Irene Cara - Rhythm, Energy, Talent, Personified
Rummaging through my old video recordings from over 30 years ago, I rediscover names I’ve ignored for a while. In doing so I am surprised at the treasure trove of music that stands the test of time. This time, the proverbial “rabbit jump” out of the vault is …… Irene Cara!
Thapson
For some reason, I was unaware of her, but as the hits kept coming, she was not going to be ignored. Irene Cara’s origins go back to “The Electric Company“, an educational program for kids. Similar exposure has has also brought us other stars. Can you think of some of these names? In any case, in 1980, the musical/drama movie “Fame” opened the door to recognition for Irene Cara. It was in “Fame” that her singing was noticed, although she was originally cast as an actor . She turned down the opportunity to work on the TV version of the movie to concentrate on her music career. After “Fame”, she was offered songs, and roles in other movies/TV shows and eventually to “Flashdance.” And it was “Flashdance” that catapulted her to the height of her career.
But hey! You don’t want to waste your time reading on her life story as that’s not what we’re about here. There’s plenty of stuff out there already by musical intellectuals. We want to listen (and watch) to a selection of her music from my vantage. Hopefully you enjoy this small sample as much as I do, as I try to celebrate Irene Cara! Because that’s what we’re for, right?
“Irene Cara’s origins go back to ‘The Electric Company.’ Similar exposure has also brought us other stars.”
“Why Me?” (1983) – Official Version
Not her biggest hit, but I first caught on to her with this number and official video that went with it. Some say the video is cheesy and old-fashioned. Maybe because they’re seeing it now. Back then this was pretty cool. And I think it still is. There seems to be a nod to her role in “Fame”. Also New York City is cool to shoot anything in, be it a movie, TV show, or …… a music video! See if you can catch a quick glimpse of the World Trade Center for a brief second. I love the Giorgio Moroder synthesizer, cool guitar riff and percussion in this number. In fact, Giorgio is credited as a cast in this video. Look out for him. To top it all off, Irene’s energy and expressions dominate this video.
DiscoBar80 / YoutTube.com
‘Live’ Version (just for the fun factor)
Then there’s this version of the same song I caught on YouTube. Apparently a ‘live’ show which is likely lip-synced. What really got to me are the characters dancing with Irene Cara here. Starting with the ‘robot guy’ who almost steals the scene from her with his movements that gave me a ROFL moment. I’m surprised she’s not bursting into laughter either. Look how seriously he takes himself! Then there are the Breakdancers which was a staple in any 80s music video or performance. I was never a fan of Breakdancing – maybe because I couldn’t do it, or that I feared the dancers would injure their neck. In any case, this video is entertainment all the way.
Nella0815007 / YouTube.com
“Breakdance” (1983)
So it was her album “What A Feelin’” in 1983 that probably caught the world’s attention. After “Fame” some more movie songs were to follow. I’ll come to that later, but now I want to touch on a lesser known number off this album. Initially, I didn’t care for the music video. But over the years, it has grown on me as a classic in both the musical and art form. It feels like one of Andy Warhol’s art projects come alive. Breakdancing had caught on in a big way, and this song seems to celebrate the prevailing pop culture of that time. Unfortunately, it’s not in stereo. But I’m thankful someone actually put it up on YouTube or it would likely have been forgotten altogether.
Dani Utrera / YouTube.com
“The Dream” (1983)
Remember what I said about the movies? Well this song was used as a soundtrack for the movie “D.C. Cab.” Along with singing the song, Irene Cara also played herself in the movie. While the movie is almost forgotten, this song was quite a hit – not surprisingly. Giorgio Moroder had a big part in this song production. This may be the reason, some of it sounds similar to other songs of that era by Giorgio. The starting riff resembles “Electric Dreams” and the tune at times resembles “Never Ending Story”. Although the latter two came after “DC Cab”. That’s just my take, although I love this song otherwise. Once again, you can see Irene Cara’s almost restless energy jump out of this video.
Cesar / YouTube.com
“What A Feeling” (1983)
Okay, I’m breaking my rule of only playing the lesser known, but great sounding stuff by any artist. I can’t help but make an exception here. This is so much a part of that time when Irene Cara could do no wrong. This is one of the songs that brings back memories of an era to mind wherever or whatever you’re doing. While the movie was okay, the soundtrack was incredible. Despite her awesome talent, this was Irene Cara’s only Number One hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Once again produced by Giorgio Moroder (and his “Midas touch”). It won Best Original Song awards at the Golden Globes and Oscars. Irene Cara also won the Grammy for the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for this song.
UnidiscMusic / YouTube.com
Irene Cara’s unmistakable multilingual (English/Spanish) talent carved out a niche in our musical history. Especially back in those incredible 80s. While she peaked a little early, she continued working solo and collaborating with others over the years. Along with singing, she also acted on some TV shows and movies. Once, when asked by Dick Clarke if she considered herself a singer or an actor, she replied, “A Performer!”
Which is exactly what she is. While her voice is powerful and versatile I, along with her countless fans, love the persona she exudes. Her energy, rhythm, charisma, style, and overall ability to light up any environment is legendary. Although, she’s not as visible these days, Irene Cara is still very involved in all manner of music projects. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see her show up again somewhere and showcase her legendary persona. And this was my small celebration of an artist who will hopefully never be forgotten.
I’ll be back with another artist next time. Again, any feedback in the form of comments, opinions, etc. is welcome!
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