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Teena Marie: "I've always been accepted by the black community and I think that's a beautiful thing." | |
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Oh yeah! This track is off of Danny Teneglia's lp "Tourism". It's the 1st time I heard Teena do a House style track, and I really thought she did a wonderful job. Her voice and music translates well to many different genres. Have U heard the version of Bah Samba's "Portuguese Love"? It amazes me that a beautiful ballad like that, could turn out to be a sick dance track! I hope to hear more remakes. I wasn't too crazy about The Cover Girls version of "I Need Your Lovin'", or Sheena Easton's, but I'm glad that Teena got her props regardless! If it breaks when it bends, U better not put it in! | |
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Ok...other Teena Marie guest spots...the song "Bad Boy" on the "Taps" soundtrack? "14K" on The Goonies soundtrack...she also did a track with Yo-Yo, Bernadette Cooper, LA Nash, and a few others (I'm a little buzzed so my memory fails me right now) and yes, I can't forget "Lead Me On" off of Top Gun soundtrack, and I know she did a guest spot on some rappers cd...help me out with the others....Thanks! [Edited 1/7/11 0:45am] If it breaks when it bends, U better not put it in! | |
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On the other thread, there were some pictures posted of Teena where she looked better than she ever looked before. She had on lots of makeup, her hair was done up really good, she was built, curvacious, and scantily clad, and a lot of people thought it was from her 1984 "Lovergirl" era. Well, this past weekend, I pulled all my old Teena Marie vinyl and CDs and put a lot more songs into my computer that I previously didn't have in it. I saw those pictures in the CD booklet inside the 1983 "Robbery" album on CD. Andy is a four letter word. | |
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These are the pics I added on the earlier thread. I found them on Corbis Images. | |
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It’s impossible to lend an ear to today’s crop of R&B divas without hearing just a little bit of Teena Marie.
Though she never had the blockbuster commercial success or universal household appeal of some of her peers (Patti Labelle, Anita Baker and Whitney Houston quickly come to mind), Marie -- who died Sunday at age 54 -- left a perhaps more important, and lasting, contribution to R&B than record sales: She made the genre colorless.
However, Marie’s career was forever highlighted by the fact that she was a white woman singing historically black music -- something that doesn’t even remotely warrant a second guess in today’s landscape of artists of every race tackling any genre and gaining success.
But Marie was always different. Though she never catapulted into the more bankable pop world, she broke ground.
After the Santa Monica-born songstress got her big break at Motown Records in the late '70s, she rode a wave of hits -- "Lovergirl," "I'm a Sucker for Your Love" "Ooh La La La" and "Square Biz" are all required listening -- and Marie was a girl whose debut album, “Wild and Peaceful,” famously opted not to include a photo of her on the cover, out of fear that R&B listeners might not buy or accept her because of her race.
Marie did what at the time was thought to be the impossible: crossing over to black radio and retail stores -- and staying there. She could have easily become a novelty act because of her color, but she didn’t.
And how could she?
Whether you were slow dancing to “Fire and Desire” (a simmering duet with her mentor and frequent collaborator, the late Rick James) in the '80s or a kid digging through their parent's album collection and discovering the upbeat frenzy of “Square Biz,” Lady T found her way into the hearts of every R&B fan.
Unlike some rap purists who downplayed Eminem as he was rising, Marie made it impossible to question her authenticity.
Her showmanship -- the way she worked the stage with that big brazen hair, seductive dance moves and that voice -- erased any naysayers who might have said that whites couldn’t sing soul.
The Times obituary of Marie mentions a 1981 performance at the Long Beach Arena that seemed to define her standing: "A tiny young woman with a powerful voice, Marie is a terrific singer and, quite frankly, better than nearly all her black competitors."
Current soulful acts such as Amy Winehouse, Adele, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke might cite James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson as inspirations into the world of rhythm and blues, but had Marie not crossed over, R&B might not be the embracing, ever-evolving genre that it is today.
