"American Music" by The Pointer Sisters

Song#:  1080
Date:  06/26/1982
Debut:  73
Peak:  16
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  The Sisters followed-up their successful "Black & White" album, which featured the #2 "Slow Hand," with "So Excited!" It would be their fifth album with producer Richard Perry who guided the trio into their most successful period. This lead single revisited the girl group sound of their previous single, "Should I Do It" (#13). It did just about as well, but it wasn't a solid hit (although it reached #9 at AC). In turn, the LP fizzled at #59 and failed to reach gold status.

ReduxReview:  I have to say, I'm not sure why this song made it to the Top 20. Maybe the nostalgia factor? It was never a favorite of mine from the Sisters. If listening to their greatest hits, I usually fast-forward over this one. They didn't get a lot of support at R&B for this single (#23) and I think that hurt. It's not an awful song, but it borders on corny for me.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  This song was written by Parker McGee. As a songwriter, McGee had two major hits that were recorded by England Dan & John Ford Coley. In 1976, the duo hit with McGee's "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" (#2) and "Nights Are Forever without You" (#10). As most successful songwriters do, McGee tried for his own solo career. He issued a self-titled debut in 1977 that yielded the #42 chart single "I Just Can't Say No to You." It would be his only chart song and lone solo LP.

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"Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)" by Donna Summer

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1079
Date:  06/26/1982
Debut:  79
Peak:  10
Weeks:  18
Genre:  Pop, R&B, Dance



Pop Bits:  It was not the best time for Donna Summer. After the fall of disco, Summer signed with Geffen Records and rushed out her LP "The Wanderer." While the album went gold and featured the #3 title track, it couldn't match the success of her heyday. Work began soon after on a follow-up with her producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. It was to be a double LP and with three songs done and the rest in demo stage, label head David Geffen stopped by to check on progress. He wasn't happy with the results and decided to scrap the album and get rid of the producers. He then hired Quincy Jones to guide Summer's next LP. The sessions were not the most pleasant with Summer pregnant, the material challenging, and the Summer/Jones relationship not very harmonious. The self-titled album took six months to finish and this first single was issued. It reached #10 at pop and #4 at R&B, but it was not a runaway hit and the album, although getting to gold again, did not end up being the smash hit Geffen and Jones had plotted.

ReduxReview:  After the LP's release, Summer stated in an interview that she sometimes felt like she was just a singer on a Quincy Jones album. I can hear/feel that in this song. Just listen to the chorus. Which, if any of those voices, belongs to Summer? Although it is her single, she is practically invisible during most sections. It seems like Geffen and Jones had a specific agenda - create a mega-hit album at whatever cost. Unfortunately, when folks try to force something to work, it typically doesn't. And with Summer not fully on board, this project was practically doomed from the beginning. I like this song, but they could have gotten anyone to sing this. Summer's diva voice is basically wasted here.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Although the LP scrapped by Geffen was not entirely finished (most songs were still in demo form), several tunes appeared elsewhere later. The song "Romeo" appeared on the award-winning soundtrack to "Flashdance," while "Highway Runner" was on the soundtrack to "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Some songs ended up covered by other artists. Frida recorded a version of "To Turn to Stone" for her "Something's Going On" album (produced by Phil Collins). The shelved album would later be officially issued in 1996 as "I'm a Rainbow." Although the album did not chart or produce any singles, reviews were generally positive, as opposed to the negative reviews for the self-titled LP Geffen and Jones manufactured.

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"Don't Talk" by Larry Lee

Song#:  1078
Date:  06/26/1982
Debut:  82
Peak:  81
Weeks:  2
Genre:  Soft Rock



Pop Bits:  Lee served as a member of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils during their prime 70s years. Along the way he wrote/co-wrote several songs for the group including their biggest hit, 1975's "Jackie Blue" (#3), which Lee also sang. He left the group for a solo career as the 80s started and got signed to Columbia Records, who had issued the Daredevils' last album. "Marooned" appeared on shelves in 1982 and this lead single spent a minor couple weeks on the chart. It would be his only chart entry and his lone solo LP.

