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Erykah Badu's 'Tyrone' Gives TMM Producer Amazing Stage Presence

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And from one legendary entertainment diva, to a diva in training; and why I say that will become clear in a moment. As we mentioned, our last broadcast is scheduled for August 1. So as we wind down production, we thought it would be nice to hear about the music that members of our staff are listening to as part of our regular series In Your Ear. And here's a little taste of what's on producer Bridget Armstrong - the diva in training - this is what's on her personal playlist.

BRIDGET ARMSTRONG: Hi, I'm Bridget Armstrong. I'm TELL ME MORE's self-appointed pop culture expert. And here's what's playing in my ear.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CALL TYRONE")

ERYKAH BADU: (Singing) Every time you come around. You got to bring Jim, James, Paul and Tyrone.

ARMSTRONG: "Call Tyrone" by Erykah Badu. I love, love, love Erykah Badu, and "Call Tyrone" is actually my go-to karaoke song. I'm not really a great singer, but I have amazing stage presence.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CALL TYRONE")

BADU: (Singing) I heard you better call Tyrone. Call him - and tell him come on.

ARMSTRONG: In fact, it's the song I sang the night I met my boyfriend. He was the target of all of my, you know, "Call Tyrone" anger. It was hilarious, people thought that we were some old, angry couple.

BADU: (Singing) You need to call Tyrone. Call him. Hold on - but you can't use my phone.

ARMSTRONG: But obviously, he didn't think I was too crazy. He got my phone number and we're together now.

Another song playing in my ear is "Click My Finger" by Erup. This is a great dance hall song. It came out when I was in college, so it reminds me of all of my college days, and clubbing.

(SOUNDBITE OF ERUP SONG, "CLICK MY FINGER")

ARMSTRONG: I just love how the song comes on, with like, the first...

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CLICK MY FINGER")

ERUP: (Singing) Click me finger gal wanna roll with me yeah.

Say dem wanna stroll with me. Girl from all over di world inna da West Indies yeah. Say dem fall in love with me. Click me finger gal wanna roll with me yeah.

ARMSTRONG: ...To this day, if the song comes on I can't help but do the whole click dance.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CLICK MY FINGER")

ERUP: (Singing) Say dem fall in love with me. All ah fight true dem wah be di closest to me. Video light gal ah tek off dem clothes mek me see.

MARVIN GAYE: (Singing) After the dance, we will do something instrumental. After the dance, we are going...

ARMSTRONG: Another song is Marvin Gaye's "I Wanna Be Where You Are." My father is pretty much an old-school music connoisseur. And Marvin Gaye is one of his all-time favorites. He played so much Marvin Gaye growing up, I would get annoyed, like, dad can we listen to TLC? Can we listen to Brandy? And he's telling me, you know - Marvin Gaye - this is real music. You'll appreciate it one day.

And of course, he was right.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE")

GAYE: (Singing) We're going to kiss each other after the dance. Yeah, we going to hold each other after the dance. You said you'd be my lover after the dance. We're going to give ourselves to chance, oh, baby.

ARMSTRONG: One of the things that Marvin Gaye did was record alternate versions of some of his songs. So this version is the music from "I Wanna Be Where You Are," but the lyrics are kind of a remix on "After The Dance."

I just love how he put together. It's such a smooth song. It really does remind me of my childhood; the lectures my father would give to me on real music.

After the dance. After the dance. After the dance baby. Were going to give ourselves something.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE")

GAYE: (Singing) After the dance. After the dance. After the dance, baby. We're going to give ourselves to...

MARTIN: That was TELL ME MORE producer Bridget Armstrong telling us what's playing in her ear.

And that's our program for today. I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Let's talk more tomorrow. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.