.:REVOLUTION QUEEN:.

.:MEDLEY FEATURING MARTHA WASH & IZORA RHODES:.

TODAY WE REMEMBER SYLVESTER. WE CELEBRATE HIS LIFE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE COURAGE HE DEMONSTRATED AS A PERSON OF COLOR, A GAY MALE AND AS A PERSON LIVING WITH AIDS. HE ONCE SAID "SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAKE US FEEL STRANGE. BUT THOSE FOLKS, THEY'LL JUST HAVE TO CATCH UP." TWENTY ONE YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, THOSE WORDS STILL RING TRUE. SO HERE'S TO YOU, OUR QUEEN. YOU WERE MORE THAN DISCO. YOU WERE REVOLUTION SINGING AND FOR YOU I HAVE WRITTEN A POEM:

.:My Body Strong:.

I wish I was there with you

Dancing until my eyes burned

Making me see visions of a sexy Jesus

I wish I was there witnessing gospel

Watching you give service

As your followers, parishioners watched you in awe

Trying to recognize that one thing in you

That made being a brown man in heels

So damn fuckin’ sexy and cool

Especially in an 8 inch rhinestone shoe.

I wish I was there with you

There by your side

Ready to testify that feelin’ might real

Is revolutionary in stiletto heels.

I wish I was there

Walking outside the line

At a time when insanity was contagious

When speaking the queen’s English

Meant you were listening to a great speaker

A prophet.

I hear you say to me

You are star, everybody is one

No one like you now

And there will be no one after

You gotz to be alien

Out of this damn world

Such an “X” factor

Accented with the perfect touch

Of Max Factor

You light me

And shine me

With your sequence

Your shimmy

I become intense with hunger

And unapologetic selfishness

Screaming “Give me more!”

I wish you were here

To see us bare witness

To all these bits and pieces that survive in us

Because of you

Living proof

Trust is joy

And joy is truth and only someone like you

Could have bound our harsh realities

Into glorious tunes

That send us running to the center of floor

Kicking our legs up high

Wailing our voices until strained

Dancing soaked, sweat

Wet from liberation,

My eyes full of bass

My body strong with rhythm

My hands full with my face

And my legs full with your spirit

My spirit full of affirmation

That is when I know you are here

Keepin’ it mighty real.

copyright 2009

.:REVOLUTION QUEEN:.

.:MEDLEY FEATURING MARTHA WASH & IZORA RHODES:.

TODAY WE REMEMBER SYLVESTER. WE CELEBRATE HIS LIFE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE COURAGE HE DEMONSTRATED AS A PERSON OF COLOR, A GAY MALE AND AS A PERSON LIVING WITH AIDS. HE ONCE SAID "SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAKE US FEEL STRANGE. BUT THOSE FOLKS, THEY'LL JUST HAVE TO CATCH UP." TWENTY ONE YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, THOSE WORDS STILL RING TRUE. SO HERE'S TO YOU, OUR QUEEN. YOU WERE MORE THAN DISCO. YOU WERE REVOLUTION SINGING AND FOR YOU I HAVE WRITTEN A POEM:

.:My Body Strong:.

I wish I was there with you

Dancing until my eyes burned

Making me see visions of a sexy Jesus

I wish I was there witnessing gospel

Watching you give service

As your followers, parishioners watched you in awe

Trying to recognize that one thing in you

That made being a brown man in heels

So damn fuckin’ sexy and cool

Especially in an 8 inch rhinestone shoe.

I wish I was there with you

There by your side

Ready to testify that feelin’ might real

Is revolutionary in stiletto heels.

I wish I was there

Walking outside the line

At a time when insanity was contagious

When speaking the queen’s English

Meant you were listening to a great speaker

A prophet.

I hear you say to me

You are star, everybody is one

No one like you now

And there will be no one after

You gotz to be alien

Out of this damn world

Such an “X” factor

Accented with the perfect touch

Of Max Factor

You light me

And shine me

With your sequence

Your shimmy

I become intense with hunger

And unapologetic selfishness

Screaming “Give me more!”

I wish you were here

To see us bare witness

To all these bits and pieces that survive in us

Because of you

Living proof

Trust is joy

And joy is truth and only someone like you

Could have bound our harsh realities

Into glorious tunes

That send us running to the center of floor

Kicking our legs up high

Wailing our voices until strained

Dancing soaked, sweat

Wet from liberation,

My eyes full of bass

My body strong with rhythm

My hands full with my face

And my legs full with your spirit

My spirit full of affirmation

That is when I know you are here

Keepin’ it mighty real.

copyright 2009

.:tribute to sylvester:.

imagine a pied piper with a dazzling falsetto, wearing glittery sequins, and leading the people of the nation to a place called liberation, where nothing was straitlaced or old fashioned. and everyone was welcome finally- to come as themselves. this was not a fairytale. this was real and disco sensation sylvester, whose hits included you make me feel (mighty real) and do you wanna funk was that piper, and san francisco was the kingdom where he reigned supreme. (excerpt from the joshua gamson book the fabulous sylvester.)

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in 1978 sylvester released his sophomore album steps II and set dance floors across america on fire with the now legendary tunes you make me feel (mighty real) and disco heat. produced by the god-father of hi-nrg music patrick cowley, these songs would both break the pop top 40 and reach the top of the dance charts. The album would win three billboard music awards and reach gold status making sylvester the first openly gay artists to reach this level of success. sylvester was also one of music's most electrifying performers whose live show included two tons of fun, a group that would later become the weather girls.
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in 1986 sylvester signed to warner bros. records and released mutual attraction which featured the number 1 dance tune someone like you. the tune would also garner major radio airplay on both r&b and pop stations. unfortunately, sylvester became too ill to properly promote the album. after being diagnosed with HIV, sylvester became an avid spokes person and the first african american celebrities to acknowledge the impact of AIDS in the african american community.
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on december 16, 1988 asked his mother to turn off his t.v. so that he can rest. at age 40, sylvester closed his eyes and made his transition. he lives on in the house music we hear when we dance. he lives on in the progress we have made in lgbtq communities. he lives on in the progress we have made in the fight of AIDS. he lives on because divas don't die, divas fly high above.
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in 1979 sylvester recorded a live album. one of the songs he performed was his idol patti labelle's you are my friend. his rendition moves me to tears. tears over a man i have never met. tears for a man i discovered in my teens, years after his death. i cry because his legacy taught me that i too am worth the trip to liberation. we are worth liberation.
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.:you are my friend (live):.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/528466559a2ea09d/