ReduxReview:  Whoa. This shocked me a little. When I heard this song I thought I had the wrong Larry Lee. I had to go back and confirm I had the right artist and song. Both were correct. I had fully expected to hear some type of Southern rock a-la the Daredevils, but what got pumped into my ears was glossy SoCal pop that sounded like a lost Christopher Cross track. What the...? Mind you, I'm not complaining as the Daredevils' brand of rock has never been a favorite, but the shift in style/genre was completely unexpected. I'm not sure how Lee went from redneck rock to smooth pop, but it works for me. I like this song and had I heard it back in the day, I might have considered a purchase. But the song and LP never got off the ground and they quickly vanished. It's too bad because anyone who enjoys some good SoCal pop should be hot on this tune.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  "Marooned" was not Lee's first solo effort. In 1978, he recorded a disc for A&M (the Daredevils' label at the time). Unfortunately, the album got shelved and it was never released.

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"Hold Me" by Fleetwood Mac

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1077
Date:  06/19/1982
Debut:  33
Peak:  4
Weeks:  17
Genre:  Soft Rock



Pop Bits:  After their ambitious epic "Tusk" and subsequent tour, the Mac took an extended break with some members releasing successful solo projects. They reconvened late in 1981 to begin work on a new album and by the following June they issued "Mirage." Unlike it's experimental predecessor, "Mirage" focused on commercial-friendly soft rock. The album was well-received by record buyers and spent five weeks at #1, eventually going double-platinum. This first single would become their seventh Top 10 hit and their first to reach the AC Top 10 (#7).

ReduxReview:  This radio-friendly gem was a great return for the band from the la-la-land of "Tusk." "Mirage" wasn't as potent as their previous classics, but it had some fun songs on it (like this one). Tailoring their tunes for a larger audience was a good choice after indulging in "Tusk" and it got plenty of fans back on board.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  This song was written by Christine McVie and Robbie Patton. It is said to be about McVie's relationship with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson. The couple parted ways in 1981. Patton recently had a chart hit of his own in 1981 with "Don't Give It Up." It was produced by Christine McVie.

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"Your Imagination" by Daryl Hall & John Oates

Song#:  1076
Date:  06/19/1982
Debut:  69
Peak:  33
Weeks:  11
Genre:  Blue-Eyed Soul, New Wave



Pop Bits:  After two #1's and another Top 10, Hall & Oates decide to try for another with a fourth single from their "Private Eyes" album. It didn't quite work out as the single could only make a Top 40 appearance. It was unfortunate because it would be the only interrupter within a streak of 12 Top 10 hits from 1981 through 1984.

ReduxReview:  The duo definitely had momentum going and a fourth single seemed possible. However, I'm not sure if this was the best choice. I think what it lacks is an identifiable chorus. Their previous hits were so memorable and easy to sing along with. This one, not so much. I really like the song and its groove, but honestly, can you sing the chorus of this tune? They had a couple songs on the album that may have worked better, but I think they would have been smarter to keep it at three.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Their streak of hits earned Hall & Oates the title of the most successful duo in the rock era. With sixteen Top 10's that included six #1's, the duo surpassed The Everly Brothers to take the top spot. The Brothers had fifteen Top 10's and four #1's during their career.

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"Happy Hour" by Deodato

Song#:  1075
Date:  06/19/1982
Debut:  83
Peak:  70
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Dance, Pop



Pop Bits:  Brazilian musician/arranger Eumir Deodato spent the 60s honing his arranging skills in Rio's bossa nova scene before making a move to New York in 1968. While in NYC, he continued to work with Brazilian artists, but soon his work got noticed by stars like Frank Sinatra and he became an A-list arranger. Although he had released several solo albums in Brazil, he issued his first US album in 1973 with "Prelude." The LP contained a jazz/funk version of the classical piece by Richard Strauss, "Also Sprach Zarathustra," which had recently been made famous from its use in the 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey." The oddball single found its way to #2 on the pop chart and made Deodato an unlikely star. Although he would never get a hit like that again, he continued recording albums through the years and in 1982 found himself on the pop chart again with this tune from his album of the same name. Although it would be his final pop chart entry, his arranging/producing career would continue on for decades and include hits like Kool & the Gang's #1 "Celebration."

