"Here Comes the Rain Again" by Eurythmics

Top 10 Alert!

Rated 10 Alert!

Song#:  1772
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  53
Peak:  4
Weeks:  20
Genre:  Synthpop



Pop Bits:  By the time Eurythmics had broken wide in the US with their #1 smash "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," singles from their same-titled album had been exhausted in the UK. So by the summer of '83, the duo was ready to issue some new material in the UK to preview their upcoming album Touch. Two singles were issues in the latter half of the year and both went Top 10. By the time a third single was ready to go, the US had caught up and were ready for new tunes, so this song was issued on both shores. It reached #8 in the UK while getting to #4 in the US. The US would still have to play catch up with a couple of singles, but this one got the ball rolling and it help to get their album to #7.

ReduxReview:  I think this marks the first time that I've given a 10 to two songs in a row (this one and yesterday's post of "Footloose"). Oh, how I love '84! Once an artist breaks through like Eurythmics did with "Sweet Dreams," it's a crap shoot on whether or not they have something else to offer. Many can't parlay their one hit into a career, but luckily this duo did thanks to this brilliant piece of orchestral synthpop. The dark, gothic tune was exactly what they needed to hit the Top 10 again and prove they were not a one-hit wonder. I fell for this haunting song from the get-go and continued to be captivated by Annie Lennox's voice. Their Touch album even surpassed the excellent Sweet Dreams in quality and quickly became a lasting favorite of mine. I was lucky enough to see them live the summer of '84 and they did not disappoint. "Sweet Dreams" was their true classic, but for me this has always been my personal favorite of theirs.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  The use of a real string section over synthpop wasn't necessarily a new idea, but it proved to be very effective and memorable on this song. The string arrangement came courtesy of composer/conductor/arranger Michael Kamen. Although Kamen initially began working with ballet music, he moved over to film scoring in the mid-70s. This led to work in pop and rock music including Pink Floyd's classic The Wall. Along the way, Kamen was nominated for two Academy Awards in the Best Original Song category. First in 1992 for "Everything I Do (I Do It for You)" (by Bryan Adams) and then in 1996 for another Adams song "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman." He didn't win, but the latter one garnered him a Grammy award. Kamen unexpectedly died of a heart attack in 2003 at the age of 55.

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"Footloose" by Kenny Loggins

#1 Alert!

Platinum Record Alert!

Rated 10 Alert!

Song#:  1771
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  56
Peak:  1 (3 weeks)
Weeks:  23
Genre:  Rock, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  Loggins already had soundtrack cred with his song "I'm Alright" from the movie Caddyshack. It was a major hit reaching #7 in 1980. The film and single went hand-in-hand and when songwriter Dean Pitchford needed a big song to helm his first movie screenplay and soundtrack, he turned to Loggins. The pair co-wrote this tune that would serve as the title track to the film Footloose. Released prior to the film hitting theaters, the single was shaping up to be a hit and its accompanying MTV video that featured scenes from the movies was playing like an advertisement. By the time the song was in the Pop Top 40, interest in the film was high and folks flocked to their local theaters. The movie quickly became a hit and this title tune wound up in the #1 spot for three weeks. In doing so, it became the biggest single of Loggins' career. The soundtrack album would also head for the #1 spot where it would knock Michael Jackson's Thriller of the top spot for the final time. The song would earn Loggins a Grammy nod for Best Pop Male Vocal.

ReduxReview:  What's not to love here? Great song, terrific chorus, exciting, highly dancable, nice production, solid vocals, etc. I definitely think this song helped to make the movie a hit. I mean, after hearing this, wouldn't you want to see the film that sparked the song? It all worked together in the best possible way. It became an iconic song from one of the most popular films of the 80s.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  Although he had a simple working title for his screenplay, Pitchford needed a real title for the film. To get one, he used a similar method that he does for songwriting in which he just jots down any lines or thoughts, unedited, on a piece of paper that come to mind in regards to the project. After a couple days of doing this, he narrowed down the pages of notes to four possible choices which included "footloose." This one came about because he wrote down "footloose and fancy free," and then took out the "and" to separate the two parts. The single word "footloose" got his attention and became a favorite. The film company loved it as well and the movie got an official title.

