"Partyman" by Prince

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  4015

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  46

Peak:  18

Weeks:  10

Genre:  Funk Rock, R&B, Soundtrack

Pop Bits:  Prince got a much needed commercial shot in the arm when he wrote songs for Tim Burton's Batman film. He would assemble a soundtrack that included "Batdance," a song written as a sort of promo tool that would be released as a first single. It would end up becoming a #1 platinum hit, which in turn sent the Batman album to #1 - Prince's first to reach that spot since '85's Around the World in a Day. For a follow-up, this next track was selected. While it wouldn't do as well as "Batdance," it still was able to crack the Pop Top 20 while reaching #5 R&B and #45 Dance. Just after this single debuted on the Pop chart, the soundtrack album would be certified double-platinum, which was a significant boost after the disappointing gold result of '88's Lovesexy.

ReduxReview:  This was definitely a Prince-style jam, but it did sound like something he might have passed on to Morris Day and The Time, which makes sense (see below). It was a fun jam that fit the film and didn't make for a bad single. However, it certainly wasn't anything that was going to set alongside his best material. With the success of the film and the soundtrack, I thought this tune might have been able to get inside the Top 10. It didn't quite get there, but somehow it managed to go gold. Like "Batdance," this was a product of its time and it didn't have a life following its chart run.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  While not all the songs Prince wrote for the soundtrack album would actually be heard in the film, this was one that was prominently featured. It was used in a scene where The Joker (Jack Nicholson) and his followers run amok at the Gotham City Art Museum. The placement was fitting as Prince had stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that his inspiration for the song was Jack Nicholson himself. Prince encountered the actor for the first time on the set of the film. Of their first meet, Prince said, “He just walked over, sat down and put his foot up on a table, real cool. He had this attitude that reminded me of Morris [Day] — and there was that song.”

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"Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette

#1 Alert!

Song#:  4014

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  64

Peak:  1 (1 week)

Weeks:  22

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  The second single from the Swedish duo's album Look Sharp!, "Dressed for Success," did fairly well making the Pop Top 20 (#14). Therefore, a third single was called for and the label took a chance on this power ballad. It was the exact right choice with the tune making it all the way to #1. It was the duo's second chart topper following their US debut single "The Look." The song would also get to #2 at AC. The hit would help sell more albums and at the turn of the new year, it would reach the platinum mark.

ReduxReview:  I've always found this tune to be a cousin to Heart's chart topping "Alone." It may not have been quite as powerful as Heart's song, but Roxette certainly did their best to try and reach that same level. The results were solid and it was the perfect choice for a single. There were hooks and drama galore and it reeled you in on just one listen. There was little doubt that this would become another hit for the duo.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  This was the first single to reach #1 on the Pop chart to be only available for purchase as a cassette single. The standard vinyl 45 was not printed for the release. With the advent of the CD and the popularity of cassette players like Sony's Walkman, sales of vinyl product was quickly decreasing. The same week this song hit #1, the album Touch Me Tonight - The Best of Shooting Star by the US rock band Shooting Star debuted on the Album chart. It was the first charting album that was only commercially available on cassette or CD. No vinyl LPs were printed for the release. The trend would continue with CDs eventually taking over the market share leaving both vinyl and cassettes in the dust. It seems the worst time for vinyl was round 2005-2006 when it seems like the format was basically done and dead. However, as things do, vinyl started to gain favor again just a few years later. The trend would catch on with artists and labels putting more of their work back on vinyl. Each years sales increased and in 2020, vinyl records outsold CDs for the first time since 1986. While digital product and streaming still lead the marketplace, the resurgence of vinyl has created a nice revenue stream for artists and labels.

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"Healing Hands" by Elton John

Song#:  4013

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  78

Peak:  13

Weeks:  15

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  After the dud 1986 album Leather Jackets (#91), John returned in '88 with the more focused effort Reg Strikes Back. It would be a #16 gold seller thanks to the #2 Pop/#1 AC hit "I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That." Then earlier in '89, John would be a guest duet partner on Aretha Franklin's "Through the Storm" (#16 Pop/#3 AC). With his career back on track, John and his writing partner Bernie Taupin set out to create a concept-style album. They wanted to compose new songs inspired by 60s R&B/soul artists such as Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. The concept was similar to what Billy Joel had done with his '83 album An Innocent Man. To kick things off, this first single was released. It was inspired by The Four Tops' 1966 #1 Pop/#1 R&B hit "Reach Out I'll Be There." The tune would be a hit at AC getting to #1. On the Pop chart, it stopped just shy of the Top 10. The hit would help send the album to #23. Not long after reaching that peak, the LP would go gold. This song would be John's last to reach the Pop chart in the 80s.

