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Rick is out of town for the weekend so last night I decided to revisit this set only to realize I made a glaring omission; I left out "Make You Feel My Love."

The song was originally written by Bob Dylan but was never released until much later. When the original surfaced, Billy Joel, Trisha Yearwood, and Garth Brooks all did remakes of the song. To this day, I hold the Garth Brooks version very close to my heart. Listening to the version by Adele, brought back all those old feelings of betrayal, resentment, and revenge; feelings that I have managed to suppress in sour relationships since then because it makes me appear petty, if not foolish.

It came out in 1998, a time when my relationship with Pete was on the rocks as I talked about in the DIVA Tribute to Erasure. I would go to this dive billiard hall and have a couple of Bohemia's (Mexican beer) and play that song on the jukebox over and over while drowning in my own tears before heading to the gay bar for the rest of the evening. Knowing that Pete would be there, allowed me to clear my head in advance, lest I do something stupid.

I've included two versions of the song; one a dance version and the other a more chilled version that keeps up with the tempo of the original. The dance version is really good but I just wish they had slowed it down some. If you don't like the additions, I suggest you keep the original set as the newer version is replacing the older one which will no longer be available. 

English singer Adele (Adele Laurie Blue Adkins) won two Grammys for her debut album 19 in 2009 and it's been nothing but uphill since then. After the success of that album, if you still didn't know who she was, you couldn't avoid her after her sophomore album release 21. Her amazing performance of "Rolling In the Deep" on the Letterman Show further solidified her name and went on to win an additional six Grammy's including Album of the Year.

By the time 25 landed, all bets were off when she won a contentious battle of the Grammy for Album of the Year beating out another one of our favorite divas Beyoncé. While heartfelt, her acceptance speech may have been slightly over the top but all is forgiven because she was (as in past interviews) genuinely sincere if not surprised by her win.

While lacking the vocal gymnastics of her predecessors, Adele has put herself in a position to wrangle the mantle away from Celine Dion who stole it from Barbra Streisand. She has the qualities of Celine's overly genuine and heartfelt gratitude and sincerity with Barbra's street smarts, honesty, and use of frosty language to express her views. Combined with her outstanding beauty and talent, she IS the ultimate DIVA.

Party Favorz is proud if not downright giddy about inducting one of our favorite artists of the 21st century into the DIVA Hall of Fame. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our newest DIVA, Adele.

I want to give a HUGE shout-out to those that answered my call to keep Party Favorz afloat on our 10th year of providing the finest dance music podcasts to be found anywhere on the net. MASSIVE hugs and kisses go out to Ludovic D., John D., Raymond C., Glenn A. (aka DiscoBall), Raul G., Doug B., Nicolas C., Ray J., and Gary N.

Party Favorz is still collecting donations for the ongoing monthly costs of running the site so feel free to contribute if you ca...

We are now at the most important part of this morning's post, which is the long overdue induction into the Diva Hall of Fame of the one and only Miss Inaya Day.

I was browsing around the Billboard club charts a month or so ago and stumbled across a section I had NEVER seen before called GREATEST OF ALL TIME TOP DANCE CLUB ARTISTS. I'll be damned if every DIVA in the Diva Series isn't listed there. I mean, I hit them ALL + all the fan-boy favorites (US Only) who only had a couple of hits (Jennifer Holliday, Jewel, and Stevie Nicks come to mind).

However, one lady was sitting in at #12 who was always on my list but I just hadn't gotten around to it. She is the one and only, incomparable Miss Inaya Day.  Holy bat crap! How did I not get to this sooner? Heck, she even bests Miss Barbara Tucker by 51 charts points and y'all know I love me some BT.

Since I've been driving around all over god's green acres, I've had plenty of time to play this set over and over and OVER! Heck, if it were a cassette, I'd have to go out and purchase a new one by now.

