Mark Feehily lives a dream, and sings harmony with the great singer. Of course, Mark is joined on the stage by his brothers in song, Shane Filan, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. This is actually a pretty good version of the song. Enjoy.



You can purchase Donna Summer's Greatest Hits on iTunes and Amazon.

Sunday Morning With Mack, Dolly, Tom & Donna

In 1977, singer Mack Davis had his own television show, and was never at a lack for interesting and talented guests. On this particular episode, Mack, Dolly Parton, Tom Jones, and Donna Summer took on a medley of classic Gospel songs. Enjoy.

Donna Sumer • Dance Tribute

There are something about certain singers and songs that can bring you back to a time, and for me, Donna Summer is one of those talents. After hearing about her passing yesterday after a long fight with breast cancer, I thought it would be a great time to revisit a few of my favorites of her songs from the era when Disco ruled the airwaves, as well as some great Pop song that still sound fresh and true. I'll start with what was an introduction of sorts, for it was the first time I heard of a talented singer named Donna Summer. She was somewhat unknown, an American in Europe appearing in some Broadway-style shows. She released an album in the UK, working with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, wünderkind of a new electronic sound. Summer wrote lyrics to the music of Moroder and Bellotte, and one of those songs was released in 1975. It went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, attracting some controversy. It seems an Urban legend was born when the BBC said while recording "Love To Love You, Baby," Ms. Summer had 23 simulated orgasms in the extended version of the song. Suddenly, both Summer and the song were notorious. And also helped with the sales, making it the song that everyone wanted to hear.



Out to prove she could handle more than moans and groans, Summer continued to record great music. This included a little song for a movie soundtrack that with a lesser talent, might have escaped notice. But place a song by the Paul Jabara in the hands of Moroder and Summer, and you can just imagine the fireworks. I can tell you, it was a song that pretty much closed out every dance I attended in my senior year of high school, and the early college years. It also was often the final song played at gay clubs through the early 1980s. In 1978, "Last Dance" made it to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, off the soundtrack album for the movie Thank God It's Friday.



"Last Dance" was not her only release in that year. In fact, it was not ever her most successful song of the year. Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte found an older song by Jimmy Webb, recorded in 1967 by actor Richard Harris, an odd combination of spoken word and song. "MacArthur Park" went to #2 on the chart in 1968, and went on to be covered by many. But in 1978, it went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, when "MacArthur Park" was sung by Summer like it had never been sung before, or likely every again. It was a track on the album, Live and More.



There are very few singers who could stand their ground with the voice of the great Barbra Streisand, and even fewer who could sing with her and still shine. In 1979, Summers did just that on the #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" There is such beauty in this song, as you can hear both Donna and Barbra raising the bar with amazing vocals. Sadly, I could not find any video of the two singing, so you just have this brilliant audio.



To enjoy more of her music, you can find The Journey: The Best of Donna Summer on iTunes and Amazon, or her Live And More album, on iTunes and Amazon. You can also find Donna Summer: The Dance Collection, a compilation of the eight top extended play versions of some of her most spectacular Dance hits, on iTunes and Amazon.

Donna Summer • Pop Tribute

While many will remember Donna Summer as the Queen of Disco, a quick look at her discography would show you that while she did command the dance floor in the early part of her career, she also moved on and made some amazing Pop/Rock music. In many ways, Summer paved the way for some of the great women who followed, like Madonna, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, showing some sass and sensuality, more than the ladies before her. She also laid the groundwork of what it meant to repackage a performer, from Disco coquette to Pop's Everywoman, from a curiosity to a star who could sing with the best in the business. Her voice was rich and full, with tone to spare. She also had an amazing range, and could sing any and all of her songs for a live audience, something many Pop singers could never say without being hit by a bolt of lightning. Take, for instance, this mash-up of two great songs from 1979, both claiming the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. This is Donna singing "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls" in a live performance.



