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It’s Friday And I Need To Dance!

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The number one song on Billboard’s dance chart on this day in 1982 was “Glad to Know You,” performed by Chas Jankel, a member of Ian Dury’s Blockheads. The Jankel record, which was listed alongside two other cuts from Jankel’s Questionnaire album – “3,000,000 Synths” and “Ai No Corrida” – remained at #1 on this chart for seven weeks, becoming the biggest club hit of the year, though it didn’t cross over onto the pop charts. (Quincy Jones had a big hit with his version of “Ai No Corrida,” a Jankel composition, the previous year.)

With Ian Dury, Jankel co-wrote the post-punk classics “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,” “Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick” and “Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3,” all originally recorded by Ian Dury & the Blockheads.

Jankel’s sister Annabel is the co-creator of the character Max Headroom.

Today’s dance playlist kicks off with “Glad to Know You.” Why not comment? I would be glad to know you enjoyed this. 

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Oscar Oscar Oscar!

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The Oscars will be handed out this afternoon/evening. Here are my predictions:

BEST PICTURE: 12 Years a Slave
ACTOR: Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Her
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: 12 Years a Slave
FILM EDITING: Gravity
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Gravity
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Gravity
ANIMATED FEATURE: Frozen
COSTUME DESIGN: American Hustle
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING: Dallas Buyers Club
VISUAL EFFECTS: Gravity
SOUND MIXING: Gravity
SOUND EDITING: Gravity
ORIGINAL SCORE: Gravity
ORIGINAL SONG: “The Moon Song” from Her

Here is your Academy Awards-inspired playlist:

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Thank God It’s Friday And I Need To Dance!

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The nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were announced yesterday. Who will take home the statuette for Best Original Song? Will it be U2 for “Ordinary Love” from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom? No. Will it be Pharrell for “Happy” from Despicable Me 2? No. Will it be someone or another for “Let It Go” from Frozen? No. Will it be that song that nobody’s ever heard from that movie that nobody’s ever seen? Hell no. Will it be Karen O. and Spike Jonze for “The Moon Song’” from Her? Yes. Yes it will.

How many of you know all five nominated songs? How many of you know any of the nominated songs? What happened to the days when the general public knew the songs that were nominated?

Today’s dance playlist is built around two Oscar winners – “Last Dance” and “Flashdance…What a Feeling.” That’s right – Thank God It’s Friday and Flashdance are Academy Award winning films. Thank God It’s Friday won more Oscars than North By Northwest, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Clockwork Orange, Psycho, Singin’ in the Rain, Rebel Without a Cause, Taxi Driver and 12 Angry Men put together. Ah, but nobody ever said life was fair, Tina.

Happy Friday!