"Freeze-Frame" by J. Geils Band

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  0928
Date:  02/20/1982
Debut:  67
Peak:  4
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  The J. Geils Band successfully followed up their big #1 hit "Centerfold" with this title track from their LP. It would also be their second gold record in a row. This would be the peak era of the group and this single would be their last to reach the Top 10.

ReduxReview:  This was a great follow-up to a classic #1 hit. I don't think they could do a 1-2 punch any better than this. And obviously they couldn't even come close to trying to replicate this feat. It seemed that after the fame hit, the group kind of imploded in a way. But these two songs plus "Love Stinks" pretty much cemented their place in rock.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Although the band's blues-rock sound was influenced by R&B, they were mainly considered a rock band and were kept to the pop and rock charts. However, the b-side to "Freeze-Frame," the album track "Flamethrower," somehow got the attention of Black radio and it ended up making an appearance on the R&B chart. It ended up reaching #25 becoming their lone R&B hit.

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"Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks

Rated 10 Alert!

Song#:  0927
Date:  02/20/1982
Debut:  73
Peak:  11
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Nicks' first two singles from her debut solo LP "Bella Donna" were Top 10 hits that featured two other artists - Tom Petty and Don Henley. For her third single, she steps out completely on her own with a song that has become one of her most recognizable solo outings. Sadly, it peaked at the dreaded #11 spot. This may have been partially due to the fact that the song had already been playing for months on rock radio and peaked at #4 on the Mainstream Rock chart the previous year. But it didn't really matter as it has far outlasted many of her other higher-ranking hits.

ReduxReview:  Oh man I rocked out to this song so much back in the day! That opening guitar riff hooked me right away and as the song unfolded I completely fell under the spell of the shawl-dancing goddess. This song battles back and forth with "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" as my favorite Nicks solo piece. Classic and brilliant.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Nicks' initial inspiration for the song title came from Tom Petty's wife at the time, Jane. She had a very Southern drawl and when talking to Nicks about meeting Tom, Jane said she met him "at the age of seventeen." However, Nicks heard "at the edge of seventeen." The mistake prompted the title and Nicks told Jane she would always credit her as the inspiration.  2) Destiny's Child sampled the song's famous guitar riff for their 2001 #1 hit "Bootylicious."

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"Never Give Up on a Good Thing" by George Benson

Song#:  0926
Date:  02/20/1982
Debut:  83
Peak:  52
Weeks:  9
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  After scoring his fourth Top 10 pop hit with "Turn Your Love Around," Benson issued this second single from his compilation "The George Benson Collection." It peaked far lower than his previous hit but did make it to #16 on the R&B chart.

ReduxReview:  It's hard to follow-up a song as good as "Turn Your Love Around," but Benson does well with this tune. I'm not really sure why this one didn't catch on. It has a great groove, cool horn lines, nice backing vocals, and a solid chorus. There's really nothing here to dislike. It's not as killer as "Turn," but the song is a worthy follow-up.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Although Benson's career didn't really kick in until the late 60s, he had been performing and working in music since he was a kid. By age 10, Benson recorded his first single for RCA. Under the moniker Little Georgie, Benson sang "She Makes Me Mad." It was a local hit in his hometown of Pittsburgh in 1954, but nothing developed from it. He would finally begin his jazz solo career a decade later.

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"Shine On" by George Duke

Song#:  0925
Date:  02/20/1982
Debut:  85
Peak:  41
Weeks:  9
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  With his musical partner Stanley Clarke, Duke made it into the pop Top 20 with the song "Sweet Baby" (#19) from their "Clarke/Duke Project" LP. For a follow-up, Duke returned to solo form and issued the album "Dream On." Handling vocal duties himself this time, Duke release this first single that just missed the Top 40 to become his final pop chart entry. It peaked at #15 at R&B.

ReduxReview:  Although not outstanding, this is a good R&B tune from Duke. It kind of resembles an Earth, Wind & Fire jam. I had not heard this before and I was pleasantly surprised. I got my jam on.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Duke played keyboards and sang background for Frank Zappa and appeared on several of Zappa's albums throughout the 70s.

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"Memory" by Barbra Streisand

Song#:  0924
Date:  02/20/1982
Debut:  86
Peak:  52
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Streisand's previous single "Comin' In and Out of Your Life" just missed the Top 10 peaking at #11. It was one of three new recordings put on her compilation LP "Memories." This second single was one of those new recordings and it returned Streisand to her Broadway roots. Featured in the 1981 Andrew Lloyd Webber West End (London) musical "Cats," Streisand recorded and released the song long before the show made its Stateside Broadway debut in October, 1982. Even though she scooped the song before other performers in the US, it may have been a bit early to release the song. It was well-known in the UK due to the show and cast member Elaine Paige's #6 hit version, but the song was still unfamiliar to most US audiences. This could be part of the reason the big showstopper fizzled for Streisand, not even reaching the top half of the chart. However, AC listeners reacted well and it reached #9 on that chart.

