Song#: 3283
Date: 10/03/1987
Debut: 78
Peak: 61
Weeks: 8
Genre: Rock, Folk-Rock
Pop Bits: The band's third album, One Way Home, was not on track to replicate the double-platinum success of their previous album Nervous Night with the LP's first single, "Johnny B," halting at a low #61 on the Pop chart (#3 Rock). They needed something better to draw in the mainstream audience and this album opening track was selected to do that. Unfortunately, all it did was match the peak of the previous single while missing out on the Rock Top 10 (#13). With that result, the album topped out at #27. Luckily they retained a large enough fan base to make the album a gold seller just prior to the release of this single, but that was quite a dip from the sales of their breakthrough.
ReduxReview: This song might have done better if it had been released first. It was catchier and more upbeat than the darker "Johnny B." Still, it wasn't going to burn up the chart. The band always had a bit of a roots rock feel to their tunes, but the new LP pushed it further incorporated elements of British/Irish folk. Then it was all wrapped up in a big, sonic production via U2 or Simple Minds. It just didn't work. It's like they took everything that made Nervous Night appealing and tossed it out the window. None of it was bad and even this song had a bit of charm, but they came off like a different band and it wasn't what folks were expecting or wanting.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song, written by band members Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman along with producer Rick Chertoff, was a commentary on televangelism (or teleministry). While controversy surrounding the people that run and preach on religious television programs had been around for a while, it was in the 80s that a bigger spotlight was put on it all with some of the biggest names in the business taking major falls from grace. Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were among the first to really come under scrutiny. Their PTL Club show generated millions for the couple who lived a lavish lifestyle. They were investigated by the FCC and IRS for misuse of funds they raised via the show. Then in early '87, it came to light that Bakker had paid off Jessica Hahn to silence her on rape allegations concerning the show's co-host and also Bakker's own tryst with Hahn. Fraud charges came next and Bakker ended up in prison. Jimmy Swaggart would have his own troubles in '88 with a sex scandal. Yet despite the falls of these church leaders and questions surrounding others, people still flocked to megachurches and continued to tune in and donate money to televangelists.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Friday, October 9, 2020
"Don't You Want Me" by Jody Watley
Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 3282
Date: 10/03/1987
Debut: 80
Peak: 6
Weeks: 23
Genre: R&B, Dance-Pop
Pop Bits: Watley's self-titled solo album started out with a bang with lead single "I'm Looking for a New Love" reaching #2 Pop/#1 R&B/#1 Dance. A second single, "Still a Thrill," did well at R&B (#3) and Dance (#8), but it fizzled at Pop only getting to #56. Hoping for better overall results, this third single was released. It did much better at Pop becoming Watley's second solo Top 10 while getting to #3 at R&B and #1 at Dance. The album had already peaked at #10 at Pop and had been descending the chart, but this hit turned the LP around and it moved back up. By the end of the year it would be certified platinum.
ReduxReview: "Still a Thrill" was a cool jam of a track, but it really wasn't suited for Pop radio. This tune was a much better fit and indeed it got Watley back into the Pop Top 10. While the track may not have been as funky and powerful as "I'm Looking for a New Love," it was still a solid, hooky song with good production provided by Bernard Edwards. In my book, Watley was three-for-three in the singles department.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Watley's vocal performance on this track was sampled and used in the 1990 song "Don't You Love Me" by the Italian house/Eurodisco outfit the 49ers. Released as a single, it would get to #1 on the US Dance chart while becoming the group's only song to make the US Pop chart at #78. The 49ers were made up of a quartet of DJs and producers. After releasing a couple of singles, they hired on Dawn Mitchell to provide vocals and be the face of the group. Their first big hit came in 1990 with "Touch Me," which contained a sample of Aretha Franklin's "Rock-A-Lott." It would reach #1 on the US Dance chart while making the Top 10 in several countries. "Don't You Love Me" would be the follow-up single and it did even better. However, the group's success was short-lived with further singles failing to replicate the same success. They would split in 1998.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 10/03/1987
Debut: 80
Peak: 6
Weeks: 23
Genre: R&B, Dance-Pop
Pop Bits: Watley's self-titled solo album started out with a bang with lead single "I'm Looking for a New Love" reaching #2 Pop/#1 R&B/#1 Dance. A second single, "Still a Thrill," did well at R&B (#3) and Dance (#8), but it fizzled at Pop only getting to #56. Hoping for better overall results, this third single was released. It did much better at Pop becoming Watley's second solo Top 10 while getting to #3 at R&B and #1 at Dance. The album had already peaked at #10 at Pop and had been descending the chart, but this hit turned the LP around and it moved back up. By the end of the year it would be certified platinum.