I remember when the next song hit the airwaves. You see, it was back in the days I actually listened to the radio. There was some good music being made, and Donna Summer was one of the people who was making it. As stories go, this has a good one. Back in the late 1970s, Summers wrote "Dim All The Lights" and was planning to give it to Rod Stewart to record, only she changed her mind, and decided to save it for herself. When she released it in 1979 on the heels of "Hot Stuff" and Bad Girls", as well as the smash hit "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" with Barbara Streisand, who knew this would be her fourth song to zoom up the charts that year, as it claimed the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, the third hit off the Bad Girls album.



By the time 1979 & 1980 rolled around, the term "disco" became a four-letter-word, and anyone associated with felt the pinch. That included Donna Summer, despite the fact of having several non-Disco hits, including the three above. So many were writing the diva off, and, well, they shouldn't have. The label thought it time to release a collection of greatest hits for the young woman who had been scoring hits for more than five years. As an added incentive for her fans, a song not yet released was added. With music by Giorgio Moroder and lyrics by Donna Summer, "On The Radio" was released in 1980, and went to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was off the collection cleverly named On The Radio: Greatest Hits Vol 1 & 2.



While she took a bit of time off to start a family, soon Summer was back at work, and in 1983, she was back on the charts, and in a big way, too. Released off an album of the same name, "She Works Hard For The Money" made it to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and made everyone know your could never discount her talent.



By the time 1989 came along, there were many who thought the charms of Donna might have worn off. Yes, it seems these people never learn a lesson, for that is when Summer released Another Place And Time, and had the #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the great "This Time I Know It's For Real."



In 1999, she had a special on VH1, Donna Summer - Live And More Encore. The following year, she was a star in the VH1 Diva 2000, sharing the stage with Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, and Faith Hill, with special guest performers Destiny's Child and RuPaul. While she continued to make music, she never really returned to the top of the Pop charts after 1989. To enjoy more of her music, you can find The Journey: The Best of Donna Summer on iTunes and Amazon, or her Live And More album, on iTunes and Amazon.

Donna Summer • 1948 - 2012 RIP

Another voice is silent. Donna Summer, the full-voiced sultry first lady of Disco, lost her battle with cancer, and passed away today at the age of 63. I will put together a more comprehensive look at her career, but until then, I offer you her 1976 release, "Could It Be Magic," written by Barry Manilow and Adrienne Anderson. Summer had a long career that proved her talent to be magic itself, combining soulful vocals with a dance beat to rule the dance club for decades.

Rest In Peace, Lady Disco.

A Draglicious Friday Night

Featuring the music of: (Clockwise) Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer, Bette Midler, Tina Turner, and Cher.

Is there anything better than a Friday night out at the bars, watching a great drag queen? The smell of the hairspray, pancake makeup, and spilled drinks, along with the sound of ice cubes tinkling in the drinks. Across this country, there are countless ladyboys, young and old, who are out there lip synching for a living! Well, at least some extra spending money. Well, I wanted to bring that thrill to you, here on the blog. And I will start with a queen by the name of Mahlae, who does an amazing Beyoncé as she performs Single Ladies.



Now if I remember correctly, and Gawd only knows my memory can get me in trouble these days, I think one of the first drag shows I ever saw had a performer doing the incredible Tina Turner. I went to a show in Reading, PA, when I was in college, and there was a queen giving great Tina realness. This is Batty Davis doing Proud Mary.



I don't know if a drag show has existed since 1970 that did not include at least one queen coming out doing Cher. Whether it was the 1960s Cher, the 70s Cher, or whatever decade Cher, there are so many who do her, making their best attempt at wearing Bob Mackie. Here is Chad Michaels serving amazing Cher realness singing Take Me Home. This was way before you could catch Chad on before RuPaul's Drag Race.



And since the mid-1960s, you know Barbra has been a features performer at every drag show. Whether is was lip synching to My Man, People, or Don't Rain On My Parade. And, since about 1979, there was a new opportunity out there. The Barbra queens could share the stage with the Donna Summer queens and sing the disco hit, No More Tears (Enough Is Enough). Catch this cute performance by Dizzy & Barbara.



And, finally, no drag show would be complete without having their very own Bette Midler. It could be the one from Clams On The Half Shell, The Rose, or Doris DeLago, like a bad penny, Bette is bound to show up. Watch as Chelsea Raynes performs as Bette singing Stuff Like That There, from the For The Boys period.



