"Joystick" by Dazz Band

Song#:  1784
Date:  02/11/1984
Debut:  96
Peak:  61
Weeks:  11
Genre:  R&B, Funk



Pop Bits:  The Dazz Band's third LP, Keep It Live, would be their most successful thanks to the #1 R&B/#5 Pop/#2 Dance hit "Let It Whip." It set them up well for their next album, On the One, but it had no multi-format smash hit and the final results were a bit disappointing. They tried to regain some ground with their follow-up LP, Joystick, and this first title-track single seemed poised to help out. It did well at R&B getting to #9 and then proceeded to crossover to Pop. Unfortunately, it didn't catch on like "Let It Whip" and it stalled in the lower half of the chart. The album would end up peaking at #12 at R&B, which was the same position reached by their previous LP.

ReduxReview:  Silly euphemistic title and lyrics aside, this is not too bad of a groove, but it's nowhere near the brilliance of "Let It Whip," which was the problem. They were never able to recapture the slick, hooky, electro-funk of that song and their follow-ups just paled in comparison. They still did well and grabbed three other R&B Top 10's, but that career defining hit ended up being one they couldn't replicate.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  The band's lead singer at the time, Sennie "Skip" Martin, would end up leaving the group in 1985. By 1988, he was lending his vocal talents to Kool & the Gang after their lead singer, James "J.T." Taylor, left to pursue a solo career. Martin would remain with the band until 2008. During that period, he also did double duty by rejoining the Dazz Band in 1998. He still continues to perform with the Dazz Band along with founder Bobby Harris.

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