#he also gets super into lesley gore during that time

[allthegothihopgirls]

when dick has his rebellion phase post-ditching robin, he gets crazy into music, especially angry stuff, punk, grunge, femme fatale etc

he particularly enjoyed 'the colour and the shape' by foo fighters, and has it on vinyl.

when his collection got passed down to jason and he played that album, he noticed visible wear on the rings of the vinyl that play 'my hero'.

he never actually approaches dick about it because after listening to the track he's just like 'ooooh, so he was listening to this after giving up robin then'

[reginalusus]

I don't know if this has been asked before but what are your headcanons for Harvey and two-face? Wholesome and not so wholesome 🔞 lol

Anything they have in common, for example are they both super organized/need things a certain way? Different love languages?

🩷

Oh, boy, do I...

By the way, I ramble a lot...

So this is gonna be long post.

It's just a thing with me. Only super-cool people relate. /j

I also tend to base *some* headcanons on what is already canon, or blend them in some way, so some of this might be old news.

Oh, and I'll put a cut before the suggestive ones just so people who don't want to see that sort of stuff can safely scroll by.

EDIT: The cut does not seem to be working because Tumblr hates me so, um, WARNING FOR SUGGESTIVE STUFF.

He's 6'5". His height has fluctuated in his appearances, but I much prefer when he's taller than Bruce, such as in Telltale and BTAS. BuT a DisTRIct AtTornEY dOesN't NeE- lalalalalala, I don't careeeeeee. I like the image of him being physically imposing, not just for villainous purposes, but also to juxtapose how much of a sweetheart he is, or was. There is also another reason.

He stims with his coin. Months back I talked in length about how I think Harvey might view his coin as a way to reclaim his abuse against his father, but I also see him using it as a comfort item, as sick as it may be (considering its past), and that the constant twirling and flipping is a way for him to stim.

He loves 50s/60s music. Namely the likes of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, Lesley Gore, Dean Martin, Roy Orbinson...

He sings! I know this is kind of canon, but that MF can sing. His Harvey voice is smooth and articulate, very vintage, meanwhile Two-Face's is, of course, raspier and almost more of a rocker's voice.

Two-Face names his guns. I've drawn some of these before, but Harvey doesn't bother with such nonsense. Harvey views weapons as a last resort; their mere existence throws justice into question. Why can someone wield such a thing that sets the odds in their favour immediately? But Two-Face knows they get the job done quickly. They're like the broom of Gotham; a quick way to be rid of the scum. So he names them, for they are beloved, much like how legendary weapons have been named in the past for what they have slain.

He dissociates/has derealization episodes. Yes, he has DID, and dissociation is in the name, but during really intense symptoms, such as his depression, paranoia and personalities all practically screaming in his head, he ends up having a bad derealization episode, much like how you would see someone have after they suffer a panic attack. His coin helps ground him.

He has definitely done that fucking pottery scene from Ghost with Gilda while she's sculpting. You know the one.

He's an elegant shooter but a brutish fighter. Not only is he a God with guns, he's also precise and elegant. But with physical combat? Brutal, much like a street fighter. I suppose both Batman and Deathstroke's training gets muddled in some ways...

His henchmen give him gifts now and then. They just do, and he doesn't understand it. Silly stuff, like bi-coloured mugs or shirts. Perhaps to keep his short-temperedness at some sort of bay. Doesn't work half the time, however.

He takes depression naps. Because of course he does. Having mental health issues is also physically taxing. I imagine he sleeps a lot, but also struggles to sleep at the same time because everything is so damn loud in his head.

He's bisexual. Gotta love both. Harvey has a preference for women, Two-Face has a preference for men.

Fussy with his suits and clothes. In The Judas Coin, we see Harvey's kind of a suit-nerd. Enough said. That MF loves to look good. Harvey loves stuff that's timeless and classic, very reminiscent of 40s/50s mafia wear, while Two-Face loves gaudy, striking stuff. They have to compromise, hence the split suits in the first place.

He doesn't like himself very much but just puts up with it. He's a walking contradiction, a hypocrite to himself. He claims to uphold the law but also bastardizes it. Also, he avoids mirrors and reflections if possible (that was something that was mentioned in his older issues, but they never brought it back, I don't think). He's smashed a mirror before, or two, or three.

He's a hopeless romantic. I've talked a little about this before, but he crushes hard, falls harder, and ever since being widowed, he pines for validation but seldom receives such because of his reputation.

He's a vintage lighter collector. He's got those S.T. Duponts and those 1970 electric Ronson's, I just know it.

Harvey constantly makes courtroom puns. Nobody laughs except Gilda.

He's an embarrassing dancer. He loves singing older tunes, but when it comes to dancing, he loves those cheesy 80 tunes. Get him drunk enough and he'll kill the dancefloor... with second-hand embarrassment.

So, I also have a lot of thoughts about The Judge too, but they're very scattershot and I'd rather compile them at another time, plus this post doesn't need to be any longer than what it is, lmao.

I also have more HCs around what he'd be like with the Batkids and Bruce, but again, this post is already long.

Ok, suggestive stuff now, and I'm going to kick it off with a hot take:

Harvey and Two-Face are monogamous. A really popular HC I've seen for Harvey is that he loves having multiple partners - two partners, of course, for each side of him. Well... I DISAGREE. /lh Personally, I think he prefers the one. He likes to purely focus on that one person and treat them like they're the only person that exists, in hope they'll do the same for him. To make him feel like he's whole; that, for once, he's not split.

Two-Face is protective and jealous. If you're out with him and he sees someone eyeing you up, out come the knuckle dusters.

He's dominant. And rough. But he'll always ask what you want; do you want to be praised or degraded while he's using you?

