Dive into the ultimate Chaka Khan playlist with DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray as they discuss Chaka Khan's Greatest Hits, according to Queue Points. In this episode, our hosts break down the jazz, funk, and hip-hop influences in Chaka's music, exploring why tracks like "I Feel For You," "Clouds," and "I Know You, I Live You" have cemented her place in music history. From her 80s anthems to soulful ballads, this episode is packed with Chaka facts, memories, and a few surprises.
What’s your favorite Chaka Khan song, and why? Let us know by leaving a video or email message here: https://qpnt.net/fanmail
Your message might end up in an episode!
Topics: #ChakaKhan #IFeelForYou #FunkMusic #RnBMusic #BlackPodcasters #BlackMusic #MusicPodcast
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Mentioned in this episode:
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00:00:16
DJ Sir Daniel: Greetings and welcome to another episode of Queue Points podcast.
00:00:20
I am DJ Sir daniel.
00:00:22
Jay Ray: And my name is Jay Ray.
00:00:23
Sometimes known by my government as Johnnie Ray Kornegay III.
00:00:26
And let me tell you something, sir.
00:00:27
Daniel, I got the air back on.
00:00:30
DJ Sir Daniel: We're going to have a very warm fall season.
00:00:33
That's right.
00:00:34
But you know, and we're going to keep it even hotter here on Queue Points podcast,
00:00:37
because we are the podcast dropping the needle on black music history.
00:00:41
And Jay Ray, speaking of the holidays, guess who's heading or
00:00:46
guess who's headlining DJ Cassidy's pass the mic live for the holidays.
00:00:53
Jay Ray: Ah, the person that we are talking about this evening.
00:00:56
DJ Sir Daniel: That's right.
00:00:57
The one and only Chaka Khan.
00:00:59
But.
00:01:00
We're talking about Chaka Khan because as of October 7th of this year, 2024,
00:01:06
I feel for you was certified platinum by the RIAA, which is the Recording
00:01:13
Industry Association of America.
00:01:16
Jay Ray: Yes.
00:01:17
DJ Sir Daniel: And it's a core.
00:01:19
Apparently I feel for you out of nowhere has surpassed 85.
00:01:24
8 million streams on Spotify.
00:01:28
So Chaka is in the zeitgeist.
00:01:31
She is, people are streaming that song and enjoying it, which is, you
00:01:35
know, I feel for you as a dope song.
00:01:37
Is that one of your favorite Chaka Chaka Khan?
00:01:40
Is that one of your favorite contracts?
00:01:42
Jay Ray: Actually, it's not one of my favorite Chaka Khan tracks.
00:01:44
It's not a bad song.
00:01:46
Um, it's just not one of my favorite Chaka Khan songs, but I
00:01:49
will say there's a lot of childhood nostalgia attached for me to that
00:01:55
DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely.
00:01:56
Jay Ray: featuring Grandmaster Melly Mel on the rap, which itself was controversial
00:02:03
because Chaka was like not into that.
00:02:07
but it actually helped that song to be in the, the hip hop
00:02:12
zeitgeist of the era of 1984.
00:02:17
So, uh, yeah, I feel for you deserves all the love that it gets.
00:02:22
And I mean, it's written by Prince.
00:02:23
I mean, come on.
00:02:25
Yes.
00:02:27
DJ Sir Daniel: cover of Prince's song.
00:02:29
And, um, yeah, she hates, I think she, what she really despises about the
00:02:34
song is the repetitiveness of her name.
00:02:36
Like she hated hearing her name over and over and over again.
00:02:40
But I mean, Hey, you're Chaka Khan.
00:02:42
People are going to want to say your name over and over again.
00:02:46
And so this, um, Jay Ray, this achievement actually coincides
00:02:50
with the 40th anniversary.
00:02:53
Of the album of the same name
00:02:56
Jay Ray: Yeah.
00:02:56
DJ Sir Daniel: of October 1st, I feel for you.
00:02:59
The album is 40 years old.
00:03:02
Can you believe it?
00:03:03
Jay Ray: Now, I, that, if time flies, man, and Sir Daniel, I know you'll
00:03:09
agree with me when I say this, I know we talking about, I Feel For You, but you
00:03:14
know what the jam from that record is?
