"Wild Again" by Starship

Song#:  3746

Date:  12/17/1988

Debut:  98

Peak:  73

Weeks:  8

Genre:  Pop, Rock, Soundtrack

Pop Bits:  After the #12 gold success of the band's second album No Protection, they got back into the studio in '88 to begin working on a follow-up. As that process began, the band got the opportunity to contribute a song to a film soundtrack. It worked well for them before with "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" from Mannequin got to #1 early in '87, so why not try again? Unfortunately, the results didn't pay off nearly as well. The track would be the fifth song from the soundtrack to be a single and it would stall low on the Pop chart after a few weeks. It did slightly better at Rock getting to #30. Although it would be considered a one-off single from the soundtrack, the tune would later be included on the band's '89 album Love Among the Cannibals.

ReduxReview:  This song sounded like it was written for a soundtrack. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it sounded like something that would play over the opening credits of a comedy flick and indeed that is where this song was placed in Cocktail. The song was fine and well done by the band, but it was kind of an average pop song that didn't really stand out. It was a pleasant listen and appropriate for the soundtrack, yet it wasn't destined to be a memorable hit.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  This song was written by John Bettis and Michael Clark. Bettis began writing songs as a teen, but it was an association with another aspiring musician that truly kicked of his career. Bettis met Richard Carpenter when both were attending Long Beach State College. The pair hit it off and began writing together. In 1967, Carpenter and Bettis, along with Richard's sister Karen, formed a band called Spectrum. Although they performed at several clubs, the MOR sound of the band wasn't fitting in well with the rock sounds of the day and it became difficult for them to secure gigs. The lack of getting work basically led to Spectrum splitting up. However, Carpenter and Bettis kept up their partnership and it would eventually pay off big time when Richard and Karen became the Carpenters and signed on with A&M Records. In the early 70s, four songs by Richard Carpenter and Bettis would reach the Pop Top 10 including the 1973 #3 "Top of the World." Bettis would go on to work with other writers and score hits like the '81 #2 "Slow Hand" for the Pointer Sisters, Michael Jackson's #7 "Human Nature," and Madonna's #1 "Crazy for You."

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