The coin can be fun. Sometimes he gets extremely impassioned and heated, and he just doesn't know what to do with his partner next. Good thing he has an item that helps him decide. The ambiguity of which side will turn up can add to the excitement!

Scar worship makes him melt. It just does. He hates that side of him, but seeing someone stroke or caress his scars, telling him how handsome he looks, that's a sure-fire way to send him over the edge. He'll probably fall in love.

Harvey shows love through words and actions, Two-Face shows it through gifts. Harvey will reassure his partner through words and keeping those words upheld. Meanwhile, Two-Face will corrupt his partners with gifts.

Two-Face is a bit clingy. He'll text a lot, call a lot, ask where his partner is, how they are, if they're ok. Harvey is more relaxed.

Aftercare King. He knows how strong he is and how violent (for lack of a better word) he can be. So he'll always check in with his partner to make sure they're fine.

Harvey is vocal and sappy, Two-Face isn't. Not just during the act, but afterwards. Harvey will want to cuddle, he'll want to talk over a cigarette, he wants to get to know his partner on a deeper level. Two-Face generally needs some room first. He might be a bit cold, but he'll come around.

Again, I have more in this regard, but that's what AO3 is for!

Oh, also, I saw your ask about Gerard Butler and his doggo... I agree, hehe, maybe Harvey can walk Dick's dog at some point, lol.

[lovelettersbyj]

It’s My Party

Inspired by It’s My Party by Lesley Gore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbOrjHBaDzQ

Warnings: Slight mentions of drinking, alluding to cheating.

Pairing: Johnny Suh x Reader.

Word Count: 1,514.

A/N: I know this song is super popular on tik tok right now and the other night I was trying to fall asleep when I suddenly thought of this idea??? Not my best work but I needed to get something out. Also I’m in pain because I can definitely see Johnny doing something like this and I just don’t want to accept that fact!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nobody knows where my Johnny has gone, But Judy left the same time. 

Why was he holding her hand, When he's supposed to be mine?

The house roared with life as the crowd of people swayed happily to the thundering music. Friends and coworkers all gathered under one roof, celebrating what some people dub as the ‘golden birthday’. When your birth date matches your new age, it automatically calls for a wondrous celebration. So here we were, the night was alive on February 25th as we all celebrated my 25th birthday.

I made my way through the crowd, exchanging ‘hellos’ and bright smiles with people I recognized (and some I didn’t). Seeing a few familiar faces, I walked up to my close group of friends who were in the middle of what looked to be some sort of a dance off.

“Hey Jane!” I grinned, pulling my friend in for a tight squeeze, “Thank you for coming!”

She furrowed her eyebrows at my comment, chuckling and giving me a slight push, “Of course! I wasn’t going to miss your golden birthday.”

“Hey!” Taeyong interrupted, practically jumping into my arms, “Happy birthday!”

Pulling away with a friendly smile, he joined our other friends and the group continued with their ridiculous dance moves. I turned back to the crowd, scanning the faces for one in particular, but failed to spot him. I grabbed Jane by the arm, pulling her slightly away from the group and towards the front hall of the house.

“Have you seen Johnny?” I questioned, and she simply shook her head.

“I thought he was with you?” She asked, crossing her arms.

I sighed, letting out a defeated huff, “He told me he was coming but I haven’t seen him.”

Jane placed her hands on my arms, giving me a soft squeeze, “Are you okay?”

But the question was redundant. Johnny and I had been on different pages for a few months now. Between both of our work schedules, we could never seem to find time for ourselves. I was busy during the day teaching multiple elementary level kids, finally having found a job I was happy at. In the evenings Johnny would always be away at his company, recording the next big hit song or working diligently in the dance studio on new choreographs with the rest of the guys. We’d always just miss each other, and neither one of us put in the effort to do anything about it.

However, he had seemed more distant than usual, and it wasn’t until Taeyong told me about the new intern working at SM did the dots connect. His nights were suddenly busier, his phone was shut off more often; and it was because of Judy.

Jane simply gave me a sad smile, reading the despair in eyes and not wanting to push me any further.

“Yo!” Mark swooped up behind Jane, wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her around, setting her back down and kissing her cheek, “What’s up, ladies?”

Jane giggled at his affection, placing her arms on top of his as he continued to hug her, “Do you know where Johnny is?”

He shook his head, exchanging a glance between myself and the girl in his arms, “Nah, I think he went outside to grab Judy but haven’t seen him since.”

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to

Cry if I want to, cry if I want to

You would cry too if it happened to you

I rolled my eyes, bringing a hand up to cover my eyes as the heavy sigh threatened to bring tears out along with it. My chest felt heavy, and I could feel my body beginning to shake. Jane reached her hands out, attempting to pull me into a hug. I pulled my hands away from hers, going back towards the main crowd.

Pushing my way through the sea of bodies I made my way back to the bar, flagging the bartender down and asking for a shot of apple flavored soju. Pouring the clear liquid into the cup I downed it as soon as he had pulled the bottle away and quickly asked for another.

A couple shots later and the overwhelming grief that had attacked me moments ago had begun to slowly numb away. I shut my eyes as my body was taken over by the beat of the music, and swayed along blissfully as a tear sneakily managed to escape and roll down my cheeks.

“Are you okay?” Taeyong’s familiar voice snapped my eyes open, and a concerned look on his face studied my expressions.

I shook my head, finishing the soju in my glass before setting it down, “Nope.”

Play all my records, keep dancing all night (Dancing all night)

But leave me alone for a while, 'Til Johnny's dancing with me

I've got no reason to smile

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to

Cry if I want to, cry if I want to

You would cry too if it happened to you

The faintest half-hearted smile decorated my face before I set a hand on his, giving it a slight squeeze. The tears continued to fall, but this time I walked out towards the dance floor, now completely giving into the music.

