Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Where Are You Baby?

Song: Where Are You Baby?
Artist: Betty Boo
Album: Boomania






The 90's!  Man, I personally look back at that time as when music officially grabbed me and there was so much going on, from dance, to grunge, to... man just everything seemed to be popular at one time or another.  It's really quite astonishing.  But there is much that I missed in the 90's due to being into other genre's at the time, not in the right place to hear certain things, etc.  But I want to close the gaps in my 90's oeuvre... for both me, and you dear reader... and why don't you help me.

Please comment on this post and let me know your favorite 90's tracks, obscure or not, and I just might highlight them here on the blog for a 90's week in a few.  Reach back into those vaults kids...

So my new found love for the UK's Cher Lloyd has led to some fan discussion online of artists from the past that she reminds people of.  I happened on a discussion of this and the mention of Betty Boo, a singer, songwriter, and pop-rapper who had some mild success in the early 90's, and has subsequently worked as a songwriter for UK pop acts such as Girls Aloud, Dannii Minogue,  and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.  She sings and raps in a similar fashion as Cher, and was an inspiration for the formation of the Spice Girls. (they were looking for five Betty Boo's.)

Betty Boo was born Alison Moira Clarkson in Kensington, London in 1970.  She originally went by "Betty Boop" due to her similarity to the cartoon character, but changed it slightly to avoid legal issue.  Her involvement in a female pop-rap group called the She-Rockers led her to New York and working with Public Enemy whom encouraged her to go solo.  She did, and supported them on live dates.  Her debut album "Boomania," which was self-written and recorded in her bedroom.  It spawned two hit singles, "Doin' the Do" and "Where Are You Baby."

I remember reading about Betty back in the 90's when she released her much less successful, and final album, "GRRR! It's Betty Boo."  I remember almost getting this album from BMG or Columbia House back in the day (90's!!!) but didn't.  Though I ALSO remember "Where Are You Baby?" being used in the John Hughes semi-flop "Career Opportunities" from 1991.  Fun.

So "Boomania" sounds crazy dated... but that's really the case for a lot of 90's stuff isn't it?  But it's certainly got its charms, and "Where Are You Baby?" is really a great track.

Enjoy...

but comment on this post RIGHT NOW with some of your favorite obscure or not-so-obscure 90's stuff!!!

Where Are You Baby?
Doin' the Do
Hey DJ / I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about Merrill Bainbridge Mouth

Antony Read said...

Well the song that first came to mind was a cover song by Colette, a cover of "Ring My Bell" but to my disappointment it was released in 1989,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XLpTWSC6EU&feature=related,
it came out of the dance scene in Sydney at that time, Ectasy was new and fab, every weekend there was a huge dance party for around 2000 pax and lycra was huge! Collete even performed live at such a party, and I saw it....what fun, but for a 90's song, How could I go past a song by the incredible band "M People" of course is "One Night In Heaven" there you go my suggestion, who'd a thought!
Ant x

Harley L said...

My fav 90's synthpop band: Book of Love. Their best album Lullaby was unfortunately 1989; but Lovebubble was '93 and you can't go wrong with 'Boy Pop' or 'Hunny Hunny.'