While there is more than 1 reason I type the tag line I ❤️ NY, the most important reason is to highlight its global impact. Many, many shows when traced back as you do, have deep roots in NYC. I could talk about that for months, but that’s all for now. Remember, I ❤️ NY, I ❤️ NJ2. That’s right, New Jersey, while the geography isn’t technically the same, I lived there also, Jersey City to be exact, is the same as NYC.
NYC is at the centre of most of the songs I write about, Donald. The city has — and had — a unique position as the epicentre. Without NYC, dance music today would probably be completely different. So yes, I wholeheartedly share your I ❤️ NY!
This is fantastic Pé! I’ve been looking forward to this one for a long time. My older sister had this album in 1983. As I was preparing myself for the rite of passage that was my first high school dance, this was the album we listened to when she taught me how to dance.
I have such a vivid recollection of bustin a move in my bedroom to “Let the Music Play” and “Give Me Tonight”. Although I’ve never been a great dancer, the moves I learned served me well on the high school dance circuit when none of my young peers had any clue what the hell they were doing 😆
It’s also a reminder of how different school customs were between Europe and the UK/US. I’ve always had the impression that school dances on our side of the Atlantic were a bit less formal. The kind of partner dancing where you were expected to know actual steps (mainly to avoid standing on your partner’s toes) really belonged to our parents’ generation.
I remember my mother trying to teach me the basic steps — and giving up fairly quickly 😂 I was a hopeless case. That didn’t stop me from moving across the dancefloor, though. And I still count myself lucky that smartphone cameras didn’t exist back then 😂
Thanks for reading and reacting, Mark — and have a great start to the week!
Our dances were extremely informal and the early dances mostly consisted of the boys sitting on one side while the girls sat on the other. Then some of the guys and girls started to learn some dance moves and got the courage up to actually put those moves into practice.
After a couple years of dances the roles of the adult chaperones suddenly became important. Where you’d struggle to get the kids to even dance together at 13, by the time we were 15 the guys and girls could hardly be dragged off each other!!
😂 😂
I too am extremely lucky that smartphone cameras didn’t exist back then!!
Loved this! I learn so much with every article you write, and this is no exception. I listened to your wonderful voice-over while cleaning the house; the perfect accompaniment!🧹
The tone deafness and misogyny of the record industry, especially during the 70s and 80s, will never tire of sad stories like Shannon's. And although I don't understand your math, congrats on 200 and 100 and 199 episodes! That must be European metric math...:)
Latin Freestyle never crossed over here in the UK, so I've always regarded Let The Music Play as more of a dance-pop track in the vein of early Madonna. I actually prefer Give Me Tonight which is even more dramatic, but both are superb. Interesting to learn of the industry background, although depressing that it's yet another dance music story ending with the artist getting ripped off.
An all-time favourite. Growing up in Houston, freestyle filtered to us most likely via Miami, along with Miami Bass. It's a song I remember from later in the 80s though. So I wonder if local DJs had brought it back, or if it just had a lasting effect—I remember someone I knew in Hawaii had a cassette of a whole Shannon album in their car (but may have brought that with them from Alaska).
Definitely an enduring tune—a few years back I made a Miami Bass youtube playlist for a friend and had to include it, along with Shavonne—So Tell Me, Tell Me, another great Freestyle / Italo banger with connection to NY, Canada and Italy, as far as I remember.
There are two distinct periods in the history of ’80s freestyle, Jamie. Artists like Shannon and Lisa Lisa were breaking through in the early part of the decade, while the bulk of the freestyle hits we all know arrived in the second half. 1987–88 is a particularly important period.
In that later phase, Miami played a key role, and I can easily imagine DJs working the big hits from the first period into their sets. I didn’t know the Shavonne track, but it’s yet another reminder of the lasting influence Latin freestyle has had — and still has — on dance music. Superb song, by the way.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Jamie. Wishing you a great weekend!
The way regionality plays a role in dance music is so fascinating to me, until I read this I didn't realize how early in the 80s this song had appeared. I'd only known it from that later era. Also, that Shavonne link is actually a re-release, it was originally released in 1989. But the fact it was re-released in 2017, shows you're right about that effect.
What a great deep dive, Pe! It's fascinating to see, time and time again, all the twists, turns and hoops artists and producers have to go through in order to, first, "make" it, in whatever form it may take, and then, try to keep the momentum going. Your thoughtful and wise contextualisation, particularly when it comes to record label politics, is always so informative and educational. Thanks for shedding light on this gem!
Thank you, Andy — always a pleasure to read your reactions. It’s especially good to know your readers took away exactly what you hoped they would. Thanks so much for reading, reacting, and sharing. Wishing you a great weekend!