Hope you all enjoyed the show!

Friday Night Party with Barbra Streisand

Sometimes, all you need is a great song, a voice like Streisand, and the volume turned up loud. At least that can be what I need. I mean, check out when she sings the theme song to the 1979 movie The Main Event live about 20 years after she recorded the disco hit. Here she is singing The Main Event (Fight). Crank up those speakers!



Here Barbra is singing live and joined on stage by Barry Gibb to sing Guilty, written by Barry and his brothers, Robin and Maurice. The album was really amazing, and I think still underrated to this day.



No, can one song hold two amazing voice without exploding? No, it can't, as Barbra and Donna Summer prove when the shear brilliance of their voices explode all over No More Tears (Enough Is Enough). With lesser voices, this song would not exist.



Sometimes Streisand could get a bit on the bluesy side, and that is the case when she made a television appearance with Ray Charles. She sang Sweet Inspiration with Ray on the piano and brought the pot to a boil!

Friday Night Working Ladies

Clockwise: Dolly Parton & Melissa Etheridge; The Four Vagabonds; Destiny's Child; and Donna Summer.

I thought I would kick off the holiday weekend with a tribute to working ladies through time. Now, get your mind out of the gutter, I am not talking about ladies of the night, I am looking to highlight the ladies who have to go to work every day to bring home the bacon, to put bread on the table. And I will start with a song from 1942, all about the first real working woman, Rosie The Riveter. The song was written by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb, all about the women who, for the first time, were heading out of the house and working in the factories because the men were gone to foreign lands, fighting for the country. So here is Rosie The Riveter, sung by the group The Four Vagabonds.



58 years later, the ladies of Destiny's Child sang a song for the Charlie's Angels movie that became a huge hit. Independent Women Part 1 was a celebration of all that women could do, from working to taking care of their business.



In 1983, Donna Summer was busy singing some great songs, all of which were making the charts. Summer had, and still has a magnificent voice, perfect for the Rock/Dance mix of the song. Here is Summer's tribute to the women who live paycheck-to-paycheck, barely scraping by, She Works Hard For The Money.



Now, one of the biggest crossover acts from Country to Pop in 1980 was the little lady with the huge talent, Dolly Parton. While appearing in a movie celebrating the secretarial and support staff of a company run by awful men with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, Parton wrote a song that went on to become the theme song. It was also a huge hit. Now I found the most intriguing video of a Country Crossroads episode, with Parton and Melissa Etheridge. So here is Melissa singing Dolly's 9 To 5, with Parton's support.



Have a great weekend!

Disco Divalicious

Clockwise from top left: France Joli, Diana Ross, Cher & Donna Summer

1979 was an interesting year in music, some incredibly strong women made their way to dance music, and if you were going to hit the clubs, you'd be dancing to these songs. one of those women was a big-voiced Canadian from Montreal, who had the club-goers buzzing trying to figure out who she was. I remember people saying they heard she was the younger sister of Barbra Streisand, but that, of course, was not true. Before fame found her, she did sing to Streisand records, but that is where it ended. I remember seeing her at Spectrum, the club in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where Saturday Night Fever was shot. It was a gay dance club in the late 80s when I would go there. And one of teh songs she sang at the club was her 1979 hit, Come To Me.



Diva extraordinaire Donna Summer was discovered while singing background for the rock band Three Dog Night, and immediately started working with producer Giorgio Moroder, and together they started making history in 1974. In 1979, Summer ruled the charts with several songs, including two she often sang together, Bad Girls/Hot Stuff.



Although she first came to the attention of public over a decade before, as part of a duo with her husband, Sonny. In 1979, Cher had a huge hit with the song Take Me Home, her foray into the world of disco, as only Cher could deliver. And it certainly wasn't her last hit, as she had plenty of juice left for a few more decades of music...



Is there a bigger Diva in the world than Miss Diana Ross? Perhaps Ms. Streisand could give her a run, but I still think that perhaps the title remains with Ross. In 1979, she let the world know who she really was with the release of the dance hit, The Boss. Yep, she was the boss, and we all made our way to the dance floor on her orders.

