When the group began performing as the L.D.s on Greenwich Village street corners and the Staten Island ferry, the group was comprised of brothers Stevie D. and Antoine "T.C.D." Lundy (b. February 3, 1964, d. January 21, 1998), their uncle Jessie Lee Daniels, and friends Trisco Pearson and Charles "Mercury" Nelson (December 19, 1964–March 9, 1995) son of Charles Daniels. After they connected with DJ Dr. Rock, they also performed as Dr. Rock & the MCs and played at hip hop shows.
By the time the Force MDs got a record deal, signing with Tommy Boy Records in 1984, the group had already developed into a pure quiet storm/contemporary R&B group, with its top-ten R&B hit "Tears" from the Love Letters album and signified by the group's street attitude. It produced a collection of R&B hits throughout the 1980s, but its sole pop hit was the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-penned love song "Tender Love" from both their second album, Chillin’ (1985), and the 1985 feature film and soundtrack Krush Groove. The single proved to be a huge success, peaking at #10 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which became and instant R&B classic,and stayed on the chart for 19 weeks, [1] which was one of the tracks that helped Jam & Lewis garner a Grammy award for Producer of the Year. With the exception of their first album, the group was also the first act on Tommy Boy to have major-label distribution through its then-parent Warner Bros. Records.
The Force MDs finally scored its first R&B #1 hit in 1987, "Love is a House," from the group's third album, Touch and Go. However, the group's popularity began to wane the following year. A fourth album, Step to Me, was released in 1990, and its featuring production was by Full Force, Marley Marl, Monte Moir (of the Time) and others. Mercury and Trisco then left, only to be replaced by Rodney "Khalil" Lundy and Shawn Waters. The group then released the album Moments in Time in 1994.
Tragedy struck the group three times with the passing of three of its members: Charles "Mercury" Nelson suffered a fatal heart attack in 1995; Antoine "T.C.D." Lundy died of Lou Gehrig's disease in 1998; and DJ Dr. Rock died under unknown circumstances. The Remaining MDs returned with a comeback album titled "The Reunion" in 2000.
Itchin' for a Scratch
Force MD's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Itchin' for a scratch
It's a itch that you got to catch
Itchin' for a scratch
Itchin' Itchin' Itchin' for a scratch
I woke up this morning Itchin' bad
I wanted to scratch I was going mad
He just shook his head and said to me,
You're in trouble son I know for sure what you got there ain't no cure
So take this beat go home and scratch, but stay away from me cause it's easy to catch
Itchin' for a scratch
It's a beat penicillin can't match
Itchin' for a scratch
Itchin' Itchin' Itchin' for a scratch
So I left the doctor, walked down the street scratching myself to that funky beat
Everybody I passed they stared at me
And they started Itchin' with the same disease
So the Itchin' was spreading all over town
With all that scratchin'? got down
The was they were acting was really outrageous
Doc was right this itch is contagious
Itchin' for a scratch
It's a itch that you got to catch
Itchin' for a scratch
Itchin' Itchin' Itchin' for a scratch
Itch - scratch, itch - scratch, itch - scratch
Well the Itchin' caught on in every nation
People scratched all over to the funk sensation
In China, Japan and Russia too
In Germany in Egypt even Kalamazoo
They all learned to scratch cause they had to itch
If they didn't like the funk they made the switch
They itched on subway, they scratched on the trains
When that dancing fever went straight to the brain
Itchin' and a scratchin'
Scratchin' and a scratchin'
Movin' and a groovin' til my body starts twitchin'
Ha ga ga ga well blow me down
I can't stop rockin' to the funky sound
So stands back Oyles and lets be finished
While I chill out with a can of spinach
Itch - scratch, Itch - Scratch, Itch - Scratch, Itch - Scratch
Ha you hear that scratch back there
That's my man throwing down
He's the baddest scratcher all around the world
And you know what he tells everybody to say he says
Itchin' and a scratchin'
Scratchin' and a scritchin'
Movin and a groovin til my body starts twitchin
I pity the fool who makes me itch
When I hear scratchin' my muscles twitch
Up in my head down to my feet
I can't stop scratchin' to the funky beat
Itch - scratch, itch - scratch, itch - scratch, itch - scratch
It's a itch whoo it's coming through my clothes
Make my pants real high make me jump on my toes
It's a certain kind of itch that brings all my luck
Every time I scratch myself it makes me sparkle blood
Hee, hee, hee yeah
God father of soul that's who I am
When I get the itch I start to jam
Get funky ahh, get funky ahhhhh
Itch - scratch, itch - scratch, itch - scratch, itch - scratch
The song "Itchin' for a Scratch" by Force MD's is a playful, upbeat tune about the contagious desire to scratch oneself to the funky beat of the music. The lyrics describe a man who wakes up one morning with an uncontrollable itch and visits a doctor for help, but is told that there is no cure for the ailment. As a result, he goes home and starts to scratch himself to the rhythm of the music, leading others to catch the same uncontrollable itch. The song continues to describe how the itch spreads throughout various countries and how people cannot resist the urge to scratch and dance to the funky beat.