ReduxReview:  John has amassed over 40 Pop Top 20 hits in his career. With a large total like that, some songs will be memorable classics while other will be forgotten soon after their chart run. This one falls in the latter category. I had forgotten that this one actually made the Top 20. While it was fine and did the job at the time to promote the LP, it was a tune that didn't have legs. By contrast, the second single, "Sacrifice," didn't do quite as well on the chart (#18), but it has been been a mainstay in his catalog and even got a revamp of sorts in 2021 (see below). While I didn't think the concept for the album worked or was taken far enough, it was a pretty good effort.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) The LP's second single, "Sacrifice," would get on the Pop chart early in January of '90. It would get to #18 while making it to #3 AC. The tune would help sell more albums and send Sleeping with the Past to the platinum level, his first hit that mark since '84's Breaking Hearts. Upon initial release, "Healing Hands" and "Sacrifice" were duds at home in the UK with both missing the Top 40. However, early in '90 a DJ for BBC Radio 1 added "Sacrifice" to the station's playlist. Other DJs and stations would follow suit. With the song catching on, John's label then reissued the song paired with "Healing Hands." It would end up spending five weeks at #1. The hit was John's first #1 at home in the UK. The surprise success then send the album to #1, which was his first studio album to reach that mark since '74's Caribou. 2) The 90s was a highly successful decade for John. In addition to three hit solo albums (two platinum, one double-platinum), John would hit it big with his score to1994 Disney animated film The Lion King (#1, 10x platinum). He would also earn a #1 Pop single in 1991 with the live George Michael duet "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." Then in '97 John's tribute to Princess Diana, "Candle in the Wind 1997," would set sales records. It remains the biggest selling single of the rock era (over 33 million) and overall is in second place behind Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." John would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He would continue to record and have success into the new millennium. To-date he has won two Oscars, a Tony, and six Grammys. In 2021, John would assemble the LP The Lockdown Sessions. It featured some previously releases tracks, but also included new collaborations that he was able to do during COVID. A single from the album, "Cold Heart," was a mashup of a few Elton John songs including "Sacrifice." It was done as a duet with Dua Lipa and featured producer Pnau. It would be an unexpected hit reaching #7 Pop becoming his first US Top 10 hit since 1997. John would then do another collab recording in 2022. He would team up with Britney Spears for "Hold Me Closer," another mashup of John songs including "Tiny Dancer." It would reach #6.

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"Rock Wit'cha" by Bobby Brown

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  4012

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  92

Peak:  7

Weeks:  21

Genre:  R&B

Pop Bits:  The title track first single from Bobby Brown's album Don't Be Cruel debuted on the Pop chart near the end of July in '88. It would reach #8 and go gold. Then three more singles from the LP would also make the Top 10 with two of those going gold. On the heels of those, Brown would release the Ghostbusters II soundtrack single "On Our Own." It would reach #2 at Pop just a hair over a year after "Don't Be Cruel" debuted. Brown and his label could have taken their year of hits and moved on, but instead they decided to try and eke out one more hit. This quiet jam would receive a slight remix and be issued out as the LP's fifth single. Brown fans ate it up and the tune would become his sixth consecutive Pop Top 10 hit while also getting to #3 R&B and #28 AC. It would also go gold. The hit would help sell more albums and early in '90 it would hit the 6x platinum mark. 

