"Weatherman Says" by Jack Wagner

Song#:  3119
Date:  05/09/1987
Debut:  87
Peak:  67
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  The General Hospital actor's singing career got kicked off in a big way with the 1984 #2 Pop hit "All I Need" (#1 AC). The song helped get his debut album of the same name to #44. But after that hit, Wagner had trouble following it up. After two low-charting singles and a second album that didn't sell well, Wagner gave it another shot with his third LP Don't Give Up Your Day Job. The title was most likely meant as a joke, but it ended up actually being prophetic. This first single didn't get very far and that left the album dangling at a low #151. The results didn't excite his label Qwest (the Quincy Jones-headed Warner Bros offshoot) and Wagner was soon without a contract. In keeping with the LP's title, Wagner continued his work on General Hospital through to 1991. He would reappear on the show a couple of times over the years. Wagner kept mainly to acting making TV movies and starring in the nighttime soap Melrose Place. He also joined the cast of another daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful and remained on the show for nine years. Every now and then he would return to singing and issue out the occasional indie album.

ReduxReview:  Wagner's take on the tune (see below) benefits from better production (via Tony Peluso) and his stronger voice. However, it was still just the same song simply dressed in different clothes. The spiffier attire along with Wagner's name gave it a boost on the Pop chart, but it wasn't enough to make a hit out of the song. Even though Wagner's version was a bit better, it didn't make me want to rate it any higher than Jameson's original.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally co-written (with Kim O'Leary) and performed by Nick Jameson. Jameson's version, which was just titled "Weatherman," was released as a single in 1986 and became a minor blip on the Pop chart for a couple of weeks peaking at #95. 2) Wagner later got to combine his acting and singing skills when he appeared in the 1997 Tony-winning Broadway musical Jekyll & Hyde. Wagner would take over the title role for a period during the show's run. Prior to this appearance, Wagner had roles in the national touring versions of West Side Story and Grease.

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