As someone born after the '80s, I discovered Shannon and this song on such a whim. I was at a record store in 2017 or so browsing the used CDs, and I saw the 'Let the Music Play' album. I'd never heard of this Shannon artist - and I have a close friend named Shannon, so i just had to buy this CD for him as a silly birthday gift despite knowing nothing about the music.
I didn't have a CD player at the time, so I forgot to listen to any of Shannon's music until going into a bit of a "dance classics" rabbit hole shortly after the Covid lockdowns, and that's how I actually first heard "Let the Music Play" (the song), and it's exactly what I want from my dance bangers. It's so deeply '80s, it's so deeply pop, the synth and vocal interplay is euphoric, the groove is endless. I was so excited to watch you cover this, Pe!
Thanks, Max. Such a great story about how you discovered Shannon and this track — and real proof of its lasting quality. Good songs stay relevant. Did the “real” Shannon ever tell you what he thought about the music? 😁
Thanks for reading and reacting, Max. Have a great weekend!
Thank you for the in-depth story about Shannon. I always loved her music and danced to it every chance I got. It’s funny that you mentioned the Funhouse, which I frequented often. It is sad how so many artists were exploited in the past and how it’s still occurring today. Again, thanks for all your hard work.
I would’ve loved to have been at the Funhouse, Marta. Jellybean is one of the great remixers, and I can only imagine how good he was as a DJ. Then again, I always say that if time travel ever becomes possible, I’ll head straight to late-’70s New York and stay there for a few years 😂 I might not have survived it, but at least I would’ve been able to see and hear the people I write about and admire so much.
So yes, I’m a little jealous 😁 And I completely agree with you about the exploitation stories — sad reminders that the dance music scene was no different from the rest of the music industry: a few winners, plenty of losers, and very little in between.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Marta. Have a great weekend!
So many great times in the clubs with this song! Don't know if you've ever heard it but former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks incorporated it into a song she released in 2009 called S.O.S. I loved it and put it in my Top Ten that year! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWE0vdJeNbU
I didn’t know this cover, Dan. I don’t think Jordin ever really made it across the Atlantic. I was listening to a lot of new music at the time, so I’m sure I would’ve noticed — especially since they use the chorus from the original. It has a completely different feel, which really proves the power of the original.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan. Have a great weekend!
16yo at the time in 1984, I bought 'Let the Music Play' LP on pirate cassette in Saudi where my parents worked at the time and I was there on school holidays. This one was seldom out of the deck, competing with the Pointer Sisters that summer. 'Sweet Somebody' was another ace track from that album. It was indeed sad that such a talent quit so early and left the business prematurely. Once again, you illustrate the injustice of royalties in USA. In UK, the performing rights society sends you a cheque every month for every radio play and TV appearance.
I’m with you on Sweet Somebody — along with the second single, it’s my favourite track on Shannon’s debut album. And you’re absolutely right about the difference between the US and Europe when it comes to royalties. Neighbouring rights make a big difference; in many cases, they’re actually the largest cheque artists receive these days.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Cameron. Hope you have a great weekend!
Haha — I had to look up WGPR. As a European, I’m not always familiar with the key US (dance) stations, and those call-letter names are a bit unusual for us. I had a looooooot of trouble pronouncing one of them in the read-out version of this week’s episode 😂
WGPR was a Detroit station, right? Did it have a dance-music format, or was it more Top 40?
Any video footage left of your performances, Ellen? 😁 I’m sure you did great. Reading stories of artists being taken for granted is always sad — and as I’ve written before, we can’t repeat this enough. It’s also part of the story of (dance) music: a cut-throat world with a few winners, a lot of losers, and not much in between.
At one time I had some video but have no idea what happened to it. But we don't need video of me when we have that impressive photo of you. Wish I'd been able to do that!
Great pice, Pe. Even though I wasn't much into dance music at the time, I couldn't resist "Let The Music Play" when it was released, and hearing it now always brings back wonderful memories from my senior year of high school. And congrats on reaching your 100/200 milestones!
Shannon was everywhere in New York in the mid-80s when I was a kid; I'm always tender for Freestyle records. The other leading light at the time was Noel, with 'Silent Morning.'
Yes, Noel will definitely get an episode — if only because it’s one of those tracks that was huge in the US but never really crossed the Atlantic. And I’m the same, Jonathan — I can’t resist the pull of freestyle 😁
Thanks for reading and reacting. Have a great weekend!
I ❤️ NY
Thanks for reading & reacting Donald. Wishing you a relaxing weekend!
While there is more than 1 reason I type the tag line I ❤️ NY, the most important reason is to highlight its global impact. Many, many shows when traced back as you do, have deep roots in NYC. I could talk about that for months, but that’s all for now. Remember, I ❤️ NY, I ❤️ NJ2. That’s right, New Jersey, while the geography isn’t technically the same, I lived there also, Jersey City to be exact, is the same as NYC.