Lifting my arms into the air I swayed along to every beat, tears still falling like rain. But nobody seemed to notice; everyone was in their own world and completely oblivious to how miserable I was.

The song that was playing ended and the opening beats for the next song immediately took me back to a car ride with Johnny. This is my favorite song! He had exclaimed, keeping a hand on the wheel as his shoulders did the silliest shimmy. I just watched as he was absolutely captivated, loved how he sang along and completely submit himself to the music.

Except here I was, dancing alone to his favorite song. My cheeks stained with tears and quiet sobs were undoubtedly muffled by the music.

Judy and Johnny just walked through the door (Walked through the door)

Like a queen with her king

Oh, what a birthday surprise

Judy's wearin' his ring

I kept forcing myself to dance, convinced with the alcohol that swirled through my system that eventually I would feel better. The song playing began to fade, and for those few quiet moments before the next song played, a recognizable “Hey!” boomed amongst the walls.

My body stilled, frozen as my eyes turned towards the loud exclaim.

Standing at the doorway, dressed in a dashing gray suit stood Johnny. With one arm extending out towards a passing waiter to grab a glass of champagne from the tray, his other arm was relaxingly draped on Judy’s shoulders.

Noticing something was off, I studied Judy as she obliviously held onto Johnny as the two of them entered the house. Johnny and Mark exchanged the biggest bro hug, Jane simply giving Judy an annoyed look. Walking closer towards the main room, Johnny broke away from Judy again to greet the rest of his band members; Judy waiting gleefully next to him as she followed suit with her welcomes.

They got closer and closer, and all the muscles in my body remained frozen as I couldn’t help but stare at the scene I was witnessing. Judy turned her head suddenly, looking around the room before her eyes locked with mine.

Raising a cocky eyebrow, her lips pulled up into a smirk. She brought her hands up towards her necklace; her fingers wrapping around a silver ring with a dark cobalt border that hung on her neck.

And that’s when it hit me.

Judy had showed up to my party, with my Johnny, wearing his ring.

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to

Cry if I want to, cry if I want to

You would cry too if it happened to you

I hugged my knees close to my chest, tears fully flowing as quiet sobs filled the cold night air. I had immediately run out of the house, wanting absolutely nothing to do with Johnny.

“Hi babe,” A friendly, soft voice slightly surprised me as my best friend walked over and sat next to me on the chilly stone stairs, “I’m sorry he did that. What an asshole.”

She looped her arm around mine, leaning in close and resting her head on my shoulder in attempts to comfort me. I sniffled, bringing my free hand up to wipe away at the dampness on my cheeks, “You don’t have to apologize. I should’ve seen it coming.”

She sighed, a small cloud of cold air releasing into the night sky.

“I hate how sad he makes you, though. I wish you wouldn’t cry, especially on your birthday.”

I turned towards her, letting out an exasperated chuckle, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to.”

We broke out into a fit of laughter, pulling each other close again as the winter air enveloped us in an unwelcome embrace.

[kurt-nightcrawler]

Homecoming

Warren Worthington III x Male Reader

You like Warren. You want to ask him to homecoming. He might be straight...

Warnings: language, that’s about it

Word Count: 2.2k

“Do you think this is all too much? What if he gets mad and says no?”

“Why would Warren get mad about you asking him to homecoming?” Jubilee asked, throwing groceries in the shopping cart.

“I mean the whole like, proposal thing… It’s a bit much… We’re not even a thing…”

Jubilee rolled her eyes and lazily pushed the cart forward. “We need baby carrots, regular carrots, kale, broccoli, and peppers.” You grabbed everything she listed off and set them in the cart. “Didn’t you guys kiss one time?”

“Yeah, at a bonfire party during a game of spin the bottle.”

“Did he protest about having to kiss you?”

“No.”

“Did he seem into it?”

“I don’t know. Everyone was watching us, plus it lasted for like, three seconds.”

She shrugged, “You should ask him to homecoming. He’s probably into you.”

“He’s probably not. It’s like straight girls… Super close and touchy and complimenting each other to the point where you can’t even figure out if they like girls or not.”

Jubilee squinted her eyes, “Has he done any of that?”

“No, but we kissed so…”

“God, you are a lost cause.”

You jokingly scoffed, “Says you! Ms. Lonesome Lesbian!”

Jubilee hit your arm. “Don’t call me out like that!”

-

You carried as many bags as you could to the kitchen, with Jubilee carrying some more.

“Who needs to train when it’s your turn to get the groceries?” you joked. Jubilee laughed in agreement.

You set your bags on the countertop, resulting in a loud thud.

“Hey, do you guys need help?” Warren asked.

Your heart fluttered for a moment. Maybe it’s because you were nervous about fucking up your friendship. Maybe it’s because you had a teeny weeny, itsy, bitsy, ginormous crush on him.

It was probably both.

Yeah— you decided as he flexed his biceps by carrying the remaining grocery bags— it was definitely both.

You got so close to telling him— asking him, multiple times, but you never did.

First off, your mind always railed off all the evidence telling you he was 100% straight— his crush he used to have on Jean, his obvious attraction for girls, and just his typical demeanor.

Sure, he was good friends with Alex and Jubliee, both queer mutants, but that didn’t mean anything. And sure, he didn’t object to kissing you during spin the bottle, but he didn’t exactly leap at the chance either. And maybe he sometimes had a playful, kind of flirty, teasing thing going on with you— but that was just him. Just Warren being Warren.

-

You went down to the lab, not even caring what Hank was doing Down there.

“Alex!” He looked up from his spot at the table, where he could do paperwork and watch Hank work on his next experiment.

“What’s up, (Y/N)?”

“I need some advice…”

“Is everything okay?”