ReduxReview: "Still a Thrill" was a cool jam of a track, but it really wasn't suited for Pop radio. This tune was a much better fit and indeed it got Watley back into the Pop Top 10. While the track may not have been as funky and powerful as "I'm Looking for a New Love," it was still a solid, hooky song with good production provided by Bernard Edwards. In my book, Watley was three-for-three in the singles department.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Watley's vocal performance on this track was sampled and used in the 1990 song "Don't You Love Me" by the Italian house/Eurodisco outfit the 49ers. Released as a single, it would get to #1 on the US Dance chart while becoming the group's only song to make the US Pop chart at #78. The 49ers were made up of a quartet of DJs and producers. After releasing a couple of singles, they hired on Dawn Mitchell to provide vocals and be the face of the group. Their first big hit came in 1990 with "Touch Me," which contained a sample of Aretha Franklin's "Rock-A-Lott." It would reach #1 on the US Dance chart while making the Top 10 in several countries. "Don't You Love Me" would be the follow-up single and it did even better. However, the group's success was short-lived with further singles failing to replicate the same success. They would split in 1998.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Thursday, October 8, 2020
"Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" by Aerosmith
Song#: 3281
Date: 10/03/1987
Debut: 84
Peak: 14
Weeks: 20
Genre: Rock, Blues-Rock
Pop Bits: The 80s had not been kind to Aerosmith. The two albums they released in '82 and '85 failed to reach gold level sales upon release and none of their singles reached the Pop chart. They were on the brink of becoming irrelevant, but then in '86 two things happened that helped to get their career back on track. First, they participated in a remake of their own hit "Walk This Way" with Run-D.M.C. The single would hit #4 at Pop, go gold, and put a spotlight back on Aerosmith. The band wanted to capitalize on their resurgence and in order to do so they decided it was time to get sober. The members agreed to go through rehab and once done they got back into the studio with a fresh new outlook. Working sober and extra hard, they were determined to make an album that would get them back on the charts. They chose to work with producer Bruce Fairbairn (Bon Jovi) and for the first time worked with outside songwriters. The results came out as Permanent Vacation and to announce their return this first single was released. It quickly became their first Top 10 at Rock reaching #4. At Pop, it started low, but gained momentum until it finally cracked the Top 20. It was their best result on the chart since "Walk This Way" hit #10 in 1976. A remix became their only song to reach the Dance chart at #41. The associated video would be a hit on MTV and would go on to be nominated for two MTV Music Video Awards.The album would just barely miss the Top 10 peaking at the dreaded #11, but it would end up being a multi-platinum hit that cemented the band's comeback.
