Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam w/ Full Force's "I Wonder If I Take You Home"

I haven't really been in a freestyle mood these days - but I just watched this freestyle classic's video and it made my day. I was too young to ever notice when it was on the air - but this video features interracial couplings (not just ONE couple either) and it makes me proud (being a half-breed myself). And to do this public display in 1985, well - that's fantastic.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure in NYC (where this group is from) and other urban hot spots, interracial couplings ran rampant in the 80's but for middle america MTV watchers, I'm sure it was effective! It might be silly, somehow (and I obviously should be) I am very grateful that this video was in rotation. Even if I was seven or eight when it hit the airwaves. Thanks to youtube.com - it can live on...

Born today

* 1265 - Emperor Fushimi of Japan (d. 1317)
* 1604 - Jean Mairet, French dramatist (d. 1686)
* 1641 - Dudley North, English economist (d. 1691)
* 1727 - Anne Robert Turgot, French statesman (d. 1781)
* 1760 - Johann Peter Hebel, German poet (d. 1826)
* 1770 - Louis Nicolas Davout, French marshal (d. 1823)
* 1788 - Augustin-Jean Fresnel, French physicist (d. 1827)
* 1838 - John Wilkes Booth, American actor and assassin of Abraham Lincoln (d. 1865)
* 1841 - James Gordon Bennett Jr., American publisher (d. 1918)
* 1866 - Léon Bakst, Russian artist (d. 1924)
* 1872 - Marcel Mauss, French sociologist (d. 1950)
* 1878 - Gustav Stresemann, Chancellor of Germany, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1929)
* 1879 - Symon Petlura, Ukrainian statesman (d. 1926)
* 1886 - Karl Barth, Swiss Protestant theologian (d. 1968)
* 1886 - Felix Manalo, first Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (d. 1963)
* 1888 - Max Steiner, Austrian composer (d. 1971)
* 1889 - Mae Murray, American actress (d. 1965)
* 1890 - Alfred Jodl, German general (d. 1946)
* 1897 - Einar Gerhardsen, Prime minister of Norway (d. 1987)
* 1899 - Fred Astaire, American singer, dancer, and actor (d. 1987)
* 1899 - Dimitri Tiomkin, Ukrainian-born composer (d. 1979)
* 1902 - Anatole Litvak, Ukrainian-born film director (d. 1974)
* 1902 - David O. Selznick, American film producer (d. 1965)
* 1903 - Otto Bradfisch, nazi leader (d. 1994)
* 1909 - Maybelle Carter, American musician
* 1916 - Milton Babbitt, American composer
* 1927 - Nayantara Sahgal, Indian author
* 1928 - Arnold Rüütel, Estonian president
* 1930 - Pat Summerall, American football player and broadcaster
* 1933 - Barbara Taylor Bradford, English writer
* 1934 - Cliff Wilson, Welsh snooker player (d. 1994)
* 1936 - Gary Owens, American actor and announcer
* 1944 - Jim Abrahams, American film director
* 1946 - Donovan, Scottish musician
* 1946 - Dave Mason, English musician (Traffic)
* 1952 - Kikki Danielsson, Swedish singer
* 1953 - John Diamond, British journalist (d. 2001)
* 1955 - Chris Berman, American sportscaster
* 1955 - Mark David Chapman, American assassin of John Lennon
* 1956 - Vladislav Listyev, Russian television anchor and journalist
* 1957 - Sid Vicious, English bassist (The Sex Pistols) (d. 1979)
* 1958 - Rick Santorum, U.S. Senator
* 1958 - Yu Suzuki, creator of Virtua Fighter series
* 1960 - Bono, Irish singer (U2)
* 1961 - Danny Carey, American Drummer (Tool, Pigmy Love Circus)
* 1965 - Linda Evangelista, Canadian model
* 1966 - Jonathan Edwards, British athlete
* 1967 - Scott Brison, Canadian politican
* 1967 - Young MC, American rapper
* 1969 - Dennis Bergkamp, Dutch footballer
* 1970 - David Weir, Scottish footballer
* 1971 - Ådne Søndrål, Norwegian speed skater
* 1972 - Radosław Majdan, Polish footballer
* 1974 - Sylvain Wiltord, French footballer
* 1975 - Hélio Castroneves, Brazilian race car driver
* 1976 - Rob Malda, founder of Slashdot
* 1977 - Nick Heidfeld, German Formula 1 driver
* 1977 - Denise Ho, Hong Kong singer
* 1978 - Kenan Thompson, American actor
* 1979 - Lee Hyori, South Korean singer