“So, I’m really into this guy, and Jubilee has been pushing me to ask him to homecoming, but I’m really nervous and every time I get the courage to ask him, I back out because what if he says no and then things are weird between us. Or what if he says no and then I have to live with the pang of rejection leering over me like a dark cloud? I like him a lot, Alex.”

“Okay. Look, homecoming— when even is homecoming?”

“Two weeks from Saturday,” Hank responded.

“Right. Homecoming is in like two weeks. You still have plenty of time to ask—“

“No, no!” You cried. “That isn’t why I came down here. I need help because he’s probably straight and I don’t know what to do!”

“How can I help?” Alex asked dumbfoundedly.

“You can’t tell him any of this. At all.”

Alex nodded, “Yeah, of course.”

“Neither can you Hank.”

He chuckled, “Your secret’s safe with me.”

“Okay… Wooooh…” You sighed. “Ugh… Okay… I have a crush on Warren.”

-

A week prior

“I’m not gay.” Warren defended.

“I didn’t say you were, Ren. I’m just saying, you usually don’t think about friends like that.” Peter observed.

“(Y/N) is just a good friend. We’re kinda close. That’s it.”

“You kissed him at the bonfire.”

“It was spin the bottle, Pete! I wasn’t about to reject him in front of everyone like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like... Like... Fuck, I don’t know. I mean it was just a kiss-- I’m sure there are people who’d make fun of him if I didn’t kiss him. It was a party game anyway.” It’s not like I stayed up thinking about it for several days.

“Alex…” Peter whined.

“What’s wrong now?” He walked into the kitchen.

“Is it possible to like girls, and only girls for the longest time, but then you meet a guy, and you feel different?”

Alex’s face was covered with confusion and shock. “Peter?...”

“Not me. Warren.”

“Warren? I’m confused?”

“He has feelings for (Y/N).” Peter staged whispered to Alex.

“Maybe,” Warren stated.

“Oh no, you definitely like him. There’s no doubt about it.” Peter said surely.

“Why am I here then?”

“Because you lived your whole life liking girls, and then you met Hank. You guys are in a great relationship, nothing tragic has happened—

“I went to Vietnam to avoid Hank when in reality he liked me back.”

“Oh.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Really fucking stupid, but whatever… It was the 60s. And obviously being gay now isn’t much better, but… it could be worse. Anyway, if you really like (Y/N) you should tell him.”

-

“You want to ask Warren to homecoming?”

“Xavier’s residential leather-clad, curly blonde-haired, green-blue eyed, hot, winged, bad boy? Yes.”

“That’s a very specific description,” Hank commented, “Do you have a type?”

“Don’t call me out like that!”

Hank smiled to himself at your annoyance.

“Listen, I would die for Warren. He could choke me and I’d thank him. Some days I’m like, ‘Run me over! I want you too!’”

“That’s not healthy…” Hank stated awkwardly.

“I know, I know, but he’s like straighter than Scott— I don’t stand a chance with him!”

“Wouldn’t say that,” Alex mumbled.

“Well…” Hank glanced at Alex, unsure what to say, “What’s the worst that could happen if you ask him out?”

“Easy, rejection.”

“Warren’s not going to be a jerk and publicly humiliate you. If he says no then you guys can just pretend it never happened.”

“Easy for you to say!” Alex didn’t get it. “I had this whole big thing planned and it’s probably so stupid, and I don’t even know why I came down here.”

“Don’t say that,” Hank told you, “I’m sure—“

“It’s fine. Thanks anyway, Hank, Alex. I’m gonna go.”

-

What a waste of time. I don’t know if I should ask him to homecoming or not. He’s probably already got a date. You groaned. Why were crushes so complicated?

Perhaps, Hank was right. What’s the worst that could happen?

You opened your door to see Scott face down on his bed, listening to Lesley Gore.

“What’s wrong with you? There’s only room for one melodramatic teenage mutant in this room, and it’s me.”

“It’s been your turn for days. Let me be sad right now.” You rolled your eyes. You knew Scott’s moment of sadness was probably just because some guy hit on Jean, or Peter walked in on him jerking off, or maybe he got a bad test score.

“Alrighty, one eye. Have you seen Warren?”

“Don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Hmm? I couldn’t hear you. The pillows muffled your voice.”

“I don’t wanna talk about him. He’s an asshole.”

You looked at Scott with confusion, “What did he do to you?”

“Jean’s been ignoring me for him.”

“Oh. Is that it? I know you’re totally obsessed with Jean and all, but you have to let her have guy friends. It’s toxic of you not to—“

“Everyone’s been telling me that. And at first I didn’t really think much of it, but it’s an all the time thing now. They’re talking all the time and spending tons of time together, whispering and getting all secretive when I’m around. She’s even skipped class with him one time to go out!”

Your heart dropped into your stomach as Scott told you his relationship problems. It was obvious Warren was into Jean. She probably wasn’t into him, everyone knew she was crazy for Scott, but still! She was leading him on and she was one of your best friends! She knew you liked him!

“Jean’s a bitch.”

“Excuse me?! What did you just say?”

“Save your breath, Summers. Your girlfriend is a total backstabber and I’m going to murder her.” You stormed out of your shared room to find the redhead and give her a piece of your mind. Scott followed close behind, trying to stop you.

“Can you shut up, Summers?”

“No! You’re not going to talk to her about this.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Her possible thing with Warren. I’ll talk to her myself.”

“No way! She knows things to where she shouldn’t be doing this. I’m mad at her, and I’m going to tell her. You can’t stop me.”

-

“Jean Grey! Open the fuck up!” The door opened and you walked into the room.

“You’re so two-faced, aren’t you? You’ve got a boyfriend who literally worships the ground you walk on, but yet he thinks you’re probably cheating on him with none other than Warren— who, by the way, I’ve had a crush on since May. Not only did I have to prepare myself for the obvious rejection because I’m gay and he’s not, but now I have to deal with your bullshit!”