NYC is at the centre of most of the songs I write about, Donald. The city has — and had — a unique position as the epicentre. Without NYC, dance music today would probably be completely different. So yes, I wholeheartedly share your I ❤️ NY!
My man
This is fantastic Pé! I’ve been looking forward to this one for a long time. My older sister had this album in 1983. As I was preparing myself for the rite of passage that was my first high school dance, this was the album we listened to when she taught me how to dance.
I have such a vivid recollection of bustin a move in my bedroom to “Let the Music Play” and “Give Me Tonight”. Although I’ve never been a great dancer, the moves I learned served me well on the high school dance circuit when none of my young peers had any clue what the hell they were doing 😆
Haha — such a great story, Mark!
It’s also a reminder of how different school customs were between Europe and the UK/US. I’ve always had the impression that school dances on our side of the Atlantic were a bit less formal. The kind of partner dancing where you were expected to know actual steps (mainly to avoid standing on your partner’s toes) really belonged to our parents’ generation.
I remember my mother trying to teach me the basic steps — and giving up fairly quickly 😂 I was a hopeless case. That didn’t stop me from moving across the dancefloor, though. And I still count myself lucky that smartphone cameras didn’t exist back then 😂
Thanks for reading and reacting, Mark — and have a great start to the week!
Our dances were extremely informal and the early dances mostly consisted of the boys sitting on one side while the girls sat on the other. Then some of the guys and girls started to learn some dance moves and got the courage up to actually put those moves into practice.
After a couple years of dances the roles of the adult chaperones suddenly became important. Where you’d struggle to get the kids to even dance together at 13, by the time we were 15 the guys and girls could hardly be dragged off each other!!
😂 😂
I too am extremely lucky that smartphone cameras didn’t exist back then!!
Loved this! I learn so much with every article you write, and this is no exception. I listened to your wonderful voice-over while cleaning the house; the perfect accompaniment!🧹
The tone deafness and misogyny of the record industry, especially during the 70s and 80s, will never tire of sad stories like Shannon's. And although I don't understand your math, congrats on 200 and 100 and 199 episodes! That must be European metric math...:)
haha.. thanks Steve! Have a great weekend!
Latin Freestyle never crossed over here in the UK, so I've always regarded Let The Music Play as more of a dance-pop track in the vein of early Madonna. I actually prefer Give Me Tonight which is even more dramatic, but both are superb. Interesting to learn of the industry background, although depressing that it's yet another dance music story ending with the artist getting ripped off.
Not in continental Europe either, Paul. I agree about “Give Me Tonight.” Thanks for reading and reacting — have a great weekend!
An all-time favourite. Growing up in Houston, freestyle filtered to us most likely via Miami, along with Miami Bass. It's a song I remember from later in the 80s though. So I wonder if local DJs had brought it back, or if it just had a lasting effect—I remember someone I knew in Hawaii had a cassette of a whole Shannon album in their car (but may have brought that with them from Alaska).
Definitely an enduring tune—a few years back I made a Miami Bass youtube playlist for a friend and had to include it, along with Shavonne—So Tell Me, Tell Me, another great Freestyle / Italo banger with connection to NY, Canada and Italy, as far as I remember.
https://youtu.be/3cyFj-ketD0?si=JHCe8ZQ4ehALfytl
There are two distinct periods in the history of ’80s freestyle, Jamie. Artists like Shannon and Lisa Lisa were breaking through in the early part of the decade, while the bulk of the freestyle hits we all know arrived in the second half. 1987–88 is a particularly important period.
In that later phase, Miami played a key role, and I can easily imagine DJs working the big hits from the first period into their sets. I didn’t know the Shavonne track, but it’s yet another reminder of the lasting influence Latin freestyle has had — and still has — on dance music. Superb song, by the way.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Jamie. Wishing you a great weekend!
The way regionality plays a role in dance music is so fascinating to me, until I read this I didn't realize how early in the 80s this song had appeared. I'd only known it from that later era. Also, that Shavonne link is actually a re-release, it was originally released in 1989. But the fact it was re-released in 2017, shows you're right about that effect.
What a great deep dive, Pe! It's fascinating to see, time and time again, all the twists, turns and hoops artists and producers have to go through in order to, first, "make" it, in whatever form it may take, and then, try to keep the momentum going. Your thoughtful and wise contextualisation, particularly when it comes to record label politics, is always so informative and educational. Thanks for shedding light on this gem!
Thank you, Andy — always a pleasure to read your reactions. It’s especially good to know your readers took away exactly what you hoped they would. Thanks so much for reading, reacting, and sharing. Wishing you a great weekend!
As someone born after the '80s, I discovered Shannon and this song on such a whim. I was at a record store in 2017 or so browsing the used CDs, and I saw the 'Let the Music Play' album. I'd never heard of this Shannon artist - and I have a close friend named Shannon, so i just had to buy this CD for him as a silly birthday gift despite knowing nothing about the music.