00:03:17
DJ Sir Daniel: What's your jam from that record?
00:03:19
Jay Ray: is my night, baby,
00:03:22
DJ Sir Daniel: I'm going to tell you this thing, which is so funny because.
00:03:27
Well, like we always do, you and I are going to compile a list of
00:03:31
our favorite Chaka Khan records.
00:03:35
And so, you know what, since you said that first one, I'm going to go first.
00:03:39
And I'm going to tell you what my first pick for our ultimate.
00:03:43
Ladies and gentlemen, our ultimate Queue Points podcast Chaka Khan playlist.
00:03:49
My first submission, ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration, this is my night.
00:03:56
I promise you it is on my, it is on my list.
00:04:02
I love this song.
00:04:04
I have the 12 inch that, that, um, remixes a jam.
00:04:08
Why do, why do you like that song so much?
00:04:10
Jay Ray: Um, it is the melody.
00:04:15
It is, um, just the, the right combination of like early eighties production.
00:04:22
DJ Sir Daniel: Oh, yes,
00:04:23
Jay Ray: Um, and I think it's just like dope.
00:04:25
I just think it's a well-produced song and well-written song.
00:04:28
It's a party jam.
00:04:30
DJ Sir Daniel: it is a quintessential 80s jam with synthesizers and, you
00:04:35
know, and those doubled up vocals with your, um, the phrases being repeated.
00:04:41
So, you know, in 1984, that's like falls right into like a set if you
00:04:47
want to do like a freestyle set
00:04:49
Jay Ray: Mm-Hmm.
00:04:49
DJ Sir Daniel: and it just fell right in with the rest of those.
00:04:52
Dope jams from 1984.
00:04:53
So
00:04:54
Jay Ray: Yes.
00:04:55
DJ Sir Daniel: this is my night.
00:04:57
That's my first pick.
00:04:58
So Jay Ray, what is your submission?
00:05:00
What is your first submission for the ultimate Chaka Khan playlist?
00:05:04
Jay Ray: Oh my God, this is so hard.
00:05:06
So what y'all can't see is there's one, two, three, four, five, six.
00:05:10
We're not doing six.
00:05:11
We're only doing three.
00:05:12
And so my first pick for my number three actually going to be clouds.
00:05:19
So let me explain,
00:05:20
DJ Sir Daniel: Okay.
00:05:21
All right.
00:05:22
Jay Ray: how I am thinking of this.
00:05:25
I decided to approach my list from songs that I consider to be Chaka songs, so they
00:05:35
didn't necessarily have to be singles.
00:05:38
DJ Sir Daniel: Okay.
00:05:39
Jay Ray: they had to at least be like, if somebody said, I know nothing about Chaka
00:05:45
Khan, I would be like, play this, play
00:05:47
DJ Sir Daniel: Play that.
00:05:48
Yeah.
00:05:49
Jay Ray: songs.
00:05:50
So clouds is the first song that I'm going to pick.
00:05:53
So clouds, of course, written by Ashford and Simpson, who also
00:05:58
wrote Chaka songs I feel for you.
00:06:02
sorry.
00:06:03
Um, uh,
00:06:04
DJ Sir Daniel: every woman.
00:06:05
You
00:06:07
Jay Ray: It's a lot of imes.
00:06:08
Um, um, and so what I love about clouds is it has that quintessential
00:06:15
Chaka mix of jazz and dance like, uh, subdued Chaka and loud Chaka.
00:06:25
You get like all the versions of her.
00:06:27
So I tend to like Chaka songs that you get like.
00:06:29
The mix of her.
00:06:31
So clouds is like the perfect thing of that.
00:06:33
And you could play clouds in a gospel set or in a dance set and it will fit.
00:06:40
DJ Sir Daniel: know, you took the words out of my mouth because I love clouds.
00:06:44
My favorite part is the, it's gonna rain.
00:06:46
It's gonna rain.
00:06:47
I love that.
00:06:48
That is very, that's very gospel.
00:06:50
That's very, the repetition.
00:06:52
The, um, I really feel like if you.