ReduxReview:  When folks think of Brown they usually recall his new jack hits. This quiet storm jam has kind of been forgotten. That's too bad as it was a nice track. It was an ear-worthy tune that had a good vocal turn from Brown. Was it a brilliant, outstanding song? No, but it was a good, catchy listen that deserved its spin in the Top 10. The run of singles made Brown a huge star, but after two more mainstream hits, it all kind of imploded with Brown's music career taking backseat to his volatile personal life.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) As this song was making its way up the chart, Brown would issue out a remix compilation. Featuring songs from both of his solo album, Dance!...Ya Know It! would capitalize on Brown's popularity and reach #9 Pop/#7 R&B. It would become a platinum seller.  2) Brown would return in 1992 with his third solo album Bobby. Although he would work with the L.A. Reid/Babyface team on a few tracks, Brown would work with songwriter/producer Teddy Riley for the majority of the LP. The first single, the Grammy-nominated "Humpin' Around" (#3 Pop/#1 R&B), would be another gold seller as was the follow up "Good Enough" (#7 Pop/#5 R&B).  However, things tapered off after that. Although "Get Away" would reach #1 R&B, it stalled at #14 Pop. A fourth single didn't do well on either chart. The LP would get to #2 Pop/#1 R&B, but would only go double platinum, which was a significant drop from his previous album. Things then went downhill quickly. Drug use along with his marriage to Whitney Houston and incidents with the law became fodder for tabloids. A reunion with New Edition would result in a successful album in '96, but his last album for MCA, 1997's Forever, would tank at #51 Pop/#15 R&B and fail to even go gold. Brown would pretty much disappear from music, but would appear in several reality TV shows including his own Being Bobby Brown in 2005. Not long after Whitney Houston's death in 2012, Brown would release his fifth album The Masterpiece. It would only manage to reach #41 at R&B.

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"Still Cruisin'" by The Beach Boys

Song#:  4011

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  93

Peak:  93

Weeks:  3

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  The Beach Boys earned an unexpected late career #1 platinum hit with '88's "Kokomo," a song that was included on the soundtrack to the Tom Cruise flick Cocktail. The renewed interest in the band prompted them to assemble a new album. The concept for Still Cruisin' was to cull songs from the band that appeared on movie soundtracks. A few, like "Kokomo" were recent recordings while some were old Beach Boy hits that were used in films. However, that concept became muddied when three new songs found their way on the LP. Two were recorded by the touring version of the band while the third one was a new song from Brian Wilson. Also included was "Wipeout!" (#12 Pop) the band's collaboration with The Fat Boys, which had also not been in a film. There was one other new song, this title track single, that was included on the soundtrack to the 1989 action/comedy sequel Lethal Weapon 2. The song would do well at AC getting to #9, but it would be a flop at Pop spending three short weeks near the bottom of the chart. Despite that result and critics panning it, the album would end up doing well peaking at #46 and going gold (in 2003 it would be certified platinum). It was their best result since 1976. This single would be the band's final one to reach the Pop chart after a 27 year span that began in 1962 with their first chart single, the #75 "Surfin."

ReduxReview:  Save for the odd hit "Kokomo," the 80s pretty much sucked the life out of The Beach Boys. They basically reduced themselves to a nostalgia act that was trying to rehash the past through the sounds and technology of the day and it didn't work. This song was a prime example. There was nothing creative or interesting about it. The tune sounded like a tired knock off of an early Beach Boys track that was given a glossy 80s tech-enhanced production. For me, it just wasn't the Beach Boys. Save for the nicely done 2012 album That's Why God Made the Radio (along with Dennis Wilson's 1977 Pacific Ocean Blue, and a couple Brian Wilson solo albums), there was really no reason to listen to anything the Beach Boys did after 1971's Surf's Up.

ReduxRating:  1/10

Trivia:  The Beach Boys had a long an tumultuous career and it continued to be like that even after the success of Still Cruisin'. There would be lawsuits along with the death of another brother (Carl Wilson). Yet as before there were still times where they would set aside their issues and come together to record music. This happened when the band got together for a new album to celebrate their fiftieth year together. In 2012, they would record That's Why God Made the Radio, an album of new tunes that focused less on pandering nostalgia and more on the Beach Boys' sound and approach from their late-60s/early 70s period. The LP was well received and it would peak at #3 - their first Top 10 album since 1976.

