Song#: 2336
Date: 05/25/1985
Debut: 74
Peak: 47
Weeks: 9
Genre: Soft Rock
Pop Bits: Men at Work's second album, Cargo, was another significant hit for the band getting to #3 and eventually going triple platinum. After the supporting tour wrapped up, they decided to take a little break before getting back in the studio. As sessions for the new album began, tensions within the band came to a head and when the dust settled, two members had left. The band's lead vocalist and main songwriter, Colin Hay, and the two other remaining members soldiered on to record the album Two Hearts. This first single was issued, but it just couldn't find an audience. The song got locked out of the Pop Top 40 while only getting to #28 Rock and #34 AC. It would end up being their final charting song in the US. Despite the lack of a hit single, the album managed to reach #16 and go gold. By 1986, the group officially disbanded with Hay heading out on a solo career.
ReduxReview: I dunno what happened to Men at Work, but this lackluster album basically burst their bubble. Nearly everything that made the band interesting was missing on the LP. Hay's voice on this track is about the only thing that makes it sound like something from the band. It actually has a lovely verse melody, but the tune just kind of meanders along with hardly anything to hook a listener in. The best I can say about it is that it's pleasant. Unfortunately, a pleasant little tune isn't gonna light the Pop chart on fire.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: A couple of the songs on Two Hearts featured background vocals by Australian singer Kate Ceberano. In the early 80s, Ceberano was an in-demand session vocalist. By 1984, she had joined up with the funk band I'm Talking. That group gathered three Top 10 hits in Australia, but by 1987 they were done. Ceberano moved into solo work and in 1989 her first full solo album, Brave, would go triple platinum thanks to her #2 hit "Bedroom Eyes." It would also win her an ARIA (the US equivalent of a Grammy) for Best Female Artist. She would have more hits over the years and later be a judge on Australia's X-Factor music competition show. She would also appear on the Aussie version of Dancing with the Stars and win.
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8/10 for me. Not their best, but I still really like it and think it should've made it into the top 40. Also, Colin Hay's only song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 was a song called, "Hold Me". It just BARELY squeaked it's way onto the Hot 100, debuting and peaking at an incredibly low No. 99. However, it got quite a bit of radio airplay on Mainstream Rock radio stations, so it peaked at No. 30-something on the Mainstream Rock Charts. Interesting, huh?
ReplyDeleteHay is quite a terrific musician. I've heard him do a few acoustic songs and he was excellent. I think he is underrated. Too bad his solo career didn't quite take off.
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