"Kisses on the Wind" by Neneh Cherry

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  3973

Date:  07/22/1989

Debut:  79

Peak:  8

Weeks:  14

Genre:  Dance-Pop

Pop Bits:  This Sweden-born singer/songwriter made a splash in the US with "Buffalo Stance," the first single from her debut album Raw Like Sushi. The song would hit #1 at Dance while getting to #3 Pop. It would end up being a gold-selling single. While that tune was still riding in the Pop Top 30, this track would debut. It would climb the chart and was able to jump up into the Top 10 for a week. Two weeks prior to this song hitting #8, the album would reach its peak of #40. While the LP would sell well, it would be unable to reach the gold mark.

ReduxReview:  This Top 10 pretty much kept Cherry from becoming a one-hit wonder. Although she would grab two more minor chart entries, the gold success of "Buffalo Stance" certainly would have far overshadowed those and most likely got her one-hit wonder status. Luckily, this tune became a hit. However, it didn't have the legs of "Buffalo Stance" and has pretty much been forgotten. That's too bad as it was an energetic, catchy, radio-ready track. I think it was when this single came out that I bought the album.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Cherry's birth name was Neneh Mariann Karlsson. She would later change her last name to Cherry after her step-father, American musician Don Cherry. When she was a young child, Cherry's mother and father would divorce. Her mother, artist Monika Karlsson, would marry jazz trumpeter Don Cherry. He would  be an in-demand jazz musician who recorded and performed with various groups while also maintaining a solo career. Don Cherry would do a lot of work with famous jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman. In fact, Cherry would earn his lone Grammy nomination for writing the liner notes to 1993 Ornette Coleman box set (which contained recordings that featured Cherry in the band). Don would pass away in 1995. Neneh would not be the only person in the family to score a hit. Her step-brother Eagle-Eye Cherry (son of Neneh's mother and Don Cherry) would step out for a solo career in 1997. He would become a one-hit wonder of the 90s when his only Pop chart entry, "Save Tonight," would get to #5 (#8 Modern Rock). His debut album Desireless would be a #45 platinum seller. "Save Tonight" would earn Cherry a Grammy nod for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. Unfortunately, just like his step-sister, his second album would fail to chart.

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