Mr. Chip's Review of Big Fun (The Original Shalamar)

I have far too many favorite albums of any music category to just favorite one. But a long time favorite album for me is BIG FUN by the original 3 of Shalamar (Jody Watley,Jeffrey Daniel and Howard Hewitt). And the song that is still ringing in my ears "The Second Time Around." Mind you as we use to say in Britain. Mind you I was a kid. A young African-American guy living in the UK when sales of Shalamar's records went through the roof when Jeffrey Daniel did the electric boogaloo (Pop-locking) on Top of the Pop's. And on a smaller scale we military kids at school were imitating him also. The album didn't come out till 1979. Which is when I left the United States from Tacoma WA bound for the land of "castles and Knights" and tea and crumpets. Which I actually knew little if nothing about. But by the time graduated in June of 1980. Shalamar & Big Fun were still burning up the charts. In fact off Big Fun,"I owe you one" (Joey Gallo & Leon Sylvers) was part of a string of hits for Jody,Jeffrey and Howard in the UK. According to wikipedia. Another thing the famous VJ of MTV "Downtown Julie Brown." When I was in the UK was just simply Julie Brown but her energetic and contagious dance style not only allowed her to win the UK Dance finals I am willing to wager that she had to have seen Jeffrey Daniel on the TOP OF THE POPS and of course I am sure that she she had a album or cassette of BIG FUN. Even now thirty years later. I still get chills when I put my album on. And I see the 3 on those Orca's riding the waves. It doesn't matter that they aren't really riding on them. I just liked the cover. Of course kids will be kids and we started dressing like them. And the girls like Jody Watley and all the other eighties ladies. I can still see myself sneaking into the "Galaxy" club on RAF Mildenhall and Spike and the Gang (A group of off duty Air Force GI's) spinning the tunes on the weekend. And how we impressed the GI's when me and my high school mates would go out on the dance floor and start Poppin and Lockin for the crowd when they started playing Shalamar BIG FUN. And now as I edge ever so closer to the half-a-century mark. I don't feel old in fact. I'm blessed not in a boastful way. But in a young-at-heart way as the song goes. To still look pretty young for a old guy. Maybe because I loved the eighties new wave and disco so much. And whenever possible try to re-live those good days and times as far as the music and dancing. And so when I listen to the radio or search out a club. You know it's going to be BIG FUN. Now go out and get it. And whether you were Poppin and Lockin in the UK or the US. Shalamar had plenty good vibes for all.