Cameo Hangin' Downtown

1984 album She's Strange

Composed By Kenni Hairston

This has the protagonists all but putting their lives on hold while the kinks of his relationship are being worked out. Rather then using the familiar song recourse of pining in a room and crying, "Hangin' Downtown" conjures an even more problematic scenario: a lonely, aimless man hitting the city streets doing something close to nothing. Of course that idle time may not be used constructively and that's the appeal of Kenny Hairston's "Hangin' Downtown." With its eerie synthesizers, poignant guitars, and detailed lyrics, this track is nocturnal, entrancing, and poignant but not too much so. Since the group already did phenomenal knockdown drag-out ballads like "Why Have I Lost You," more wit was exhibited here. But all comes back to a particular kind of isolation with the key line, "Been tied to lonesome roads/Making residence in two-bit four-wall domiciles." The primary singers, Larry Blackmon, Nathan Leftenant, and Tomi Jenkins, seamlessly trade leads, and their voices seem made for a peculiar, perfectly non-perfect three-part harmony. The sentiment is so strong here that Blackmon plays it straight until nearing the song's close where he shouts his partial to-do list: "Hanging downtown/Kind of waiting...talking to my friends." Like the majority of Cameo's ballads, "Hangin' Downtown" has staying power and is one of those songs you have to hear again and again.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Cameo
• Hangin' Downtown

[Belsarius26]

I love this song. It takes me to a place that I hate to go but I still like it alot. I miss my wife also!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[nocturnalnightbird]

@Belsarius26 My pleasure! ʝαζ

[CDCANDIES]

So sad, but so wrapped in the the feelings of joy this song gives. And appreciate ur comments,nice. I'll look 2c if u have more vdo's just for that.

[nocturnalnightbird]

@CDCANDIES Hi, check out my other channels when you get a chance...jazzysbags, msjazzylinn, karmencookie, coffymama and I have many more.

[tracydukeplump]

Nocturnalnightbird thank you so much for putting this on.

[nocturnalnightbird]

@tracydukeplump My pleasure!

[chefbaby8879]

This song got me thru some lonely evenings coming home from school & football practice. I remember my man had a candy store on one of the sidestreets downtown right where I had to catch my next bus home. It still gets regular play on my ipod. Great post my friend.

[castortroykrb]

Just getting back from the USARMY and CAMEO comes out with 1 of the best albums /// I asked my little brother to please come give me back my keys and thanked him for taking care of my cadillac // took a shower and told him ill be HANGIN DOWNTOWN ! went to D.C.'S happening club in southwest the...R.S.V.P. and the nite was history !!!!

[hawanii]

love dis song..im such a oldies fan..love me so oldies ova any music

[xlmidi]

DJ Premier

[clbzone]

"You're wishing on a star. It's the only one that sits there next to the silvery moon. I don't feel to optimistic, but I know I'd trade the world for what I'm wishing would come true..." Yesssssssss! THIS WAS, IS and will ALWAYS BE the JAM! Gorgeous lyrics, vocals and instrumtation. "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...." Thanks for sharing!

[headedsomewhere]

this will probably be my fave Cameo song, outside of dont' be lonely...Peace Lady L.