This set will BLOW your mind because it's that good. Inaya Day has also worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and isn't just circuit; she's House Music, she's Gospel, she's R&B and she is Soul. However, this set is geared towards the circuit boys, and for good reason. It's all about our love and appreciation for you, your beauty, and your talent. Our boy Peter Rauhofer is also represented here not once but twice. Throw in her sparring partner Miss China Ro, Mike Cruz, and the good ole boys from Swishcraft and you got yourself a recipe for one hell of a party.

If we can get the boys at Swishcraft to promote this set; her bookings will go through the roof. She can call it I Take My Problems to the Dancefloor Tour (bill it as a greatest hits tour) and hopefully work out something amicable with Nervous Records. The t-shirts alone would be HOT property.

So without further ado, Party Favorz is proud to finally pay respect to the indisputable queen of everything by inducting Miss Day into the Diva Hall of Fame.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a standing ovation for the one and only, Miss Inaya Day.

   Album : Inaya Day - The Diva Series  

   Genre : Circuit, House Music

   Year : 2017

   Total Time : 1:57:47.00

* Inaya Day & China Ro feat. DJ Mike Cruz - Movin' Up (Peter Rauhofer Remix)

* Inaya Day - Can't Stop Dancin' (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

* Inaya Day - Keep Pushin' (Gogh's Hex Reconstruction)

* Mr. Timothy feat. Inaya Day - Got 2 Get Up (Mr. Timothy 2K9 Mix)

* Gabry Venus feat. Inaya Day - When I'm Alone (The Cube Guys Remix)

* Michael Woods feat. Inaya Day - Natural High (Out of Office Club Mix)

* DJ Mike Cruz pres. Inaya Day & China Ro - Movin Up (Mind Trap Anthem Mix)

* Inaya Day vs. Bill Bennett - Breakaway (Bill Bennett's Anthem Club Mix)

* T-Funk feat. Inaya Day - The Glamorous Life (T-Funk Mix)

* Inaya Day - Nasty Girl (Peter's Reconstruction Mix)

* Inaya Day - U Spin Me (Mike Cruz Vocal Mix)

* Joe Gauthreaux feat. Inaya Day - The Urge In Me (DJ Leanh Remix)

In late 1986, I moved back home from Austin because I hadn't started college right after graduation and needed to get something going. I went back to work for C&C Music/Video, a company I worked for two years for in high school. "Oh L'amour" had already been a massive club hit but I hadn't given much thought about the group behind it, Erasure. Having more exposure to all sorts of music because of my job, my impression of the group did a 180 once "Circus" dropped.

"Upstairs at Eric's" by Yaz (Yazoo in Europe) had already seen massive success earlier in the decade. The group consisted of former Depeche Mode member, Vince Clarke, and the vocally gifted Alison Moyet. A fact I became aware of as my interest and love for all-things Erasure blossomed.

Andy Bell and Vince Clarke's (aka Erasure) music spoke to me like nothing I ever heard before. The lyrics are what I like to call smart-pop sceneries that while universal, actually speak directly to the hearts and minds of young gay folk.  There are so many fantastically well-written songs it's hard to single out a couple that has left lasting memories for me. So, I picked two that directly correlate to my young gay self at the time of their release.

It's not the way you lead me by the hand into the bedroom

It's not the way you throw your clothes upon the bathroom floor

Been thinking about ya, I just couldn't wait to see

Fling my arms around ya as we fall in ecstasy

Ooh, sometimes

The truth is harder than the pain inside, yeah

Ooh, sometimes

It's the broken heart that decides

First off, "Victim of Love" slays me every time I hear it. While it shouldn't, it makes me happy and leaves tingly butterflies in my stomach like I've fallen in love for the first time. Granted, the sentiment of the song is the opposite of the feeling I get whenever I listen to it but it also brings back fond memories of Michael. He was 20 years my senior, a friend, a mentor, and one of the gentlest persons I've ever met. I was enamored with the guy but he was never going to allow anything to happen. He found the club scene distasteful and tried to provide me with alternative culture in opera and is responsible for turning me onto "Mommie Dearest," which I had never seen. As any good card-carrying gay, I latched onto "NO MORE WIRE HANGERS" LOL. Sadly, he later moved to California where his partner helped him end his life. I was heartbroken when I heard the news, which was an indication of future devastations that were to come. I can't explain how I correlate "Victim of Love" with Michael but I always think of him fondly when I hear it.