In a 1980 interview with The Times, Marie talked at length about how some listeners refused to believe she was white.
"I'm a different kind of person. Blacks and whites don't really react in any special way to me. I don't get anything negative from blacks and not really anything negative from whites now. But I will say it was different before I started getting some popularity. I don't think it was prejudice from whites as much as ignorance of something they didn't know much about. You know, I wish I was colorless sometimes." | |
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In this interview, she discloses being plagued by seizures since a blow to the head from a fallen hotel picture.
[Edited 1/7/11 18:22pm] | |
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Man, that sucks about the seizures. Why would whoever decorated the Hotel room (or anyone) think it was a good idea to hang a picture there anyway? SMH.
Besides Teena's music which I absolutely adore, I also really like her as a person from that interview and others i've seen and read. She had a peaceful and calm demeanor. Very warm person it seems and obviously quite spiritual as well. She always gave off a positive vibe and was true to herself and her music.
I'll miss her. I wish I had gotten to see her live. "And When The Groove Is Dead And Gone, You Know That Love Survives, So We Can Rock Forever" RIP MJ 
"Baby, that was much too fast"...Goodnight dear sweet Prince. I'll love you always | |
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One of Lady T's final interviews before her death. | |
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I'm grateful that the original tribute post was restored (with the offending comments removed). Because it felt like I had been hurt twice. Once by the actual passing of an artist I love, and secondly by what appeared like the expressions of our love for that artist being thrown in the trash. There was a lot of LOVE in that thread, not just for Teena, but LOVE some Org members had for each other.
I'm still remembering how I was playing "Deja Vu" and "Square Biz" in the days leading up to her untimely departure, while everyone else around me was jamming Christmas music. I'm sad not only for the loss of Teena, but for how it reminds me that we lose people we love all the time. I hate that about life.
May Teena be resting peacefully  | |
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.This is one song that has gotten a lot of play while I was cruising a lot...
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As with all things Teena these days, this makes me a little teary.....but I remember watching this live & it's a DOPE poem & tribute to Rick. Loved this...from '05. As ever...total class & fearless with her art. Peep this....
Funk Is It's Own Reward | |
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I definitely remember this moment and I've been looking for this clip ever since her passing. The poem she recited that night was a deep one for me and it resonated with me afterwards because it was so thought provoking. Just perfection at its highest form... Check me out and add me on:
www.last.fm/user/brandosoul "Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley | |
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R.I.P TeenaSuch a passionate woman.... | |
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Thanks to the mods for making this a sticky! Nothing but love for Lady T! | |
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You wanna fuck w/ funky people? Here it is; open the original thread PERIOD BOTTOM LINE EVERYTHING ELSE IS IS BS | |
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I wondered why Teena was having seizures, and you just answered my question. That's unfortunate that she was having that issue. RIP, mom. I will forever miss and love you. | |
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I love these photos. I know them from compilations of her CBS recordings.
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I still can't believe she's gone. It doesn't seem real
But she will always live on in our hearts.... and music libraries...... I've rediscovered so many jams of hers in the last couple of weeks.... |
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None of her music was disco. | |
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It doesn't. | |
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Lady T: "I'm a Black artist with White skin". | |
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Transcript of Teena Marie’s final interview with Ebony Senior Writer Margena A. Christian on Monday, November 22, 2010 What kind of person was Rick?
We would have these deep conversations about God and God giving him a gift through music.
He grew up in Catholic church. He was an altar boy. We talked about God many, many times.
Both of us believed there is goodness everywhere. You can find goodness whether you’re Christian, Muslim or whatever religion. He had a Koran and Bible sitting on his dresser. He was well versed in both. He could quote, deeply profound things beautifully from both. What are your thoughts about Super Freak and how people remember him most for that song?
I do a tribute to him in my show every night. He wrote really beautiful lyrics. He was a brilliant genius. I learned so much from him. I really miss him so much.
What did you call him?
