Shirley Lewis - (You Used To Be) Romantic (1988)

I did a post on Shirley Lewis on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars some time ago, and mentioned that this single preceded her album on A&M Records and likely led to her album deal. It does not appear on the album, but would have fit well with its poppier side. As my friend Max pointed out, it is a remake of the Jo Joe song from 1987 and is very similar, not surprising considering it was produced by the same team of Jolley/Harris/Jolley, who also wrote it. The remixes here dance it up a bit.


Here is the video.

Download (You Used To Be) Romantic

1		(You Used To Be) Romantic (Some Like It Hot Mix)
2		(You Used To Be) Romantic (The Hot & Bothered Remix)
3		(You Used To Be) Romantic (Romancing The Street Mix)
4		(You Used To Be) Romantic (Terrific Dub)

Sheree Jeacocke - Serious (1993)

I featured Sheree's first and last albums on The Isle, but did not post Miss My Love because it was already featured on The Music Spectrum. This was the second single released from that album, and here it is remixed with a much funkier vibe. Obviously I love me some Sheree, as this is the fourth post on her here, and there will be more to come!




Download Serious

1		Serious (Album Version)
2		Serious (CHR Remix Edit)
3		Serious (The D Tone Serious Boom Mix)

Sharon Lee Williams - Your Place Or Mine (1989)

Sharon Lee Williams is well known in the Canadian music industry, but she only ever released one single as a solo artist. She did manage a hit as part of the group Sway and their remake of Ottawan's "Hands Up" in 1987 (which I also mentioned on The Isle in the Chantal Condor post. ;) and contributed vocals to the work of many other artists. Her only solo release was released a couple of years after the Sway hit, and the original is very 80s pop/R&B. The 'Your Place Mix' is a lot faster and has a very Pointer Sisters-ish sound, and the 'My Place Mix" is a lot funkier. But my fave is the 'Percusappella'. Sharon is still involved in the music industry and has even been a vocal coach for Canadian Idol. She currently runs her own vocal coaching company out of Toronto, MusicEnt Productions.

Download Your Place Or Mine

1		Your Place Or Mine (Your Place Mix)
2		Your Place Or Mine (Original 7 Inch)
3		Your Place Or Mine (My Place Mix)
4		Your Place Or Mine (Percusappella)

J-Cock - Sunshine Of My Life (1996)

Canadian singer Sheree Jeacocke began her long recording career in 1985 and released several albums and singles in many different genres over the next 13 years years as either just Sheree (under which she had her biggest hit "Woman's Work"), just Jeacocke, Deeva or her full name. (To download two of her albums, please visit The Music Conflux.) J-Cock appears to be the last moniker she used before she pretty much left the music industry to pursue real estate. For a fairly comprehensive look at her discography, go HERE. She was also featured on the Pleasure Beat track I also posted HERE. This track seems to be her last proper physical release, and is a mid-tempo soul version of the Stevie Wonder classic with some ragga flavour added by Mystah Munroe.

Download Sunshine Of My Life

1		Sunshine Of My Life (Ragga Sunshine Mix)
2		Sunshine Of My Life (Massive Sunshine Mix)
3		Sunshine Of My Life (J-Cockin' Mix)

PAL - Talk We Don't (1985)

PAL were signed to Motown and this was apparently their only single. It seems Motown was looking for something a little different than their typical soul & R&B at the time, and this song has a more poppy, new wave edge to it (to me it sounds similar to Mai Tai or Say When?, whose "Boys" I posted here earlier). They managed to release an album as well, Truth For The Moment, but it appears neither went anywhere. The remixes are by popular 80s duo John Morales and Sergio Munzibai.

Here is a live performance of the song.

Download Talk We Don't

1		Talk We Don't (Club Mix)
2		Talk We Don't (Tribal Mix - Instrumental)
3		Talk We Don't (Safari Mix)
4		Talk We Don't (Jungletalk Mix)

Glass - Stop In The Name Of Love (1990)

As promised, here is the second single from mystery girl group Glass. It is indeed a remake of the Supremes classic, with an updated, housier vibe. It also includes another original track, "Love And Devotion".