ReduxReview:  I think I knew about "Cats" before this single was released but had not heard any of the music yet. So I'm sure this was my first exposure to the show. I remember liking it and Streisand taking to the nth degree, however I wasn't blown away by it. When the Broadway show hit I got the cast album. The songs didn't make much sense to me and I shrugged the LP off. Later, the show turned into a great memory (pun intended) when my best friend visited me in Boston while I was at college and I got us tickets to see the show there. We totally loved it. Looking back on it now, if I saw the show today I probably would not like it. I mean, the show is fun - they all act like cats! But when it comes down to it, there is no major plot. You just get introduced to different cats and one gets picked to get "reborn." There's your plot. I still look back on it with fondness, but I'm not a fan of the show anymore.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  It wouldn't be the last time Streisand got the scoop on a Lloyd Webber song. A few weeks before the London opening of Lloyd Webber's musical "Sunset Boulevard," Streisand released her LP "Back to Broadway." Included on the album was one of the show's songs, "As If We Never Said Goodbye." Produced by Lloyd Webber himself, Streisand introduced the song to the world before the show even officially debuted.

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"Summer Nights" by Survivor

Song#:  0923
Date:  02/20/1982
Debut:  90
Peak:  62
Weeks:  8
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Survivor made some headway on the chart with "Poor Man's Son" (#33), the lead single from their second album "Premonition." This second single floundered a bit on the chart for a couple months but it wouldn't really matter. Their next single would push them over the top and define their career.

ReduxReview:  This slow-charging tune is one that kind of reminds me of late-70s Journey, just maybe not as epic as that band would have done. Members Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan were really starting to get the hang of writing solid, catchy rock songs and it was beginning to pay off for the band. This one should have gotten more attention back in the day.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This song and many others on the band's first four albums were sung by Dave Bickler. Years after he left the band, Bickler's voice became famous again via a series of humorous ad campaigns. Originally started in 1998 as "Real American Heroes," the mocking ads were for Bud Lite and the success kept the ads going for years. After the 9/11 attacks, the ads changed direction and got redubbed "Real Men of Genius." These proved to be even more popular and new ads continued through to 2008. Bicker is the voice singing in the ads. They were so popular, that even a CD was issued with the ads and it sold very well.

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"Running" by Chubby Checker

Song#:  0922
Date:  02/20/1982
Debut:  93
Peak:  91
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Checker never intended to be a dance-oriented artist, but along came his 1960 version of "The Twist" and his career path was set. Whether it was "Pony Time," "The Fly," or "Limbo Rock," Checker was the king of dance songs. His last Top 10 was 1962's "Popeye the Hitchhicker" (#10), but he kept some minor songs on the chart through to 1969. With his hit days over, Checker set out on tour with the oldies shows and was a popular draw. He would pop in the studio only a few times after his heyday and with the 1981 revival success of fellow early-rocker Gary U.S. Bonds ("This Little Girl," #11), Checker put in his bid for new popularity with the LP "The Change Has Come." This first single moved him from novelty dance tunes into some more serious rock territory. It didn't quite pay off as well as Bonds' rejuvenation (which was in part due to Bruce Springsteen's tunes and production), but it did get Checker one last solo song on the pop chart.

ReduxReview:  Because Checker hit big at an early age (18) in 1960, it seemed odd that he was seen as an aging star at this time when he was only 40! These days, that is not considered old with artists well over that age still charting past their early prime days. Regardless, he was old guard at the time and it was a shot at a comeback. He didn't have the big name backing like Bonds did with Springsteen, but Checker took a similar sound and approach and came out with a good song. It actually surprised me. I though for sure this was going to be some gimmicky old-style tune that would play on the nostalgia crowd, but instead it ended up being a mature rocker and it fit him quite well. It's a shame it didn't do better as it deserved a wider audience.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Checker has the distinction of being the only artist to take a song to #1 (1960's "The Twist") and then later re-enter the chart with the same song and hit #1 again. He did this when over a year later, "The Twist" regained popularity and the song re-entered the chart and reached #1 for a second time. It's second run of popularity has been attributed to famous folks seen doing the dance. This sparked a lot of adults, who were not fond of the new teenage music, to try it out and the renewed interest sent the song back up the chart.  2) Although most famously attributed to Chubby Checker, "The Twist" was originally recorded by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. Written by Ballard, their version fizzled at #28 in 1960.

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