Stumbling Across the Awesome! - The Best of Soul Train

"...and then Soul Train comes on and then you know it's all over."
-Margaret Cho

I was flipping through channels at halftime of the Ohio State-Memphis State game over the weekend when I caught a glimpse of Soul Train. I had no idea the show was still on so I let it linger. As I listened, I realized it wasn't the latest piece of R and B crap they were grooving too, but it was Jodi Whatley's "Don't You Want Me". Then it hit me. This isn't just Soul Train...it's Soul Train from 20 years ago!

People all over the world...the SOUL TRAIN! Yes, I did actually do the Soul Train call. If you didn't at least think it when you saw the graphic, get out! You're not allowed to read Tortilla Chips and Milk anymore. I mean it LEAVE! Don't click the read more linky!

No come back! I'm sorry. I didn't mean it reader, you know it's just sometimes I get frustated and scared when people don't understand what Don Cornelius means to me...


Okay, I'm placing this show some time around 1987, which was smack dab in the middle of the deadspot in pop culture between the death of breakdancing and right before rap went mainstream. So yeah, fashionwise, everything was kind of a mess. Plus, I'm pretty sure that this was taped in LA and styles back then were more regionalized than they are now. Therefore, the style equation for this blog is Los Angeles + 1987= Pretty fucked up. The only thing you could count on was the hair. Yep, 1987 was THE Jheri Curls heydey!



I'd hate to be next to this guy and get splattered with activator.


I love the look on the girl. "Holy Shit! It's Ricardo Tubbs...from three years ago"


The distinctive hair also carried over to the women...ALL women back then rocked the Aqua Net Big Ass Hair!


It was the late 80's it was all about, big, shiny, and loud...


Who can forget that awesome "Evil Pappa Smurf Craze" that swept the nation? EPS was the BOMB, yo! Ah, fake good times.


Okay. Admittedly, even back then, Soul Train was kind of a joke. I don't remember ever looking to Soul Train for inspiration for style tips. I mean I had Bon Jovi for that. The only reason I ever watched Soul Train was for the music. Back then it was one of the few places rappers would make live appeariances. I loved every lipsynched moment. This week they have one of my favorites: WHODINI!


I can remember back in the day when I was kickin it, sippin on my 40oz. of fermented Capri Sun, before me and my homeboys would go out and get hassled by the Pinkertons, we'd chill and watch Fat Boys and Whodini videos on "Nick Rocks" on Nickelodeon. Word, yo! We wuz hardcore back then. 'Cause that's how the suburban lower case "g" rolls, sucka! I probably knew only ten rappers back then and Whodini was known as "Fool! I already told you they don't sing Roxanne, Roxanne"

Whodini had the classics "Friends", "I'ma Ho" and "The Freaks Come Out at Night". Unfortunately, they didn't perform any of those songs. So ef that here's "Freaks Come Out at Night" where you can catch a young RUN DMC and see an MC rock it hard even a leather jacket, no shirt, and white shorts.



Sadly, The Best of Soul Train is abridged into only a half hour show, so there was no Soul Train Scramble Board. Still the show ended with the one and only Soul Train Dance Line! There should always be a Soul Train Dance Line at any club. Always. Seriously yo! I shit you not my readers, this week's edition of the dance line was set to "So Emotional" by Whitney Houston. So plug that into your head and enjoy!



If you think that that the little sluts of today dress like ho's, keep in mind this is 20 years ago! Still, I miss those hats. Yes, I'm thinking of you right now Debbie Gibson.


Dang, just when I thought the biker shorts days were the greatest thing ever. Sigh


Dance battle! They weren't just for bubble gum acts...


She's got a rockin' neck for a chick!


What pair of kicks should I buy? Nike or Asics? Nike has Michael Jordan, but Asics has these guys...


Mammas don't let your babies grow up to be gay, black, cowboys


Seriously, I got nothing more to say about this one...


The dance line was also a prayer line. "Please free me from the curse of giant moths!"


That's it for now. Until the next time I'm watching non-sports TV on a Saturday afternoon, PEACE, LOVE and SOUL!!!!

soul train