00:06:55
Saying that outside on a clear night with the moon you could call for rain to
00:07:01
actually start pouring Um, yeah, it's it.
00:07:04
I look I don't have any faults with that pick clouds is definitely dope So
00:07:10
are you ready for my number two pick?
00:07:13
Jay Ray: two.
00:07:14
DJ Sir Daniel: All right, i'm gonna slow it down
00:07:17
Jay Ray: Okay.
00:07:17
DJ Sir Daniel: come to a very slow a halt with this one, but this song um actually
00:07:24
popped up on the Um And the clockers soundtrack as well as on epiphany,
00:07:33
which was her greatest hits album.
00:07:35
Um, it is her collaboration with what is his name?
00:07:40
The pianist.
00:07:41
Jay Ray: Bruce Hornsby.
00:07:42
DJ Sir Daniel: Bruce Hornsby.
00:07:44
It is love me still.
00:07:46
And you're probably wondering, well, you, you want to slow jam and
00:07:52
certainly there's something very beautiful and sentimental about, and
00:07:57
it's a simple song, it's a very simple song, but it's a very poignant to me.
00:08:02
Um, I love the way it was placed in the McClockers movie.
00:08:07
Um, And I just really, it just does something for me.
00:08:11
I like that song, Love Me Still.
00:08:13
So that is my second submission for Chaka Khan's Ultimate Playlist by Queue Points.
00:08:22
Yeah.
00:08:23
Yeah.
00:08:23
Yeah.
00:08:24
The Chaka Crescendo.
00:08:26
Jay Ray: what I consider to be a quintessential Chaka song lyrics by Chaka.
00:08:30
And that is, I know you, I live you once again.
00:08:34
Once again, you get of the hallmarks of Chaka.
00:08:39
You get the sweet, you get the calm, you get the jazzy, you get the, you
00:08:44
know, the thing that Chaka does.
00:08:48
the Chaka crescendo.
00:08:51
Um, and so I know you, I live you.
00:08:54
And we've talked about this before.
00:08:56
This is one of those songs that in today and forevermore, you can
00:09:01
absolutely hear at any block party, at any family picnic, It's a multi
00:09:09
generation song where people know it.
00:09:12
And Sir Daniel, you know this as a DJ, you can't not play that most
00:09:17
important part, like that bridge to the end, the people waiting for that.
00:09:23
DJ Sir Daniel: All the way I call that the flowy the flowy skirt song
00:09:26
you have to have ladies have to have on a flowy skirt and non binaries to
00:09:31
Jay Ray: Yes.
00:09:32
DJ Sir Daniel: have on a flowy skirt because you have to pick lift it up by
00:09:36
the size and you spin around to that song to I'm to I know you I live you I
00:09:41
actually I kind of knew you were going to go for that because I, I have a
00:09:45
feeling, I have a feel for your taste
00:09:47
Jay Ray: Okay.
00:09:48
DJ Sir Daniel: shotgun taste.
00:09:48
And we've had conversations about shotgun.
00:09:50
We both love that song.
00:09:52
So I'll let you have that one because that's one of my favorites as well.
00:09:55
But dope, dope pick.
00:09:57
And my, our final pick, my final pick is I'm going back to Epiphany.
00:10:05
Jay Ray: Okay,
00:10:06
DJ Sir Daniel: There was a song on there called everywhere
00:10:10
Jay Ray: baby.
00:10:10
That's the jam.
00:10:11
DJ Sir Daniel: everywhere is such a jam everywhere It was kind of has that that
00:10:16
slick dancehall feel that 90s that mid 90s dancehall feel where you can we can
00:10:22
drop it in the dancehall set and you could put it in between like any one of
00:10:25
the top shelf rhythms or And put it next to the Chaka Demus & Pliers and just
00:10:31
really go in Or start off your reggae set with that song, but it's so cool.
00:10:37
It's so it's laid back, but it's still, it's still, that beat is still
00:10:41
driving and it gives you a good, you know, a good dance hall feel,
00:10:46
but Chaka is doing her Chaka thing.
00:10:48
She starts off kind of mild and then she goes into the Chaka crescendo,
00:10:53
which I think is one of her superpowers.
00:10:55
Cause I, and I think it's something that we kind of look forward to
00:10:59
the only song that I don't think.
