Tootie Ramsey, pop star

If you aren't reading and downloading from Burning the Ground regularly and you care about dance music of the past 25 years a) shame on you and b) double shame on you for missing this recent post about Kim Fields' attempt at a pop music career in 1984. First of all, the cover is worth the cost of the mar on her career: she is dressed to suggest the outcome of Vanity being mauled by a tablecloth. The single A-side is funny enough as a ditzily sung, anonymously produced bit of post-boogie dance pop that wouldn't have sounded out of place on either of Janet Jackson's pre-Control albums (was Tootie down with Charlene?).

But it's the B-side where things really get awesome, speaking of Jacksons. "Dear Michael" is an ode to Janet's bro, and Tootie's syrupy adoration of him ("I kiss your picture by my bed") feels not so much like a trip back through time, but a journey to another planet. A world where this kind of love for MJ is not just socially acceptable, but worthy of comitting to wax is, in 2008, virtually inconceivable. This song is a cultural experience! The best line of Tootie's musical letter comes via the postscript: "Do you think 14 is too young to get married?" I can only imagine M.J.'s answer going something like, "It depends on who's asking."

Inane as it is, though, Tootie's foray into music shits all over Blair's. I wonder what Jo's would have sounded like. Joan Jett, maybe?

Comments

[HouseofJules]

WOW, Tootie's "Dear Michael" was a full decade before Prince wrote his ode to his favorite supermodel, Cindy Crawford, on the Black Album. Who knew she was so ahead of the curve? Must've been those roller skates!
Jules
House of Jules

[mariaaaaa]

HAHAHAHA! I remember dear Tootie's love of MJ. You know what's so very very sad, though? I guess the Facts of Life producers were unable to convince Michael to come on the show and the best they could do was Jermaine. So for that episode the Facts of Life universe "forgot" about her love of Michael and pretended that Jermaine was her man. As if. I know its hard to fathom a young girl loving Michael as, you know, a man, but give Off the Wall a relisten (while forgetting everything else that ever happened after) and I think you can almost picture it. But Jermaine? Really, who the fuck would EVER think about Jermaine that way? That is just nonsense. Disbelief officially unsuspended!

[RD]

I knew about Tootie's pop career--I saw her listed in a book on American Bandstand guests from the start of the show until sometime in the 80s. I even raved about it on Jump the Shark although my comment wasn't posted on the old version of the site. (The new version, complete with Jon Hein's views on various shows and TV Guide plugs du jour, scares me.)

[buzzgirl]

OMG, Rich! I went to Pepperdine with Kim, where she double majored in Religion and Telecommunications (yeah, I'm old). Surefire way to piss her off? Call her "Tootie" or mention "Dear Michael." We did it often. Thanks for the memories! Awesome.

[PopMuse.com]

when i was in elementary school, everyone called me Natalie, but i secretly hoped they would call me Tootie. LOVE BURNING THE GROUND TOO!

[Brandon H]

I couldn't even enjoy Tootie's track with Blair's horrible, HORRIBLE one in the back of my mind. It was soo bad it was brilliant! But I actually liked the ending percussion instrumental on Tootie's "He love me" track. M.I.A anyone? hahaha

[georgia]

Holy crap. I'm eating a fucking popsicle and drinking a beer, but this post is what made my night.

I can't help but picture Anyway directing Kim in that album cover photoshoot: "I want you to grab all these leaves and just throw it in the air..."

Funny shit, Rich. I was reading some comments over at your other Facts of Life post (Blair's church-pop album from the same year), and got a chuckle at the woman who objected to your heathen attitude and profane language. If only she knew.

Oh, and at the bottom of the page is a surprisingly lengthy and sincere missive from the good people at Viagra. Heh.

[Shaft]

Actually...That 'Dear Michael' track was originally performed by....Michael....its on his 'Forever, Michael' album...
JUST FILLING YA IN!
But its a cute performance...if you search on dailymotion you can find her performing it on Soul Train i believe!

[ihaveneverinmylifeyelledatagirllikethis]

Joan Jett? I don't think Jo was actually that cool. This is the girl who brought us Poison Ivy, after all. I imagine her kind of Bonnie Tyler-esque.

[CaliSurfer]

hey she ripped off my MJ song! That was all me! She probably wanted it more though, I don't have the classiness to dress in a table cloth, she wshould have worn that to the SOOOOOOOUL TRAIN!

www.motodanica.com

[anne]

When I was 10, my best friend wanted to marry Michael Jackson. She insisted I call her Mrs. Jackson.

[Scott Free]

Joan Jett. You're still fucking hilarious, Rich.

[noelle]

awww. season three of facts of life is available to watch instantly on netflix, and i just watched the episode where she is the star of showboat, and everyone is like "oh tootie you're so awesome please be in the play we need you" and then she sings and she's terrible. very similar to the joey potter singing at the pageant incident on dawson's creek.

and i can't wait for the dvd release of the later season in which tootie is up against stacey q at an audition and tries to trick her into leaving.

[elisa]

I'm not really into dance music...but here's a really well-written blog covering 90s R&B music, by the guy who does Mixtape Maestro (current music). Check them out:

http://90srbjunkie.blogspot.com/
http://mixtapemaestro.blogspot.com/

*Not my sites, I just love 'em!

ps I do love "Vanity being mauled by a tablecloth" - yes, exactly!

[Jason]

OMG! I actually have this single at home and I just finished transfering it to MP3. I thought I was the only person who bought it. LOL

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