ReduxReview: This was a brilliant comeback song for the band. Although they had help with the tune (see below), it still featured Tyler and Perry's signature bluesy rock touches with Tyler sounding fully on and engaged. Sobriety can do wonders. I totally loved the track and bought the single and later the album. Although they hated the idea of working with other songwriters, it paid off big time for them. Their writing became more succinct and played towards the mainstream. Fairbairn's meaty production also gave the band a fresh, crisp new sound. Being gay, I know I'm probably not supposed to like this song (see below), but I do. I can understand why others see it differently, but my opinion is that it was not written with malicious intent or to make fun of a certain group of people. There is even a line in it about not being judgemental. So, to each their own I guess. I thought it was a fun song and I still enjoy it. Plus it led to Aerosmith putting out more great material over the next decade.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This song was co-written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and hit-making songwriter Desmond Child. Although the stories on how the song came about vary in detail, for the most part it seemed that the lyrics were inspired by a meet-up the band had with Mötley Crüe. Apparently, when Tyler entered the bar where Mötley Crüe was, he saw someone with big blonde hair and thought it was a woman. Then he found out it was Mötley Crüe's lead singer Vince Neil. Neil then kind of got made fun of with someone mentioning that the dude looked like a lady. Tyler and Perry then began work on a tune that was based on the identity error. Initially, Tyler sang the chorus as "crusin' for the ladies," but Desmond Child quickly nixed it. Tyler then said he had been initially singing "dude looks like a lady," but thought it wasn't working. Child assure Tyler that his first version was the song's title. 2) This song was not without controversy. There were many folks that considered the song transphobic and thought it portrayed trans women in a negative way. Child would defend the song as being about acceptance. Still, the song remained a sore spot for some and years later when Caitlyn Jenner mentioned that "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" was a sort of theme song for her, LGBT activists took her to task for it because they still considered the song transphobic.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 10/03/1987
Debut: 84
Peak: 14
Weeks: 20
Genre: Rock, Blues-Rock
Pop Bits: The 80s had not been kind to Aerosmith. The two albums they released in '82 and '85 failed to reach gold level sales upon release and none of their singles reached the Pop chart. They were on the brink of becoming irrelevant, but then in '86 two things happened that helped to get their career back on track. First, they participated in a remake of their own hit "Walk This Way" with Run-D.M.C. The single would hit #4 at Pop, go gold, and put a spotlight back on Aerosmith. The band wanted to capitalize on their resurgence and in order to do so they decided it was time to get sober. The members agreed to go through rehab and once done they got back into the studio with a fresh new outlook. Working sober and extra hard, they were determined to make an album that would get them back on the charts. They chose to work with producer Bruce Fairbairn (Bon Jovi) and for the first time worked with outside songwriters. The results came out as Permanent Vacation and to announce their return this first single was released. It quickly became their first Top 10 at Rock reaching #4. At Pop, it started low, but gained momentum until it finally cracked the Top 20. It was their best result on the chart since "Walk This Way" hit #10 in 1976. A remix became their only song to reach the Dance chart at #41. The associated video would be a hit on MTV and would go on to be nominated for two MTV Music Video Awards.The album would just barely miss the Top 10 peaking at the dreaded #11, but it would end up being a multi-platinum hit that cemented the band's comeback.
ReduxReview: This was a brilliant comeback song for the band. Although they had help with the tune (see below), it still featured Tyler and Perry's signature bluesy rock touches with Tyler sounding fully on and engaged. Sobriety can do wonders. I totally loved the track and bought the single and later the album. Although they hated the idea of working with other songwriters, it paid off big time for them. Their writing became more succinct and played towards the mainstream. Fairbairn's meaty production also gave the band a fresh, crisp new sound. Being gay, I know I'm probably not supposed to like this song (see below), but I do. I can understand why others see it differently, but my opinion is that it was not written with malicious intent or to make fun of a certain group of people. There is even a line in it about not being judgemental. So, to each their own I guess. I thought it was a fun song and I still enjoy it. Plus it led to Aerosmith putting out more great material over the next decade.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This song was co-written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and hit-making songwriter Desmond Child. Although the stories on how the song came about vary in detail, for the most part it seemed that the lyrics were inspired by a meet-up the band had with Mötley Crüe. Apparently, when Tyler entered the bar where Mötley Crüe was, he saw someone with big blonde hair and thought it was a woman. Then he found out it was Mötley Crüe's lead singer Vince Neil. Neil then kind of got made fun of with someone mentioning that the dude looked like a lady. Tyler and Perry then began work on a tune that was based on the identity error. Initially, Tyler sang the chorus as "crusin' for the ladies," but Desmond Child quickly nixed it. Tyler then said he had been initially singing "dude looks like a lady," but thought it wasn't working. Child assure Tyler that his first version was the song's title. 2) This song was not without controversy. There were many folks that considered the song transphobic and thought it portrayed trans women in a negative way. Child would defend the song as being about acceptance. Still, the song remained a sore spot for some and years later when Caitlyn Jenner mentioned that "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" was a sort of theme song for her, LGBT activists took her to task for it because they still considered the song transphobic.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
"Should've Know Better" by Richard Marx
Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 3280
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 64
Peak: 3
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: Marx had been doing session work and songwriting for other artists for a few years before breaking out on his own. Right off the bat he earned a hit when his debut single "Don't Mean Nothing" reached #3. It was from his self-titled debut album as was this follow-up track. It would do equally as well also peaking at #3 for one week and spending 21 weeks on the chart. It would also get to #7 Rock while becoming his first song to chart at AC getting to #30. This hit would help the album reach its initial peak of #19, but later in the summer of '88 it would end up cracking the Top 10 thanks to a chart-topping hit.
