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View Full Version : Ngrooves’ Retro-Review 4/20/12….Vanity – “Wild Animal”


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Ngroove
04-20-2012, 11:19 PM
Greetings, Motown-Maniacs! Ngroove here, gladly reporting here my latest Motown vinyl finds, if this community finds them interesting…

Few days ago, actually found this Motown gem, $3.70, at a Half-Price Bookstore. My prior knowledge of the ever beautiful Vanity, Denise Matthews, was mostly “The Last Dragon”, and most notably, the most enchanting performance of “Samuelle” on the 1985 Motown Revue program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWWodUrjg3Y

To tell the truth, that was the one song in the entire album I’ve actually found listenable, however it’s still a most haunting piece that is over and beyond worth buying the album alone.

The rest, well, apparently mostly about...well, sex. From “Flippin’ Out”, “Strap On Robbie Baby”. I cannot believe, through further research, “Pretty Mess” was chosen as the single promoted to represent the album. I just cannot listen to it with a straight face, its not-so-subtly flatly what its about, and the air-headed flamboyance in her voice as she sings it! Let alone, I just cannot take seriously her actually performing it live on television; Soul Train, Solid Gold, who knows where else!

But then again, I guess I should have known better; “Vanity”, not Denise, was mostly about her wild partying and sexuality, starting with “Nasty Girl”, until her life conversion in 1994.

Just cannot believe Motown, a label, a namebrand with a reputation, would allow, let fly such a selling of sex, but am well aware, there was also Rick James, Mary Jane Girls, and Georgio around that time.

stephanie
04-20-2012, 11:58 PM
I remember her song Under the Influence it was pretty good. The video for Pretty Mess is hillarious,

marv2
04-21-2012, 12:37 AM
Stephanie ," Under the Influence" was Vanity's pseudo masterpiece! It was VERY good and fit her style perfectly.

marv2
04-21-2012, 12:40 AM
The "Pretty Mess" song/video was mild raunch for the 80's LOL!

smark21
04-21-2012, 01:36 PM
I had the cassette for Vanity’s second album Skin on Skin which includes Under the Influence. I hope that song pops up on itunes one of these days. Romantic Voyage and the title track Skin on Skin are pretty good as well. And if you like Vanity sleazy, airheaded and raunchy, that album also includes the song Ouch, complete with whip sound effects.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GABKnezhCWs

Ngroove
04-21-2012, 02:10 PM
Gosh…”Ouch” at least sounds a whole lot funkier than most of “Wild Animal”’s servings, almost as if Prince was still in association.

OK…convinced to get “Skin on Skin”…one of these days, and have also enjoyed “Under the Influence” quite well, whenever I listen to it in its 12-inch form on my “Funkology: Dance Divas” CD.

marv2
04-21-2012, 03:23 PM
This is my favorite performance of "Under the Influence" from Italian TV :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-mbl3PVzk

soulster
04-21-2012, 07:39 PM
I actually bought this album soon after it came out. There are only two song on it that are bearable to listen to. In other words, it stinks! "He made such a pretty mess on my dress! Yes!" It just came out a dew years too soon for Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski.

marv2
04-21-2012, 08:35 PM
I actually bought this album soon after it came out. There are only two song on it that are bearable to listen to. In other words, it stinks! "He made such a pretty mess on my dress! Yes!" It just came out a dew years too soon for Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski.

Vanity definitely had the goods to do whatever she wanted to in the industry.