00:11:01
She does the Chaka crescendo where she really comes out the gate hard.
00:11:05
It's disrespectful when Mary J.
00:11:07
Blige, I don't think they come, they both come out,
00:11:10
Jay Ray: just come out.
00:11:10
Like
00:11:11
DJ Sir Daniel: they come out swinging like, ah, they come out like mad.
00:11:17
Jay Ray: yeah.
00:11:17
What, you know, that was part of, you know, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
00:11:21
Um, during that funk, this era, from what I recall, um, were, wanted Chaka.
00:11:29
to be Chaka full out.
00:11:33
And because prior to that, she had come off of that classy con, which is amazing.
00:11:39
Chaka did this jazz standards album.
00:11:42
I think it's with the London Philharmonic or whatever, because Chaka is that girl.
00:11:48
I
00:11:48
DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely.
00:11:49
Mm hmm.
00:11:59
Jay Ray: yeah, she they came out full out But so it's interesting
00:12:03
that for your number two you went with the slow jam because for my
00:12:06
quintessential Chaka song my number one now keep in mind We had a conversation
00:12:12
with the dream like two years ago.
00:12:15
I probably picked, I think I know you, I live, you was on my list for
00:12:18
that, but I think the other songs were different, which is fine.
00:12:21
Cause I got plenty of Chaka songs.
00:12:22
Like I said, I got.
00:12:24
six right here, my number one Quintessential Chaka song is actually
00:12:31
from the rufus and Chaka days and it's sweet thing so Yeah, so sweet
00:12:39
thing From a cultural standpoint is once again a multi generational song,
00:12:47
DJ Sir Daniel: For sure.
00:12:49
Jay Ray: Young folks still singing that song in
00:12:53
DJ Sir Daniel: Uh
00:12:53
Jay Ray: shows today.
00:12:55
No matter which version you play, either the Chaka version or the Mary version,
00:13:00
DJ Sir Daniel: Uh huh.
00:13:01
Jay Ray: the difference.
00:13:02
They know how to sing it either way.
00:13:05
But what's so beautiful about the Chaka version of that song is it's,
00:13:12
it's sweet and it's seventies Chaka.
00:13:17
So.
00:13:19
One of the interesting things about Chaka is her voice has changed over time.
00:13:24
It's actually gotten more Chaka.
00:13:26
I call it more Chaka.
00:13:27
It's gotten more Chaka over the years.
00:13:30
So when you listen to 70s Chaka, her, her voice is much lower.
00:13:34
Um, and now she sounds more like a horn today, even way more than she did then.
00:13:42
that was her hallmark is Chaka Khan kind of sounded like a trumpet, you
00:13:46
DJ Sir Daniel: Yes, she's a living instrument.
00:13:49
Jay Ray: She's a living instrument, but Sweet Thing, um, is a beautiful song.
00:13:55
She sings it so lovely.
00:13:57
You get a little bit of that crescendo, but it's not like, know, it's sweet.
00:14:03
DJ Sir Daniel: Yes.
00:14:04
Jay Ray: um, you can play it at any, uh, event and people are
00:14:08
going to be able to sing along.
00:14:09
And that's my quintessential number one Chaka song.
00:14:13
DJ Sir Daniel: So I think you and I have started off a really
00:14:17
dope Chaka Khan playlist.
00:14:19
And I'd like to invite our listeners.
00:14:22
If you out there, our viewers and listeners, if you want to add and
00:14:26
make submissions to, uh, Our ultimate Chaka Khan playlist, feel free.
00:14:31
As a matter of fact, in the comments below this video, please
00:14:34
go ahead and leave your submissions.
00:14:37
Let us know what you think is your, what are your favorite
00:14:40
Chaka Khan songs and why?
00:14:42
I mean, cause Chaka Khan is just, she's just one of those omnipresent.
00:14:49
People that has been in our lives since as long as we can remember,
00:14:53
Jay Ray: Yes.
00:14:54
DJ Sir Daniel: the it's the voice.
00:14:56
It's the hair.
00:14:57
It's all of those things.
00:14:59
The, the person that Aries personality.
