Divine (Harris Glenn Milstead) was born on October 19, 1945. He was an American actor, singer and drag queen who worked with John Waters (link below). Divine was also the inspiration for Ursula the Sea Witch, the Walt Disney character created for the film, The Little Mermaid (link below).
Divine was a character actor, usually performing female roles in cinematic and theatrical appearances, and adopted a female drag persona for his music career.
Divine was a character actor, usually performing female roles in cinematic and theatrical appearances, and adopted a female drag persona for his music career.
Divine's big hit was So, You Think You're a Man. Male body builders are featured in the video for the song but Mae West (link below) beat Divine to it by 50 years. Divine also did a cover of Walk Like a Man by the Four Seasons (links to both below).
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP album cover
photo by Styrous®
In 1984 Divine released an album entitled, The Story So Far, in Australia, Europe and Japan. The same year, he released this album, Greatest Hits, in Canada on the Unidisc label. This album has none of the songs that were his hits; instead it has songs he sung that are seldom heard.
Needless to say, all are Hi-NRG tunes written by Bobby Orlando execpt Native Love, which was written with Marc Bauman. Shoot Your Shot was produced by Spanish record producers.
Love Reaction was recorded twice upon the suggestion of Divine's Dutch record company, the second version modeled after the successful New Order, Blue Monday single. A suit was threatened against Orlando for audio plagiarism, but never materialized (link below).
Love Reaction was recorded twice upon the suggestion of Divine's Dutch record company, the second version modeled after the successful New Order, Blue Monday single. A suit was threatened against Orlando for audio plagiarism, but never materialized (link below).
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®
Shoot Your Shot was produced by Toni Peret (Antonio Peret Alcalde) and José María Castells. It became Divine's second single to chart on the Dutch Top 40; it debuted at #26 and eventually peaked at #3. The song spent a total of 10 weeks on the chart. Shoot Your Shot was certified gold (100,000 copies) in the Netherlands.
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®
Native Love (Step By Step) became Divine's first single to chart on the Dutch Singles Chart.
It debuted at #37 before climbing to and peaking at #28 in its second
week. The song spent a total of 11 weeks on the chart.
Native Love (Step By Step remains Divine's highest charting song on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Songs, where it peaked at #21.
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®
The intro for Jungle Jezebel is a minute & a half and when the vocal begins, somehow, it reminds me of what The Residents (link below) might do vocally.
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP, side 1
photo by Styrous®
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP label, side 1
photo by Styrous®
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP, side 2
photo by Styrous®
Divine ~ Greatest Hits
vinyl LP label, side 2
photo by Styrous®
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A1 - Native Love - 5:10
A2 - Shake It Up - 9:28
A3 - Jungle Jezebel - 4:37
Side 2:
B1 - Shoot Your Shot - 8:23
B2 - Love Reaction - 5:31
B3 - Native Love (Suite) - 8:30
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – "O" Records
Copyright (c) – "O" Records
Copyright (c) – Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Manufactured By – Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Distributed By – Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Credits:
Producer – Bobby Orlando
Notes:
℗ 1982, 1984 "O" Records
© 1984 "O" Records / Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Made in Canada
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Runout Side A): SPLP-8004-A IA 2X
Matrix / Runout (Runout Side B): SPLP-8004-B IA 2X
Divine – Greatest Hits... So Far..!
Label: Unidisc – SPLP-8004
Series: Disco/Dance Classics – SPLP-8004
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Canada
Released: 1982, 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG, Disco
Side 1:
A1 - Native Love - 5:10
A2 - Shake It Up - 9:28
A3 - Jungle Jezebel - 4:37
Side 2:
B1 - Shoot Your Shot - 8:23
B2 - Love Reaction - 5:31
B3 - Native Love (Suite) - 8:30
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – "O" Records
Copyright (c) – "O" Records
Copyright (c) – Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Manufactured By – Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Distributed By – Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Credits:
Producer – Bobby Orlando
Notes:
℗ 1982, 1984 "O" Records
© 1984 "O" Records / Unidisc Productions Ltd.
Made in Canada
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Runout Side A): SPLP-8004-A IA 2X
Matrix / Runout (Runout Side B): SPLP-8004-B IA 2X
Divine – Greatest Hits... So Far..!
Label: Unidisc – SPLP-8004
Series: Disco/Dance Classics – SPLP-8004
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Canada
Released: 1982, 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG, Disco
YouTube links:
Divine ~
Native Love
Shake It Up
Jungle Jezebel
Shoot Your Shot
Love Reaction
Native Love (Suite)
So, You Think You're a Man
Walk Like a Man (video)
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons ~ Walk Like a Man (video)
Styrous® ~ Friday, October 19, 2017
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons ~ Walk Like a Man (video)
Styrous® ~ Friday, October 19, 2017