I don't want to look

Like some kind of fool

I don't want to break

My heart over you

I'm building a wall

Every day it's getting higher

This time I won't end up

Another victim of love

"Wild!" was another brilliant album that generated multiple club hits. "Blue Savannah" is a personal favorite to this day. However, it's "Star" that takes the prize. I was head over heels for Pete; more so than I had ever been for anyone. Things didn't shake out well for us and it's the very first and only time I truly felt jealousy, anger, and resentment. I was the cruelest bitch anyone could ever be to another. I'd say I never knew I had it in me. I attempted to apologize multiple times only to be ignored. It wasn't until my last trip to PBD's (the local gay club) before moving to Atlanta that we had an honest, peaceful conversation after I saddled up on the bar stool next to him. "Star" was his song and reflected on a relationship he had with a different "Keith" (go figure) but I've long since adopted that song (and "I Try" by Macy Gray) as it related to us. Smart and ambitious,

I had originally planned to update George's original induction into the Diva Hall of Fame from 2010 to his next year. Under the circumstances, I changed those plans and undertook the project the day after Christmas. I couldn't allow the original mix to be the final word.

I spent an entire day remastering each song one by one, regardless of whether I would use it or not. I spent the next day throwing everything together in one tight set. I listened to the whole thing last night and woke up this morning and realized I needed to edit myself. I removed several songs and am thrilled to announce that it is absolutely 'Flawless'.

The original was a bit over-compressed which stemmed from the lead version of 'As' his duet with Mary J. Blige. Typical of most things Jonathan Peters does, his work was always explosive and mastered in a way that would blow a hole in the ceiling. I reworked all the songs to fit in with that one. At the time, earbuds were pretty much shit so the extra bass was necessary; Nowadays, not so much.

I hope everyone appreciates what I managed to pull together in honor of the man and his legacy. Peace.

Album  George Michael Tribute pt. 2  

Genre: House

Year: 2016 

Total Time: 1:57:53.00

* Star People '97 (Forthright Club Mix)

* Killer - Papa Was A Rolling Stone (Dance Mix)

* I Want Your Sex 2010 (Freemasons Club Mix)

* Father Figure (Final DJ's Remix)

* Amazing (DJ Garry M Reworks Nikko's Mix)

* This Is Not Real Love (Moto Blanco Mix) [with Mutya]

* Freeek! (The Scumfrogs Mix)

* Flawless (Shapeshifters Remix)

* Outside (Hex Hector 12'' Vox Up Mix)

* Fast Love (2002 Illicit Remix)

* I'm Your Man (Division 4 Club Mix)

* Everything She Wants (Todd Terry Mix)

* An Easier Affair (Too Much Fun Remix 2006)

* Careless Whisper 2016 (DJ Pantelis Soulful Mix)

* As (CJ Mackintosh Cosmack Club Mix) [with Mary J. Blige]

* Fast Love (Tony Moran Dance Sleaze Remix)

* Too Funky (Extended Mix)

* Freedom '90 (Alternate Reality Mix)

It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I am re-posting George Michael's original induction into the Diva Hall of Fame and am now filing it under Tribute. He is truly one of the greatest artists of my life and his album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is one of my top 10 all-time favorites.

George, you will be sorely missed.

From teen idol pin-up boy to critically acclaimed worldwide superstar to the embattled artist who was entangled in litigation against his music label, George Michael has pretty much been there and done that. Closeted through much of his career, George ultimately outed himself when he was arrested for solicitation with another man in a public park. Instead of denying the circumstances that lead to his arrest, George embraced his new platform as an out gay man. Not exactly the best person to be paraded as a role model, George maintains the distinct honor of being one of the earliest openly gay men with significant notoriety due to his stardom.

No matter what you have read or think you know about the man, I would suggest going back and just listening to his music. It doesn’t matter if it’s “Everything She Wants” or “A Different Corner” from his early days as part of the duo Wham! or ANY song off of his debut album “Faith,” the man has freaking talent. His writing skills, his vocals, and of course his presence are what made him a tour de force.

