La Da Dee, La Da Da, La Da Dee, La Da Da... I can feel the souvenirs going back to mindz as well as a growing excitation in the hearts of those who’ll have the chance to see her performing this Fri, March 17 in Baltimore for Ultra Nate’s B-Day Bash. For this occasion, we offer you a quick reminder of the performer of that worldwide hit known as ‘Gypsy Woman’ via a chat which we’ve had soon after its release back in the daze. Ladies & gents : Crystal Waters !
05/30/1991. I bip the lady at her place during lunch time. Soon after the usual introductions, she says with a bit of surprise on her voice : Waouw ! A Frenchie on the phone… I wouldn’t have thought this to happen a few weeks ago! Everybody’s watching me now quite bizarrely at the office. Yes, you got it : at the office, she said… And God knows how surprise may have been big for this computer employee by the US Government US to the dept. of the prisoners on word, even though music has always taken an important part on her life. I’m hailing from a family of musicians, she explained. My dad, Jr Waters, was a singer and a jazz pianist. He eventually scored a hit in the 60’s with ‘My Life is Seven’ and has made a few TV appearences on a show called American Bandstand. Auntie Ethel was a singer too and had a few features in the cinema, one of which being in The Cotton Club.
Mrs Waters leaves her native New jersey natal in 1983 to start a cycle of studies in data processing at the DC Howard University from which equally took out - pure coincidence - a certain Angela Winbush. This is besides in this same city - doubtless not no more a chance - that she would meet the Basement Boys, to the origin of Ultra Nate’s recognition. I gave them a demo on which I had a basis if not the definitive lyrics and they wrote the music. This song is the story of a homeless women. She’s so cool, she got the local newspaper writin’ a feature about her. She sings gospel everyday. She’s dressed, she’s made up and she’s got everything of a respectable lady. She doesn’t ask anything to anyone if not some little coin. She simply has decided to become a street person. I actually got to this famous ‘La Da Dee’ thing from her way of singing.
The dazzling success and the quality of the lyrics that she writes are enuff reasons which would convince the Basement Boys to follow the operation not only while producing the entirety of her first album, but also have her committed in the realization of the one of Ultra Nate. I’m into every kind of music, although country tends to tickle me at some time. I love Betty Carter, Ella Fitzgerald and Nancy Wilson. We was listening to them all day long when I was a kid. But I also feel a lot of admiration for Prince and Sting coz’ they really know how to write original stories. Crystal was to put an end to her activities in the public function, no later the day following our conversation ; her second single – ‘Makin’ Happy’ freshly sent to the US DJ’s as well as her album gone out of press. As for the rest, it’s another story, having us wishing a happy birthday to Ultra. La Da Dee, La Da Da… MFSB
CRYSTAL WATERS live @ SUGAR - 1722 N. Charles St. (2 blks above Penn Station) BALTIMORE, MD.
INTERVIEW
