On Show #247, DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray go back to 1983 New York for Shannon's "Let the Music Play," the debut single that went to No. 1 on Billboard's dance chart. This issue covers the two stories behind the song: the lyrics Ann Godwin couldn't take credit for, and the hook sung by session singer Jimi Tunnell.
In this issue...
The story behind “Let the Music Play”
Shannon’s 1983 debut single hit No. 1 on Billboard’s dance chart, No. 2 R&B and No. 8 on the Hot 100. Jay Ray traces it back to “Fire and Ice,” a demo Chris Barbosa built in his Bronx bedroom on equipment his grandmother helped him buy. Then come the two stories most fans never heard: Shannon has said Ann Godwin wrote the lyrics but couldn’t take credit while signed to Motown’s publishing company, and the “let the music play” hook was sung by session singer Jimi Tunnell.
Song of the Week: Shannon, “Give Me Tonight”
The follow-up to “Let the Music Play.”
"I call it rhythm and romance because there's an ongoing theme in not just this song, but I also mentioned the follow-up song, 'Give Me Tonight.' There's this ongoing theme about these torrid romances that are happening in these songs, and there's a lot of conflict, but resolution and love, and just yearning, and you don't get that without a really greatly written song."
— DJ Sir Daniel
Rock the Vote, 1990 to 2000
With Election Day on November 3, we went back to i-D’s 2016 roundup of ten classic Rock the Vote ads, from Madonna’s flag-draped “Vogue” spot to Deee-lite. The movement grew out of the fight over censorship of explicit music, and Black artists carried much of its message: LL Cool J, Chuck D, and the 2000 Rap the Vote campaign with Russell Simmons, Queen Latifah, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Dead Prez and Mary J. Blige.
From the October 29th live show
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray went live on YouTube and Instagram to talk about Nicki Minaj at the GOP rally, Jay-Z as the 2027 Super Bowl Halftime Show performer, and Doechii’s “BOMBS.”
Read the full issue below.