I hate not posting anything two days in a row, but I didn't get my shit together to say what I wanted to say today. Sucks. To void the silence, I give you a track I've been rocking hard and often lately:
Regina "Baby Love (Vocal/Long Version)"
It says so much about Madonna's cultural pervasiveness in the '80s that a Madonna wannabe could have a hit. No one even cared that this was a designer impostor! The track was written by Regina and frequent Madonna collaborator Stephen Bray. When Madonna rejected it (which is kind of strange, considering that one year later, she'd release the "Baby Love" soundalike "Spotlight," which I also love), Regina took it upon herself to record it. Smart girl -- she should have done it in the first place, especially since she sounds so much like Madonna. Why pay the cow any mind when your own tits work just fine?
The video envisions Regina as a star (her style suggests a cross between Cyndi Lauper and Madonna with just a hint of Toni Basil) whose house is being bugged.
Oh yeah, I'm sure Regina was just sooooo pursued and surveyed. A wannabe down to the delusions of grandeur!
Regardless, this song sort of epitomizes '80s dance pop to me: teen-oriented ("We're out of school until tomorrow"), post-boogie but technology obsessed and home to beats that stomp hard enough to pummel the very notion of disco (it still "sucked" in '86, right?). I find that this track is a great nostalgia rouser. A few years ago, I DJed for a fairly gross bridge-and-tunnel crowd in Manhattan. I played this and more than a few people came up to me and said, "Oh my gawd! I haven't heard this in ages!" It was the highlight of the night, even more than, say, "Holiday."
Damn! I was really hoping you were going to talk about this Baby Love:
http://music.deadbeatclub.com/rams/babylove.ram
Posted by: EcstaticCraze | January 31, 2007 at 02:27 PM
When I read this, all I could think about was that whole deal with "Miss Independent." Originally offered to Destiny's Child, then worked on by Christina Aguilera, before finally ending up with Kelly Clarkson.
Posted by: b0bba | January 31, 2007 at 03:03 PM
I was just looking for this song last week on iTunes. Of course, they don't have it. But then Rich came through for me! You truly are my Baby Love.
Big kiss!
Posted by: Beeboy | January 31, 2007 at 03:43 PM
Ok what confuses me here is that you like NEVER update anymore and when you do it's nothing I want to read (I'm here fro ANTM and PR recaps because you are awesome at those!)... well how is it that you DO have the time to put up a new BANNER every day?
Posted by: LJK | January 31, 2007 at 05:27 PM
I was just thinking about this song. Regina also did a very memorable commercial with McGruff the Crime Dog. The song from the commercial is burned in my brain.
Users are losers
And losers are users
So don't use drugs
Don't use drugs
If you know a user even part of the time
Tell him to quit
Take a bite out of crime
Posted by: Zan | January 31, 2007 at 05:31 PM
This reminds me of how great a parody [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=9mJAsgIIfNM]Let's Go to the mall[/url] was
Posted by: gus | January 31, 2007 at 05:32 PM
her style suggests a cross between Cyndi Lauper and Madonna with just a hint of Toni Basil
...and the dance moves of Bananarama.
Posted by: silkyjumboatl | January 31, 2007 at 06:29 PM
Ah, ok. Baby Love is where Timbaland got that damn baby sample!
Posted by: phquaryn | February 01, 2007 at 09:21 AM
I remember running to the record store asking for the new Madonna song years ago to discover it was by this chick Regina. I have the entire CD which aint so bad. For a long time this was my 80's jam but sadly she was a one hit wonder. She figured since she'd sounded like Madonaa so much she'd at least change her look (which really wasn't working). Thanks for the trip down memory lane...
Posted by: Daryl | February 01, 2007 at 12:51 PM
I still own Regina's LP on vinyl from when I was in high school. Good Baby Love times!
Posted by: Chris | February 01, 2007 at 02:30 PM
Awesome, I didn't know this existed. All I knew was the Dannii Minogue version. Thanks
Posted by: trevor | February 01, 2007 at 03:22 PM
I love that the evil sleuths in the video place a bug (with a cord) under a glass table. How incognito!
Posted by: Kath | February 01, 2007 at 05:19 PM
Okay, so I hadn't seen the entire video when I last posted. I didn't realize she actually finds the stupid bug under the glass table.
Still, worse sleuthing ever.
Posted by: Kath | February 01, 2007 at 05:25 PM
I always loved this song, and thanks so much for the extended mix. Regina should have been huge! Well, ok, maybe not huge -- but she should have at least charted again. That would have been nice.
Daryl, I can't find her cd anywhere, I've been searching for years. It's so impossibly rare.... :(
Posted by: JH | February 01, 2007 at 05:40 PM
Haha!
Two Things:
1) That outfit she was wearing in the club was VERY Janet Jackson from "What Have You Done For Me Lately."
2) When did men in the 80s EVER get it in their head that severe makeup was cool or acceptable?!? The blush on her producer's cheek was ridiculous.
Posted by: Brandon H | February 01, 2007 at 08:50 PM
Are you familiar with the Dannii Minogue version from "Love and Kisses," her debut album? It's actually much better than the original, IMHO.
Posted by: Jerome | February 01, 2007 at 10:35 PM
Is that the dad from Ugly Betty in the video?
Posted by: Allie | February 01, 2007 at 11:04 PM
when i was a child, hearing this on the radio in the 80s, i was convinced it was madonna. i even argued that it was her working under a fake name ala Prince=Christopher. then the video came out. it brings up sad memories of learning that being a know-it-all doesn't work when you dont know it all.
Posted by: Pop Muse | February 02, 2007 at 06:06 PM
does anybody...ANYBODY...have the full length Regina album in CD or MP3 format? i'd die for it. i've been looking since, like, 1992! seriously!
rich: i worship you.
Posted by: david | February 02, 2007 at 06:12 PM
I remember this song... and until now, didn't realize it wasn't Madonna.
Should have known it wasn't her... she has better technique although their voices sound really similar in that era... yanno, since Madonna doesn't sing straight through her nose anymore preferring a richer, huskier sound... Well, she just sounds better than she did that Madonna.
Too bad I'm not interested in her anymore.
Posted by: Ergane | February 05, 2007 at 06:49 PM
I just found the McGruff/Regina commercial. I just creamed my jeans. This is divine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8sag6qcHnQ
Posted by: Zan | February 06, 2007 at 12:15 AM
The long days of me only associating this song with the bland yet fun Dannii Minouge are over. I still pump the steve silk hurley remix of this song at least once while driving to school. Rich, you are truly awesome.
Posted by: Marcus | February 07, 2007 at 01:24 PM
Thanks for posting the MP3! I've been rocking it hard and often all week.
I'm still amazed how her voice and the beats so sound like Madonna. Bizarro Madonna.
That video is something else man!! The orange eye shadow, huge shoulder pads, comically over sized "spy" cameras. How redic.
Posted by: Mango | February 08, 2007 at 12:51 PM
OH MY GOD. I EFFING LOVE YOU. I have been searching for this song for months! You rock, whoever you are.
Posted by: Freestylee | April 30, 2007 at 11:42 PM
You have no idea how long i have been searching for this song - this has made my year!!!!!!!! Thank you so much. Regina really should have made it in the business.
Posted by: Michelle | November 05, 2007 at 12:48 AM