Top 10 Alert!
One-Hit Wonder Alert!
Song#: 3689
Date: 10/22/1988
Debut: 79
Peak: 8
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: This Minneapolis duo was made up of vocalist Gene Hunt and songwriter/producer Joe Pasquale. Both already had an association with MCA Records and knew each other, so when the idea came about for them to form a duo, they jumped at the chance and were immediately signed by the label. The pair worked up a self-titled debut album and this lead single was issued out. It did a slow climb up the Pop chart until it finally cracked the Top 10. It also did well at AC where the tune made it to #4. A second single, "The Loneliest Heart," was able to make the AC chart at #39, but it failed to make the Pop chart. The album would make it to #93. It was a good start for the duo, but for some reason they chose to part ways. Since their only Pop chart entry was this Top 10, it made them a true one-hit wonder. Hunt would return to his previous group (see below) while Pasquale would attempt a solo career. He released P-R-E-Y on MCA in 1991, but it failed to do anything.
ReduxReview: These guys were highly influenced by George Michael and Wham! and they certainly wore that love on their sleeves with this song. It really could be called "Careless Whisper, Pt. 2." From the Spanish guitar to the sax solo to the rolling groove to the lyrics, it just seemed to pick up where "Careless Whisper" ended. While it wasn't plagiarism, it was definitely a rip off of Wham!/George Michael's song and sound. Since Wham! was long gone and Michael was doing different things with his solo career, this song sort of filled a void and it paid off in a Top 10 hit. Frankly, I don't remember this song at all. It's rare that I don't remember a Top 10 from the 80s, but this is one. I'm sure I heard it on American Top 40, however it obviously didn't catch my ear. I appreciate that the track was well done, but it sounds too much like an imitation and the real thing was much better.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) The Minneapolis family band The Jets was made up of the Wolfgramm siblings. One of the adopted kids into the family, Eugene, sang and played percussion and sax with the band. He would stay with them for their 1985 platinum debut album along with an '86 Christmas LP. Yet it seemed Eugene wanted to be more in the spotlight and not necessarily part of a large family band, so he left the group prior to their second studio album. Having a love for George Michael and Wham!, Eugene thought he wanted to be part of a male pop duo. He changed his name to Gene Hunt and then got teamed up with Joe Pascquale to for Boys Club. After the duo folded, he went back to The Jets and participated in the recording of four new songs for the band's 1990 compilation The Best of The Jets. He left the band once again after that release. These days it seems he resides in Utah and runs his own music consultant business. 2) Boys Club was the first musical guest on a new kids TV show. The All-New Mickey Mouse Club was the second reboot of the original show from the 50s. It began to air in '89 on The Disney Channel and the Boys Club were tapped to be the musical guest on the very first episode. The show would run for five years and it became famous for being the launching pad for three future superstars. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aguilera were all cast members in the last two seasons of the show. Other famous folks from the cast were Keri Russell and *NSYNC member JC Chasez.
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