Warren was sitting on the floor, working on a poster of some sort. He had stopped to listen to you go off on Jean, but he wasn’t expecting this. He wasn’t even sure if you noticed him or not.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Ditching class, keeping secrets, and sometimes ignoring Scott? Does any of that sound familiar? Or did he pull that out of his ass?”

“I didn’t mean to seem like I was cheating or something— also skipping class was one time— I was helping Warren out with stuff.”

You crossed your arms, “What stuff?”

“Homecoming,” He spoke up.

All color drained from your face. Warren knew you had a crush on him.

“I was going to ask you to homecoming… I was getting help from Jean because you guys were good friends and I thought Jubilee would tell you and ruin everything but now it doesn’t matter.”

“Oh. Oh… Oh.” Your brain was going a hundred miles per minute. Warren— Warren, he— he liked you? He wanted to ask you out? Jean wasn’t leading him on? Too much was happening at once.

“I need to go.”

“(Y/N), wait!”

-

The first thing you did was run to your room and put on some deodorant and a little cologne. Then you brushed your teeth and panicked.

“Oh god! He probably hates me! I left him there with Peter and Jean— no. No. No, no, no. I am going to talk to Warren. I can do that. I can talk to him.”

-

You exhaled deeply. You could do this.

You knocked on the wooden door. It opened slowly.

“Hi, um, can… I come in?”

Warren mumbled, “Yeah.” And nodded weakly.

You stepped inside his dorm, which was covered in art supplies and blank cassette tapes. “Sorry about the mess. I— It was for homecoming, but…”

“Oh… This looks way less complicated than what Jubilee was helping me with.”

Warren laughed. “That’s because it’s Jubilee. She’s so bright and flashy and extra at times. What did you expect?”

“She’s my only gay friend! I thought she could help me. Hell, I went to Alex for advice! God, I was so nervous, Ren. I still am, but like, there’d be moments and I was about to ask you and then I would just completely back out because I thought what if you said no, but not only—“

“You went to Alex for advice?” You nodded. “So he told you?”

“No?... He just said “I think you should go for it. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

“Oh. I told Alex I liked you, so I kinda assumed he told you…”

“Oh, no, no. He didn’t say anything. If he did I wouldn’t be this nervous.”

“Why are you nervous?” You quickly glanced around the room— you were the only two in it, the windows were closed, the door was probably locked shut. You didn’t have anything to be worried about, you knew Warren liked you back.

“I like you a lot.”

“I like you a lot.”

“Okay.” You sat down on the bed next to Warren. You glanced at him through your lashes. “Um…”

He was hesitant to place his hand on top of yours. “Is this okay?”

You nodded, unsure by what he meant. His cheeks were rosy and you could feel your heartbeat in your chest.

He bit his lip.

“Why are you nervous?”

The slight lingering glance at your lips told you everything you needed to know. You got closer, so your chests were touching, and you leaned in. You pressed your lips against Warren’s and he did the same. You wrapped your arms around his neck, tugging on the ends of his hair lightly. He groaned against your lips and you tried to hold back a smile.

He broke the kiss and frowned. You were still close and you could feel his breath.

“What’s so funny?”

“Your sensitive scalp.”

“Shut up.”

“No, no. It’s cute.”

He mumbled, “You’re cute,” Before kissing you again.

You smiled— worries gone, and the only thing you could focus on was Warren.

[funknrolll]

Focus on Motown Records: The emblem of the American Dream

A little money and a big dream. This is what Berry Gordy had in 1958, the year he received 800$ loan from his family, to make his dream come true: creating Motown records, one of the best and most known record companies which will revolutionize music. Not only did Motown revolutionize music, but also it churned out some of the most talented and greatest artists on earth such as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Jackson 5 and I could go on and on!!

Let’s see how the magic began!!

Gordy, decided to name his new record company, Tamla and the first single produced was “Come to me” by Marv Johnson. A catchy tuned and brilliantly performed song!! Such a good first single!! Super recommended!! The song soon became appreciated in Detroit and also in New York to the point that New York’s United Artists Records approached Gordy to distribute the song nationally!! Among the artists who signed a contract with Motown in 1960 there are Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye. As regards Marvin Gaye, he was a member of a group called Moonglows and when the it split up he signed a contract with Motown. Gaye reached the success in 1962 with the single “Stubborn kind of fellow” with the backing vocals by Vandellas!! This song, is really in the style of Motown and Marvin Gaye. The peculiarity of the record is that little “question and answer” game between Gaye and the Vandellas. Such a good song to play while you’re taking some time to relax!!

1961 has been a very proficient year for Motown due to the fact that so many talented artists such as The Supremes and Stevie Wonder signed with the company and in addition to that, the Temptations released their debut album. As regards the Supremes, they were a group from Detroit, firstly known as the Primettes. In 1960 Smokey Robinson got them an audition with Motown but before getting a contract with the company they needed to finish high school. Eventually the group changed the name into The Supremes and finally signed with Motown. They released “I want a Guy” just two months later. The next artist to sign with the record label in 1962, is Stevie Wonder. He was just an 11 years old kid when he first got the contract. The artist was first introduced to Berry Gordy by Ronnie White, from the Miracles. At the age of 11 Stevie Wonder was already able to play harmonica and his first single was “I Call It Pretty Music But the Old Folks call it Blues”. The next to produce their debut single were The Temptations. The group signed with the company in 1961, and after that, “Oh mother Of mine” was published. 1961 was also the year Motown had its first single gaining the No 1 on the Billboard chart!! The single was “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes.