The audience didn’t know. I would say funny things. The audience thought it was part of the act but we would be fighting. To make me laugh and to add some time, he would come up and kiss me on the side of my face with this boot black and the black would be all over my face.
When he had it on, he looked like a Spanish man named Carlos. I called him Carlos. He called me Rita and he gave me the name Lady Tee. Our relationship reminded him of Rita Hayworth in Gilda (ultimate femme fatale in the 1946 classic flick). I was his Rita.
What is boot black?
Is it true you two were fighting the day of the BET Awards when you sang "Fire and Desire?"
He looked at me and winked. He said, “Yeah, Teena keeps me together.” I looked over at him and said, “Yeah, but it’s a hard damn job.” We busted out laughing and hugged. After we hugged. The last thing I heard him say was, “Beyoncé.” We turned around and she had drove up. He saw her and hollered to get her attention. That was the last thing I heard. The last time I saw him. He was gone a month later. (Not in that month we hadn’t talked). I think he was on a spiral in that month. I couldn’t go on the spiral. I couldn’t watch it anymore.
Is it true he had hip surgery, a stroke, pacemaker, diabetes, sleep apnea?
Was he sick when you guys toured?
They were screaming. But he was sick. He wasn’t breathing right. When we walked off the stage, we had to get an oxygen tank for him. He was on that for 30 minutes. When he took that off, the first thing he asked for was a cigarette. I said, “What is wrong with you?” He asked, “Wouldn’t that have been a great ending for the movie?” He said, “If I would have died in your arms. How amazing that would have been.” I said, “So you would leave me with that memory for the rest of my life?”
His sister, Penny, said, “At least he’ll be on the road doing what he loves most.” She hasn’t been my manager in years.
Who is the man you knew?
A lot of people wouldn’t have known that side because he wouldn’t have shown it to him. How could you not be sensitive and write the music he wrote? (She begins quoting lyrics from Fire and Desire) The stuff he sang with Smokey and me. We wrote "Déjà Vu" together. He was very sensitive and beautiful. I am happy I was able to know the real Rick James.
What did you think of the Dave Chappelle skit and the catchphrase, “I’m Rick James Bitch?”
What is "Super Freak" all about?
Did you ever deal with the real man born James Ambrose Johnson?
There were crazy times between us. The 1981 Street Tour was the biggest grossing tour of the year. We out grossed the Rolling Stones and broke Elvis Presley’s record in three states. They were flying us in in helicopters. We would do the show and get off stage and get on a jet.
We were making so much money we were doing two shows in one day in different states. It was amazing for a Black artist to out gross the Rolling Stones at that time. We were doing the damn thing. We were broke up the first night of the tour. Imagine what our fights were like on that whole six month period. I never got back with him. I broke up and told him I was done and not coming back. He laughed at me. I never came back. It was crazy out there.
You called off the engagement?
I broke off the engagement. I said this is never going to work. He wasn’t the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
People thought Rick James fathered your daughter Alia Rose. How did you feel about that?
Set the record straight. Who is the Rick you want people to know?
You are never who you are when drugs get you. He loved his music. His family. His family. There were certain friends that he loved and would do anything for. He loved me. He loved his fans. We were the same when we came to a person in need. We would stand for hours and shake hands and sign autographs until the last person got there’s. A lot of entertainers don’t do that. I never saw him do that.
What about music?
What are your thoughts about his memoir?
What’s the truth about "Fire and Desire?"
What were Rick’s thoughts about you?
How was his temperament?
Did you know his first wife?
Any last words you’d like to share?
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Some more of my favorite songs from Lady T. :My Dear Mr. Gaye, Shangri-La, OOO La, La, La, Heres Looking at You, If I Were a Bell, It Must Be Majic, I Need Your Lovin, Behind the Groove, Lovergirl, Dear Lover, Call Me(I Got Your Number), Work it.
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Here's an interesting post about Teena's Motown output from another board:
Teena Marie for completists...Sad news... many little things in Teena's albums always made me think of what Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder would later use - especially on LADY T and IRONS IN THE FIRE.