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"Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  1770
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  73
Peak:  2
Weeks:  19
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  Kennedy William Gordy had aspirations of becoming a famous music star. It was certainly in his blood as his father was Motown founder Berry Gordy. With his father running the label, it seemed the young Gordy would have a direct shot at a recording career. However, two issues prevented that. First, father and son were estranged and second, Kennedy wanted to get a record deal on his own with no involvement from his father. With the help of Berry Gordy's ex-wife Ray Singleton, Kennedy worked on songs and got them recorded. Singleton would play them for Berry hyping this potential new artist (keeping Kennedy's identity under wraps), but Gordy wasn't liking what he heard. Then Singleton heard a song of Kennedy's that she thought had real potential. Kennedy recorded the song, but it needed a boost. He was able to convince childhood friend Michael Jackson to sing the chorus. With Jermaine Jackson adding backing vocals, the song was done and Singleton played it for Berry, who immediately recognized Jackson's voice. Smelling a hit, Berry signed the new artist, which ended up being his son. Not wanting the Gordy name attached to him, Kennedy sought a new name which came courtesy of the label. The newly christened Rockwell released this first single and it became a major hit reaching #2 at Pop and #1 at R&B. A comedic horror themed video became an MTV favorite and soon the record went gold as did Rockwell's debut album. Although he was able to get his career started on his own terms, he just couldn't follow up his distinctive smash hit and after two more failed albums, his music career was over. Despite one more very minor Top 40 entry, Rockwell got tagged as a one-hit wonder (#20 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s).

ReduxReview:  Let's face facts here. The main reason this became a hit was due to Michael Jackson's appearance. Thriller-mania was going on and about anything Jackson did was snapped up by rabid fans - and both Gordys knew that. I remember when this came out. The talk surrounding it wasn't about this great new artist Rockwell, but "hey, did you hear that song where Michael Jackson is singing the chorus?" Without Jackson, I think this song would have tanked. It's just not that good. The chorus is fine, thanks to Jackson, but the bordering-on-corny lyrics recited in a weird accent by Rockwell doesn't work. Yes, I know it's meant to be tongue-in-cheek "fun" stuff, but I'd call it a novelty song gone wrong helped along by a superstar cameo. I utterly hated it then and I still don't like it. Plus, I have to rail a bit here. In all accounts of the Rockwell story, he wanted to be anonymous in order to get a career going on his own without the help of his father. Yet, he still used connections that came about via Gordy including the ex-wife, Jackson, and even Gordy's own publishing company! Yes, it was without Gordy's knowledge, but if Rockwell really wanted to do things on his own and prove he had talent, why didn't he step away from all of the family and connections and attempt to get a contract by himself at another label? After all, he wasn't even on speaking terms with his dad, so why on earth did he want to be on a label that his dad controlled? Was it just to prove a point or to rekindle his relationship with Gordy? I dunno. Whatever it was, he didn't really do it on his own and ended up on the family label anyway. He got his hit, but as it proved out, that was all the gas he had in the tank. I want to give this one a zero, but I'll post two pity points for Jackson's appearance, which he was kind of ambushed into doing (according to what I've read).

ReduxRating:  2/10

Trivia:  Rockwell was not the first Gordy to have a chart entry, nor would he be the last. Berry Gordy's brother, Robert, would record a song in 1958 that the pair had written titled "Everyone Was There." With a name change for Robert to Bob Kayli, the single would be a blip on the Pop chart at #96. Two other singles followed in the early 60's, but nothing came from them. Rockwell would be the only other Gordy to hit the charts until his half brother and nephew formed LMFAO. The duo of Redfoo (Stefan Gordy) and SkyBlu (Skyler Gordy) would have two huge #1 hits in 2011 with "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It."

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"Automatic" by The Pointer Sisters

Top 10 Alert!

Grammy Alert!

Song#:  1769
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  82
Peak:  5
Weeks:  20
Genre:  Synthpop, R&B



Pop Bits:  The initial reception of the Sisters' album Break Out was not stellar. The LP's first single, "I Need You," did fine at R&B (#13) and AC (#15), but it stalled at a lowly #48 at Pop. Typically, the first single sets the tone for the album and how it will fare on the chart and in sales. With this song not hitting at Pop, prospects for the LP seemed dim. Luckily, savvy Pop stations and dance club DJs took it upon themselves to start spinning "Automatic" and it started to get traction. With the song already getting attention, the trio's label went ahead and issued it as a single. It was a smart thing to do and soon the Sisters had their fourth Pop Top 10. It would do even better at R&B and Dance getting to #2 on both charts. The hit completely turned the album around and sales began to increase. Yet that was far from the end of the story as the Sisters would now move into the most popular period of their career.

