"A Fine Fine Day" by Tony Carey

Song#:  1818
Date:  03/03/1984
Debut:  77
Peak:  22
Weeks:  15
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Carey saw a little chart action when two singles from his second album I Won't Be Home Tonight peaked in the bottom half of the Pop chart. It was his first album pushed out on the Geffen label and now he had to assemble a follow-up. Once the album was put together, it got played for folks at Geffen. Although two songs stood out for single contention, someone at the label wasn't happy with the lyrics - or even the LP itself. Sensing that nothing much was going to come from Carey's work, Geffen made a deal with MCA and pushed Carey off on them. MCA went ahead and issued Carey's new LP, Some Tough City, as it was recorded. This first single was released and the results kind of gave Carey the last laugh. The tune became a #1 hit on the Rock chart while almost getting inside the Pop Top 20. In doing so, it would become Carey's biggest hit.

ReduxReview:  I wasn't into this story song when it came out, but I've grown to like it over the years thanks to its appearance on a couple 80s collection I bought. It has a little of everything - a bit of Springsteen, a dusting of Tom Petty, a sprinkle of John Mellencamp. Carey was a prolific writer and quite inventive (see his Planet P works). The more streamlined rockers on Some Tough City worked well and told some good tales of the down-and-out. It's too bad Carey didn't break wider have have more hits.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Carey's solo LP wasn't the only issue Geffen had. Carey had also readied the follow-up to his side project Planet P. The first Planet P album did well for Geffen and resulted in the #64 Pop/#4 Rock track "Why Me." For the next Planet P project, Carey decided to do a rock opera. Titled Pink World, the opera was about a dystopian society that was being kept save in a special zone that was created psychically by a seven-year-old kid. Of course, the government gets involved and things happen from there. Folks at Geffen were not fans. Their dislike for the album along with the issued they had with Some Tough City prompted the to move Carey off the label. MCA would issue both albums. While Pink World was not a significant seller in any way (the song "What I See" got to #25 at Rock), it did gain a sort of cult status over the years and was notable for being first issued on pink vinyl.

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