1962 was another a good year for the record label. Gordy decided to gather some of the artists in his record company to go on tour around the Eastern seaboard. The last dates of “Motown Revue” ended at New York’s Apollo Theater. In addition, he had the brilliant idea to tape the shows and as a result in 1963 “Let me go the right way” by Supremes and “Fingertips” by Stevie Wonder will be two smashing hits!! These records are contained in “Live at The Apollo Vol. 1”.

1963 is also the year the Four Tops signed with the label, and “Fingertips” by Stevie Wonder reaches the No. 1 on the best sellers and the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The same year Berry Gordy signed a deal with British company EMI Records which chose to release Martha & The Vandellas hit “Heat Wave” as the first Motown single.

Moreover speaking about years, another relevant one for Motown is 1965. During that time Emi Records agrees to “create Tamla Motown Records as a label in its own overseas markets”, along with this, some of the artists of the label including Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, The Miracles and the Supremes, start touring England, Scotland and Wales. Additionally, in 1965 Brenda Holloway opens some of the Beatles concerts in New York

In 1967 the 16 year old Stevie Wonder writes and record his next hit “I Was Made To Love Her”. The recording sessions take place at Hitsville in March. Stevie plays harmonica on Whitney Houston’s 1998 version of the song, reshaped as “I Was Made To Love Him” and produced by Lauryn Hill. Among other artists who have covered it: Jackie Wilson, the Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Michael McDonald, Tom Jones, King Curtis, and the Jackson 5 and Chaka Khan. What’s really relevant about the song are the stunning vocals and also Stevie’s brilliant skills in playing harmonica. I really love this song and it’s really recommended!! The same year Florence Ballard leaves the Supremes and she’s succeeded by Cindy Birdsong. In addition Diana admits in Her autobiography: “It was very tough to maintain the stamina to keep going”... “Florence loved to sing, but she just didn’t seem to be able to keep up with the lifestyle.”

Furthermore in 1968 The Jackson 5, a group from Gary, Indiana, attracts attention and audiences in their hometown and then in Chicago and New York. Thanks to their talent they manage to get an audition with Motown in Detroit in July. The brothers are driven from Gary to Detroit by their father Joe Jackson. “Our job was to perform like we’d never performed before” says Michael Jackson in his autobiography, Moonwalk. Berry Gordy views the audition on videotape and eventually gives the 5 brothers a contract.

In 1969 The Temptations release “Cloud Nine” which soon climbs the Top 10 hit. The single wins Motown’s first Grammy® award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), in the category of Best Rhythm & Blues Performance/Duo or Group.

Regarding the Jackson 5 after recording in Detroit, move to Los Angeles and begin to work on their debut single released for Motown, “I Want You Back.” The song shows the amazing vocal talent of a very young Michael Jackson and the already good skills of his brothers with musical instruments. They were so young and so talented!! The decade closed with the departure of Diana Ross from The Supreme and Jean Terrell joining the group. Diana makes her last TV appearance with the Supremes on December 21 on Ed Sullivan’s The Swinging, Soulful Sixties, and they perform “Someday We’ll Be Together”. Eventually Diana Ross cuts her debut solo 45, “Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand)”

The new decade begins with “I Want You Back” at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 – the first of the Jackson 5’s four consecutive chart-toppers this year. “We were particularly impressed with the ‘I Want You Back’ session”... “because that one song took more time (and tape) than all the other songs on the [album] combined. That’s the way Motown did things in those days because Berry insisted on perfection and attention to detail.” affirms Michael Jackson in his autobiography “Moonwalk”. This quote is so important because it is in my opinion the emblem of Motown: perfection and attention for details and creating music of quality!! From my point of view this is why Motown succeded so much!! Eventually The Jackson 5’s first tour as a Motown act begins in May in Philadelphia.

Moreover in 1970 Motown establishes a new label, Black Forum, to capture poetry and music which reflects the times and the turbulence such as: racial conflict at home and a foreign war draining America’s resources and spirit. The first releases include LPs by Stokely Carmichael, by Langston Hughes and Margaret Danner, two masters of prose and poetry. The late Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Why I Oppose The War In Vietnam” is another Black Forum release, following earlier albums via Motown by the civil rights leader, including 1963’s The Great March To Freedom. This was recorded in Detroit, when King gave an early version of his momentous “I have a dream” speech to thousands in the city. “Why I Oppose The War In Vietnam” is awarded a Grammy® by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences for best spoken-word recording. It is only Motown’s second Grammy®, and the company has to wait two years for more statuettes. In addition Marvin Gaye after the premature death of Tammy Terrel, restarts working on music to reflect the era’s socio-political climate, notably the Vietnam War, where his brother serves. On this note, “What’s Going On” is released. The song “What’s Going On” is opening the album and in my opinion is an untouchable milestone in music history, especially for its socially engaged lyrics. It’s a shame some artists have tried to cover the song stripping it out of its important and relevant meaning!! However I recommend you the album and the original single “What’s Going On”. The same year Berry Gordy is resident in Los Angeles, and due to that he decides to introduce a California-based label: the MoWest. The record company is open to artists and music from outside, producers, and newcomers. Over time, these include performers from all points of the compass, such as Thelma Houston, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Syreeta, Lesley Gore and, briefly, the Commodores.

Furthermore the record label decides to create a show dedicated to Jackson 5, in order to celebrate the upcoming concert in their hometown, Gary, Indiana. The show includes some guest stars on the TV event such as Diana Ross and Bobby Darin, as well as some comedians. After “Goin’ Back To Indiana” is televised, Motown Productions’ decides to produce a Saturday-morning cartoon series, “The Jackson 5ive”, which airs on ABC-TV, featuring the youngsters’ fictionalized adventures in showbusiness. The brothers do not voice their characters, but Diana Ross manages to do it for her part in the first episode.

