Go-Go Classics & Quarantine Playlist DC/DMV/Philly Stand-Up

It’s the first official day of our quarantine and I was going through my Twitter feed trying to find something fun and/or funny. This piece is inspired by a tweet from Blavity.com announcing Go-Go music as the official music of DC.

My eyes beamed with joy as I read that DC’s Mayor Muriel Bowser and City Council finally made this happen in February 2020. But any Black or brown person born in the 70’s and 80’s from the DMV(DC, Maryland, Virginia) area would have told you Go-Go was already the music of DC. I can’t think of DC without hearing that distinctive drumbeat. Perhaps my special love for DC and Go-Go music is innate. According to my Mom, I was conceived in DC (raised in Maryland — across the bridge). As a teenager, I spent my weekends in the DMV getting serious life lessons running the streets of SE in the Wahler Place projects and enjoying late-night bowling with my play cousins in Silver Spring, MD or shopping sprees at the Potomac Mills Mall. I grew up fast on those weekends…so many great memories — Go-Go was part of the soundtrack.

I curated this list as a fan. I’m not a music historian or from DC proper — so I’m sure there are several missing songs. I am just a 80’s baby who loves to dance and Go-Go as a “shawty”. Now as a highly seasoned sista, I don’t mind admitting what started out as simple playlist piece, morphed into a wonderful trip down memory lane. So once again, This not a historical chronology of the glorious genre of Go-Go music -just MY faves and experiences.

Please Note: All the songs are linked to a Youtube video and not all are kiddie-friendly — but still a marvelous list. Enjoy!

My Go-Go playlist:

80’s & 90's Sardines Da Butt* Shake Your Thang* 20 Minute Workout Teddy’s Jam Let Me Clear My Throat Overnight Scenario* 2000's It’s Love 1 Thing Wobble Pretty Girls Risin’ Up Clappers*

My Go-Go love story

1986

I was first introduced to Go-Go music in Wahler Place, SE DC when my play cousin Ro-Ro tried to teach me how to Go-Go to the Junk Yard Band’s “Sardines” (and pork and beans). I fell in love with that beat and those drums! My clumsy, overdeveloped body moved naturally and I was forever hooked. Ever since I’ve made Go-Go and Go-Go inspired songs part of every playlist.

1988

Go-Go went mainstream thanks to Spike Lee and Salt n Pepa. Spike put [Doin’] “Da Butt” on his movie soundtrack for School Daze. And Salt n Pepa put out their EU collaboration “Shake Your Thang” and Go-Go was playing non stop on the radio. On a side note, Salt n Pepa was my first concert. My mom let me get the asymmetric, stacked bob and helped tear my jeans (which are back in style now) and I thought I was too grown.

The summer of 1988 was THE best summer! I was in the Upward Bound program and I spent the summer on University Of Maryland Eastern Shore’s (UMES) campus. Being young and dumb, I spent my time looking for celebrities. On a visit to Howard University, I went on a hunt for Carl “Coackroach from the Cosby Show” Payne II and ended up at a party where I was way too young. Unfortunately, my body didn’t match my actual age. Thank God I’ve always had angels… I just wanted to dance and I had a blast dancing to Go-Go and winning dance contests making up dance routines for different songs like“Teddy’s Jam”… which had all the addictive Go-Go elements… I remember dancing so hard one day — I lost my breath…

1994

When I moved to Philly for college (shout out to UPenn) and thought I was grown (again), I remember the clubs playing House and Go-Go sets that always included DJ Kool’s “20 Minute Workout”.

I’m not sure what Philly’s official connect is to DC other I-95, but I could always get my Go-Go fix in Philly and Philly artists like The Roots and Jill Scott used Go-Go beats in some of their songs.

1996

DJ Kool made the infectious “Let Me Clear My Throat” which was remixed several times. My favorite version is with Doug E Fresh and Biz Markie at Bahama Bay in Philly and the radio stations and clubs played all 500 versions (lol — I’m just joking) but we never got tired of it — still don’t.

2000

In the late 90’s, I loved the poetry scene in Philly and discovered neo-soul blossoming at the Five Spot. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to see Jill Scott, perform at Black Lily. I must have played “Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1” thousands of times and although I LOOOVVVEEE the entire album — I blasted track #8 — “It’s Love” at home, at work, in my car. I couldn’t get enough of this Go-Go inspired banger that makes a kool-aid smile appear on my face every time I hear it (20 years later).

Life got busy and love, motherhood and bills rushed in and I was whisked from school daze to adulting and my club days disappeared like a puff of smoke.

2005

I remember washing dishes in my house and hearing Amerie’s “1 Thing” on the radio and I went crazy! Then, when Eve added her verse to the remix it snatched me back to my college days. I remember jogging on the Drive and finding little curves and corners to get a few dance moves in…

2008

Life continued to take over and then my Godsister took me line dancing class and I learned how to “Wobble” by V.I.C. — I’ve lead every wedding line since… lol

2009 In 2009, a talented, handsome rapper from the DMV gifted world with “Pretty Girls” featuring Gucci Mane and Weensey (a Go-Go artist). To this day, it’s still a favorite workout or Saturday morning clean up song (old school African American or POC house cleaning ritual — when I was a child it was Mahalia Jackson and eventually the Clark Sisters).

Then back to Philly with “Risin’ Up” with a severely underrated collaboration with The Roots, Chrisette Michelle and Wale.

2013

Wale brought his homage to EU and Chuck Brown, a Go-Go legend with Clappers which I call the new school version of Da Butt, another phenomenal Go-Go collaboration with Juicy J and Nicki Minaj.

My list stops because I devoted all my time and energy to parenthood and education — as a teacher, advocate and lifelong learner. The music literally faded unless it was a work-related celebration. Then I’d have the radio edits of all my favorite Go-Go songs on a family-friendly playlist.

It was fun to bounce my way down memory lane… I know I probably missed a lot of songs before, in between and after my timeline, but leisure time has been limited in my lifetime. I’d love to add some new (old) songs I missed or new Go-Go hits — heck at this point I have A LOT of time to catch up with this quarantine. As I said — I’m not a Go-Go expert, but I do know that honor should go to Go Go legends like:

Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers & Chuck Brown Band Back Yard Band Rare Essence Junk Yard Band EU Experience Unlimited Trouble Funk

Any many more!

I hope you enjoyed this playlist based piece and thank all the artists who made glorious Go-Go hits that were the soundtrack to my early years and many wonderful memories.

Much love and respect — I hope I honored your work.