00:15:02
And now, you know what I love now, Jay Ray is that she's turned to this earth mother.
00:15:06
Who's doling out advice so calmly while she's meditating, you
00:15:11
know, in her backyard somewhere.
00:15:13
I love that about her, but she's still singing.
00:15:16
Jay Ray: Absolutely.
00:15:17
That tiny desk.
00:15:18
Woo.
00:15:20
DJ Sir Daniel: excuse me?
00:15:22
Yes.
00:15:22
That's rutabaga that tiny desk was amazing, but Jay Ray listeners.
00:15:28
Did you all know this Chaka?
00:15:30
Her sister Taka
00:15:32
Jay Ray: Yes.
00:15:32
Yeah.
00:15:36
DJ Sir Daniel: that is being submitted for a Grammy consideration.
00:15:40
Well, they're featured on the song.
00:15:42
The artists are called a million sons and.
00:15:45
They are the featured vocalists on the song Misty blue, too.
00:15:50
If you look on, um, iTunes, whatever, there's like a hundred
00:15:53
remixes of this one particular song.
00:15:56
Jay Ray: Yeah.
00:15:56
DJ Sir Daniel: it's being submitted to the Grammys.
00:15:58
So shout out to Chaka, Taka and Mark and a million sons.
00:16:03
And here's looking, hoping that you get this Grammy nomination for the song.
00:16:08
Misty blue.
00:16:09
To
00:16:10
Jay Ray: The
00:16:10
DJ Sir Daniel: Jay Ray
00:16:11
Jay Ray: Khan.
00:16:12
DJ Sir Daniel: people love them some Chaka Khan.
00:16:15
That's right.
00:16:15
She's won quite a few
00:16:17
Jay Ray: Yeah, they
00:16:18
DJ Sir Daniel: She is they love a Chaka car So Jay Ray, um, if if the
00:16:24
listeners want to go ahead and submit their favorite Chaka Khan songs to us
00:16:29
Or just want to subscribe to the show.
00:16:32
Let them know what they need to do
00:16:33
Jay Ray: Absolutely.
00:16:34
First of all, if y'all can hear our voices, if you can see
00:16:36
our faces, thank you so much.
00:16:38
We really appreciate y'all.
00:16:39
Make sure that you subscribe wherever you are tuning in.
00:16:42
Do us a solid.
00:16:43
Tell a friend, tell a family member, tell a co worker.
00:16:46
If you love Queue Points, chances are they will love Queue Points too.
00:16:50
You can support the show.
00:16:51
You could definitely, we, we love a coffee.
00:16:54
10, 20 coffees.
00:16:57
DJ Sir Daniel: Yes, please
00:16:57
Jay Ray: that it helps to keep the lights on here in Queue Points land.
00:17:01
We'd really appreciate it.
00:17:02
And also we have a lot more content over on our Patreon.
00:17:05
Visit our website at Queue Points.
00:17:09
com because that's where you can get information on
00:17:12
completing, uh, submitting your.
00:17:15
Favorite Chaka song and why for the Um, and by the way, if you submit your
00:17:21
video, if you submit a video or some audio, it might end up in the live show.
00:17:26
So, you know, we do our Queue Points live on Thursdays.
00:17:29
So your video might end up in that show.
00:17:32
So visit the website, Queue Points.
00:17:34
com there.
00:17:35
You can, of course, participate in submitting your song, but you
00:17:38
can also, uh, read our newsletter.
00:17:40
You can sign up, uh, you can read our blog and sign up for the newsletter.
00:17:43
Rather.
00:17:44
We really appreciate y'all.
00:17:45
DJ Sir Daniel: We sure do.
00:17:46
Thank you for checking out this latest episode of Queue Points podcast.
00:17:49
As I always say in this life, you have a choice.
00:17:52
You can either pick up the needle or you can let the record play.
00:17:55
I'm DJ Sir Daniel,
00:17:57
Jay Ray: My name is Jay Ray y'all.
00:17:59
DJ Sir Daniel: and this has been Queue Points podcast, dropping
00:18:02
the needle on black music history.
00:18:04
We'll see you on the next go round.
00:18:06
Peace.
00:18:07
Jay Ray: Peace y'all.
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