FYI - over this weekend, VH1 aired a 90-minute documentary on Soul Train, The Hippest Trip in the Land (or something like that). Really great look at what was a VERY important show back in the day - it was the best way to catch up on the latest African-American music, dances and (using the term loosely) fashion.
I am sure they will broadcast it a few dozen times in the next few weeks - I highly recommend it.
And, towards the end, there are a few clips of Rosie Perez when she was a Soul Train dancer* - good lord, she was fierce; her bit at the beginning of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing was just a teaser.
*many of the ST dancers are shown and mentioned throughout…
In addition to that, one of the cable networks has been showing early 1970s “Soul Train” reruns. Speaking of which, I’ve actually spotted Rerun (Fred Berry) as a dancer in at least one of them.
Too funny - as a kid, I called that “Johnny Quest time” because JQ was the last cartoon that came on right before ST. It was bittersweet because I love me some Johnny Quest but also knew it signalled the end of Saturday-morning-cartoon goodness…
…BUT: judging by some of the dancers’ outfits shown in the documentary, there clearly was some cartooning going on!
Sweet. Hope it comes on again. I’m a bit young for Soul Train but I’ve been getting into older music a lot more of late, so will look out for this. Thanks!
It has clips of The Good Reverand Al Green just sexing things up beyond belief, Michael Jackson showing his Robot for Dancing Machine and the Queen of Soul doing a snippet of Rock Steady (all bow down) - you won’t be disappointed…
…well, except you don’t see enough of Barry White’s performance with a full orchestra
I do love me my Michael Jackson. I never watch VH1 enough to know when it’ll come on. Hmmm, maybe I can get one of my “contacts” with TiVo to record it for me…