In 1971 another new group called “The Commodores’” signs with the label, and begin to record, “If I Were Your Woman.” “The Zoo (The Human Zoo)” is released in March 1972 via the California-based MoWest. The same year Stevie Wonder opens for the Rolling Stones’ summer tour of North America, beginning on June 3rd in Vancouver and running through July and August. The ticket price was just 6.50$!! An extremely small price to listen and experience great music!! It must have been a dream!! The aim was to broaden Stevie’s audience, after the release of “Music Of My Mind”. The release of the album is followed in October by “Talking Book” This work is one of my favorite by this genius!! The album is featuring some of the best timeless masterpieces ever produced by the artis like: “You are the sunshine of my life”, “Blame it on the sun”, “You’ve got it bad girl”, “I Believe (When i fall in love it will be forever)” which is one of my favorite and it has also been covered by George Michael (i recommend you the version of George Michael). The album is also containing one of Stevie’s most famous song “Superstition”

Speaking about the The Jackson 5, their popularity in concerts is getting bigger and bigger. The group played in more than 30 cities through July and August, wrapping the shows in Honolulu. Meanwhile “Lookin’ Through The Windows” is a Top 10 albulm. Their opening act is the Commodores. The five perform their first significant concert dates in Europe this year, with shows in Holland, Germany, France and Britain. It’s also in 1972 that Smokey Robinson decides to leave the Miracles. “The last gig was a heavy happening,” writes Smokey in his autobiography, Inside My Life. “I decided to film my final day with the Miracles, from playing chess and cards in the dressing room to the concert that night.” Smokey is anguished as he sings “The Tears Of A Clown” for the last time with his bandmates . His wife Claudette, who retired from performing with the Miracles in 1964, rejoins the group onstage for the farewells, and Smokey introduces his replacement: Billy Griffin. Motown used the recordings from the final concerts for a double album, “Smokey Robinson and The Miracles 1957-1972”.

The next year (1973) “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” as well as “Cloud Nine” is honoured in three categories at the Grammy awards. The single wins the award for: best R&B vocal performance by a duo or group, best R&B song, and best R&B instrumental performance. No other recording collects three Grammys this year. Moreover, the R&B instrumental wins bestows recognition upon conductor Paul Riser. In my opinion the song is perfectly arranged and the instrumental part is extremely mesmerizing!! In April Motown’s first movie, Lady Sings The Blues, starring Diana Ross as the jazz singer Billie Holiday is released. Diana receives an Oscar nomination as best actress for her depiction of Holiday, and wins a Golden Globe award as most promising female newcomer. Meanwhile, the soundtrack LP reaches the top of the Billboard charts, and the singer’s version of “Good Morning Heartache” is a Top 40 hit. “It was a brand-new style for me” ... “at times slightly intimidating but mostly exciting.” says Diana Ross in her autobiography “Secrets of a Sparrow”. Furthermore 1973 prospects to be a good year for Stevie Wonder, when “Superstition” becomes his first No. 1 on the pop charts. This year Stevie is working on another masterpiece “Innervisions” which will be completed for the release on August 3rd, along with a series of concert dates. At the 16th annual Grammy® awards on March 2, Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions” album and two tracks from his previous LP, “Talking Book”, are contending with seven nominations, and win five awards. The major prizes are: Album of the Year and Record of the Year for “Innervisions” and “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life,” respectively, while in the Grammys’ R&B Male Vocal category for “Superstition”, also triumphs Marvin Gaye with “Let’s Get It On”.

The following year (1974) Stevie Wonder enjoys another triumph at the Grammy® ceremonies, for “Fulfillingness’ First Finale” which is honored as Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. “Boogie On Reggae Woman” gets the Grammy® for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The song was originally intended for his previous album, but “didn’t feel right for it” Stevie later says. “I went back and I had a demo of ‘Golden Lady’…and that felt better in that spot on Innervisions.” Meanwhile, another track from “Innervisions”, “Living For The City”, receives the Grammy® for Best R&B Song.

In 1976 Smokey Robinson’s successor in the Miracles, Billy Griffin, and one of the group’s original members, Warren “Pete” Moore, create a concept album, City of Angels which is described as a “soul opera.” The following March “Love Hangover” is released as a single from the new album by Diana Ross. The producer Hal Davis hears a demo of the song, and quickly records it with Diana in December 1975 in an eight-minute version aimed at the dance floor. “Love Hangover” rises to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late May, and also occupies the summit of the dance/disco and R&B charts. The same year, Stevie Wonder’s “Songs In The Key of Life” is two years in the making, with the final package of 21 tracks. “I hope you enjoy this,” says Stevie to the crowd and he adds “But it really doesn’t matter. I gave it my all and all is the best I can do.” “I Wish”, the first 45 from “Songs In The Key of Life”, is released by Motown in late November, and rises to No. 1 two months later. “I wrote that on a Saturday in the summer of 1976 right after the Motown picnic”... “The song was inspired by the fact that we were having so much fun.” affirms Stevie. The album is another brilliant piece of art and it is also featuring some socially engaged songs such as “Black Man” and “Pastime Paradise” which will be covered by Coolio in the 90s. However, the original version will always remain unbeatable!! Another song I love in this album is “Isn’t she lovely”, which is such an happy and emotional record dedicated to Stevie’s newborn child, Aisha. The album is also so relevant because we can listen how Stevie experiments with some new technologies creating a new style. However he kept his typical musical imprint. This album is very recommended!!