The song was released in 1985 and gained popularity as a part of the early hip hop and electro-funk scene. The lyrics are simple yet catchy, and the playful rhythm and beat make it a classic dance number. The group is known for their smooth vocal harmonies and often incorporated hip hop and rap elements into their music.
Line by Line Meaning
Itchin' for a scratch
Desire for a physical sensation of relief through scratching
It's a itch that you got to catch
A persistent and contagious condition that is difficult to treat
I woke up this morning Itchin' bad
Expressing the urgency of the itch upon awakening
Went to the doctor said, "help me please"
Request for medical assistance
"You're in trouble son I know for sure what you got there ain't no cure
Doctor's diagnosis of the incurable condition
So take this beat go home and scratch, but stay away from me cause it's easy to catch
Doctor's advice to manage the itch by scratching and avoiding contact with others
So I left the doctor, walked down the street scratching myself to that funky beat
Narrating the actions taken after seeing the doctor while illustrating the association between scratching and music
The way they were acting was really outrageous Doc was right this itch is contagious
Observing the spread of the contagious itch and acknowledging the doctor's warning
Well the Itchin' caught on in every nation People scratched all over to the funk sensation
Describing the international spread of the itch, and its association with music
They all learned to scratch cause they had to itch
The compulsion to scratch when experiencing the itch
Itchin' and a scratchin' Scratchin' and a scratchin'
Repeating the physical actions associated with the itch and scratch
Ha ga ga ga well blow me down I can't stop rockin' to the funky sound
Expressing the involuntary dance-like movements brought about by the itch and music
I pity the fool who makes me itch
Warning to those who may intentionally or inadvertently cause the itching
It's a itch whoo it's coming through my clothes Make my pants real high make me jump on my toes
Describing the intensity of the itch and accompanying physical reactions
God father of soul that's who I am When I get the itch I start to jam
Claiming identity based on the association between the itch and music
Get funky ahh, get funky ahhhhh
Encouraging others to join in and enjoy the music despite the itch
Writer(s): Keith Leblanc, Douglas Arthur Wimbish, Trisco Jay Pearson, Antoine Lundy, Roger Daniels, Charles Nelson, Jessie L. Daniels, Steve Stein, Robin Halpin
Contributed by Aiden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mattdawg83686
Wow, I haven’t heard this jam since it was originally released back in the day when I was eleven years old. Now here I am at 49 years old and rediscovering this track and the memories that came with it!
@mikefarley5358
Amen brother
@Battallion1
Came out when I was 25 and still enjoyin it at 62!
@messynthwave80s27
This jam never die! Enjoy It EVER! Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷
@jhogg9944
Force MDs # Back in tha days.. still rocking
@gregm7976
3:54 "That's my man Throw'n Down". One of Hip-Hop most sampled phrases!
@RawUndergroundMusic
I'm trying to figure out where the sample came from since there was no acapella release for this.
@ripman21
@@RawUndergroundMusicyou can grab a clear sample without the beat at the end of the Tommy Boy Mega Mix by 3D
@eugenemckinney8736
Rest in peace Jessie Lee Daniels, Trisco Pearson, TCD Lundy, Mercury Nelson
This track had all of us itchin for a scratch back in 1985
Prayers to Stevie D Khalil and Zieme
@MisterB2eternity
What a shame most of them are gone. But you ain't never lie. Back in '85 when I was in 5th grade me and the homies was tripping off of this song and we even made up a Itching for a Scratch tag while on a trip until our teacher made us stop. LOL fun times.