VinylRip Disco-Funk, Jul 22, 2014
Skyy - Skyyport
Vinyl -LP - Track - A4
1980
Disco
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the African American Disco band Skyys' 1980 song that very likely influenced the creation of the historically Black Greek letter fraternity Omega Psi Phi' Inc's song "We Don't Need No Music". *
Information about Skyys is included in this post along with a sound file of "No Music", some lyrics for that record, and a few comments about that record.
This pancocojams post also features several YouTube videos of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's song "We Don't Need No Music" and includes a few comments about these showcased videos as well as the words to that song.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and entertainment purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who were associated with the composition of Skyys' "No Music" song and thanks to all those who were associated with the composition of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc's "We Don't Need No Music" song. Thanks to all members of Sky and thanks to all members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity who are featured in these showcased videos. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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*This is my speculation based one the fact that the words "We don't need no music" and the tunes for each song are the same.
If you know when this Omega Psi Phi Fraternity song was first sung, please share that information in the comment section below. Thanks!
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INFORMATION ABOUT SKYY
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyy_(band)
"Skyy (also known as New York Skyy)[1] was an American
R&B/funk/disco band based in New York City.[2] They are perhaps best known
for their 1981 hit, "Call Me", as well as their 1989
"comeback" hits, "Start of a Romance" and "Real
Love".[3]
Skyy was formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1977.[2] The
original line-up consisted of sisters Denise, Delores, and Bonny Dunning as
vocalists, with guitarists Solomon Roberts and Anibal Anthony Sierra,
keyboardist Larry Greenberg, bassist Gerald Lebon, and drummer Tommy
McConnell.[2][3] In 1978 the band was signed to Salsoul Records, releasing
their debut album the following year.[2]
After several albums that yielded moderate hits on the R&B charts, the group crossed over to the US pop charts with the release of the Skyy Line album in late 1981. Featured on this album was the single "Call Me" which reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts[4] and was their first number 1 on the R&B charts.[5] The album was later certified Gold by the RIAA.[6] The band continued to record for the Salsoul label through to the release of their 1984 Inner City album.[7]
In the mid-1980s, the band signed with Capitol Records and
released their next album, From the Left Side in 1986. Apart from the top ten
R&B single, "Givin' It (to You)", the album saw limited success,
and the group left Capitol soon thereafter.[3][8]
In 1989, after signing to Atlantic Records, Skyy launched a comeback with the release of their Start of a Romance album.[3] This release yielded two number one R&B singles, "Start of a Romance" and "Real Love".[4] "Real Love" also became the group's second and final crossover pop hit peaking at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1990.[4] By the release of the Nearer to You album in 1992, the hits were less successful, and the band has not released a new studio album since then.[9]
The sisters have performed consistently since then. In 2007
they attempted to beat a Guinness World Record for the largest kazoo band at
the Summerstage Concert Series in Harlem USA, singing their song
Skyyzoo.[10][11]”…
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Here's an excerpt about a 2007 article about Skyy'z attempt to beat a world record for the largest kazoo band:
From https://www.vaildaily.com/news/attempt-to-set-kazoo-record-falls-short/ "Attempt to set kazoo record falls short" News NEWS | Aug 3, 2007, Samantha Gross, Vail, CO Colorado
"NEW YORK ” Members of a 1980s funk and disco group hit a
sour note in their attempt to break the world record for the largest kazoo
ensemble, falling short of the some 2,600 impromptu musicians needed.
Organizers were hoping to sign up 3,000 impromptu players for the evening attempt in Harlem, which was led by the female vocalists of Skyy. Their 1980 song “Skyyzoo” featured the sound of kazoos being played for some gentle backup.
That backup still managed to get louder on Thursday, with
more than 2,000 amateur musicians turning out for the concert."...
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9JDRdCsZfI for another Skyy record entitled "Skyzoo".
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PARTIAL LYRICS FOR SKYY'S "NO MUSIC" RECORD
"We don't need no music cause all we wanna do is sing and
dance and party down and play our skyzoo!"
Online source: https://www.facebook.com › wefunkradio ; also from listening to the YouTube sound file.
"Skyzoo" is a made up word that combines the music group's name and the name of the "kazoo" musical instrument that is played in that record.
-snip-
Here are two comments about Skyy's 1980s Disco song "No Music", with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1.Renaissance Republic, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BNx1YIBvfQ
"Our biggest Roller skating Arena called the " Roller Palace" use to Kill this Jam. Anybody with serious skills were the only ones that were allowed to groove to this jam or you would get seriously injured. these cats were the original Fast & Furious on skates. the dj use to extended it to about !5 minutes cuz the floor was on Fire ! Thank You Skyy ... you can call me anytime ! Lol
**
2.michael myles, 2021,
"This was a party starter for real for real I remember
bringing a kuzoo to the club waiting on this jam to play. Lol great times"
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF OMEGA PSI PHI'S SONG "WE DON'T NEED NO MUSIC"
SHOWCASE #1 - We don't need no music
Roderick Grays, Apr 10, 2016
Que Ran 2012 The Ace Dawg of the 10th
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SHOWCASE #2 - IZ Ques-We Don't Need No Music
IZ Ques, Nov 2, 2013
Iota Zeta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi
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SHOWCASE #3 -Eta Psi of Omega Psi Phi - We Don't Need No Music
Darrel Jones,Jun 12, 2017
At Keenan and April Toure's Wedding
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The Ques sung "tired ole train" instead of "tired ass train" out of respect for the bride and groom and the guests at that Ques' wedding reception.
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LYRICS FOR OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY'S SONG"WE DON'T NEED NO MUSIC"
[as performed by Que Ran 2012 The Ace Dawg of the 10th, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chFsnt8QY6Y]
[sung] We don’t need no music
No we don’t
Because our voices are our trumpet
And our boots are our drums
We don’t need no music
And we don’t need no canes
And we don’t need no tired ass train
To be an Omega man
[spoken] So break it down now [Continues singing these words while doing an
Omega hop routine]
[sung] We don’t need no music
And we don’t need no canes
And we don’t need no tired ass train
To be an Omega man
[spoken] So get funky now [Continues singing these words while doing an even funkier Omega hop routine.]
[sung] We don’t need no music
And we don’t need no canes
And we don’t need no tired ass train
To be an Omega man
[ends with exclaiming “Que!” while another member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is heard barking [Saying the signature RQQ
call of Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity Inc.
That sound is also heard in other parts of this video.
- [transcription by Azizi Powell from that YouTube video; Additions and corrections are welcome. ]
-snip-
Here's my guess about the meanings of these lyrics:
"We don't need no music" refers to Omegas not needing recorded music to perform their hops (bops).
"We don't need no canes" refers to either the historically Black Greek letter fraternities Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc, or Kappa Alpha Psi. Inc. or both. Both of these fraternities traditionally step with canes (kanes).
"We don't need no tired ass train" probably refers to the historically Black Greek letter fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. who are known for their "Alpha train" step.
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