I didn't have a CD player at the time, so I forgot to listen to any of Shannon's music until going into a bit of a "dance classics" rabbit hole shortly after the Covid lockdowns, and that's how I actually first heard "Let the Music Play" (the song), and it's exactly what I want from my dance bangers. It's so deeply '80s, it's so deeply pop, the synth and vocal interplay is euphoric, the groove is endless. I was so excited to watch you cover this, Pe!
Thanks, Max. Such a great story about how you discovered Shannon and this track — and real proof of its lasting quality. Good songs stay relevant. Did the “real” Shannon ever tell you what he thought about the music? 😁
Thanks for reading and reacting, Max. Have a great weekend!
The next time i see him i’ll have to ask!
Thank you for the in-depth story about Shannon. I always loved her music and danced to it every chance I got. It’s funny that you mentioned the Funhouse, which I frequented often. It is sad how so many artists were exploited in the past and how it’s still occurring today. Again, thanks for all your hard work.
I would’ve loved to have been at the Funhouse, Marta. Jellybean is one of the great remixers, and I can only imagine how good he was as a DJ. Then again, I always say that if time travel ever becomes possible, I’ll head straight to late-’70s New York and stay there for a few years 😂 I might not have survived it, but at least I would’ve been able to see and hear the people I write about and admire so much.
So yes, I’m a little jealous 😁 And I completely agree with you about the exploitation stories — sad reminders that the dance music scene was no different from the rest of the music industry: a few winners, plenty of losers, and very little in between.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Marta. Have a great weekend!
You certainly would have survived the era, and it would have been a true pleasure to dance with you.😊
So many great times in the clubs with this song! Don't know if you've ever heard it but former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks incorporated it into a song she released in 2009 called S.O.S. I loved it and put it in my Top Ten that year! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWE0vdJeNbU
I didn’t know this cover, Dan. I don’t think Jordin ever really made it across the Atlantic. I was listening to a lot of new music at the time, so I’m sure I would’ve noticed — especially since they use the chorus from the original. It has a completely different feel, which really proves the power of the original.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan. Have a great weekend!
16yo at the time in 1984, I bought 'Let the Music Play' LP on pirate cassette in Saudi where my parents worked at the time and I was there on school holidays. This one was seldom out of the deck, competing with the Pointer Sisters that summer. 'Sweet Somebody' was another ace track from that album. It was indeed sad that such a talent quit so early and left the business prematurely. Once again, you illustrate the injustice of royalties in USA. In UK, the performing rights society sends you a cheque every month for every radio play and TV appearance.
I’m with you on Sweet Somebody — along with the second single, it’s my favourite track on Shannon’s debut album. And you’re absolutely right about the difference between the US and Europe when it comes to royalties. Neighbouring rights make a big difference; in many cases, they’re actually the largest cheque artists receive these days.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Cameron. Hope you have a great weekend!
I think I remember hearing this one for the first time on WGPR / Mojo. It’s a jam.
Haha — I had to look up WGPR. As a European, I’m not always familiar with the key US (dance) stations, and those call-letter names are a bit unusual for us. I had a looooooot of trouble pronouncing one of them in the read-out version of this week’s episode 😂
WGPR was a Detroit station, right? Did it have a dance-music format, or was it more Top 40?
Thanks for reading and reacting, dzic!
Great piece, Pe. I used to Latin dance to Let the Music Play at a local ballroom, such a great dance tune.
Thanks for advocating for fair pay for artists. It's absolutely criminal that Shannon got such little money for all those hits.
Any video footage left of your performances, Ellen? 😁 I’m sure you did great. Reading stories of artists being taken for granted is always sad — and as I’ve written before, we can’t repeat this enough. It’s also part of the story of (dance) music: a cut-throat world with a few winners, a lot of losers, and not much in between.
At one time I had some video but have no idea what happened to it. But we don't need video of me when we have that impressive photo of you. Wish I'd been able to do that!
You’re far too kind! 😂
Great pice, Pe. Even though I wasn't much into dance music at the time, I couldn't resist "Let The Music Play" when it was released, and hearing it now always brings back wonderful memories from my senior year of high school. And congrats on reaching your 100/200 milestones!
Thanks Dan. I really appreciate it. Thanks for reading & reacting. Have a great weekend!
Thank you - you, too!
Shannon was everywhere in New York in the mid-80s when I was a kid; I'm always tender for Freestyle records. The other leading light at the time was Noel, with 'Silent Morning.'
Yes, Noel will definitely get an episode — if only because it’s one of those tracks that was huge in the US but never really crossed the Atlantic. And I’m the same, Jonathan — I can’t resist the pull of freestyle 😁
Thanks for reading and reacting. Have a great weekend!