“Listen Without Prejudice,” his follow-up to “Faith” is quite possibly the most underrated work of art from the 90s; I shit you not. Go back and listen to the album; it’s fucking brilliant.

No I've never come close in all of these years

You are the only one to stop my tears

I'm so scared of this love

And if all that there is,

is this fear of being used

I should go back to being lonely and confused

If I could, I would, I swear

Through all the ups and downs of his career, George Michael remains one of the most significant artists in pop music history. No doubt his very public issues with drugs have not helped his image (and has even gotten him banned from touring in the US), but he wouldn’t be the perfect DIVA if all his dramedy was hidden away in the confines of the closet.

Georgie, baby, sweetie pie, you’ve just been inducted. XO

Album : George Michael | The Diva Series

Genre : House

Year : 2010

Total Time : 1:25:21.00

* As (Jonathan Peters Club Mix)

* Star People '97 (Forthright Club Mix)

* Flawless (The Sharp Boys Hot Fridge Vocal Mix)

* I Want Your Sex 2010 (Freemasons Club Mix)

* Killer/Papa Was A Rolling Stone (12'' House Mix)

* Amazing (Full Intention Club Mix)

* This Is Not Real Love (Moto Blanco Mix)

* Freeek! (The Scumfrog Mix)

* Shoot The Dog (Moogeymen Mix)

* Outside (Hex Hector 12'' Vox Up Mix)

* Fast Love 2002 (Illicit Remix)

* Everything She Wants (Todd Terry Mix)

* Spinning The Wheel (Forthright Club Mix)

We have come to the end of the Top Dance Songs of 2016, featuring the biggest dance hits of the year. I hope everyone has enjoyed this time capsule for the year that was.

While this may be the end of this series, we still have one more to go. That's our annual Blow Your Own Horn mix which is our year-end dance party blow-out. If you need something with a little more oomph for your end-of-year celebrations, that will be the mix that's gonna deliver. Expect it to drop sometime next week.

For now, I want to thank everyone who has supported my efforts in keeping the music alive throughout the year. I know I've experimented with various methods to keep this thing going and certainly tested your patience along the way. Thank you for sticking with me throughout it all.

I want to give another shout-out to Charles for his $40 donation and Ignacio for another $10. Thank you all very much!

I also want to wish everybody a very happy holiday, Merry Christmas, belated Hanukkah, or however you choose to enjoy the season!

I'll be back next week with the final set of the year. Until then...ENJOY!

Album : Year in Dance 2016 pt. 4

Genre : EDM, House, Dance

Year : 2016

Total Time : 01:16:03

* Adele - Send My Love (Country Club Martini Crew Extended)

* Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj - Side to Side (U-GO-BOY Remix)

* Sia feat. Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (BAUT Vocal Club Mix)

* Katy Perry - Rise (U-GO-BOY Remix)

* Flume feat. Kai - Never Be Like You (Stacy Mier's Sneaker Snob Ultimix)

* Zayn - Pillowtalk (Handbag House Club Mix)

* Ariana Grande - Into You (MaximaL Remix)

* Galantis - No Money (Extended Mix)

* WTS feat. Gia - One Night (StoneBridge Club Remix)

* Freischwimmer - California Dreamin (Calvo Remix)

* Gnash feat. Olivia O'Brien - I Hate U, I Love U (Robin Schulz Remix)

* Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber & MØ - Cold Water (Joe Maz Remix)

* Rihanna feat. Drake - Work (Bad Royale Remix)

* Bastille - Good Grief (Don Diablo Remix)

* Shawn Hook - Sound Of Your Heart (Jump Smokers Extended Mix)

* X Ambassadors - Unsteady (Mike Rizzo Funk Generation Club Mix)

* 99 Souls feat. Destiny's Child & Brandy - The Girl Is Mine (DiscoTech Club Mix)

* JX Riders feat. Skylar Stecker - Sweet Dreams (StoneBridge Club Remix)

