Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 2340 Date: 05/25/1985
Debut: 55
Peak: 8
Weeks: 17
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Night Ranger scored their biggest Pop hit with "Sister Christian," the second single from their second album Midnight Madness. That 80s classic would also be their best effort at Rock getting to #2. The hit helped the album reached #15 and go platinum. After the supporting tour for the LP, they had the difficult task of recording a follow-up. They exited the studio with 7 Wishes and this first single was issued to introduce the album. The big ballad would take off and hit #3 at Rock while becoming their second song to reach the Pop Top 10. It would be their last single to reach the Top 10.
ReduxReview: "Sister Christian" worked out well, so why not toss out another big ballad? That strategy doesn't always work, but luckily it did for Night Ranger. While not as career defining as "Sister," this was another solid pop/rock effort from the band and it actually made me go out and buy the album. This two-album stretch was their best and most consistent period. They cranked out some tasty radio-friendly confections that were mostly written or co-written by bassist and co-lead singer Jack Blades.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: The lyrics to the main hook of this song are "Sentimental Street in the Avenues." Many folks, including me, have always wondered what that meant. Apparently, band member/songwriter Jack Blades got the phrase after driving around San Francisco. The city's west-central area is made up of two districts, Richmond and Sunset, which are divided by Golden Gate Park. The full area is known as the Avenues. This is because most of the north/south streets are numbered avenues, like 2nd Ave, 3rd Ave., etc. The east/west cross streets were then named after prominent historical people and ran in alphabetical order. When Blades was driving in the Avenues area, the thought about a person walking around contemplating life and the street they happened to be on was called Sentimental and that street was in the Avenues. Therefore, the person is "out on Sentimental Street in the Avenues." Now, there isn't a Sentimental Street there (the "S" street there is Santiago), but perhaps now there should be!
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Still about another 5 months until "Kayleigh" by Marillion will be reviewed. But I can't wait until it is! That's one of my all time favorite 89's soft rock ballads and songs, even one of my 500 favorite songs of all time! Shame it was their only song to ever hit the Billboard Hot 100, not even a big hit as it only Peaked at No. 74, although it was a much bigger success on the Mainstream Rock Charts where it Peaked at No. 14. The album, Misplaced Childhood Peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 200 Album Charts.
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