ReduxReview: This was the perfect follow-up to "Don't Mean Nothing." That song was kind of bluesy and fun. This one was a more straight-forward pop/rock tune in the Journey vein that was a bit more serious. The two tracks complimented each other well and showed that Marx wasn't relying on one specific sound. His next two singles would expand on that variety. While I really liked "Don't Mean Nothing," I'm kind of partial to this track. The production is terrific and I like the darker tone, especially in the quiet mid-section. It was an excellent one-two punch from Marx.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Thanks to all the connections Marx made via session and songwriting work, his debut album featured several big name contributors including former Eagles Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, and Timothy B. Schmit. Schmit would provided background vocals on this track along with Tubes leader Fee Waybill. Also providing some background vocals on the album were two singers who would soon have hits of their own. Karyn White would go on to have four Pop Top 10 hits including the 1992 #1 "Romantic." Marx's wife, Cynthia Rhodes, would join the band Animotion and reach #9 in 1989 with "Room to Move."
_________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 64
Peak: 3
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: Marx had been doing session work and songwriting for other artists for a few years before breaking out on his own. Right off the bat he earned a hit when his debut single "Don't Mean Nothing" reached #3. It was from his self-titled debut album as was this follow-up track. It would do equally as well also peaking at #3 for one week and spending 21 weeks on the chart. It would also get to #7 Rock while becoming his first song to chart at AC getting to #30. This hit would help the album reach its initial peak of #19, but later in the summer of '88 it would end up cracking the Top 10 thanks to a chart-topping hit.
ReduxReview: This was the perfect follow-up to "Don't Mean Nothing." That song was kind of bluesy and fun. This one was a more straight-forward pop/rock tune in the Journey vein that was a bit more serious. The two tracks complimented each other well and showed that Marx wasn't relying on one specific sound. His next two singles would expand on that variety. While I really liked "Don't Mean Nothing," I'm kind of partial to this track. The production is terrific and I like the darker tone, especially in the quiet mid-section. It was an excellent one-two punch from Marx.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Thanks to all the connections Marx made via session and songwriting work, his debut album featured several big name contributors including former Eagles Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, and Timothy B. Schmit. Schmit would provided background vocals on this track along with Tubes leader Fee Waybill. Also providing some background vocals on the album were two singers who would soon have hits of their own. Karyn White would go on to have four Pop Top 10 hits including the 1992 #1 "Romantic." Marx's wife, Cynthia Rhodes, would join the band Animotion and reach #9 in 1989 with "Room to Move."
_________________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" by Belinda Carlisle
#1 Alert!
Rated 10 Alert!
Song#: 3279
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 72
Peak: 1 (1 week)
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: Carlisle's first solo album after the breakup of The Go-Go's, Belinda, was a #13 gold seller thanks to the #3 hit "Mad About You." That album had a retro 60s pop flair that was different from the rock of The Go-Go's. For her second solo disc, Carlisle switched labels from IRS to MCA and started working with producer Rick Nowels, who had produced Stevie Nick's 1985 platinum LP Rock a Little and co-wrote "I Can't Wait" (#16 Pop). For the new album Heaven on Earth, Carlisle skipped the retro sound and dove head first into 80s pop. This first single, written by Nowels and Ellen Shipley, demonstrated Carlisle's new sound and it was warmly greeted by radio and record buyers. It would top the Pop chart for a week while reaching #7 at AC. The hit would help the album match the peak of her debut (#13). The song would earn Carlisle a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.
ReduxReview: Carlisle hit it out of the park with this single. It was pretty much pop perfection. The chorus was unforgettable and it was smart to have it at the top of the song. It immediately established the hook and you just couldn't ignore it. The dreamy mid-section was spot-on and then to top it off, a little guitar section followed by a key change. It was an expertly crafted pop single and there was no doubt it would top the chart. While her rock cred took a hit, she was gaining more fans than losing them. Looking back, it is kind of odd to think that this confection was done by someone who in 1977 got her start as a drummer for the L.A. punk band the Germs under the moniker of Dottie Danger. Carlisle went through quite the metamorphosis.
