"I Found Someone" by Cher

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  3339
Date:  11/21/1987
Debut:  79
Peak:  10
Weeks:  26
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  Cher's first album of the 80s, 1982's new wave-leaning I Paralyze, was a major flop. It failed to produce any charting singles and didn't even make the album chart. After the LP, Cher decided to concentrate on the acting side of her career, which would reach its peak in 1987 with her starring in three films and included Suspect and the major hits, The Witches of Eastwick and Moonstruck, the latter of which would earn her an Oscar for Best Actress. With her acting goals basically being fulfilled, Cher decided it was the right time to return to music. She signed on with Geffen Records and a comeback album was quickly assembled. Cher wanted to take a more rock-oriented approach and she tapped songwriter/producer Desmond Child to mainly head up the project. Cher was familiar with Child as he had worked with on a couple of I Paralyze tracks, yet since then Child had become an in-demand producer thanks to his success with Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet. Also on board for a couple of tracks was Michael Bolton, whose solo career was taking off at the time. He would produce this track that would end up being the LP's first single. It was a slow-burning single that would finally crack the Pop Top 10 in its sixteenth week. It would stay on the chart for an addition ten weeks. It was Cher's first Pop Top 10 hit since her 1979 disco single "Take Me Home" (#8). The song would also get to #33 at AC. In turn, the associated self-titled album would peak at #32 and become her fourth solo LP to go gold. Eventually it would turn platinum.

ReduxReview:  I liked this song when Laura Branigan recorded it, but the issue with her version was the weak production. It really let the tune (and Branigan) down. I'm not sure whose idea it was for Cher to take a crack at the tune, but it was an inspired choice. It gave Bolton the chance to spruce up his song and Cher the opportunity to prove she had the chops to sing rock. I love how the song started with a memorable keyboard line, went quiet for the first verse, and then built to an explosive chorus. Cher matches Bolton's production with each step and she sells it well. I don't think there could have been a better song to reignite Cher's music career.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song originally recorded by Laura Branigan for her 1986 album Hold Me. It was written by Michael Bolton and Mark Mangold. Branigan's long time collaborator Jack White produced the track with Harold Faltermeyer. It was issued out as a single, but it failed to make an impression topping out at a low #90. When Bolton got a chance to work with Cher, it seems he thought this song had more potential and got her to record it. Bolton also produced the track. It ended up being just the right mainstream rock song to reintroduce Cher to the charts and over the next few years she would score six more Top 20 hits including three Top 10s. Bolton would later record his own version of "I Found Someone" for his 1995 Greatest Hits (1985-1995) collection.

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"Can't Stay Away from You" by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  3338
Date:  11/21/1987
Debut:  89
Peak:  6
Weeks:  23
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  While the band's album Let It Loose started off with the memorable #5 Pop hit "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You," they stumbled a bit with its follow-up "Betcha Say That." The song just scratched the Top 40 peaking at a low #36. It was a disappointment and they needed to turn things around quickly. For a third single, this ballad was issued out. It ended up being the right move that got them back into the Pop Top 10. It was also a big winner at AC becoming their second to top that chart.

ReduxReview:  I forgot about this hit. When I saw the title, I couldn't remember it at all, but of course once the song started it came back to me. It was a lovely tune that was perfect for AC radio. Why they didn't release this as the second single is a mystery. It would have been a far better choice than the anemic "Betcha Say That." Luckily, this song was strong enough to overcome that tepidly received single and got Estefan back in the Top 10.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  It took a while for Estefan and Miami Sound Machine to get a foothold in the UK. While they started off with a bang with the 1984 #6 "Dr. Beat," a song that missed the US Pop chart, things quickly cooled. Follow-up singles failed to do well and they remained locked out of the Top 10 with the tracks from their US breakthrough LP Primitive Love. As the singles began to roll out from Let It Loose, it seemed the trend was going to continue with "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" stalling at #16. When "Can't Stay Away from You" was initially released, it was a failure topping out at #88. However, the band finally got back into the UK Top 10 with "Anything for You" (#10). After that hit, "Can't Stay Away from You" was reissued out and on its second run it reached #7. A third Top 10 would follow. Because of the hits, the album would reach #1 on the UK chart. It would end up being the best selling LP of their career going 4x platinum. Estefan would continue to have success in the UK scoring several platinum and multi-platinum albums along with an additional twenty-four Top 40 entries.

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"Don't Tell Me the Time" by Martha Davis

Song#:  3337
Date:  11/21/1987
Debut:  93
Peak:  80
Weeks:  8
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  The fifth album by The Motels, 1985's Shock, was a modest success getting to #36 and spawning the #21 Pop hit "Shame." After everything for the album was wrapped up, the band reconvened in the studio to begin work on a sixth album. However, it seems things were not necessarily going in the direction that lead singer/songwriter Martha Davis wanted so she decided to dissolve the band and go it alone. Working with producer Richie Zito, who had helmed Shock, Davis recorded her first solo album titled Policy. This first single was issued out and it didn't do so well peaking low on the Pop chart and disappearing after a couple of months. A follow-up single, "Tell It to the Moon" (written by Diane Warren), failed to chart, but the album track "Just Like You" made a brief appearance on the Rock chart at #47. With those results, the album could only reach #128. It was a disappointment following the success of The Motels.