Download Stop In The Name Of Love

1		Stop In The Name Of Love (Motormix)
2		Stop In The Name Of Love
3		Love And Devotion

Liberty Silver - I Do Love You / Private Property (1988)

Canadian Liberty Silver has had a long career that has encompassed many different musical genres. She was even featured in Canada's version of USA For Africa, Northern Lights, in their song and video for "Tears Are Not Enough". She is now mainly a jazz artist, but in the 80s she was an R&B and funk kind of girl. This double A side single was her biggest success. For more on Liberty, go HERE.



Download I Do Love You / Private Property

1		I Do Love You
2		Private Property

Odette Doiley - Comin' At You Boy (1987)

I have a bunch more Canadian singles from the 80s for you. This is one of my faves. I remember seeing the video on the old Muchmusic show Soul In The City, and I fell in love with this poppy electro funk song. I never really learned anything about Odette other than what is posted on the record cover. She did release another great track, "Love Walked (Out Of My Life)" as simply Odette, which I also posted here.

UPDATE: Yay, Odette found this post and wrote! She says she also released another single and video, "Just Can't Let You Go". I'd LOVE to get my hands on it! Please fill us in on your biography and current whereabouts if you get a chance, Odette! Love your music!

Here is the video.

Download Comin' At You Boy

A		Comin' At You Boy (Vocal)
B		Comin' At You Boy (Instrumental)

Jully Black, Keshia Chanté, Esthero, Graph Nobel - Life (2003)

These four Canadian divas recorded this single as the official track for Keep The Beat 2004, a non-stop music marathon created to support the War Child effort, which aids kids affected by war around the world. It was produced by Esthero's producing partner, Martin 'Doc' McKinney.






Download Life

1

Life

Jazmin - Better Be Good (2000)

Here are the dance mixes for the title track off of Jazmin's (aka Jasmine Baird) debut album, and only album thus far, which is also available on the Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars.







Download Better Be Good

1		Better Be Good (Riprock N' Alex G's Radio Edit)
2		Better Be Good (Derek's Latin Lover Radio Mix)
3		Better Be Good (Marz vs Riprock Club Mix)
4		Better Be Good (Patron's Friday Nite Mix)

Love & Sas - Don't Stop Now (1992)

This was Love & Sas' third single from their album Call My Name (featured on the Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars). It was a pop hit in Canada, but didn't make much of an impact anywhere else, especially following the much more successful house track "Call My Name". The original version is a mid-tempo Soul II Soul-ish number, and here there are house mixes to make it more dancefloor friendly.



Download Don't Stop Now

1		Don't Stop Now (Original Single Mix)
2		Don't Stop Now (New World Single Edit)
3		Don't Stop Now (New World 12" Mix)
4		Don't Stop Now (New World Dub Mix)
5		Don't Stop Now (Extended Original Mix)
6		Don't Stop Now (East/West 12" Mix)
7		Don't Stop Now (East/West 7" Mix)

Bliss - Butterflies (1999)

Bliss was a Canadian R&B/pop girl group. They released only two singles, this being their first, followed by "Can't Deny". They were minorly successful in Canada, and I had the fortune of meeting one of them years later at a friend's house party (the blonde front and center on the CD cover). She was shocked and thrilled that I recognized her, and basically said the group didn't get enough publicity and support to bother continuing on. The mixes here are R&B and house.


Here is the video.

Download Butterflies

1		Butterflies (Radio Mix)
2		Butterflies (Perry Alexander Mix)
3		Butterflies (Tyson's Midnight Mix)
4		Butterflies (Durigorous Dream Warriors Mix)
5		Butterflies (Perry Alexander Extended Mix)
6		Butterflies (A Cappella Mix)