ReduxReview:  Once producer Richard Perry's crappy choice for a first single was done, the way was now clear for the Sisters to issue what should have been released in the first place. Luckily, radio programmers and DJs were already on top of this song so it had a good head start. Ruth Pointer's voice was certainly an attraction on this delicious slice of synthpop. Although the production sounds a bit slight and overly 80s now, the song still holds up well.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shots!  1) Apparently, this was the last song chosen for the album. On a break from recording, the trio was listening to some demo tapes when they happened upon this song. Written by Brock Walsh and Mark Goldenberg, the Sisters all agreed that they wanted to do this song. Ruth Pointer's deep contralto was perfect to head up this tune and it became her first lead vocal single to reach the Pop Top 40.  2) This song won the trio a Grammy for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices.

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"Red, Red Wine" by UB40

Song#:  1768
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  83
Peak:  34
Weeks:  15
Genre:  Reggae



Pop Bits:  This UK band began to take shape around 1978 when two brothers, Alastair (Ali) and Robin Campbell started recruiting friends located around their Birmingham home. Thank to a settlement that Ali received from an injury during a bar fight, the band had enough money to purchase instruments and start rehearsing. The following year they played their first gig and in 1980 they were chosen by Chrissie Hynde to open for her band The Pretenders. A record deal quickly came their way and soon their first single title "Food for Thought" hit #4 on the UK chart. A second Top 10 followed and their debut LP reached #2. They continued to have success in the UK, but a US audience eluded them until this single from their covers album Labour of Love took off. The song had already hit #1 in the UK and its success finally got them some attention Stateside. It would get inside the Pop Top 40 while going to #41 at Rock. It was a good introduction to the band, but it would take another four years before the band really broke through on the US chart.

ReduxReview:  This entry may have you thinking, "hey, wasn't this a bigger hit?" Well, yes it was. But not until 1988 when a reissue of the song that included the original little rap section by band member Astro found itself topping the Pop chart. On it's initial chart run (edited without the rap), the best that it could do was Top 40. I have to say that whether it is this version, the 1988 reissue, or Neil Diamond's original (see below), I never liked the song. In fact, I really hated the UB40 version. Still being a reggae novice, I just didn't connect with it at all. It was just a minor ditty with annoying, whiny vocals that lazily went nowhere. Since it wasn't a major hit in '84, I could avoid it. But much to my dismay it ended up all over the place in '88. I still don't like the song, but I can at least tolerate it once in a great while. I can't say that about their other hit covers that happened at the end of the decade. I'm just not a fan.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) The band's name came from an application form that was used in the UK. The Unemployment Benefit Form 40, or UB-40, was filled out by folks without jobs who were seeking assistance. Since none of the band members had a job at the time they were getting together, it seemed like an appropriate name. After they started to have some success, they titled their debut LP Signing Off as a way of saying they now had jobs as pro musicians and no longer needed benefits.  2) This is a remake of a song originally written and performed by Neil Diamond. It appeared on Diamond's second album, 1967's Just for You, and it was issued as a single later in 1968. It peaked at #62 on the Pop chart. In 1969, reggae artist Tony Tribe recorded a popular version of the song. According to UB40, the Tony Tribe version was the only one they knew about and even after covering the song, they had no idea that Neil Diamond had originally written and recorded it. Apparently, the only information they had on the song was from the Tribe record that just listed "Diamond" as the composer. Years later, Diamond stated that of all the cover versions done of his songs, this UB40 track was one of his favorites.

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"Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol

Song#:  1767
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  87
Peak:  46
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Idol put himself on the map with his self-titled debut album that featured two Top 40 Pop entries, "Hot in the City" (#23 Pop/#31 Rock) and "White Wedding" (#36 Pop/#4 Rock). It set him up nicely for his next effort titled Rebel Yell. The first single select for release was this title track and it raced up the Rock chart to #9. Pop radio wasn't as receptive and the song stalled outside of the Top 40. However, the video was another MTV favorite and the added exposure kept Idol's album selling.

