Welcome to the most important week in pop history

Yes after months of preparation we are kicking off the first annual La Toya Jackson Appreciation Week. The purpose of this is to bring the joy of La Toya to you all.

Now you may think you know La Toya... The Playboy covers, the eccentric fashion sense, the badmouthing of her brother, the psychic helplines, the abusive husband, the video tours of the world's top sex clubs, and the TV faux-pas of Armed & Famous. The list goes on. La Toya's fame has always been about her antics and those of her brother. What is often overlooked is her music.

La Toya has released nine albums and a tenth, Startin' Over, is on the way - and has been since 2002! Her success has been relatively muted in comparison to her siblings, but she's scored hits on charts as far afield as New Zealand, the Netherlands, the USA and Germany. She's a Grammy winning songwriter and has recently made a comeback on the Billboard dance charts.

So forget what you think you know about La Toya and let the music speak...

If You Feel The Funk



It seems appropriate to start right at the beginning of La Toya's esteemed music career in 1980.

If You Feel The Funk was her first international single and is an infectious slice of disco pop and the shrill second verse is pop heaven. However it arrived a little late to ride the disco wave, peaking just outside the Hot 100 in the USA (although it was a top 20 dance hit). In Europe it was received a better reception, making #42 in Germany and #18 in the Netherlands.

La Toya said in her biography La Toya: Growing Up In The Jackson Family that she was uncomfortable, being a devout Jehovah's Witness, with the sexual overtones to it, which are quite tame compared to her later works. However her father and manager Joe Jackson insisted she record it and we are glad she did!

No video was made but she performed the song on a number of shows.

A great start to a great career!

Album version mp3

Once you've fallen in love with the track, head over to Amazon and buy the reissue of her debut album which was achieved after much effort by the legendary Church of La Toya website. If the reissue sells well enough her second album will get the reissue treatment - and that's worth it solely for Special Love!

Official Church of La Toya promotional video for the 2006 album reissue.

Legendary Wellington Diva La Toya JackSin throwing down to a La Toya medley including If You Feel The Funk at an 80s night.