Before they were The Weather Girls, and long before "It’s Raining Men" became the unofficial anthem of every wedding reception and Pride parade on the planet, they were Two Tons o' Fun. This wasn't some corporate-manufactured duo designed in a boardroom. It was just Martha Wash and Izora Armstead. Two powerhouse vocalists from San Francisco who basically redefined what a backup singer could—and should—be. If you’ve ever felt a chill down your spine during a 1970s disco track, there’s a massive chance it was them. Honestly, they didn't just sing; they shook the walls.
People often forget how radical they were. In an era where the music industry demanded thin, "glamorous" female silhouettes, Martha and Izora walked into the room and demanded space. They were large, they were proud, and their voices were bigger than their physical presence. It’s hard to overstate the impact they had on the San Francisco club scene. They weren't just "big girls who could sing." They were elite athletes of the vocal cords.
The Sylvester Era: Where Two Tons o' Fun Found Their Spark
You can't talk about Two Tons o' Fun without talking about Sylvester. The "Queen of Disco" himself was the one who plucked them from the gospel world and threw them into the glittery, sweat-soaked world of dance music. It was a match made in heaven—or maybe a very loud purgatory. Sylvester was flamboyant and thin; Martha and Izora were soulful and statuesque. Together, they looked like a statement of intent.
They weren't just standing in the back doing "shoo-wops." On tracks like "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" and "Dance (Disco Heat)," their harmonies are the engine. They provided the muscle. Sylvester’s falsetto needed that grounding, and they gave it to him. If you listen closely to the live recordings from the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House in 1979, you can hear the raw power. It’s gospel technique applied to secular hedonism. It worked because they were authentic.
Eventually, the background wasn't enough. They signed with Fantasy Records, and the name Two Tons o' Fun officially became a brand. Their self-titled debut album in 1980 featured "I Got the Feeling" and "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven." These tracks are masterclasses in disco-funk. They proved they could carry a whole record without a lead superstar in front of them. The name was tongue-in-cheek, sure, but the talent was deadly serious.
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The Struggle for Recognition and the "Weather Girls" Pivot
Life in the music industry wasn't always kind to them. Even after they transitioned from Two Tons o' Fun to The Weather Girls in the early 80s, they faced an uphill battle. The 1982 release of "It's Raining Men" changed everything, yet it also kind of pigeonholed them. Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer wrote that song, and originally, they offered it to Donna Summer and Diana Ross. Both turned it down. Martha Wash famously said she thought the song was "crazy" when she first saw the lyrics.
"I told Paul, 'It’s raining men? Are you serious?'" Martha has recalled in various interviews over the years. They recorded it in about ninety minutes. It became a global phenomenon, but it also masked the years of hard work they put in as a duo.
Then came the dark side of the industry: the Milli Vanilli-style erasure. In the late 80s and early 90s, Martha Wash’s voice was used on tracks like Black Box’s "Everybody Everybody" and C+C Music Factory’s "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." But she wasn't in the videos. They used thin models to lip-sync to her powerhouse vocals. It was a slap in the face to everything Two Tons o' Fun stood for. Martha eventually sued, leading to mandatory vocal credits on music videos. She literally changed the legal landscape for session singers everywhere.
Why the Sound Still Knocks in 2026
Is it just nostalgia? Kinda. But it's more about the technical skill. When you listen to a Two Tons o' Fun track today, it doesn't sound dated in the way some 80s synth-pop does. Why? Because it’s rooted in the blues and gospel.
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- Their breath control was insane. Go listen to "Just Us." The way they hold those notes while maintaining a rhythmic "staccato" feel is something modern pop stars struggle to do without Auto-Tune.
- The chemistry. Izora and Martha didn't just sing together; they anticipated each other’s riffs.
- The unapologetic joy. There’s no irony in their music. It’s pure, unadulterated celebration.
Izora Armstead passed away in 2004, which was a massive blow to the soul music community. Her daughter, Dynelle Rhodes, eventually stepped in to keep the Weather Girls legacy alive, but the original chemistry of those two "tons" of fun is something that can't really be replicated. It was a specific moment in San Francisco history.
The Misconception of the "Novelty Act"
Some critics at the time tried to dismiss Two Tons o' Fun as a novelty act. They saw the name and the size and assumed it was a joke. They were wrong. If you look at the credits of the late 70s, these women were the "first call" for producers who needed real grit. They weren't a gimmick; they were the gold standard.
The name itself was actually an act of reclamation. Instead of letting the press mock them for their weight, they grabbed the narrative. They turned it into a brand associated with abundance and high energy. It was body positivity before that was even a buzzword in the zeitgeist. Honestly, they were decades ahead of their time.
How to Experience the Legacy Today
If you want to actually "get" why people still talk about them, you have to go beyond "It's Raining Men." You need to dig into the Fantasy Records era.
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- Start with the 12-inch version of "I Got the Feeling." The breakdown in the middle is legendary.
- Watch the 1979 Sylvester live footage. It’s on various archival sites and YouTube. Look at their faces. They are having the time of their lives.
- Listen to Martha Wash’s solo work from the 90s. You can hear the "Two Tons" DNA in every note.
The reality is that Two Tons o' Fun represents a bridge. They bridged the gap between the church and the dance floor. They bridged the gap between being a "backup" and being a star. They proved that you didn't have to fit a specific mold to own the room.
When you hear a house track today with a big, soulful vocal sample, you are hearing the ghost of what Martha and Izora built. They are the architects of the modern dance vocal.
Actionable Steps for the Soul Music Enthusiast
To truly appreciate the depth of this duo and the impact they had on the industry, consider these steps:
- Audit your playlist: Replace the radio edits of their hits with the "Club Mixes" or "12-inch Versions." The extended bridges are where the real vocal improvisation happens.
- Research the "Vocal Credit" Lawsuits: Look into the 1990 legal battles Martha Wash fought against Sony and A&M Records. It’s a fascinating look at how the industry tried to hide the "Two Tons" look while profiting from the "Two Tons" sound.
- Support the Foundation: Martha Wash has remained active in advocating for artists' rights. Following her current projects gives you a direct link to the living history of this era.
- Explore the San Francisco Disco Scene: Read up on the late-70s queer culture in the Castro District. Two Tons o' Fun weren't just singers; they were icons in a movement that fought for visibility during the height of the disco backlash and the beginning of the AIDS crisis.
The story of Martha and Izora isn't just a music story. It’s a story about persistence. It's about two women who were told they didn't look the part, so they simply sang so loud that the world had no choice but to look at them.