ReduxRating: 10/10
Trivia: The associated video for the song was directed by Academy Award winner Diane Keaton. It was Keaton's second directorial effort following a 1982 17-minute documentary short about her sister titled What Does Dorrie Want?" Keaton would also direct the video for Carlisle's follow-up single "I Get Weak" (#2 Pop). Keaton would direct another documentary, 1987's Heaven (nothing in common with Carlisle's song), and then direct a few TV episodes for shows like China Beach and Twin Peaks. The first theatrical film she directed was the 1995 comedy/drama Unstrung Heroes starring Andie MacDowell. Critics were positive about the movie and it did fairly well at the box office. Her second effort, 2000's Hanging Up starring Keaton, Meg Ryan, and Lisa Kudrow did not garner good reviews, but it ended up doing okay at the box office on a worldwide basis.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 72
Peak: 1 (1 week)
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: Carlisle's first solo album after the breakup of The Go-Go's, Belinda, was a #13 gold seller thanks to the #3 hit "Mad About You." That album had a retro 60s pop flair that was different from the rock of The Go-Go's. For her second solo disc, Carlisle switched labels from IRS to MCA and started working with producer Rick Nowels, who had produced Stevie Nick's 1985 platinum LP Rock a Little and co-wrote "I Can't Wait" (#16 Pop). For the new album Heaven on Earth, Carlisle skipped the retro sound and dove head first into 80s pop. This first single, written by Nowels and Ellen Shipley, demonstrated Carlisle's new sound and it was warmly greeted by radio and record buyers. It would top the Pop chart for a week while reaching #7 at AC. The hit would help the album match the peak of her debut (#13). The song would earn Carlisle a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.
ReduxReview: Carlisle hit it out of the park with this single. It was pretty much pop perfection. The chorus was unforgettable and it was smart to have it at the top of the song. It immediately established the hook and you just couldn't ignore it. The dreamy mid-section was spot-on and then to top it off, a little guitar section followed by a key change. It was an expertly crafted pop single and there was no doubt it would top the chart. While her rock cred took a hit, she was gaining more fans than losing them. Looking back, it is kind of odd to think that this confection was done by someone who in 1977 got her start as a drummer for the L.A. punk band the Germs under the moniker of Dottie Danger. Carlisle went through quite the metamorphosis.
ReduxRating: 10/10
Trivia: The associated video for the song was directed by Academy Award winner Diane Keaton. It was Keaton's second directorial effort following a 1982 17-minute documentary short about her sister titled What Does Dorrie Want?" Keaton would also direct the video for Carlisle's follow-up single "I Get Weak" (#2 Pop). Keaton would direct another documentary, 1987's Heaven (nothing in common with Carlisle's song), and then direct a few TV episodes for shows like China Beach and Twin Peaks. The first theatrical film she directed was the 1995 comedy/drama Unstrung Heroes starring Andie MacDowell. Critics were positive about the movie and it did fairly well at the box office. Her second effort, 2000's Hanging Up starring Keaton, Meg Ryan, and Lisa Kudrow did not garner good reviews, but it ended up doing okay at the box office on a worldwide basis.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Monday, October 5, 2020
"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
#1 Alert!
Gold Record Alert!
Grammy Alert!
Oscar Alert!
Rated 10 Alert!
Song#: 3278
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 73
Peak: 1 (1 week)
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: In the fall of '86, filming began on a little movie titled Dirty Dancing. With a small budget of $5 million, cameras rolled with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles. The film would incorporate quite a bit of music and the filmmakers wanted to use a mix of old and new tunes. For the newer material, Frankie Previte (of Frankie & the Knockouts fame) was asked to contribute a couple of song. Previte along with John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz then co-wrote "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." Previte recorded a demo version of the tune with Rachele Cappelli and ultimately it was selected to be used in the film's final scene. Of course the producers wanted bigger names to record the tune and in the end Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes agreed to perform the song. The film hit theaters in late August of '87 to mixed reviews, but audiences took notice and eventually it hit #1 at the box office. The soundtrack was issued out along with this first single. Like the movie, it got off to a slow start, but then headed to #1. It would be Medley's first #1 hit outside of the Righteous Brothers and Warnes' second soundtrack duet to hit #1 following 1982's "Up Where We Belong" with Joe Cocker. That song would go on to win a Grammy and an Oscar and this Dirty Dancing theme would follow suit. The track would also spend four weeks at #1 on the AC chart. The success of the song and the film led to the soundtrack album spending 18 non-consecutive weeks at #1. Eventually, it would sell over 11 million copies in the US alone.