ReduxReview:  After hearing this, I can understand how he had a hand in the hits of Kool & the Gang. The sound is quite similar. I don't know if I'd call this disco, but it may have been close enough to the genre to get ignored during this time. It's too bad as this is a fun single. If this had been released a few years earlier, I think it could have been a solid hit. Heck, it may be my new theme for happy hour!

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Deodato mostly recorded instrumentals for his solo albums, but "Happy Hour" had tracks that featured vocalist Kelly Barretto. Daughter of famous Latin percussionist Ray Barretto, she had been a successful background vocalist working on her father's albums along with ones by Kool & the Gang, Gloria Gaynor, and Vanessa Williams.

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"To Dream the Dream" by Frankie Miller

Song#:  1074
Date:  06/19/1982
Debut:  88
Peak:  62
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Singer/Songwriter



Pop Bits:  Glasgow singer/songwriter Miller was a member of a couple bands in the late 60s that got signed to labels, but would break up before recording a note. Miller then decided to just do it on his own and signed to Chrysalis Records in 1972.On his first solo LP, "Once in a Blue Moon," Miller was backed by famous pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz. It wasn't successful, but it was well reviewed and Chrysalis kept him on for another six albums. His only real chart success was with the 1978 cover tune "Darlin'," which reached the UK Top 10. Although his recordings were only minor successes, Miller remained very popular in the UK. The US market basically ignored him with only 1977's "The Doodle Song" reaching the pop chart (#71). As the 80s began, Miller changed labels and issued an album for Capitol Records title "Standing on the Edge," which was recorded in the US at the famous Muscle Shoals studio. This single became his best and last effort to hit the pop chart. He recorded one more album before moving behind the scenes to make songwriting his main focus.

ReduxReview:  This sounds a little like Rod Stewart singing a Van Morrison tune co-written with Bob Seger. I mean all that in a good way. I love the feel of this song and Miller's ragged voice. He is a terrific songwriter (see below) and this is a good one in his catalog. He was never popular in the US, but if you like this then you should seek out his best-of disc for a listen. He is a quality artist.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  You may not have heard of Miller, but chances are good that you have heard one of his songs. Many of his tunes were covered by major artists like Ray Charles, Rod Stewart, Bob Seger, Clint Black, and even The Osmonds. His song "When I'm Away from You" was included on Kim Carnes' #1 LP "Mistaken Identity" while "Tears" was on Bonnie Tyler's #4 album "Faster Than the Speed of Night." "When I'm Away from You" turned into a #1 country hit for The Bellamy Brothers in 1983.

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"No One Like You" by Scorpions

Song#:  1073
Date:  06/19/1982
Debut:  91
Peak:  65
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Hard Rock



Pop Bits:  This German metal band was originally formed by guitarist Rudolf Schenker in 1965. By 1972 their lineup was set and they issued the debut album "Lonesome Crow." The band broke up soon after with members moving over to the group Dawn Road. Schenker went on board as well and once they got a line-up, they chose to use the Scorpions name instead. Several albums followed but nothing really clicked until they changed labels and issued 1979's "Lovedrive." It was a significant hit in several countries and became a gold-seller in the US reaching #55 on the album chart. Their follow-up, "Animal Magnetism," would do even better going platinum. But it would take their next LP, "Blackout," to finally get a song on the singles chart. Although this song would only get a third of the way up the pop chart, it was a #1 Mainstream Rock hit and it would push the album to #10.

ReduxReview:  With minor exceptions, hard rock was still a no-go for most pop radio stations. But with the help of MTV, the genre would become more popular and bang its way onto stations everywhere. Had this already happened, I'm sure this would have been a bigger hit for the Scorpions. It's a terrific song and one that really established their sound. Its heaviness combined with hooky pop proved to be a winning formula that would serve the band (and other bands) quite well.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  The band's lead singer and songwriter Klaus Meine lost his voice during the sessions for "Blackout." It was bad enough to require surgery and even then it was not known if he would fully recover. In the meantime, the band continued recording the album and tapped Don Dokken to fill in. Luckily, Meine did recover and was able to resume lead singing duties with the band. Most all of Dokken's voice tracks were eliminated with the exception of a some background vocals on a few tracks.