WILD AND PEACEFUL is just what the title promises. Only 6 tracks and only "Turning Me On" is only an average track. The rest is a killer. Favourite track of mine on the album is "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (and Eat It Too)", and "I Can't Love Anymore" isn't far behind. LADY T overall is punchier and isn't as strong as the first lp but still is an excellent album. "Behind the Groove" is timeless and "Alladin's Lamp" my fav Teena Marie track ever. IRONS IN THE FIRE is a more polished and more produced album than ever. Not the one I'm listening to the most often although it's her more consistent one to date. I'm never tired of the 7 minutes long "I Need Your Lovin'". The title tracks is also a great track. IT MUST BE MAGIC is her best album imho. Not a single track I'd be tempted to skip. My pick would be "The Ballad of Craddle Rob and Me" There are quite a few compilation cds that have been issued over the years (20th Century Masters, The Best Of - Motown MilestoneS, I Need Your Lovin, Greatest Hits...) but none renders Lady T justice as they never show us on one single disc how good she was in recording in various styles and her jazzy side in particular is much overlooked. There's one notable exception that is COMPACT COMMAND PERFORMANCES from 1986. The oldest one, but by far the best one too, with the funkier tracks to begin with, and then the ballads and jazzy cuts. And my favourite tracks are all there too. I NEED YOUR LOVIN' - THE VERY BEST OF TENA MARIE (1994) has the best essay For the completists, Teena Marie's cd 'core' collection is : Original albums : WILD AND PEACEFUL Expanded (Hip-Oselect B002698-02 )(2005) : it is remastered and contains 3 bonus tracks including 2 previously unrealeased ones : "Every Little Bit Hurts - with Rick James" and "You Got The Love" LADY T : you need the old Motown 3746354962 / MOTD-5496 cd (or one of its more recent counterfeits), it contains 2 bonus tracks from the YOU GOT THE LOVE canned album in 1983 : "Why Can't I Get Next To You" & "Co-Pilot To Pilot" IRONS IN THE FIRE : once again the old Motown 3746353722 / MOTD-5372 cd is the one you need IT MUST BE MAGIC : the 2002 remastered Motown 440 064 988-2 cd also contains 3 bonus tracks including 2 live tracks from Long Beach 1981 "Someday We'll All Be Free" & "De Ja Vu (I've Been Here Before)" Various other cds needed : RICK JAMES / STREET SONGS Deluxe Edition (Motown 440 014 696-2) (2001) : contains amongst other participations her duet with Rick James "Fire and Desire" and 2 live tracks from Long Beach 1981 : "I'm A Sucker For Your Love" & "Square Biz" RICK JAMES / THROWIN' DOWN : contains the duet "Happy". Full version is on the original 2fer "STREET SONGS / THROWIN' DOWN" and is easier to locate on RICK JAMES ANTHOLOGY. GREATEST HITS AND MORE (European only Tamla Motown WD 72423) (1988) : contains 3 tracks from the YOU GOT THE LOVE canned album in 1983, the same two as on LADY T plus one unavailable elswhere : "Love Just Wouldn't Be Right" (except on an obscure various artists cd "Mo'Steppers Volume 1" from 1993) I NEED YOUR LOVIN' - THE VERY BEST OF TEENA MARIE (Motown 314 530 309-2) (1994) : contains 2 unrealeased tracks "Every Little Bit Hurts - without Rick James" & "Don't Turn Your Back On Me" 12-inches and 7-inches mixes : As a general rule, the 12" mixes match the album mix, the instrumental B-side is unique. Here's a list of the mixes /edits that are different than the lp mix, and where to find them on cd : De Ja Vu (I've Been Here Before) (4:15) : an edited version is on the US GREATEST HITS (A Motown Compact Classic) cd Don't Look Back (3:03) 7" : COMPACT COMMAND PERFORMANCES, THE BEST OF - MOTOWN