* The Chainsmokers feat. Rozes - Roses (Joe Maz Remix)

Even with its seismic shifts, 2016 was a really good year for dance music. Rihanna had a particularly great year with one release after another from her stellar (if not underappreciated) 'Anti' album. 'Work' and 'Needed Me' were standout tracks but her collaboration (again) with Calvin Harris took the prize. 'This Is What You Came For' co-written with Calvin's ex Taylor Swift is one of the top songs of the year. Much like their work on the 2011 'We Found Love', TIWYCF is one of those songs that hit you between the eyes and translates so well to the dance floor.

Justin Bieber was another artist that blew it out in 2016. Already riding high from the 2015 release of 'Purpose', his single 'Sorry' released late that year was like the song that just kept on giving. Shortly thereafter "Love Yourself', which was more of a dis to a spurned ex, invoked a re-working of the lyrics by fans (NSFW) at his concerts. But, it was his collaboration with Major Lazer 'Cold Water' and DJ Snake of 'Let Me Love You' that secured him as one of the top artists of the year. No matter what you may think about the Biebster, the guy is talented and has hooked up with some of the most stellar producers in the industry during this new wave of musical styles.

Arguably the BIGGEST artist of 2016 goes to The Chainsmokers. After their breakthrough '#Selfie' in 2014 with the strong follow-up 'Kanye', they released their debut album 'Boquet' in late 2015. Spurred by the massive success of 'Roses' each subsequent released topped the next. 'Don't Let Me Down' was even bigger but it was 'Closer' that sealed the duo as EDM kings with a pop-sensibility the major labels had been creaming their pants for. Sorry Zedd, but these boys beat you to it.

With only one more set to go, we are down to the wire with the biggest dance hits of 2016. I want to thank Gary B. for another $25 donation into our coffers. I also want to thank one of our followers for pointing out the issue with the donation plugin in Firefox. It does work, but the fields are blank until you begin typing in them at which point it reveals what it is you're supposed to be typing. I've created a support ticket with the developers but don't expect to hear back until after the holiday. In the interim, it may be best to use Chrome, Explorer, or Safari but Firefox will work just fine if you don't mind stumbling through it.

I'll be back tomorrow with the fourth and final installment of the Top Dance Songs of 2016. Until then...ENJOY!

Album : Year in Dance 2016 pt. 3

Genre : EDM, House, Dance

Year : 2016

Total Time : 01:19:19

* Pink - Just Like Fire (Wideboys Extended Mix)

* Meghan Trainor - No (DJ Nev Extended Remix)

* Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (Dave Winnel Remix)

* Dua Lipa - Blow Your Mind (Night Moves Remix)

* Coldplay - Adventure Of A Lifetime (K.R.A.S.H Remix)

* Calvin Harris & Disciples - How Deep Is Your Love (Extended)

* Selena Gomez - Same Old Love (Cosmic Dawn Club Mix)

* Dave Aude feat. Andy Bell - True Original (Original Mix)

* Alex Newell with Jess Glynne & DJ Cassidy feat. Niles Rodgers - Kill The Lights (Audien Extended Mix)

* Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna - This Is What You Came For (DJ FmSteff 2016 Extended Mix)

2016 ushered in a sea-change of musical styles in dance music. While the big anthem is still a guaranteed hit; elements of our past have largely taken over the dance floor. 70s disco is stronger than ever as Nile Rodgers has exerted his influence into several number-one hits. A lot of folks aren't aware that in addition to fronting the wildly successful 70's disco band Chic, he had a massive influence in the 80s producing mega-smashes by Madonna, Diana Ross, David Bowie, and Duran Duran to name a few. His expertise was in high demand and considered hot property during the decade. Much like Giorgio Moroder (Donna Summer), he's proven that what's old is new once again.

Perhaps the one song from 2015 that completely changed the game was 'Lean On Me' by Major Lazer & DJ Snake. The massive summer hit with its laid-back Reggaeton style and percussion has paved the way for so many of the hits that have run up the 2016 charts in pop as well as dance. For now, the traditional 128 bpm dance track has taken a backseat to an average of 120 bpm which leans more toward radio than it does for the dance floor. When creating a non-stop mix; we adjust or get left behind.