ReduxReview: I admit that I'm not a big fan of Dirty Dancing. I thought it was just meh. However, there are moments in films where the scene and the music perfectly combine to create a little magic and the flick's finale was one. That last lift has been mimicked and parodied tons of times over the years. It became an iconic film moment and a big reason for that was this song. Well-written, smartly arranged and produced, and impeccably performed by Medley and Warnes, there was just no doubt the song was going to be a big hit. The film gave the song a big boost, but I think the song was strong enough that it would have done well on its own. It's also a tune that has remained popular over the years and it sounds just as good now as it did then.
ReduxRating: 10/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) The final scene of the movie was one of the first to be shot. At the time, the Medley/Warnes duet hadn't been recorded, so to motivate everyone in the scene, Previte's original demo was used. It would then be replace in the completed film with the Medley/Warnes version. Previte's demo would later be released as a bonus track on the 1998 reissue of Frankie & the Knockouts' self-titled 1981 album. 2) Medley and Warnes were not the first artists consider for the song. Initially, Donna Summer and Joe Esposito were approached for the job. Summer apparently turned it down because she didn't like the title of the film (remember, she was in her born-again days). The music coordinator for the film, Jimmy Ienner (who also ran Millennium Records), then tried to get Bill Medley, but Medley decline because his wife was about to give birth and he also didn't like the title of the film. For about three months, Ienner pestered Medley. In the meantime, Medley's wife had given birth and Ienner had contacted Jennifer Warnes who showed interest in doing the song, but only if Medley would. With news that Warnes was on board, Medley then agreed to sing on the track.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 73
Peak: 1 (1 week)
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: In the fall of '86, filming began on a little movie titled Dirty Dancing. With a small budget of $5 million, cameras rolled with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles. The film would incorporate quite a bit of music and the filmmakers wanted to use a mix of old and new tunes. For the newer material, Frankie Previte (of Frankie & the Knockouts fame) was asked to contribute a couple of song. Previte along with John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz then co-wrote "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." Previte recorded a demo version of the tune with Rachele Cappelli and ultimately it was selected to be used in the film's final scene. Of course the producers wanted bigger names to record the tune and in the end Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes agreed to perform the song. The film hit theaters in late August of '87 to mixed reviews, but audiences took notice and eventually it hit #1 at the box office. The soundtrack was issued out along with this first single. Like the movie, it got off to a slow start, but then headed to #1. It would be Medley's first #1 hit outside of the Righteous Brothers and Warnes' second soundtrack duet to hit #1 following 1982's "Up Where We Belong" with Joe Cocker. That song would go on to win a Grammy and an Oscar and this Dirty Dancing theme would follow suit. The track would also spend four weeks at #1 on the AC chart. The success of the song and the film led to the soundtrack album spending 18 non-consecutive weeks at #1. Eventually, it would sell over 11 million copies in the US alone.
ReduxReview: I admit that I'm not a big fan of Dirty Dancing. I thought it was just meh. However, there are moments in films where the scene and the music perfectly combine to create a little magic and the flick's finale was one. That last lift has been mimicked and parodied tons of times over the years. It became an iconic film moment and a big reason for that was this song. Well-written, smartly arranged and produced, and impeccably performed by Medley and Warnes, there was just no doubt the song was going to be a big hit. The film gave the song a big boost, but I think the song was strong enough that it would have done well on its own. It's also a tune that has remained popular over the years and it sounds just as good now as it did then.
