“Da’ Butt” by E.U. (1988)
Go-go is one of my musical blind spots. Aside from a handful of Chuck Brown songs, the only other go-go I’m familiar with comes from E.U., the band that made (and had a #1 hit with) “Da’ Butt”. I’d like to think I am an authority when it comes to music that makes my ass (and potentially the asses of others, since I have occasionally been called into service as a DJ) move. “Da’ Butt” causes tons of involuntary rear wiggling, and not just because of the title.
Here are some awesome things about “Da’ Butt” and E.U.; “Da’ Butt” is a song about a dance that literally involves just shaking your ass, it was from the excellent Spike Lee film “School Daze”, it kicked off a lengthy streak of Spike’s movies attaching themselves to awesome music, E.U.’s Larry Blackmon-esque lead singer is named Sugar Bear, and the video for “Da’ Butt” was shot in the cafeteria of the high school that I would enroll in less than 18 months after the song became popular. Brooklyn Tech has spawned some pretty awesome celeb alumni; Lou Ferrigno, Vernon Reid, Kim Coles, Talib Kweli (who I was in classes with as a freshman before he split after a year to go to a different high school), it’s the school that formed the basis for the TV show Head Of The Class. It’s one of NYC’s original elite high school. But to me, aside from being my alma mater, the first fact I’ll always think of when my school comes up in conversation is this video.
Four star songs between “D.M.S.R.” and “Da’ Butt”: “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto Tune)” (Jay-Z, 2009) | “The D.O.C. & The Doctor” (The D.O.C., 1989...god damn this song bangs hard) | “D’evils” (Jay-Z, 1996) | “D’yer Maker” (Led Zeppelin, 1973)...which, incidentally, is quoted in the intro of E.U.’s “’Da Butt ‘89″! | “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Part One)” (OutKast, 1998) | “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Part Two)” (OutKast, 1998) | “Da B-Side” (Da Brat featuring The Notorious B.I.G., 1995) | “Da Bang” (Prince, 1998...this doesn’t appear to be on any video streaming services)