The four sets that compile the Top Dance Songs of 2016 reflect that change. It's all about the slower, slinky beats that borrow heavily from the 70s Disco and 80s Dance with commercialized Deep House remaining strong. As I've said time and again, everything is cyclical. At some point, 90s-era house music will make a resurgence but for now, it's all about the downbeat.

I'll be back tomorrow with pt. 3 of the Top Dance Songs of 2016. Until then...ENJOY!

Album : Year in Dance 2016 pt. 2

Genre : EDM, House, Dance

Year : 2016

Total Time : 01:52:16

* Tinashe - Superlove (Cutmore Extended)

* Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream (Kaskade Remix)

* Nathan Sykes feat. Ariana Grande - Over And Over Again (Cahill Club Mix)

* Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling (Daniel Siman Tov Remix)

* Justin Bieber - Sorry (CLX Extended Mix)

* Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl (Paul Goodyear Ultimix)

* Bruno Mars - 24K Magic (Discotron Remix)

* Beyonce - Formation (Jamie de Von Remix)

* G-Eazy & Bebe Rexha - Me, Myself & I (Viceroy Remix)

* Calvin Harris - My Way (Kue Remix)

* Alessia Cara - Here (Cosmic Dawn Xmix Remix)

* Hailee Steinfeld - Love Myself (Kream Extended)

* Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha - In The Name Of Love (Sneaker Snob Club Mix)

* Alesso feat. Nico & Vinz - I Wanna Know (Alesso & Deniz Koyu Remix)

* Tori Kelly - Hollow (WestFunk Club Edit)

* Lukas Graham - 7 Years (Paul Goodyear Ultimix)

* Troye Sivan - Youth (Wideboys Future Remix)

* Britney Spears feat. G-Eazy - Make Me (Ray Rhodes Remix)

* Sheila Gordhan - Smile (AM2PM Remix)

OMFG! Party Favorz has made it through another year of delivering the biggest dance tunes straight to your ears. Even I can't believe how far this little site has come going into our 10th year. To put things into perspective, we switched from self-managed hosting (which had gotten out of control and was financially unmanageable) to managed hosting on December 7th. From that time to now, we have racked up a staggering 8,575 downloads and the month isn't even over yet. My guess is we'll be testing the limits of my new host's 'unlimited' data and bandwidth offer in due time.

In the interim, Party Favorz is proud to present our annual Top Dance Songs of the Year (formerly called Time Capsule) which culminates the biggest and best dance tunes of the year that was. Of course, determining the biggest dance tunes of the year is subjective and based on how your tastes run. We present a wide variety of genres here on the site, so the main focus is on the commercial aspect of dance music when considering which tunes to include.

Since all music is 'electronic dance music', you may have noticed we're in the process of dropping the EDM label and switching it over to a more generic 'dance' genre. Beatport can play around with this shit all day long to capitalize on (what they think is) the latest trend but at the end of the day; it's all the same. Party Favorz offers more overly broad genres so that users have a pretty good idea of what they like and can focus just on those categories that only interest them.

This has never been easier for iTunes users. We've set up feeds for each category on the site so that you can subscribe to only what you like. For those that love everything, it's a good way to automatically keep everything organized on your phone or tablet so you don't have to scroll through the whole feed to find what you're in the mood for. Each feed is linked in the slider at the top of the page and on each category page, making subscribing effortless. For those that don't use iTunes, just copy the address for each category and submit it to your favorite RSS reader and it will discover the feed automatically.

I want to give a HUGE shout-out to those of you who have continued to support our efforts to make Party Favorz the best damn podcast on the planet. The most recent donations by Gary B. $50; Eric W. $100; Alberto M. $50; Anthony B. $25 and Luis B. $50 have been instrumental in helping the site transition to a new service while keeping our doors open.

I'll be back tomorrow with pt. 2 of the Top Dance Songs of the Year 2016. Until then...ENJOY!