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"Keep the Fire Burnin'" by REO Speedwagon

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1072
Date:  06/12/1982
Debut:  52
Peak:  7
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Arena Rock



Pop Bits:  REO's "Hi Infidelity" would be one of the decade's biggest LPs, eventually selling nine million copies. It featured their first #1 hit "Keep on Loving You" along with four other chart hits. Expectations were high for their follow-up and REO came up with the album "Good Trouble." This first single debuted mid-chart and found its way into the Top 10. However, its #7 peak wasn't exactly a blockbuster and the LP couldn't do much better also hitting #7 and eventually reaching platinum status. While most artists would kill to have a platinum album, for REO it was a slight disappointment in the wake of the mega-selling "Hi Infidelity."

ReduxReview:  I don't think I've heard this since the 80s and I recall not really liking this song. It's certainly not of the caliber of "Keep on Loving You" or even "Take It on the Run," but this one kind of creeps up on you. It opens with a simple chorus that at first isn't all that interesting. However, the song gains some momentum and by the time the instrumental passages arrive, it is kickin' in pretty good. By the end it is rockin'.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  As MTV was being developed, they needed on-air personalities to introduce videos, chat, do interviews, etc. It would be the equivalent of a radio DJ, so they called the position a VJ. One of the first to be approached for a VJ position was Kevin Cronin. He met with MTV execs, but turned them down due to his touring and recording schedule. The position eventually went to Mark Goodman, who had a similar look to Cronin.

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"Going to a Go-Go" by The Rolling Stones

Song#:  1071
Date:  06/12/1982
Debut:  66
Peak:  25
Weeks:  11
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  While their album "Tattoo You" was riding high on the charts, the Stones embarked on a major US tour that was the top grossing of 1981. Along the way, several of the concerts were recorded and selected songs from those recordings were chosen to make up their live LP "Still Life (American Concert 1981)." In addition to the recordings, the concert film "Let's Spend the Night Together" (directed by Hal Ashby) came out of the tour. This first single helped to promote the LP, which reached #5 and went platinum.

ReduxReview:  The Stones are awesome, but this song (and actually LP too) was not one of their bright spots. It's a pretty lazy version of the song. I would expect the groovin' Stones to really make this as driving and exciting as the original (see below). It's kind of a letdown. Even the crowd response at the end was kind of tepid. Maybe it was better in-person. As I've said many times here, live recordings rarely do much for me.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  This is a cover version of the 1965 original by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Robinson co-wrote the song which hit #11 on the pop chart and #2 at R&B. Thanks to this song and three other Top 20 hits including "The Tracks of My Tears" (#16), their album "Going to a Go-Go" became the group's only one to reach the pop Top 10 (#8) and their only to hit #1 on the R&B album chart.

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"Even the Nights Are Better" by Air Supply

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1070
Date:  06/12/1982
Debut:  67
Peak:  5
Weeks:  18
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Their previous album, "The One That You Love," yielded three Top 10 hits including the #1 title track. This lead single from their album "Now and Forever" became their seventh consecutive Top 5 pop hit (and third straight #5), but it ended up being the weakest hit of the bunch. This did not bode well for the LP and indeed it only mustered a #27 showing ("The One That You Love" reached #10). It did become another platinum seller for the group, but it would end up be their last studio album to reach that level.

ReduxReview:  Air Supply kind of lost me with this song. I really liked the verse, but there was something about the chorus I didn't like. I think it may have been riding the sappy, sing-along line a little to much for me and may have stepped over it a bit. I just didn't dig it as much as their previous primo AC hits. I think the album lacked a killer cut, plus their big-ballad formula was beginning to wear thin.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  This song is one of a handful in chart history to fall from the Top 10 to outside the Top 40. After it peaked at #5 for a couple of weeks, the song dipped slightly to #6 and then took a huge tumble to #42. Oddly, out of the few songs to have made this drop, a total of four songs would come from 1982. The other three from 1982 to make the dive all did it from the #10 position. Steve Miller's "Abracadabra" would go from #10 to #48, Kool & the Gang's "Get Down on It" would go from #10 to #47, and Donna Summer's "Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)" would slide from #10 to #59.

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