MY TOP 10: Left Eye Videos — 8. TLC “Get It Up”

8.  TLC “Get It Up”
From Poetic Justice Music From The Motion Picture Released:  June 29, 1993

I feel weird posting this on MLK Day, but, hey, this is Number 8, and sexual freedom is important, too!  This is a cover of The Time’s debut single, from their self-titled debut album, originally written and produced by Prince; produced by Dallas Austin and Tim & Bob for this effort. 

Part of the Poetic Justice original motion picture soundtrack, it kicked things off as the first single.  Cementing their reputations as around-the-way-b-girls with sexually charged music, this is another high point of the Oooooo0hhh…On The TLC Tip era and contains one of my most favorite Left Eye raps, though, that’s the point of the whole countdown, anyway, isn’t it? 

I remember there was a guy in high school.  He was a little older than me.  Junior when I was a freshman.  I knew his name; of him.  Not sure he knew me.  He was an obvious TLC fan.  He used to wear the Cross Colours gear.  I know everyone did at the time, but he doubled up his jeans with suspenders.  And that could only come from TLC; just like only a cover like Number 8 could. 

 

MY TOP 10: Left Eye Videos — 9. Melanie C “Never Be the Same Again”

9. Melanie C Featuring Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes “Never Be the Same Again”
From Northern Star
Released:  March 20, 2000

This was the third single from former Spice Girl, Melanie C’s debut solo album, Northern Star.  A massive hit in the UK, what made it huge was that two super-girl-group girls got together.  In super hero terms, it was like Storm of the X-Men teaming up with the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four.  In this case, it was Sporty Spice of the Spice Girls teaming up with Left Eye of  TLC.  And the song wasn’t bad either and that always helps.

By this point, both women had already garnered huge success and established themselves as parts of 2 of the preimenent girl groups in pop history.  This was just a cherry on top of  the hits, trials, tribulations, and everything else that came with their VH1 Behind The Music specials.

I remember watching Gerri Halliwell, another former Spice Girl, on TRL.  I think she was debuting a solo video.  It was around the time of TLC’s “No Scrubs” being out.  It was on the countdown and she was next to the TV when it was screened that day.  Even she as a Spice Girl reacted to the TLC video like they and it were larger than life.  I always recognized, but that made me realize their contemporaries recognized, too.  Now, you all better recognize!  Here’s Number 9.

 

MY TOP 10: Left Eye Videos — 10. TLC “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg”

10.  TLC “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg”
From Ooooooohhh…On The TLC Tip
Released:  November 22, 1991

This song and video kicked off the TLC story and what has now become legend.  Left Eye was front-and-center letting the world know these 20-somethings (at the time) were spunky, funky, and not afraid to take healthy sexuality head-on.  The lyricism and presentation were sexy, but not raunchy (though some might disagree).

With the Cross Colours garb, doubled-up pants, suspenders, and hats they spawned imitators who often imitated, but never duplicated.  Tomboyish yet feminine, with the bright colors, they struck a chord with their natural chemistry, playful and over-the-top attitudes, and mostly with their hard-to-resist funky-sexy music.

I remember there was a nightly radio countdown in my hometown of El Paso, Texas.  The 9 at 9 on Power 102.  I was a high school freshman.  Once I had seen the video and I was hooked on TLC right off the bat, I listened to that countdown some days in a row to make sure “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” was Number 1.  And it was – a few times.  Here, it’s Number 10.  Check it out!

NOTE:  These lyrics were a little provocative and I was only a freshman, though I probably didn’t think so at the time.  Wow!  What we listen to as kids.  I will say, I think as an LGBT adolescent and a man (I don’t really want to label myself, but I will to make this point) there’s is something about sexually-assertive, sexually-positive straight female pop divas that is empowering, inspiring, and enlightening (ahem…Madonna, Janet, TLC for myself).  I mean, we do like the same thing and can’t always express our sexuality as easily or unrestrictedly as straight men can.  But, I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels that way.

 

MY TOP 10: Left Eye Videos — INTRODUCTION

1971-2002

Introduction

Since TLC is my favorite group of all-time and the late, great  Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes’ new CD, Eye Legacy, is coming out this month I wanted to do a MY TOP 10 Countdown in commemoration and celebration of that.  This is in addition to the popolio podcast interview I already got to do with her brother, Ron Lopes, regarding this project.  Check it here.

My initial thought was that everyone knows the TLC videos, so let me do the TOP 10 Videos where other artists featured her.  The issue with that is that there are enough songs out there where she collaborated with other artists, but there are not enough videos.  This, for me, is first and foremost, a video countdown.  Though, J. Dub definitely made it his own and made it an audio countdown.  His numerical images made me jealous.  Very creative and visually alluring and appealing.  See what I mean by checking out his countdown here.