ReduxReview:  I was a big fan of The Motels so when I learned that Martha Davis was doing a solo album, I was quite excited. I immediately bought the album when it came out. I have to admit that back then I was a little underwhelmed by it. Davis' tunes didn't reel me in as well as her work under The Motels name. However, years later I rediscovered the LP and began to hook into it. While the album is far from perfect, there are some well-done tracks that I've grown to love, such as this single. Written by Davis, it is a lovely pop tune with a memorable chorus that has shades of Roy Orbison, especially at the end. It was an underrated single that should have made the Top 40. In retrospect, I do wonder if the sweet Diane Warren-penned "Tell It to the Moon" might have made a better lead single. Richie Zito tossed in a few production touches on that tune that were reminiscent of the work he did on Shock, so it had more of a Motels feel. I love both songs and the album is certainly worth a listen.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  After her solo album, Davis sought to separate from her long time label Capitol. Over the next decade she did different projects in music and theater including a couple of songs for movie soundtracks. She would also put together a new version of The Motels for performances. Davis wouldn't record another solo album until 2004's ...So the Story Goes. Two other solo efforts would follow. In 2017, Davis would release an album under The Motels moniker titled The Last Few Beautiful Days. It was the first album of all new material credited to The Motels since 1985's Shock. Some of the songs on the LP were inspired by Davis' daughter Maria, who had died in 2016 from an opioid addiction.

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"You and Me Tonight" by Déjà

Song#:  3336
Date:  11/21/1987
Debut:  94
Peak:  54
Weeks:  12
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  This duo consisted of vocalists Curt Jones and Starleana Young. The pair had already experienced success as members of the Ohio funk outfit Slave and its offshoot group Aurra, who had their biggest hit with 1981's "Make Up Your Mind" (#6 R&B/71 Pop). Sometime around '84/'85, Aurra was experiencing internal issues that resulted in two different Aurra bands, one of which consisted of Jones and Young. That Aurra released the 1985 album Bedtime Story. Of course legal issues ensued and when the dust settled, Jones and Young chose to go by the name Déjà. They signed on with Virgin Records and recorded the album Serious. This first single was released and it became a hit at R&B reaching #2. It then crossed over to Pop and got near the halfway point. It also peaked at #20 on the Dance chart. A follow-up single, "That's Where You'll Find Me," got to #16 R&B, but failed to make the Pop chart.

ReduxReview:  This is one of of those odd songs where the title is nowhere to be found in the lyrics. Listening to it, I would think the title would have been "All Night" or "All Night Long," but perhaps the writers didn't want to use it due to the Lionel Richie hit of the same name. Not using the title in the song didn't seem to hinder its hit potential at R&B as the tune sailed up the chart. It didn't do as well at Pop, but I'm not surprised. It was an average R&B/dance groove that didn't have that extra spark to make it a mainstream hit. The song is fine and a good listen. It just wasn't all that memorable.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  After the Serious album, Starleana Young left Déjà for a solo career. She stayed on with Virgin Records and released a debut solo album in 1991 under the single moniker of Starleana. A track on the album was produced by Starleana's husband, former Kool & the Gang lead singer James J.T. Taylor. The album didn't make much of an impression and that ended her solo career. Curt Jones would move forward with Déjà and hire on new vocalist Mysti Day. In 1989, they would released the album Made to Be Together. The title track would get to #23 R&B. It seems the duo dissolved after that.

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"Don't Shed a Tear" by Paul Carrack

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  3335
Date:  11/14/1987
Debut:  72
Peak:  9
Weeks:  24
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  The last time Carrack recorded a solo album was in 1982 with Suburban Voodoo, which featured the #37 Pop entry "I Need You." After that LP, Carrack mainly worked with Nick Lowe, but ended up scoring hits as a member of Mike + the Mechanics, whose 1985 debut album featured a pair of Top 10's including the Carrack-led #6 "Silent Running." With his profile raised thanks to the hit, Carrack signed a deal with Chrysalis Records and recorded his third solo album One Good Reason. This first single was released and it did well at Rock reaching #5 while becoming Carrack's first (and only) solo song to reach the Pop Top 10. It also got to #36 at AC. The hit helped the album peak at #67.

