On My Own by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald hit number one 39 years ago this week!

I fucking love this song. My lil’ gay 7th grade ass would belt both parts out whenever it came on the radio.

Michael was on CBS Sunday Morning this week. Still would.

The music is so great. Patti's ad lib during the chorus is infectious, you just want to sing it everytime it comes around.

Also, if you listen to the full song, not the music video, there's a G minor chord (as a part of some extended chord) throughout the song that usually resolves down into F major. But they drop the D to a Db and turn that G minor chord into a diminished chord as its fading out at the very end. It's so dramatic and emotional. Love it!

I love this era of music. There was so much genre-hopping and artist-crossovers, and unexpected collaborations like these. Popular music and the music industry in general were so much more dynamic and interesting.

True, r3. There was a lot going on in this period, lots of different genres all at the same time. I still love this song.

One of the worst songs ever recorded, and I like Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelle.

When I hear McDonald warble the inane lyric, "Now, we're up to talking divorce and we weren't even married," I roll my eyes.

It’s a very good song

Awful, cheesy, and their voices just didn't work together.

They sounded great together.

Patti’s run at the end of this song —— “I GOT TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS MINE AGAIN!” — is the greatest of all time.

Off topic but I had the pleasure of hearing Michael McDonald sing a few days ago and he still sounds fantastic.

I love it.

It's a great song... infectious!

I love the video, Patti walking around 1980s New York in that fur

Better song than probably 99 out of 100 songs on today's top 100, but an older black woman and white man singing a duet would not do well...other than Gaga and Bruno.

To the Debbie Downers in this thread. Fuck you.

Apparently they didn't even meet until after recording the song and video.

Patti's not on her own. she has a cactus!

Is that her real hair or a wig?

Lol R5 that’s the line that lives rent free in my head…when I’m walking, shopping…

And we WEREN’T even MARRRRIEEED

[quote]I love the video, Patti walking around 1980s New York in that fur

And wailing and flailing her arms on the Brooklyn Bridge in that fur!

Gotta love the 80s.

At the end of the video, when they’re leaving their East and West coast locales, do we think they’re on the way to reunite?

She's on her own cos she likes cheap-ass furs. Is that rabbit?

[quote]I love this era of music. There was so much genre-hopping and artist-crossovers, and unexpected collaborations like these.

The best thing about that era is the lack of age discrimination on pop radio, and in the industry, overall. Lots of older singers were smashing back then, like Patti, Barbra, Dionne, Natalie, Aretha. Tina Turner was the biggest artist in the world in her 40s. That could never happen today.

True r23. And it's a shame. Pop singers are over the hill at 30 these days.

R23 and Cyndi Lauper broke out at 33, while Toni Basil was 39 when "Mickey" was released. Now everyone's a star at 16 and their music is wretched.

R21 No. They were on their way to see their divorce lawyers.

And they weerrren't even maarrriiieeed!

Madonna was in her mid-20s when she really hit it big. I don't think that would be possible today, the pop singers all have to be famous by the time they're 20 or they're not going to make it.

"Mr. McDonald, I know you're going through a rough time in your relationship with Ms. LaBelle, but I'm sorry, I can't help you. I am a divorce lawyer and you weren't even maaaaaaaaried. Can I suggest a therapist? No, not a couples therapist."

My boyfriend at the time loved this and listened to Patti’s CD non-stop and I remember it was pretty good.

[Quote]Apparently they didn't even meet until after recording the song and video.

If I remember correctly, they met for the first time when they appeared on “The Tonight Show”.

I love this song.

At the time Mickey was big R25, Toni shaved nearly a decade off her age.

But everybody in the industry knew her, R32. She’d been a choreographer and dancer for decades.

Which was funny r32 because she'd been working professionally since she was a teenager in the early 60s. Nobody would've believed she was only 30ish when she'd been dancing in Elvis movies 20 years earlier.

She was in Five Easy Pieces

I don't remember that, R32. I remember her real age being remarked upon and the details of her career stretching back to the 60s being cited in entertainment news. I remember people commenting how young she looked despite her age.

... and then there was that spoof of Mickey with Ricky and Lucy.

Toni and Teri Garr were close friends at the time and started came up together, both shaved years off their ages, back then it was much easier to do.

It's pretty much impossible to lie about your age today.

The Pointer Sisters were really big at that time and they were in their mid-30s.

Grace Slick was able to have a few number ones in her mid 40s with starship. At 47 she was the oldest woman to have had a #1 hit until Cher at 52 with “believe” in 1999.

My cousin's husband was in a band with Michael McDonald in the late 60's. They still stay in contact. I met Patti a few times. Very kind lady who loves to kick her shoes off and SANG.

Diana Ross was still charting in the 80s. And of course there's Cher.