ReduxReview:  I'm surprised this didn't get into the Top 40. It was quite a popular song, especially on MTV, so I'm not sure why it didn't do better at Pop. It's a solid song that still sounds good today thanks in part to the excellent production skills of Keith Forsey. It was another jewel in Idol's spiky crown.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Apparently, Idol got the idea for the album/song title from a backstage gathering with the Rolling Stones. The band was passing around a bottle of whisky called Rebel Yell and Idol thought it would make a good title.  2)  A parody of this song became famous after being shown on the PBS children's show Sesame Street. The song "Rebel L" was sung by a Muppet called Billy Idle. Dressed up like the rock singer, Billy Idle sang the song along with the Rebel L and a police woman. Written by Christopher Cerf (who does the Rebel L voice) and Sarah Durkee, the song was about a Rebel L that was hanging outside of Idle's house at night making a bunch of noise. The song quickly became a favorite of both kids and adults and is now considered a classic piece from the show.

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"Look at That Cadillac" by Stray Cats

Song#:  1766
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  88
Peak:  68
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Rockabilly



Pop Bits:  The Cats' album Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats was another success (#14), but it would only manage gold certification, which was a dip from their #2 platinum LP Build for Speed. It seemed that folks were already tiring of their rockabilly revival sound and they were quickly becoming a passing fad. This third single from Rant didn't help turn things around and it disappeared after a few short weeks. It would end up being the Cats' final Pop chart single.

ReduxReview:  After a nice stop over in doo-wop land with "I Won't Stand in Your Way," the Cats add a little swing sound to their rockabilly with this tune. It sounds good and the horn section is a nice add, but the song itself is kind of basic. There's not much here to make it stand apart from other rock-swing songs. It's a fun listen, but ultimately it will quickly fade from my mind.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Following their Rant N' Rave LP, the Cats basically broke up. Members of the trio went on to do their own projects - Brian Setzer went solo while Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker formed the band Phantom, Rocker & Slick. They would reunite for the 1986 album Rock Therapy, but it did very little business. After another break, the trio got together for 1989's Blast Off! A song from that album, "Bring It Back Again," got to #35 on the Rock chart, yet that did nothing for the album and it disappeared quickly. They would get together for four more albums over the years, but none would chart. Setzer would end up having the most success outside of the Cats with his swing revival band The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Beginning with a self-titled album in 1994, Setzer and his band would release a string of well-received albums and their tours have been highly successful.

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"Vitamin L" by B.E. Taylor Group

Song#:  1765
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  89
Peak:  66
Weeks:  8
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Pennsylvania native B.E. Taylor and his band had been gained a solid following around the Pittsburgh area since the late 70s. For a period of time he joined forces and did shows with Pittsburgh rocker Donnie Iris, who had scored a #2 hit ("The Rapper") in 1970 with his band The Jaggerz. Iris signed on with MCA and began a successful solo career, which ended up helping Taylor. He and his group signed on with MCA and with Iris and Mark Avsec producing, recorded and released a debut album titled Innermission. One track from the LP, "Never Hold Back," was a local hit and did well enough to reach #54 on the national Rock chart. It wasn't a huge hit, but it was enough for MCA to spring for another album. Love Won the Fight would feature this single that found its way onto the Pop chart to become the band's biggest success.

ReduxReview:  I'm a bit on the fence with this one. When I first started to listen, I though it was a tad too kooky and almost bordered on novelty. But as the song went on, I kind of started to dig it. Iris and Avsec's hands are all over this one as it sounds like an outtake from an Iris session. It also has a little J. Geils below the surface too. I've played it a couple of times and still can't decide whether I actually like it or find it annoying. So I guess I'll split the diff.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  B.E. Taylor was born William Edward Taylor. When he was growing up, his mother called him Billy Eddie. Eventually that was shortened to simply B.E. Sadly, just two weeks prior to me writing this post, Taylor passed away. Apparently he had an inoperable brain tumor and issues surrounding that condition took its toll.

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"Remember What You Like" by Jenny Burton

Song#:  1764
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  93
Peak:  81
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Dance, R&B



Pop Bits:  Burton's career started to pick up after she scored a #5 Dance hit in 1983 called "One More Shot." Although the song was credited to C-Bank, Burton served as the lead vocalist. She parlayed that hit into a solo deal with Atlantic and along with C-Bank's writer/producer John Robie, they recorded Burton's debut LP In Black and White. This song was selected to be the first single and it was a hit at Dance reaching #10. R&B responded well and sent the song to #21. The attention was enough for it to cross over to Pop for a few weeks.

