CAT BEAR Gail Nobles

Intro by: Gail Nobles

Chaka’s song “Ain’t Nobody” was released in 1983. quickly gathered popularity, and reached number one on the US Billboard R&B chart and number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1984 at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, "Ain't Nobody" won for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It has become one of Khan's signature songs.

Rufus keyboardist David "Hawk" Wolinski wrote the song around a repeating synthesizer loop backed by a Linn LM-1 drum computer; however, John "JR" Robinson, the band's drummer, played real drums for the recording session.

The song was included on the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Breakin'. In 2021, "Ain't Nobody" was ranked number 403 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
 “Ain't Nobody” is a great dance song. It's a great song to learn to dance to.

I'm Gail Nobles. What's the title of Chaka Khan's song? 
(Ain't Nobody) is today's topic.

Story by: Gail Nobles
Podcast cover art by: Gail Nobles

Today I want to talk to you about Kool and the Gang and their album “Spirit of the Boogie”, and the album cover.

 Spirit of the Boogie is a six studio album by Kool and the Gang released in 1975. The sound of the music single reminds me of Jungle Boogie. You can hear Donald Boyce who was rapping on Jungle Boogie.

 I'm checking out the artwork on the album cover of Spirit of the Boogie. Its done by Frank Daniel (3). He is an art director and graphic designer on the record cover of the album Spirit of the Boogie. There are two side view green faces and the image of a woman in the middle. When I look at the woman, I think of dance. The two green faces makes me think of the spirit of boogie. The art reminds me of art I've seen for disco music. The words and colors look like art or the 1970s music style. I suppose when Frank Daniel made the art he was inspired by the music.

 Kool and the Gang is large with the music they have alto saxophone, bass drums, tenor saxophone, synthesizer, trombone, trumpet, guitar, and piano. You can hear it all in the music. They are a big band. I don't see many music bands today.

 I'm Gail Nobles. Today's topic: Kool and the Gang - Spirit of the Boogie.

Story by: Gail Nobles
Intro music and vocals by: Gail Nobles
Photo: tm_10001
Flickr: https://flic.kr/p/4waN1U
Usage: CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Until You Come Back is a single from Whitney Houston's 1998 studio album. It was written and produced by Babyface. I loved hearing Whitney sing that song. It's a beautiful ballad. I love the music put to it. The song is a great sound for R&B. I've seen comments on the song quite a bit, but I don't know how well the song has done on the charts. At the time it was released, it might not have been talked about as much, but I see comments on it now. The song is still new to me and fabulous. A good old-fashioned love song. Songs aren't made that good now, and now we hear the old songs. Now we see.

 Whitney Houston performed Until You Come Back live at the American musical awards in 1999. The song must have done well. Babyface was playing the piano, and Whitney's voice was very powerful as she was singing. And I was always listening for Whitney to hit the high note.

 Gail Nobles, and you're listening to the Whitney Soul Podcast.

Photo: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com
Usage: Wikipedia CC BY-SA 2.0

 "Caught Up in the Rapture" is a 1986 ballad song by American R&B/soul singer Anita Baker. It was released as the follow-up single after "Sweet Love" from her album Rapture.

"Caught Up in the Rapture" was Baker's third top ten R&B single, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, and number nine on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles chart. It was also a minor success on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, reaching #37 on the week of February 14, 1987.

 Anita Baker has beautiful lead and backing vocals. One of Anita's genres that is mentioned is Quiet Storm. It is a radio format and genre of R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style.  It was named after the title song on Smokey Robinson's 1975 album A Quiet Storm.

 The other genres of Anita is R&B/Soul, Soul Jazz and Smooth Jazz.  I'm Gail Nobles thank you for listening to the Cat Bear.

Podcast vocals: By Gail Nobles

Aaliyah wasn't the only one that died in a plane crash in 2001. I remember another singer being pronounced dead in a plane crash in 2001 named Melanie Thornton. She sang the song titled Love How You Love Me. On the night of November 24, 2001. Thornton was one of the 24 people who died in the plane crash of Crossair Flight 3597 near Zürich Switzerland at the age of 34.

The main cause of the accident was the Captain descending the plane too early causing it to crash into a forest area when it got too close to the ground. Thornton had given a performance in Leipzig and two hours later she took the flight from Berlin to Zürich for upcoming radio and TV appearances (among others, the broadcast Die Bar on TV3, which was cancelled) to promote her new single "Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming)" (a Christmas ballad recorded for a German Coca-Cola TV commercial) and her album Ready to Fly. Thornton was laid to final rest in her native South Carolina, at Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens, in Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, South Carolina.

Melanie Thornton was the lead singer of the Eurodance group La Bouche from 1994 to 2000, alongside American rapper and backing vocalist Lane McCray. Their two most successful singles, "Sweet Dreams" and "Be My Lover", were released in 1994 and 1995 respectively. After leaving the group, Thornton began a solo career and found success primarily in European countries before her death in 2001. Her solo songs include "Love How You Love Me", "Heartbeat", "Makin' Oooh Oooh (Talking About Love)" and "Wonderful Dream (Holidays are Coming)".

I’m Gail Nobles. You’re listening to The Cat Bear. Today’s topic: Melanie Thornton. Rest In Peace.

Story: Jimmy Red Panda
Story written by: Gail Nobles ©️2024
Lyrics by: Gail Nobles
Art by: Gail Nobles

Background music: Samplefocus.com
Usage: Standard License

There was a man whose name was Jimmy Panda. He was a tall and big man who people called the Cat Bear. Some called him the Red Panda. He sat down on a bar stool to shorten his height and smoked a cherry cigar to talk to women. The women felt that they needed a ladder to hug him when he stood. 

Jimmy lived in the days of Music’s Great Depression. Nobody was singing about love, and he would often dream about love. Jimmy was a playboy up and down the street going from house to house, but he was not happy. He didn’t know what love was until he met a girl named Marha. Jimmy’s mother and father would often worry about him being a wild guy running around. They thought someone would kill him. But when Jimmy met Martha, he married her and decided to settle down. He never returned to that lifestyle again. Jimmy became more interested in music and wanted to start a business.

The Red Panda brought real music to bars and clubs. He told his story how he fell in love. He would sing a special song. He had everyone singing along. Jimmy got his own show and invited talented people to perform. He had it put on the air from his own home and brought back the music of love. 

Jimmy: I'm Jimmy Red Panda, and you’re listening to the Cat Bear.