So, this is what I’m going to do, I’m going to make it 2 countdowns in 1.  I’ll alternate between the top TLC videos featuring Left Eye and the top videos by other artists featuring Left Eye.  So, it’s like 2 MY TOP 5s, but rolled into one MY TOP 10 Countdown.

You’ll know most if not all the work.  The fun may come in the order, though, I may be obvious, because most of us will agree on the great TLC/Left Eye videos.  The greatest fun will just be strolling down memory lane and reminiscing in anticipation of the new Left Eye album.  The conclusion of this countdown will coincide with the release of Eye Legacy on January 27, 2009.  This one goes out to Left Eye and my fellow TLC/Left Eye fans. 

Enjoy!

Enthusiastically,

freddie beat
popolio editor

 

popolio podcast: Interview about Left Eye Legacy [with Lisa Lopes' brother, Ron Lopes]

Freddie speaks with Ron Lopes, the brother of the late, great firecracker of his all-time favorite group, TLC, about Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and her upcoming posthumous release, Eye Legacy.

They touch on past controversies,  the Lauren Lazin-directed documentary, The Last Days of Left Eye, and the Lisa Lopes Foundation.

Included in the show is the first single “Let’s Just Do It” featuring TLC and Missy Elliott.

Find out more about the January 27, 2009 release at the official site and MySpace Page.

Learn about the Lisa Lopes Foundation.

 

Single and Listening

Single and Listening

Single Reviews by Release Date

♪	♫	♫♪	♫♫	♫♫♪
all over the place	carries a tune	part of the chorus	featured soloist	conducting the choir

I’m overdue for one of these.  I decided to review David Archuleta’s latest since I reviewed David Cook last time.  Wanted to throw in some men because I’m trying to be more conscious of that and more gender-balanced in my content here on popolio.  So, Musiq Soulchild gets the single review treatment, too.  I love TLC and Left Eye’s posthumous release is due next month, so I review her first single.  Lastly, Idina Menzel got me in a Broadway way last time, so I include Shoshana Bean’s first attempt at a pop/R&B single.

Shoshana Bean “Superhero” Released:  October 3, 2008
From Latest Release:  Superhero♫♪

Nice voice.  Not the best use of it.  The song was waiting to exhale but never got it out.  Coulda’,  shoulda’ hit the spot.  Just didn’t.  Want Shoshana to get her groove and exhale.

Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes featuring Missy Elliott & TLC “Let’s Just Do It” 
Released:  November 2008 From Forthcoming Release:  Eye Legacy ♫♪

Need to say that TLC is my favorite group of all-time, so I am partial.  That said, I didn’t like it on first listen.  It’s hard to update an old track and put a new collaborator on it especially when the artist has passed.  I’ve listened to it over and over and now I do like it.  With an infectious quality, the beat’s just different sounding. There’s something to be said for the right flow over the right beat.  Missy compliments the track nicely.  

Musiq Soulchild featuring Mary J. Blige “IfULeave”
Released:  November 25, 2008 From Latest Release:  OnMyRadio ♫♪

Good collabo.  I like the song.  Seems like a collabo between these two should have been through the roof, though.  I’m still just dancing in the living room.

David Archuleta “A Little Too Not Over You” Released:  January 6, 2009
From Latest Release:  David Archuleta♫♪

Catchy.  Not bad for the American Idol pre-, tween, and teen set.  Not sure it’s adult fare, but it doesn’t need to be.  He’s not one.  Shows promise for growth into adulthood.

 

MY TOP 10: Videos/Songs You Wouldn’t Think I Would Like — 8. Esthero “We R In Need Of A Musical ReVoLuTion”

8. Esthero “We R In Need Of A Musical ReVoLuTion”

A few years ago, I bought Esthero’s Wikked Lil’ Grrrls album.  Before that, I had heard the name and knew I had heard her songs somewhere, but I didn’t remember the names of the songs or the songs themselves.  Her presence became known to me prior to my picking up Wikked Lil’ Grrrls, when I purchased Left Eye’s import-only solo effort, Supernova, and she was one of the stand-out collaborators on it.

That underground, not quite urban, not quite alternative chick with sweet pipes, street cred for miles, and who was everyone’s choice for a collabo from the underground to the mainstream, made her presence known with this jazz-infused 2005 album.

Number 8 stood out as a refreshing and rebellious anti-pop pop anthem.  Check the Ashanti and Britney call-outs.  She speaks out against MTV and radio playing the same artists and music over and over.  She even took a stand on the R. Kelly controversy or so it seems to me.  The album is nice and the title track got good promotional mileage including being used for Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives promos.  

“We R In Need Of A Musical ReVoLuTion” is my favorite track on the album, but “Wikked Lil’ Grrrls” is really good, too, so I’ll continue the pattern I’ve established with this MY TOP 10 of 2 videos a day.  Enjoy!

Jimmy Kimmel Live performance of “Wikked Lil’ Grrrls.”