ReduxRating: 10/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) The final scene of the movie was one of the first to be shot. At the time, the Medley/Warnes duet hadn't been recorded, so to motivate everyone in the scene, Previte's original demo was used. It would then be replace in the completed film with the Medley/Warnes version. Previte's demo would later be released as a bonus track on the 1998 reissue of Frankie & the Knockouts' self-titled 1981 album. 2) Medley and Warnes were not the first artists consider for the song. Initially, Donna Summer and Joe Esposito were approached for the job. Summer apparently turned it down because she didn't like the title of the film (remember, she was in her born-again days). The music coordinator for the film, Jimmy Ienner (who also ran Millennium Records), then tried to get Bill Medley, but Medley decline because his wife was about to give birth and he also didn't like the title of the film. For about three months, Ienner pestered Medley. In the meantime, Medley's wife had given birth and Ienner had contacted Jennifer Warnes who showed interest in doing the song, but only if Medley would. With news that Warnes was on board, Medley then agreed to sing on the track.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Sunday, October 4, 2020
"Beat Patrol" by Starship
Song#: 3277
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 83
Peak: 46
Weeks: 10
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: The Starship single "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)" was the second Top 10 (#9) hit from their second album No Protection. For a follow-up, this album-opening track was selected. It couldn't match the Top 10 results of the previous two singles and even stopped short of the Top 40. It was also unable to get on the Rock chart. Still, by this point in time the album had already peaked at #12 and was on the verge of going gold, which it would do in November of '87.
ReduxReview: Starship totally left behind any rock cred with No Protection. It was obvious that they were going for a mainstream sound and trying to find hooky tunes that would reel in pop listeners. It worked a bit with a couple of hit singles, but the well quickly dried up. This bouncy tune could have made a fun power pop track, but Starship's 80s synth-heavy production diluted all the good stuff right out of it. The song is not all that bad. It just came off as goofy in the hands of Starship.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: This is a remake of a song originally written and recorded by English singer/songwriter Johnny Warman. Warman's 1984 recording, originally titled "(Here Comes) The Beat Patrol," was released as a single in the UK, but it failed to chart. In the 70s, Warman join the band Bearded Lady, but as the 80s neared he tried for a solo career. His second LP, 1981's Walking into Mirrors, generated the single "Screaming Jets," which reached #9 in Australia. After a follow-up album failed to do anything, Warman was dropped from his label. He gave it one more try recording and releasing "Beat Patrol," but it didn't catch on. He then focused on writing for other artists. A few year later, Starship picked up "Beat Patrol" and recorded it. The flip side to Warman's "Beat Patrol" single was "Don't Call Me" and it would later be recorded by rock group Asia for their 1992 album Aqua.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 09/26/1987
Debut: 83
Peak: 46
Weeks: 10
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: The Starship single "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)" was the second Top 10 (#9) hit from their second album No Protection. For a follow-up, this album-opening track was selected. It couldn't match the Top 10 results of the previous two singles and even stopped short of the Top 40. It was also unable to get on the Rock chart. Still, by this point in time the album had already peaked at #12 and was on the verge of going gold, which it would do in November of '87.
ReduxReview: Starship totally left behind any rock cred with No Protection. It was obvious that they were going for a mainstream sound and trying to find hooky tunes that would reel in pop listeners. It worked a bit with a couple of hit singles, but the well quickly dried up. This bouncy tune could have made a fun power pop track, but Starship's 80s synth-heavy production diluted all the good stuff right out of it. The song is not all that bad. It just came off as goofy in the hands of Starship.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: This is a remake of a song originally written and recorded by English singer/songwriter Johnny Warman. Warman's 1984 recording, originally titled "(Here Comes) The Beat Patrol," was released as a single in the UK, but it failed to chart. In the 70s, Warman join the band Bearded Lady, but as the 80s neared he tried for a solo career. His second LP, 1981's Walking into Mirrors, generated the single "Screaming Jets," which reached #9 in Australia. After a follow-up album failed to do anything, Warman was dropped from his label. He gave it one more try recording and releasing "Beat Patrol," but it didn't catch on. He then focused on writing for other artists. A few year later, Starship picked up "Beat Patrol" and recorded it. The flip side to Warman's "Beat Patrol" single was "Don't Call Me" and it would later be recorded by rock group Asia for their 1992 album Aqua.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)