Clap! Clap!

And we're back. I'd like to pretend that my absence was due to something exciting/tragic, but in reality work was…well…too much work, and I had too many balls in the proverbial air to juggle, so something had to give. But fret not, I have returned (question is, do I have the stamina to keep it up – as it were?)

(This is probably a really good time to say that I am single and still seeking a rich ageing millionaire with a dodgy heart).

Moving on from the attempt to get laid/wealthy, way back in time when I was a student in Brighton, the Thursday night place to go was a great little underground (literally) club to a night called Dynamite Boogaloo – when most other clubs were playing house or hi-nrg on the gay scene, the club light was a breath of fresh air, and very in keeping with the ‘student mentality’.

The club was hosted by Boogaloo Stu, a cabaret artist, and featured a sound track that mixed pop, indie, northern soul and a good healthy helping of cheese. Before the likes of youtube, he would also show mash-ups of forgotten TV gems from the 70s and 80s.

Whilst I had heard most of the stuff that he played, the real eye openers for me were the random selection of 60s pop that he threw in; making the likes of Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones something that seemed perfectly in place next to Pulp and S Club 7.

My favourite song of the night was a toss up between House of Bamboo (frustratingly, I think it was his version rather than the Earl Grant or Andy Williams version) or the simple, but catchy The Clapping Song by Shirley Ellis.

I recency came across a remix of TCS by Player One which turns it into a big beat monster – original and remix shared below.

On the similar note of taking a classic track and giving it a tweak is Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons with 'Beggin (Pilooski Re-Edit). I hadn’t actually heard the original till recently – but with a few edits, he’s taken the original and given it something special. The record company had probably hoped that this would go down the same road as Elton John’s remix of Are You Ready For Love – but today’s chart entry of #32 means it’ll probably disappear by next week.

Now where’s the talcum powder for the floor?

MP3: Shirley Ellis – The Clapping Song (Player One ReThink) (expired)
MP3: Shirley Ellis – The Clapping Song (Original) (expired)
MP3: Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons – Beggin' (Pilooski Re-Edit) (expired)
MP3: Frankie Valli & the Four Season – Beggin' (Original) (expired)