#1 Alert!
Gold Record Alert!
Song#: 3779
Date: 01/28/1989
Debut: 97
Peak: 1 (1 week)
Weeks: 23
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: This trio made up of former members of the UK band The Beat along with lead singer Roland Gift established themselves at home with their 1985 self-titled debut album. It featured a pair of UK Top 10 hits including "Johnny Come Home" (#8). While that song would reach #9 on the US Dance chart, it didn't get very far at Pop peaking at #76. The album would actually do better getting to #49. After that success, the band members took a bit of a hiatus and worked on other projects. Slowly they began to record songs for a second album some of which ended up on film soundtracks long before their second album was ready. Those songs along with three newer recordings and three tracks produced with Prince cohort David Z were finally assembled into the band's second effort The Raw & the Cooked. To kick things off, this first single was issued out. The driving track caught on and eventually it would reach the top of the Pop chart while getting to #1 Dance, #5 Modern Rock, and #54 R&B. The album, spurred on by a second single, would end up spending seven weeks at #1 and go double-platinum.
ReduxReview: With its specific snapping snare sound, groove, and meaty guitar chords, the opening of this song became instantly recognizable. From there, the band kept the song going with memorable hooks, terrific production, Roland Gift's unusual voice, and a sing-a-long chorus. It was a song that you just could not escape back in the day. It was all over the place. I kind of got worn out on it, but these days it is difficult not to groove with the tune when it comes on.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: The song and the album were not only hits on the charts, but were popular with the Grammy folks as well. The band would receive nominations for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group. They wouldn't win any of those, but back home in the UK they would win two BRIT awards; Best British Album and Best British Group. The video for "She Drives Me Crazy" would end up earning four MTV Music Video Award nominations including one for Video of the Year.
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Background vocals were done by three singers would later go on to form Londonbeat, who had a 1991 US and UK #1 with "I've Been Thinking About You", which suspiciously sounded a lot like FYC! That one is a 9 for me, and I agree this is an 8.
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