Your Disco Requests

Hello, my friends! Today is our last day of Disco. It's also your day. Today's show will include requests; songs that you asked for and songs that I dedicate to you. Let's get on with it!

I begin with our good friend, Martini421. Martini suggested three songs, also writing introductions for each. These are his introductions and his requests:

Sharon Redd: Although she wasn't gay (at least not to my knowledge), she has strong gay bonafides. First, she was one of Bette Midler's Harlettes. Second, one of her songs, In The Name Of Love was huge in gay clubs. Incidentally, my #2 song for the 80s. Third, she toured in gay clubs. I was lucky to see her in a gay club called Bennetts in Scotland - my first gay venue. She had other big club records but unfortunately, she left us too early as she died from AIDS-related complications in 1992.

This is In The Name Of Love:

Still with Martini421: Megatone Records was the pre-eminent label in the late 70s / early 80s focusing on gay and gay-friendly artists. The star among them was Sylvester. Paul Parker was stablemate of Sylvester. He had a big club hit with Right On Target. But, my favorite record of his is his version of Time After Time.

This is Paul Parker with Right On Target:

This is Martini's favorite, Time After Time:

We move on to another of our good friends, Alan. Alan has suggested a couple of songs, both by Connecticut's own, D.C. LaRue. The first one is called Cathedrals:

... On the second one, D.C. LaRue seeks the assistance of the fabulous Rita Moreno. It is called Have A Really Good Time:

Now we move on to our good friend from Hawaii, the Record Man. He has given us a variety of songs to choose from - RM, I will play them all. he has also written his own introductions, which I will use.

I have already played some of his songs during the previous shows. I've acknowledged one of them, but there were two that I've just realized were his suggestions. Here are his introductions to these two. To listen to them click on the link.

The Trammps with That's Where The Happy People Go. Magnificent kissing cousin to Marvin Gaye's similarly themed Got To Give It Up.

Don't Let Go by Isaac Hayes. 'Ol Chef's musical style shifted several times over the years so it wasn't much of a surprise when he donned his dancin' shoes and boogied onto the floor with this one.

Now, let's listen to the rest of the Record Man's requests, along with his introductions:

Beautiful Bend with That's The Meaning/Boogie Motion. Classy disco in the Chic vein:

Company B with Fascinated. This tune is simply, wait for it...fascinating!

Patrick Dennis with Like An Eagle. Sort of cheesy but what would you expect from a porn and soap opera actor?

Cathy Dennis with Everybody Move. Long past the classic Disco era but still a great hi-energy homage:

SOS Band with The Finest. You know they're good when their sound is co-opted by so many others.

Donna Allen with Serious. No introduction here:

Shake Me, Wake Me by Barbra Streisand. Disco was still in its early stages in 1975 so I was surprised Babs had the wherewithal to put her toe into the water with this slice of heaven from a very underrated album - Lazy Afternoon:

Your Love Is So Good For Me by Diana Ross. From one of her best albums of the 70s:

Now it's time for my dedications. Naturally, the first song is dedicated to my partner for life. It's a song that we both love and I'm sure that goes for most of you too. This is It's Raining Men by The Weather Girls:

The next song is dedicated to all of you DJs and ex-DJs (I know that there's a lot of you following GayCultureLand) out there. You have my utmost respect, ladies, and gentlemen. This is Indeep and - what else? - Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life:

Movin' by Brass Construction is dedicated to all of the good people that click on the Facebook link and visit our blog. Power to you!

Now come the dedications to all of you out there who are unknown to me personally and still keep reading this. I don't know who you are but I love you all! I wish we could all get together and have a Woodstock-like festival. I begin with the United States, the country that originally backed this blog and is still #1 on the all-time list. Since I'm mostly writing about your music, I'm doubly proud of you showing up. For you, my American friends, here's I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) by Daryl Hall & John Oates:

We come to the country that's going very strong recently, the second home of my life partner, France. It is a beautiful country that I have often visited. A vous, mes amis Français, je dédie Just an Illusion par Imagination:

Next is my birth country, the United Kingdom. To all my British friends, forgive me for adopting the American-spelling rules. (It's inevitable, I'm afraid...) Also, British humor, it's the best. Ai No Corrida by Chaz Jankel is dedicated to you:

Now we come to the countries that I spent most of my life in: Greece (most of my adult life) and Cyprus (much of my childhood). These two beautiful countries, where nature and history produce an indelible mix, are linked in more ways than one, so I decided to dedicate two Dance hits from the same artist, one each. The artist is Yazoo (Yaz to the Americans). Για τους Έλληνες φίλους μου, να είστε όλοι καλά, το Situation είναι για 'σας:

Για τους Κύπριους φίλους μου, εύχομαι να βρεθεί σύντομα λύση που να ικανοποιεί και τους Ελληνοκύπριους και τους Τουρκοκύπριους, ώστε να είναι βιώσιμη. Σας αφιερώνω το Don't Go:

Next up is a historic European nation, Russia, whose gay population, along with that in many of its neighboring countries, is unfortunately under persecution. I appreciate all of you reading this and I wish there would be more I could do. Для вас, мои Pусские друзья, я посвящаю Rockit by Herbie Hancock:

We come to another key European nation, Germany. Having people from the land of Bach and Beethoven reading this is an empowering feeling. Ihnen, meinen Deutschen freunden, widme ich Let The Music Play von Shannon:

To the best-dressed people in Europe and their land of history and culture, Italy, io dedico Menergy di Patrick Cowley:

To my Canadian friends (I've visited once, it's beautiful) who get to share the best of both worlds, America and Europe, I dedicate a Dance hit by a Canadian-American act formed in Montréal, Chéri. The song is Murphy's Law:

To my Arabian friends, especially those from the United Arab Emirates, who hold position #10 on the all-time list, I know that life is hard for most of our gay brothers out there. My heart bleeds for you. I dedicate to you, the big Dance and Pop hit Wordy Rappinghood, by the offshoot of the Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club:

To my Iberian friends, the Spanish and the Portuguese, I've never really visited (just a few hours at Barcelona), but there are a lot of deep connections with your countries. Respect to you! I dedicate to you this big Dance hit, I believe it was a big hit on your part of the world as well; it's Can't Take My Eyes Off You by the Boystown Gang:

To my friends from Benelux, (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), all countries with culture and a sense of justice, countries that have been pioneers on the gay rights issues, I dedicate When the Rain Begins to Fall by Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora. I also dedicate the song to my friend Snicks; his encouragement helped get this blog off the ground. Plus, I know that he has a soft spot for Pia Zadora:

To the rest of my European friends, let's keep our beautiful continent united and a beacon of human rights for the world. I dedicate to all of you an international hit that originated in Denmark. White Horse by Laid Back:

To my Brazilian friends, I wish that I can visit your beautiful country one day. I feel that we have a kindred spirit. Eu dedico aos meus amigos Brasileiros, It's My Life de Talk Talk:

To my friends in the Spanish-speaking American countries, I will repeat what I said to my Brazilian friends because I feel the same: I wish that I can visit your beautiful countries one day. I feel that we have a kindred spirit. Lo dedico a mis amigos Latinoamericanos un himno gay, So Many Men, So Little Time por Miquel Brown:

Now, let's visit Australia, New Zealand, and all the islands that comprise Oceania. Congratulations on your recent gay marriage win, mates! I have lots of favorite Australian acts - and I'm sure more will show up in the future. Also to AfterElton's Aussie Pete, if you happen to be reading this, I love you no matter what. To my Oceanian friends I dedicate a song that was a big hit over there, Hold Me Now by the Thompson Twins:

Now we come to the biggest continent out there, Asia. It's geographically the biggest, it includes the world's most populated countries, as well as a number of ancient civilizations. Lots of respect for you all. In many Asian countries, our gay brothers are facing difficulties. I hope that the future will be brighter for all! To you, my Asian friends, I dedicate the hopeful I'm Living My Own Life by Earlene Bentley:

Finally, we go to the birthplace of Homo Sapiens, Africa. It's also the land where people suffer most. Poverty, wars, and violent homophobia seem to be the norm in many countries. I believe that Africa can be the future of mankind - if only... I don't know, I don't want to spin theories about situations that I know very little about, but let me tell you: you all have my love and my wishes that tomorrow will be a better day for you. To my gay African brothers I dedicate the appropriately titled Coming Out Of Hiding by Pamala Stanley - with the wish that soon, not one of us will need to be in hiding anymore: