Daryl Hall and John Oates both nodded at me.
excerpt “History of the Groove, a drummer’s story” Russell Buddy Helm ©2013 all rights reserved
Hall and Oates both nodded at me. “Yeah, Mark discovered us. He wasn’t kidding.”
1984. I had gotten a call from a guy named Mark in New York who somehow received a copy of my single called, “Dancing on the Titanic”. He really liked it and wanted to try to place me with a label. He claimed to have made the careers of Daryl and John back when they were unknowns. The timing was such that Charlie and they were performing at Irvine Meadows, so I went down and talked to them. Even Tommy, their manager agreed. “Yeah. Mark is for real.”
“What would you like?
What would you like?
What would you like to do tonight?… On the Titanic. On the Titanic.
Would you like to dance?
Would you like to dance?
Would you like to dance with me tonight? On the Titanic. On the Titanic.
(SOS)
Moonlighting shining on the sea tonight.
Stars are dancing in your eyes so bright,
After all these years we meet,
Funny how things work out so neat.
(SOS)
Finally got it right,
Finally got it right,
Finally got it right with you tonight… On the Titanic. On the Titanic.
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna dance with me all night? On the Titanic. On the Titanic.
(SOS)
Icebergs drifting on the sea tonight
Shining softly in the pale moonlight
I feel so lucky that you’re here with me
Is this the way that it can always be? (SOS)
What would you like?
What would you like?
What would you like to do tonight? On the Titanic. On the Titanic.
Would you like to Dance?….
Would you like to Dance?…On the Titanic
Would you like to Dance?…On the Titanic
Would you like to Dance?…On the Titanic
Would you like to dance with me, on the Titanic? On the Titanic. On the Titanic…”
We rendezvoused at KPFK on a Monday night where Johnny Otis was spinning old R n B tracks. Johnny Otis was an institution. He had plenty of hits including, “Hand Jive”, back in the day. He graciously invited me into the control room stacked with crates of his record collection he played on his show. I looked for my Big Joe Turner Album but couldn’t find it.
“It’s funny that I liked this song. Normally I go for drummers.” Mark said.
“I am a drummer,” I said, coming out of the closet.
New Years eve party at his house, I met A and R men from CBS and a few other labels. They heard the track. It was a little dark for their tastes.
“This is weird. I like the song but it makes me depressed.” the CBS A and R guy said. They were so far away from the punk/New Wave music scene, they did not get the joke of the song.
“We’re looking more for another Michael Jackson…” He said in that dismissive tone when they know they are axing someone’s career. He went to refill his glass and load up on more canapes.
I made a video, transferring film footage from the Barbara Stanwick movie. There were only a few black and white historical pictures of the the ship so I luminence keyed them into the video and had me singing on the deck and on the main stairway. I also shot some bubbles from Ron Sill’s hot tub and danced over those.
The movie came out years later and I could not prove that the story concept had been lifted from my song.
excerpt “History of the Groove, a drummer’s story” Russell Buddy Helm ©2013 all rights reserved
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