MILESTONES and GREATEST HITS AND MORE I'm A Sucker For You Love (3:11) 7" : COMPACT COMMAND PERFORMANCES and GREATEST HITS AND MORE I'm A Sucker For You Love (Instrumental) (5:34) 12" : WILD AND PEACEFUL EXPANDED Behind The Groove (3:58) 7" : COMPACT COMMAND PERFORMANCES, GREATEST HITS (A Motown Compact Classic) and GREATEST HITS AND MORE plus other Motown various artists compilations such as MOTOWN YEAR BY YEAR 1980 Can It Be Love (3:57) 7" : unavailable on cd I Need Your Lovin' (3:36) 7" : GREATEST HITS (A Motown Compact Classic), the 2fer IRONS IN THE FIRE / IT MUST BE MAGIC plus other Motown various artists compilations such as MOTOWN YEAR BY YEAR 1980 I Need Your Lovin' (3:51) : a supposedely 7" mix lasting (3:51) is on THE BEST OF - MOTOWN MILESTONES. It is not, but this unique edit is albeit on that cd... Young Love (4:04) 7" : THE BEST OF - MOTOWN MILESTONES and the 2fer IRONS IN THE FIRE / IT MUST BE MAGIC First Class Love (3:40) 7" : unavailable on cd, even the 2fer which edits many tracks doen't use the single mix Square Biz (3:30) 7" : THE BEST OF - MOTOWN MILESTONES and GREATEST HITS AND MORE and the 2fer IRONS IN THE FIRE / IT MUST BE MAGIC Square Biz (Instrumental) (6:39) 12" : IT MUST BE MAGIC Expanded It Must Be Magic (4:15) 7" : GREATEST HITS AND MORE, GREATEST HITS (A Motown Compact Classic) and the 2fer IRONS IN THE FIRE / IT MUST BE MAGIC Portuguese Love (3:24) 7" : GREATEST HITS (A Motown Compact Classic) and the 2fer IRONS IN THE FIRE / IT MUST BE MAGIC In a nutshell, in addition to the cds mentionned in the other sections, you only need to add 2 cds in order to own all the available mixes : THE BEST OF - MOTOWN MILESTONES (1996, Motown 314 530 607-2) and GREATEST HITS (A Motown Compact Classic) (1985, Motown 374635702). The Remixes : Honestly not my cup of tea, so I'm not very interested in listing them. Suffice it to say that two horrid mixes are on MOTOWN BLENDS (1995) and that MOTOWN REMIXED cds might have one or two others. I don't remember any Teena Marie track on the KARAOKE cds, although I haven't checked. What's left ? A shelved album of recordings from the 1975-1979 period entitled YOU GOT THE LOVE which had been planned in 1983. 6 of its 10 tracks were released since then. The tracklisting from YOU GOT THE LOVE is (songs in bold characters are the four songs still in the vaults today) : "You Got the Love"/"You Got Away"/"Oh Love"/"Wasn't I Good to You"/"Why Can't I Get Next to You"/"Every Little Bit Hurts"/"Don't Turn Your Back on Me"/"Love Just Wouldn't Be Right"/"Hey Boy"/"Co-Pilot to Pilot"  JB
Just like the white winged dove... |
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Not often can I say this @Laura... but AGREED.
I wish people quit calling her disco. She was about as disco as Prince was.
Come on now... she went on a tour with Prince in the late 70s early 90s. Do you think the same people who PAY to see Prince perform Sexy Dancer and Why you Wanna treat me so Bad, and I wanna be your lover would also PAY to see someone play/sing DISCO???
"Remember, one man's filler is another man's killer" -- Haystack | |
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The View remembered Teena today and showed a clip of her appearance. Because of the blizzard there was no mention of her death in NYC on TV. [Edited 1/10/11 19:32pm] Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It! | |
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Thanks for the clip Tony. Was she working on new material and was any of it recorded? Or just songs that did not make it on Congo Square? Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It! | |
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