Artist of the week.

I love music. REAL soul, funk, hip-hop, reggae, new wave, whatever...as long as it touches me in some way, I will listen to it.

I have decided to start an artist of the week feature on this blog. Yeah, I know it already Thursday but I am moody like that. LOL

This week....I will feature the music of the one and only...Miss Teena Marie. Now for you younguns' you may know some of Teena Marie's new stuff or just know her as Rick James European Jump Off. I am here to tell you that Teena Marie is the real deal. NO ONE writes lyrics about what a woman feels when she is in the midst of a relationship like Lady Tee.

Case in point....

Portugese Love
On a starry winter night in Portugal
Where the ocean kissed the southern shore
There a dream I never thought would come to pass
Came and went like time slipped through an hourglass

You made love to me like fire and rain
Oh you know you got to be a hurricane
Killing me with kisses so so subtly
You made love forever baby
You made love forever(chorus)

I ain't gonna let you go that easy
You gotta say you love me too
I ain't gonna let you go that easy
I'm gonna give it all to you
Portuguese love
Oh, won't you say it to me, say you love me baby
Portuguese Love
Say it to me, say you love me baby
Portuguese love
Say it to me, say you love me baby
Portuguese

All the nights we made love till the morning start
Then you put the song to me on your guitar
Was it so familiar calling soft my name (Teena)
Sunlight dancing slowly through love's window pane

You made love to me like sugar and spice
Hush my broken heart this must be paradise
Killing me with kisses so so tenderly
You made love forever, baby
You made love forever(chorus)

Amore Portuguese, say you love me
Yo quiero ahora ser amor, I feel its too hard to ignore
Say amore' Portuguese, you got to say you love me

You know that you felt good to me
From the first kiss to the last I'm trembling
You made love to me like no other man
If you please I'd like to go back there again
Killing me with kisses so so tenderly
You made love like weee
You made love forever

Now do those lyrics paint a picture of her and Rick and the love she felt for that man or what. She was touring with him in Europe when she wrote this song. And damn if that doesn't conjur up that good loving you can have where it all seems like it was a scene from a movie...I don't know what does. Not to mention the actual musical arrangement that accompanies this song....Teena maye not be the greatest singer but she puts ALL of her feelings into every song she sings.

She is also one of the premiere female rappers....don't let me jump into Square Biz....a classic.

And finally, I will always love her for the song that got me through one of my relationships. Not many people know it but do yourself a favor and get the greatest hits version that has this song.
Read the lyrics and then KNOW that this song was at the end of the relationship with Rick James. The finish was not as sweet as the beginning. It never is. And like Teena, I too fell in love with Cassanova Brown, the GREATEST break up song ever, bar none.

Cassanova Brown

My baby's fine
He always keeps me guessing
But never keeps me guessing about his love

He's had more girls than Howard Hughes had money
and you may think it funny
when I say he loves me only
and who are you to say what he did when I was not around
just because I fell in love with Casanova Brown

Act 2 scene 5 is my command peformance
my name is clairvoyance and it's all too clear
I was the one
who said tune in tomorrow
I think about tomorrow, even when I am asleep
and who are you to say what I did when you were'nt around
just because I fell in love with you
Casanova Brown

standing room only, the concerts so loud
everyone's there for the party
the hush turns to a shout

everyone's got a piece of the pie of you and I
but nobody knows when the lights go down
that the tears fall harder than the whole dam crowd
throw it down my love is just about all I can do

was'nt I the one who said I'll have my cake and eat it too
just could'nt wait any longer
you pushed till I was through

I love you so
It hurt me but I had to let, let you go

Did you hear me crying, baby
It sounded a little bit like this

You did'nt have to make me cry
tell me again and I'll tell you why, It's over.
It's over
It's over

Over before the love turns to hate
let's let it end and let's still be friends

Thanks Lady T....I leaned on your pain many a night and it healed me. You will always be my number one Soul Sister.