"Back on Holiday" by Robbie Nevil

Song#:  3720

Date:  11/12/1988

Debut:  87

Peak:  34

Weeks:  14

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  Nevil's 1986 self-titled debut album did well reaching #37 thanks to three Pop Top 20 hits. Two of those would reach the Top 10 including the #2 "C'est La Vie." After that success, Nevil then focused on making his second LP A Place Like This. Once completed, this first single was issued out. The song was able to make it into the Pop Top 40, but it stalled soon after and was unable to reach the heights of his three previous singles. It would also be a minor #52 entry at R&B. That result didn't help sell the album, which could only get to a low #118. It was a disappointment coming after a well-received debut.

ReduxReview:  Nevil's first three singles were winners because they were well-written tunes with strong hooks. To keep his momentum going, Nevil needed at least a couple of tracks on his next LP that were just as memorable, but he couldn't get that accomplished. The album itself was quite good, but the problem was that Nevil wasn't able to include at least one song that was as instantly catchy as his first hits. This one probably came closest, but with a less engaging chorus that sounded like it was done by a crowd rather than Nevil, the tune didn't fully take flight.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Nevil's younger brother Alex chose entertainment for a career as well, but Alex would go the acting route. Big fans of the hit show Cheers might recognize Alex from one of his early roles. For a two-part episode in the show's seventh season (1988), Alex Nevil would play the character Rebecca's (Kirstie Alley) new boss Martin Teal who she nearly marries. Nevil would get a potentially bigger break in 1992 when he became a regular side character on the Fox sitcom Shaky Ground, which starred Matt Frewer (of Max Headroom fame). Unfortunately, the show only lasted one season. Since then, Nevil has steadily made appearances on episodes of TV shows like Law and Order, Star Trek: Enterprise, NCIS, and That 70s Show.

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