ReduxReview:  This song borrows a bit from the Shannon sound ("Let the Music Play"), but it's just not quite as slick. The production is not as good and it doesn't sound as full and deep as Shannon's hit. There's a lot of sounds and effect going on which kind of overwhelm the song. There are certain aspects about it that are interesting, but overall it is a bit tinny and chaotic.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Although it didn't fully translate into a career at the time, Burton did have a single reach the Dance chart back in 1975. Apparently, Burton was working as a receptionist at a record company and one day a producer needed a vocalist for his project. Burton stepped up to lend a hand. It got her signed to the small Cotton label who released the single "(Nobody Loves Me) Like You Do Do." The song got a little action in the clubs and reached #17 on the Dance chart. However, it didn't do a whole lot for her career at the time and she'd have to wait nearly ten years before she got a major label break.

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"Tender Years" by John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band

Song#:  1763
Date:  01/28/1984
Debut:  94
Peak:  78
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Rock, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  The film Eddie & the Cruisers featured a soundtrack that was performed by John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band with Cafferty supplying some of the original songs. However, the first single from the album, "On the Dark Side," was credited to Eddie & the Cruisers, the movie's fictional band. That initial release of the single didn't do great and it topped out at #64. Still, the record company decided to push a second single and this song was issued. This time around, Cafferty and his band got proper billing. Unfortunately, the tune couldn't make any headway and it disappeared after a few weeks. Both singles would get a second life later in the year.

ReduxReview:  Yeah, the comparison to Springsteen is even more apparent on this song, especially with the Clarence Clemons-ish sax on the intro. It's a pretty good knock-off, but it really can't compare to the real Springsteen and I think that's the problem and why the band couldn't get signed. It's great to be influenced by another artist and even incorporate some of their style or sound, but I'm not sure what possessed Cafferty to push so hard to sound like Springsteen and the E Street Band. In doing so, they never really had their own identity and that ultimately killed their career. That doesn't mean they weren't a solid band. They were and this single showed they could actually hang with the Boss.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia: Cafferty wrote and recorded this song a few years earlier in 1980. At the time the group was just known as Beaver Brown and they signed on to Coastline Records for a single. The a-side was titled "Wild Summer Nights" while this song served as the b-side. The single was a success on the upper east coast, but the band's Springsteen-esqe sound scared off major labels - after all, there was already a Springsteen. After the band was discovered and offered the work on the Eddie & the Cruisers, both songs were revived and used for the soundtrack. Oddly, when the 1990 CD reissue of the soundtrack was released, both of these songs were replaced with two remakes. One can only assume that legal/rights issues kept the songs off that specific reissue.

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"Nobody Told Me" by John Lennon

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1762
Date:  01/21/1984
Debut:  36
Peak:  5
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Soft Rock



Pop Bits:  Prior to his death in December 1980, Lennon and Yoko Ono had been working on music for the follow-up to their Grammy-winning #1 LP Double Fantasy. Although the songs were not fully finished, there was enough recorded that could be fleshed out into completed tracks. Nearly three years after Lennon's death, Ono returned to the studio to complete the songs. In similar fashion to Double Fantasy, half of the new album's tracks would be by John Lennon while the other half would be by Ono. Once completed, it was titled Milk and Honey and this first single was issued. Interest in the song was high, which helped the song debut within the Pop Top 40. It would peak at #5 at Pop, #2 at Rock, and #11 AC. The song would be Lennon's final Pop Top 40 entry.

ReduxReview:  Not being a big Lennon fan (I'm more McCartney-ish...), I didn't much care for this song when it was released. I specifically didn't like the barely melodic chorus. I actually enjoy the song much more now and like the verse and the transitions. Lennon almost yelling "nobody told me there'd be days like these" still irritates me a bit, but the rest of the song makes up for it. I don't think it ranks among his best, but it was a sunny head-bopper that played quite well as a non-morose posthumous release.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Lennon made a rough recording of this song in 1980 prior to his death. The intention was for Ringo Starr to record the song for his upcoming album (which ended up being 1981's Stop and Smell the Roses). A recording session for the song was scheduled in January 1981, but that was cancelled following Lennon's death. Starr resumed work on his album early in 1981, but he just couldn't bring himself to record this song. Starr was also unable to do another song Lennon had written for him called "Life Begins at 40."

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