Which is your favorite version? Personally, I think Sylvester put Patti to shame and made that song all his own.

vainandy said:

Correction - Sylvester, Martha & Izora put Patti to shame. They tore that shit UP!!!!

Honey, I didn't want skinny little black girls that could oooh and ah, I wanted big bitches that could WAIL!

http://www.imeem.com/rnbm...my-friend/

vainandy said:

Sylvester, without question!!

I can't listen to the Patti version anymore after hearing Sylvester's.

Patti doing it LIVE. Not too crazy about her studio version.

Me neither.

Timmy84 said:

Oh MY! I just listened to this again for the first time in a long time and I just closed my eyes and went back. Patti cannot TOUCH this version with Sylvester, Martha and Izora! I love Patti, too, but this just BELONGS to the three of them!

vainandy said:

Sylvester's is good. Maybe I like Patti's live version because I saw her do it live and I cried like a baby. I was going through some personal issues at the time.

daPrettyman said:

I love it when Patti rolls around the damn stage while screaming "I've been around!!!!!" And then lays on the floor on the minute and goes "Lord Jesus help me Lord!"

Yeah you have to compare Live version to Live Version. Patti's version on One Night Only Live is pretty amazing, as is the earlier "Live" disc (at the Apollo).

Izora (RIP) and Martha work it though.....

"They don't need these dresses, they don't need these jew-rriees, they can SANNG y'all!"

SYLVESTER and TWO TONS O' FUN (AKA the WEATHER GIRLS)!!!!!

SYLVESTER HANDS DOWN ! and the back UP SINGERS ! it makes me tear up every time

"They don't need these dresses, they don't need these jew-rriees, they can SANNG y'all!"

woogiebear said:

O.M.G I am crying laughing ^ I can hear it !! I need to go play it now

woogiebear said:

"Honey, your ear has to be in your foot, to not hear that these women can sing!"

GaryMF said:

I agree. Have you heard the version on the Live in Washington DC album? It makes the rest of them sound weak (Patti's versions that is).

daPrettyman said:

Are you saying Patti in DC o Sylvester I think there is only 1 sylverster version and it's live. not familair with patti in dc

GaryMF said:

No, I'm saying that Patti's Live in DC version is her best released version. I still prefer any of Patti's live versions over Sylvester, though. Sylvester's is good. What makes his good is Martha and Izzy. Then again, I'm not a big Sylvester fan, but I do like some of his stuff and "You Are My Friend" is definitely on my "like" list.

Two Tons O' Fun went on their own in 1980 and Sylvester continued making albums until 1986. I bet you'd like some of his stuff after they left if you heard it. The problem is, Sylvester never got much radio airplay. The only song I had ever heard from him was "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" until I started going out to the gay clubs beginning in 1990. Even then, I only heard "Do Ya Wanna Funk" in the white club only and never in the black club.

The only Sylvester song I ever heard in the black gay club was "You Are My Friend" and that's only because my best friend used to lip sync it in the show. He made it a favorite in the club performing it in all kinds of ways. He did Sylvester's part and had two drag queens on each side doing Two Tons O' Fun's parts. The drag queen that did Izora's part used to pull off her wig and roll around on the floor. You should have seen the time that my friend performed the song wearing a robe and shower cap, while sitting on a toilet that he had brought on stage.

Anyway, I bet you'd love a lot of Sylvester's stuff if you heard it. I finally completed getting all his albums and have been shaking ass ever since.

We did our first rehearsal in a Volks Wagon.

I'm trying to picture those two big ladies stuffed in a little ole Volks Wagon with Sylvester.

vainandy said:

I probably would like some of Sylvester's stuff. Since I've been a XM subscriber, it has exposed me to more of Sylvester's songs than I ever knew. Before then, I only knew "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real". I frequent the disco channel and the Groove (r&b/Disco/funk channel) and they will play them for sure. I almost ordered his greatest hits the other day. I still might add it to my list.

vainandy said:

I thought about that too. Besides, Sylvester wasn't a little person either.

My favorite Sylvester years are his disco years when he was on Fantasy Records from 1977-1981. Those years he was mixing disco with funk and black gospel elements. The Megatone Records years from 1982-1984 are more of an underground genre during that time called Hi-NRG. His last album in 1986 called "Mutual Attraction" was on Warner Bros. The single from that album "Someone Like You" got a little radio airplay. Bonnie Boyer's name is mentioned on some of the tracks on that album. I wonder if it's the same girl that was with Prince in 1987? The Warner Bros. album was one of the rare times he sold out and used "girl" or female references in his lyrics because he previously had no shame in boldly using lyrics referring to men.

If you're going to get a greatest hits album of Sylvester's, get "The Original Hits". That one is excellent and is strictly his Fantasy Records years. There's also a two CD-set called "Greatest Hits" that spans his entire career except for the Warner Bros. album. The Warner Bros. album was one of his weakest anyway. That one and "Too Hot To Sleep" (too many ballads and Sylvester singing most of the songs without his falsetto and playing the "man role" ).
.
.
.
[Edited 4/24/09 13:11pm]

vainandy said:

The only GH I knew was the Fantasy Records one. I will grab that one when I see it. I think it's on e-music. I might get it with my 75 Free mp3s.

miss sylvester and the girls take the crown for this one!

and my friend kenny bobien did a fabulous house mix of this back in the days with his (then) wife susu

i live for these children!

daPrettyman said:

Hmmm I thought I had all her live albums..... The "live!' from the Apollo and One Night only. What is this DC one?

GaryMF said:

It came out last year. It is actually a concert from her Philly International days that never got released. She also does a live rendition of "If You Don't Know Me By Now." that is really good. The good thing about this cd is that she had not become the DIVA that she is today. I really recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/...597&sr=8-1


Product Description
Expanded edition of Patti LaBelle's Live in Washington D.C. was recorded at the peak of her powers and showcases Patti's deeply shared emotional connection with her fans and captures all the raw energy that have made her live performances legendary. This album features the signature songs 'Lady Marmalade', 'What Can I Do For You', 'The Spirit's In It' and 'Isn't It a Shame' as well as her essential rendition of the classic 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' which testifies to the power in the music from the original soul diva.
1. Overture 2:11 $0.99
2. The Spirit's In It 4:59 $0.99
3. Patti's Welcome/Come What May 8:28 $0.99
4. Joy To Have Your Love 5:51 $0.99
5. Shoot Him On Sight 6:55 $0.99
6. Lady Marmalade 5:52 $0.99
7. Interlude 2:44 $0.99
8. Isn't It A Shame 7:13 $0.99
9. If You Don't Know Me By Now 7:05 $0.99
10. I Don't Go Shopping 6:33 $0.99
11. Medley 6:26 $0.99
12. Band Introductions 2:55 $0.99
13. You Are My Friend 6:15 $0.99
14. Over The Rainbow

vainandy said:

Sylvester