She was born in September of '69.
Heigh Ho, dear lovely rainbow tribe, welcome back to Bobby's CD sandbox where we offer our broken-down breakdowns of new music releases. So, strap in and get ready, as Bobby goes on the record ABOUT the record.
This week's album entry in the BobbyFiles comes from Broadway's own Billy KINKY BOOTS Porter, who released a single this week - BABY WAS A DANCER... and was she ever. This callout to disco dance beats of old, where rhythms made you move and words told a story, is penned by Porter himself, and his performance of the song is absolutely first-rate. Billy Porter has seen a lot in his years on our stages, since his first trip to The Broadway in Miss Saigon, but his voice is still youthful sounding and as powerful as ever. This brand-new song by the multiple-award-winning singing actor (and songwriter!) is telling the story of survival, and to totally hot danceable beats. and survival has always been a universal theme in dance music, doncha know. As far as Porter's lyrics go, they are simple but powerful poetry, personal to Billy, since he is, obviously, the "Baby" in this story. "She was born in September of '69" (Porter's birth month and year) and, in the chorus, Porter proclaims that "Every preacher told her she's a sinner 'Cause she moved ahead of her time." This is clearly a call-out to his own upbringing in a very religious Pentecostal family. It's all about a young person who must, ultimately, persevere against the nay-sayers and those calling her a sinner. And then there is the song's prophetic bridge - "She was prepared for a life that would never be easy But no one could stop her from dancing all over the ceiling" This, my rainbow children, IS Billy Porter.
The music is filled with driving rhythms that cry out for mixing on the nightlife dance floor - a disco anthem for today that is equal parts mainstream pop, and soul/R&B blended beautifully all together. Porter defies the trope that there are only dance "divas" and pushes out ahead (like Baby), making space for a dance DIVO. This song is happy, uplifting, and life-affirming, and, these days, that's something we all can use, especially from a rainbow-clad, fierce and stylish, loud and proud performer like Porter. La Billy is preparing to hit the road with his BLACK MONA LISA tour that will kick off at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle on April 29, and this MWAHVELOUS number will be one of the jewels in his musical tiara. Check his tour dates (see links below) so you can see and hear Lola herself perform this and many other hot numbers, and we say this because BABY WAS A DANCER has gotten this writer fired up, my children, and we give this hot, sexy single our rousing...
5 Out Of 5 Rainbows. Put this in your queue today and be prepared to DANCE!
Check It Out On Your Spotifies: HERE
Check Tour Dates for Billy Porter's Black Mona Lisa Tour (Volume One): HERE
Find Out About All Things Billy: HERE
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