Crystal Waters | The Diva Series - a podcast by Keith a.k.a. K j A M

It was the summer of 1991 when my ex, Eddie and I traveled to New York. This was my first trip to the Big Apple, though he had been many times. It was the era of Mayor Dinkins and Times Square was a shell of it's current glory or, pretty much a shit hole laced with drugs, prostitutes and porn theaters.



One of the most memorable moments when we landed was "Gypsy Woman' blaring out the speakers in our cab heading to Manhattan. I had never heard it as it didn't sound like typical Top 40 fare. Its catchy house beat, and organ grinder riff with the artist singing "la da dee, la dee da" made it one of those songs that just stuck in my head as Eddie and I romped around the city waiting for our friend Margie to get off work. The artist was new-comer Crystal Waters.



The following evening, Eddie and I were on our own and in a sign of poor judgement (or naiveté about New York at night during this time period), we hopped on a train at midnight and headed toward the Village to go to a club called Monster that had been recommended to us earlier in the day. Eddie had to pee, so we got off in Times Square only to find the restrooms closed at that time of night. So he had to do a quicky behind some pillars. The subway station was dark, dank and very eery. A stranger was walking towards us while I hurried him along to finish his business. Next train shows up and we were out of there!



Once we got to the Monster we walked in at street-level and were introduced to a massive piano bar with folks singing along to old Olivia Newton-John songs. We went through the doors in the back and down a narrow stairwell that opens up into a basement club full of gay men dancing to the latest house music. Once 'Gypsy Woman' starting playing from the speakers, I grabbed Eddie's hand and we ran onto the dance floor and didn't leave most of the night (except to grab the occasional drink).



Margie later chastised us for wondering off and even worse stopping in Times Square after midnight without accompaniment. Okay, yelled.



Gypsy Woman is packed with so many memories from our trip it that is one of the most memorable highlights of my life.



Gypsy Woman was originally written for Ultra Nate (another Diva Hall of Fame inductee held in very high esteem around here). Crystal's original demo never made it into her hands and in true DIVA form, she kept it for herself. To be fair, her demo was so good that it won her a recording contract with Mercury Records. The song itself reached #8 on the Top 40 and #1 on the club charts.



Crystal went on to land another Top 40 hit with '100% Pure Love' which peaked at #11 and stayed on the Hot 100 charts for a record-breaking 45 weeks. It also landed at the top of the Billboard Dance/Club charts along with 'Makin' Happy' 'Come on Down' 'My Time' 'Oh Mama Hey' and most very recently 'Believe.'



Crystal Waters is HOUSE MUSIC and more than deserving to be included in the DHF with contemporaries like Barbara Tucker, Ultra Nate and Martha Wash.



It is for these reasons and others too numerous to mention, that Crystal Waters officially be inducted into the Diva Hall of Fame.



With much love and respect, Party Favorz honors Crystal with our highest level of excellence. Thank you for the memories.

Album : Crystal Waters | The Diva Series

Genre : House Music

Year : 2016

Total Time : 1:34:46



* Crystal Waters - Surprise (12'' UK Edit)

Further episodes of Party Favorz

Further podcasts by Keith a.k.a. K j A M

Website of Keith a.k.a. K j A M