ReduxReview:  The hooky little stop/start guitar riff at the top of this song immediately got my attention and the tune just got better from there. The verse had a great melody and groove. Then there was the cool little transition section that led to the explosive chorus. Carrack sounded fantastic and the production was beefy and perfect for a late 80s pop/rock track. I loved the song right off the bat and immediately bought the single. The song has held up well and I enjoy it just as much today as I did when it first came out.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  This song was co-written by Eddie Schwartz and Rob Friedman. Schwartz started his solo recording career with a 1979 debut LP, but it was a song he wrote and gave to another artist that really kicked things off for  him. In 1980, Pat Benatar got her first Top 10 hit with Schwartz's "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." Thanks to that hit, Schwartz got a major label deal and released his second solo album in 1981. It featured the #28 Pop entry "All Our Tomorrows." At some point during this successful period, Schwartz wrote "Don't Shed a Tear" with Friedman. Schwartz intended to record it with a new band he was forming, but that project fell through and the song was never recorded. The tune somehow ended up over in Carrack's camp and he turned it into a hit. Schwartz's solo career cooled off quick, but he continued writing songs for other artists and would earn another Top 10 later in 1989 with the Doobie Brothers' "The Doctor."

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"Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  3334
Date:  11/14/1987
Debut:  73
Peak:  2
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Pop, Rock, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  The Bangles' second album, Different Light, was a triple-platinum #2 success thanks to a pair of Top 10 hits including the #1 "Walk Like an Egyptian." As the band was riding high with the LP, they got an opportunity to contribute a song to an upcoming film titled Less Than Zero. Instead of recording a new song, the band chose to do a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "A Hazy Shade of Winter" (see below). It was a song that they had been performing in their shows as early as 1981. Working with the soundtrack's producer Rick Rubin, the Bangles got the song recorded and it ended up being released as a single. The tune caught on and became the band's third Pop Top 10. It also got to #41 at Rock. The hit helped the soundtrack get to #31 and go gold.

ReduxReview:  At their core, the Bangles were a rock band but they didn't sound much like one on record until this tune was unleashed. When the song started off with a massive guitar lick and slammin' snare beat, you knew immediately this wasn't the adorable Bangles of "Manic Monday." They meant business and had something to prove. I think it helped quite a bit that they got hooked up with Rick Rubin as he helped the band achieve the sound they wanted. The Bangles were truly a band on the disc and it should have been the catalyst that carried them into a new era, but internal struggles and record label shenanigans held them back on their next album. Still, this exciting track highlighted what the band was capable of and it remains one of their best efforts.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally written by Paul Simon and recorded by Simon & Garfunkel in 1966. It was done for their fourth album Bookends, which was their first to reach #1. The track was issued out as the first single from the album and it got to #13. The Bangles took the song in a more rock oriented direction and also made it more concise by cutting out half of the bridge. All four of the Bangles sang the lead vocals, which was unusual for them since most of their songs featured only one member handling the lead. Their version not only surpassed Simon & Garfunkel's on the Pop chart, but many folks consider it superior to the original.  2) The film Less Than Zero was based on the Bret Easton Ellis' debut novel of the same name. It starred Andrew McCarthy, Robert Downey, Jr, Jamie Gertz, and James Spader. Upon release it received mixed reviews and barely made back its budget at the box office. Ellis initially hated the film saying it was nothing like his novel and that some roles were miscast. In later years, he spoke more favorably about it and the performances.

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"I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" by Prince

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  3333
Date:  11/14/1987
Debut:  81
Peak:  10
Weeks:  17
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  After a misstep with "If I Was Your Girlfriend" (#67 Pop), the second single from Sign o' the Times, Prince rebounded in a big way with the #2 Sheena Easton duet "U Got the Look." For a follow-up, this next track was released. It would be the fourth and final single issued out from the album. The song would catch on and get to #14 R&B and #4 Dance while just scratching the Top 10. It was the first time Prince had back-to-back Pop Top 10s from an album since 1985. The hit helped to keep the album on the chart, but it wouldn't do enough to get the album to double-platinum status. At this time the LP is still only listed as a platinum seller.

ReduxReview:  This is one of Prince's hits that I didn't hear a lot when it first came out and I hooked into later on. I don't think the song got a lot of airplay on my local radio and I don't even remember seeing the video on MTV. Still, it was a solid pop/rock track that reminded me of something Prince would have done pre-Purple Rain or even 1999, which in fact he did (see below). The bouncy tune was nice ear candy from Prince. At the time it came out I didn't pay much attention to the song. In fact, I kind of forgot about it. It wasn't until years later when it appeared on a Prince hits compilation that I truly began to dig it. I like both the snappy single version and the album version with its extended breaks. The track has kind of disappeared over the years in favor of his bigger hits, but it was a worthy Top 10 and shouldn't be forgotten.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This song was first written and recorded in 1979 during sessions for Prince's 1979 self-titled second album. It ended up not being used and set aside. Prince ended up dusting off the tune and fully re-recording it in the summer of '86. It was to be included on Dream Factory, an album that was to be the next one by Prince & the Revolution, but ended up getting shelved when Prince dissolved the Revolution. The song survived though all the various iterations of what was to be Prince's follow-up to Parade and made it to the Sign 'o the Times album. Over eight years after it was first recorded, the song became a hit.

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