Album : Year in Dance 2016 pt. 1

Genre : EDM, House, Dance

Year : 2016

Total Time : 01:37:51

* The Chainsmokers feat. Daya - Don't Let Me Down (Illenium Remix)

* Shawn Mendes - Stitches (3LAU Remix)

* Charlie Puth feat. Selena Gomez - We Dont Talk Anymore (Kay Stafford At The Ibiza Beach Club Mix Part II)

* Alicia Keys - In Common (Kaskade Remix)

* DJ Snake feat. Justin Bieber - Let Me Love You (Mark Roberts Ultimix)

* Nick Jonas feat. Tove Lo - Close (Max Sanna & Steve Pitron Remix Extended)

* Sia feat. Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (Funk3d Pop Remix)

* G-Eazy & Bebe Rexha - Me, Myself and I (Marc Stout & Scott Svejda Remix)

* StoneBridge feat. Elsa Li Jones - If You Like It (StoneBridge Club Remix)

* Enrique Iglesias feat.

It was the summer of 1991 when my ex, Eddie, and I traveled to New York. This was my first trip to the Big Apple, though he had been many times. It was the era of Mayor Dinkins and Times Square was a shell of its current glory or, pretty much a shit hole laced with drugs, prostitutes, and porn theaters.

One of the most memorable moments when we landed was "Gypsy Woman' blaring out the speakers in our cab heading to Manhattan. I had never heard it as it didn't sound like typical Top 40 fare. Its catchy house beat, and organ grinder riff with the artist singing "la da dee, la dee da" made it one of those songs that just stuck in my head as Eddie and I romped around the city waiting for our friend Margie to get off work. The artist was newcomer Crystal Waters.

The following evening, Eddie and I were on our own, and in a sign of poor judgment (or naiveté about New York at night during this period), we hopped on a train at midnight and headed toward the Village to go to a club called Monster that had been recommended to us earlier in the day. Eddie had to pee, so we got off in Times Square only to find the restrooms closed at that time of night. So he had to do a quicky behind some pillars. The subway station was dark, dank, and very eery. A stranger was walking towards us while I hurried him along to finish his business. The next train shows up and we were out of there!

Once we got to the Monster we walked in at street level and were introduced to a massive piano bar with folks singing along to old Olivia Newton-John songs. We went through the doors in the back and down a narrow stairwell that opens up into a basement club full of gay men dancing to the latest house music. Once 'Gypsy Woman' started playing from the speakers, I grabbed Eddie's hand and we ran onto the dance floor and didn't leave most of the night (except to grab the occasional drink).

Margie later chastised us for wandering off and even worse stopping in Times Square after midnight without accompaniment. Okay, yelled.

Gypsy Woman is packed with so many memories from our trip it that is one of the most memorable highlights of my life.

Gypsy Woman was originally written for Ultra Nate (another Diva Hall of Fame inductee held in very high esteem around here). Crystal's original demo never made it into her hands and in true DIVA form, she kept it for herself. To be fair, her demo was so good that it won her a recording contract with Mercury Records. The song itself reached #8 on the Top 40 and #1 on the club charts.

Crystal went on to land another Top 40 hit with '100% Pure Love' which peaked at #11 and stayed on the Hot 100 charts for a record-breaking 45 weeks. It also landed at the top of the Billboard Dance/Club charts along with 'Makin' Happy' 'Come on Down' 'My Time' 'Oh Mama Hey' and most very recently 'Believe.'

Crystal Waters is HOUSE MUSIC and more than deserving to be included in the DHF with contemporaries like Barbara Tucker, Ultra Nate, and Martha Wash.

It is for these reasons and others too numerous to mention, that Crystal Waters officially be inducted into the Diva Hall of Fame.

With much love and respect, Party Favorz honors Crystal with our highest level of excellence. Thank you for the memories.

Album : Crystal Waters | The Diva Series

Genre : House Music

Year : 2016

Total Time : 1:34:46

* Crystal Waters - Surprise (12'' UK Edit)