Love To Love You Baby

I cannot put into words the emotions that were generated by LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY in the late summer of 1975. It was an aural & sensual thrill that had my 21 year old blood afire. I had great deal of quality sex to that song. Now, gone at only 63… the talented Donna Summer is as dead as my sex life.

Love to Love You Baby was her American chart debut & the first of 19 #1 dance hits from 1975 to 2008, second only to Madonna. During the disco era she burned up the charts: She was the only artist to have 3 consecutive double-LPs hit #1: Live & More, Bad Girls & On the Radio. She was also the first female artist with 4 #1 singles in a 13-month period.

She was never comfortable with the Disco Queen label. Musically, she began to change in 1979 with Hot Stuff, which had a tough, rock 'n' roll beat. Her diverse sound helped her earn Grammy Awards in the dance, Rock, R&B & Gospel categories. Loved her music. I am considering that I may be getting too old for this world.

Don't Leave Me This Way

 652 North LaPeer Drive, West Hollywood

35 years ago tonight, I dropped into Studio One in West Hollywood & dropped a Quaalude.This was my evening of choice in those days. I liked the staff in the their short satin short-shorts.  I danced for 5 hours when a hot, no… sizzling redhead danced beside me, slipped out of his tee shirt & held a little brown bottle under my nose. All of a sudden, I felt the beat of the music, the heat of the guy & I felt all sexy & nice & warm & sexy.

I woke up, remembering nothing, in a 1920s Mediterranean style cottage, a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Venice Beach. The gingerman served me coffee & complimented me on my participation in the night before. He asked me if I wanted to go to the beach & I foolishly begged off because I had rehearsal. We came together one more time, showered & I had him drive me home. It was one of those moments I regret, not taking him up on the beach offer.

When our eyes met, & his hand grazed mind as he placed a little brown bottle  under my nose, this song was pounding away on the sound system. Don't Leave Me This Way was first performed by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes 2 years earlier, but as covered by Motown artist Thelma Houston in 1976, this version, with its more overt disco arrangement, was a massive worldwide hit, topping the Soul charts & the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart for this week in May 1977. I find it to be the very best disco song & possibly the best song of the entire 1970's as well.

I think of that Spring night in 1977 whenever I hear Don't Leave Me This Way, but the song took on a different meaning in the 1980s when friends & colleagues began to drop away from HIV.

Thelma Houston turns 65 years old today. Thelma & The Post Apocalyptic Bohemian both made it into the teens of the 21st century. A broken man with empty hands,oh baby please, don't leave me this way.