Labor Day Special - Donna Summer

This is Labor Day Weekend, a national holiday in the US to give appreciation for the working men and women. Earlier today I posted a slightly more political side of things, with Billy Bragg. Now, in our celebration of the working people, I give you Donna Summer's 1983 classic She Works Hard For The Money. Actually, it celebrates the workers of the fairer sex, at a time when equal pay for equal work was certainly not the order of the day. Here is Donna making a statement of her own.

Westlife Duets

Westlife Got Milk - Kian, Mark, Nicky and Shane.

Yes, I am a fan of the Irish boys of Westlife. Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne have made some great pop music in the last decade, and have done some interesting duets. The first I am going to feature was not an actual duet, but was made in an edit room working with released singles. From their latest album Where We Are, Westlife sang a song first released by the American group Daughtry, What About Now. When the songs are put together with a creative editor, this is what you get.



The next song was sung live on a television program in the UK, An Audience With Lionel Ritchie. While doing a retrospective of his career, Ritchie bring out the boys to sing the Commodores hit Easy.



The boys have never shied away from being a bit adventurous, even if it is on British television. I am crazy about the beginning with Mark singing with Donna. You know he is excited, cause what gay man hasn't wanted to sing with Summer? Here is No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), and Donna looks great!



They joined Boyzone for a poignant No Matter What on a British program that honored the life of Stephen Gately earlier this year.

Billboard Top 5 - 1979

The year spanned the second half of my freshman year at college to the first of my sophomore term, with a summer working at home in Delaware in the middle. I was going a good deal of 'finding myself' at this point, really on my own for the first time and having a chance to really reflect on my own thoughts and desires, not what those around me had in mind. And the music that was playing was perfect for that time, a bunch of mindless entertainment, a great deal of fun. There was some dancing to be had, and it got me outta my head. The #5 song on the year-end Billboard chart was Donna Summer's rock song, Hot Stuff. With the guitars bold and strong, and Summer's voice breaking through the music, this was one of my favorites for the year.



In bars and at dances, the next song was the slow dance/make out song of the year. Reunited by Peaches & Herb was all about celebrating the love, with thick syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Well, maybe no cherry was involved...



The #3 song on the countdown is Do You Think I'm Sexy by Rod Stewart. Up until this point, Rod was a serious rocker, spanning back to his Maggie May days. For many, this was a step too far, moving into the realm of Disco. But for countless others, it was a song made to dancing, and they bought it up.



Making her second appearance in the Top 5, Donna Summer placed #2 with her anthem to naughty women, Bad Girls. The song combined the strong rhythms of the dance floor with the hard sound of rock music to carve out a strong corner of the market for her spectacular voice.



The #1 song of the year was My Sharona by The Knack, a punk-inspired rock/pop feel to a chart dominated by dance music and pop lollipops. lead by the driving drum and hearty guitars, the band scooped up fans like raisins for the bran, and took the top spot for 1979.

Weekend Fun - Westlife & Donna Summer

Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Shane Filan

I will admit it up front, I love Westlife. I have all their CDs and DVDs. They are coming off a year of vacation time, gearing up for the release of their next CD November 30th of this year. Those Irish boys are yummy, and I can't get enough. Unless, of course, it is singing with Donna Summer, doing No More Tears (Enough Is Enough).



Westlife started out as five Irish boys, Mark, Kian and Shane, boyhood friends from Sligo, and Nicky and Brian McFadden from Dublin. McFadden left the group in 2004 to work on a solo career, leaving the group with four members. Westlife has released 8 studio albums, six with original material and two with covers, and have had 14 #1 singles in the UK, tied for 3rd behind Elvis and the Beatles. In 2005, Mark Feehily came out as gay, and was instantly embraced by the the other boys and the fans. Performing live, they have set sales records throughout the UK, and I was tempted to fly to Ireland in 2008 to see them at Croke Park, but instead purchased the DVD of the show. I am a total Westlife geek/freak.

As we get closer to the release of the new CD, I will post some older stuff to get myself ready. I am hopeless. You can find more information on Westlife by going to their official website here.