We all know Charo for her ubiquitous variety show and Love Boat appearances throughout the ’70s, but did you know the former María del Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza Rasten was also an accomplished flamenco guitarist? Of course you did. A young Charo learned guitar from Andres Segovia, considered an icon of modern classical guitar music. After she moved to the States and married Spanish bandleader Xavier Cugat, Charo began forging her “cuchie, cuchie” persona with countless stints on The Tonight Show, The Mike Douglas Show, even the infamous Brady Bunch Variety Hour.

Throughout her years of campy shtick on TV, Charo never stopped recording, both classical-guitar works and more dance-oriented Latin-fusion disco with the Salsoul Orchestra. In fact, she scored three hits on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in the ’70s, starting with “Dance a Little Bit Closer,” which reached #18 in 1978. Later that year “Ole Ole” climbed to #36, while the second single from her Ole Ole album, “Stay With Me” (download), didn’t get quite so far. But “Stay With Me” is an excellent salsa/disco hybrid, with “let’s spend the night together”-type lyrics that were de rigueur in the disco era, and a more restrained vocal than you’d expect from the hyperactive Spaniard. While the track didn’t do much here, it was a big hit overseas, helping Ole Ole sell more than half a million copies worldwide.

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Our new(ish) weekly feature on Popdose rolls on, as John C. Hughes and the world’s foremost Belinda Carlisle impersonator, a.k.a. his buddy Matty (or “Bearlinda,” if you prefer), knock back even more drinks and review some singles, homo style. This week your rainbeaux duo take a listen to songs by Phil Oakey, Skinjobs, Sparks, and the irrepressible Charo while discussing singles-bar muskrats eatin’ others’ scraps and Jughead’s sexuality. Enjoy, and as always, MP3s of the songs are below so you can follow along at home.

Alex Gold feat. Phil Oakey — “LA Today” (download)

Skinjobs — “Peepshow Love” (download)

Charo — “Love Will Keep Us Together” (download) / YouTube video (a must-see!)

Sparks — “I Like Girls” (download)