“Live At The London Palladium” by Marvin Gaye is released in March 1977. It is a two-LP set, with three sides from the show, and the fourth featuring a new studio recording, “Got To Give It Up,” running almost 12 minutes in length. “Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1)” becomes the singer’s third No. 1 on the pop charts, while Live At The London Palladium reaches No. 3. Meanwhile Mary Wilson, a founding member of the Supremes, declares that she is leaving the group for a solo career. It follows the release by Motown in late ’76 of their Mary, Scherrie & Susaye album, which includes “You’re My Driving Wheel” their final R&B Top 50 hit. Mary, Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene play their last concert together in London at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on June 12. They perform various Supremes’ hits from 1960s, as well as material from their own 1970s albums. Mary, Cindy Birdsong and Diana Ross appear together once more in 1983’s Motown 25 TV special, and the group is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame five years later. Berry Gordy is inducted at the same ceremonies.

In 1966 Rick James signed with Motown and in 1978 he reconnects with the label , and got the contract with company again. In August, “The Wiz” follows a number of Motown film productions, including Lady Sings The Blues and Mahogany (both starring Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams) . Shortly after wrapping filming for The Wiz, Diana Ross records an album of her own versions of the songs, in which she plays all the characters. However it remained unreleased until 2015.

The following year Stevie Wonder buys a complete Sony digital recording and editing system to use in the making of his first film soundtrack score, “Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants.” The orchestral suite is very different to his previous work. Stevie’s first 45 from the project, “Send One Your Love” becomes a major hit. To promote the soundtrack album’s release, Stevie undertakes a six-city tour with the National Afro-American Orchestra, including a performance at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. He performs while excerpts from the film are screened behind him. “I love the idea of orchestrating and composing”, “I would love to see ‘Secret’ done as a ballet. I just think if you have a love for music, you cannot limit yourself to any particular kind of music.” declares Stevie. In October 1975, Stevie Wonder performed with Bob Marley on “I Shot The Sheriff” during a concert in Kingston, Jamaica, while the Wailers jam with Stevie’s band. In the fall of 1980, “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” is part of Stevie’s new album, “Hotter Than July”, and its first single release. “Hotter Than July” soon reaches the Top 3 of the Billboard charts as “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” is a Top 5 single. The album also features “Happy Birthday,” created for the recognition of Rev. Martin Luther King’s birthday as a national holiday. On May 13, 1981, Stevie dedicates his birthday concert – in Stockholm, Sweden – to Bob Marley, who had died of cancer two days earlier. “Hotter Than July” is honestly my all time favorite album by Stevie Wonder. I really recommend the album!!

The next year “Street Songs”, made at The Record Plant in Sausalito, where Rick had cut his third album, “Fire It Up”, is released. “I decided to go back to Buffalo to chill,”... “I disguised myself and went to the Perry Projects, just to walk around. That’s when I knew what I needed. Reality. The street.” he explains. He lived in the studio for a week, writing and recording persistently. “Marvin Gaye was still my idol”, “and I wanted to create something along the lines of his What’s Going On – only with more of an emphasis on sex.” he declares in his autobiography, Glow. In February 1991, Rick wins his first Grammy award.

At a Motown press conference in Hollywood in 1982, Berry Gordy announces that Stevie Wonder has re-signed to the company and releases “Original Musiquarium I”, a 16-track, two-LP set, featuring twelve of Stevie’s biggest hits and four new songs: “That Girl” “Front Line” “Do I do” and “Ribbon In The Sky.” I recommend you to listen to “Do i do” which is one of my favorite songs in the album, especially for the brilliance of the instrumental part!! In May Lionel Richie’s career away from the Commodores takes flight with the chart-topping achievement of “Endless Love” his duet with Diana Ross, including “Lady.” His own debut solo album “Lionel Richie”, is released in September.The album contains nine songs either written or co-written by Lionel. “I didn’t want a cast-of-thousands production,” the singer/songwriter says. “The challenge was to find musicians who were willing to sweat and pull off precisely what I was looking for.”.“Truly” reaches No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November, and is also a worldwide success. It later wins a Grammy® award in Best Pop Male Vocal category.

Eventually in 1983 the two-hour Motown 25 special is staged and recorded by Motown Productions before an audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 25, for later broadcast by NBC-TV. The proceeds from the event will be donated to charity. Among the Motown artists taking part are: Diana Ross & the Supremes, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Jackson 5, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye Martha Reeves, Jr. Walker, Mary Wells and the Commodores. Guest stars include Linda Ronstadt, Billy Dee Williams, Dick Clark and Adam Ant, and the show is hosted by Richard Pryor and Smokey Robinson. The show includes the Jackson 5 singing their early hits, followed by Michael Jackson’s explosive solo performance of “Billie Jean” and introducing his universally renowned dance step the “Moonwalk”. The performance is followed by Marvin Gaye’s compelling version of “What’s Going On” preceded by his reflections on music and artistry; Stevie Wonder’s ebullient performance of “I Wish”; and the performance “battle” between the Four Tops and the Temptations. Lionel Richie is seen on video, singing “You Mean More To Me” to young Lanette Butler, poster child for the current campaign by the National Association of Sickle Cell Disease. Most anticipated is the Supremes’ reunion of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, filled with drama and an excerpt from “Someday We’ll Be Together” followed by a command to Berry Gordy to come to the stage, to be honoured by his stars. The show is edited and broadcast by NBC-TV as “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever”, and it is a huge hit with the national TV audience and the highest-rated broadcast of the week. Later in the year, it receives television’s prestigious Emmy award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program. Later, the show’s executive producer, Suzanne de Passe, says of the stars present that night, “Watching them try to get their turn to hug the man who had made it all possible for them brought tears to my eyes.”

In conclusion someone once said that good art is timeless and will live forever, I think Berry Gordy along with Motown artists were aware of it and they contributed to create and leave something we will cherish and love forever!! @motownrecordsofficial @motownrecords

I suggest you guys to buy the albums or songs if you’re interested don’t download music illegally please. You can get the albums on @discogs-official @amazon and you can get the songs and the digital version of the album on @itunes there are also app for music like @spotify and Tidal.