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"Call It Love" by Poco

Song#:  4010

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  94

Peak:  18

Weeks:  16

Genre:  Country Rock

Pop Bits:  After a pair of lackluster albums for Atlantic Records in the early-80s that could only spawn the #50Pop/#10 AC single "Shoot for the Moon," the band was without a label and floundering. They would perform sporadic shows, but it seems for the most part that the band's charting days were over. Then they got a boost from a newly minted star. Richard Marx was a fan of the band and his manager decided to take on Poco and plot a return. The iteration of Poco that would reform would be the original five members who first formed the band in 1968. This included Richue Furay (Buffalo Springfield), Jim Messina (Loggins & Messina), Randy Meisner (Eagles), long-standing member Rusty Young, and George Grantham. The reunited band would get a deal with RCA Records and record the album Legacy. This first single would be issued out and it became a surprise hit getting to #2 AC and #3 Rock while becoming the band's second biggest Pop hit following 1979's #17 "Crazy Love." The hit and the attention surrounding the reunited band helped the album get to #40. It would end up becoming the second gold selling album of their career.

ReduxReview:  The late 80s certainly wasn't the time for country rock on the Pop chart. Yet a strong enough song that got enough promotion (and boost from a star) would have a chance to break through and Poco was fortunate enough to have those ingredients at the time. With its bright, jangly guitar lick and arena rock power chords, the tune was a refreshing Eagle-ish change of pace on the radio. It nearly became the band's biggest hit on the Pop chart. Folks certainly welcomed the Poco reunion, but like many it would be short-lived.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  In 1973 after five influential, yet modest selling albums that featured no major hits, Poco founding member guitarist Richie Foray would leave the band. His next venture would be to form a band with former Byrds member Chris Hillman and singer/songwriter J.D. Souther. The Souther-Hillman_Furay Band's self-titled 1974 album would prove to be more successful than any of Poco's Furay-era LPs. It would reach #11 and go gold on the strength of the #27 Pop entry "Fallin' in Love." Unfortunately the band's next album was less successful and they split. Foray would start his own band and record an album and then push out a couple of solo efforts. He would score his one and only solo hit on the Pop chart in 1979 with the #39 "I Still Have Dreams." While in the S-H-F Band, Furay would be introduced to Christianity and some of his albums after that had Christian overtones. After recording a contemporary Christian album in '82, Foray would leave the music biz for the ministry and become a pastor at a church in Colorado. The reunion album with Poco would lure him back to performing and recording music.

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"Stand Up" by Underworld

Song#:  4009

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  95

Peak:  67

Weeks:  8

Genre:  Rock

Pop Bits:  This UK band made a little blip in the US when their single "Underneath the Radar" spent a couple months on the Pop chart peaking at #74. The song was from their debut album of the same name, which was able to reach #139. The album and single were bigger successes in Australia so that most likely gave the band the ability to record a second album for their label Sire Records. They would come out of the studio with Change the Weather and this first single got things kicked off. The track performed fairly well at Modern Rock getting to #14. On the Pop chart it could only do slightly better than their previous charting single. This time around it wasn't enough to sell albums and it would fail to chart. The LP and single also failed to do much in Australia and with that the band folded - for the time being.

ReduxReview:  This shufflin' anthemic tune had a Euro rock flare that was nothing like what the band would be doing a few years later. It's an engaging tune, but I think it would have benefited from a more robust arrangement. The chorus on this should have really popped, but it doesn't quite get there. I think part of the reason is that the lead vocal wasn't as forceful or strong as it needed to be. The song should have made me want to jump out of my chair and stand up, but it made me sort of think - eh, I'll stand up when I get to it.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  After Underworld split up, the originators of the band Karl Hyde and Rick Smith moved on to do other work. During that time, Smith got connected up with DJ Darren Emerson. The pair began to work on dance/electronic music tracks. Hyde would reconnect with Smith and heard what the pair were working on. It wasn't long before the trio started collaborating. They would record and release a few tracks starting in '92 under the name Lemon Interupt while also doing a few remixes as Steppin' Razor. Signed to the indie dance/electronic label Junior Boy's Own, the trio would revert to the Underworld name for a 1994 debut album titled Dubnobasswithmyheadman. Its acid house/techno sound thrilled critics and pretty much made folks forget about the first version of Underworld. A second effort, 1996's Second Toughest in the Infants, would garner even more praise and would break the band further thanks to the LP being released around the same time as the soundtrack to the cult British film Trainspotting. That popular soundtrack included a pair of Underworld tracks including "Born Slippy .NUXX," which was released as a single and became a major #2 platinum hit in the UK (#27 US Dance). Underworld would then hit their commercial peak with 1999's Beaucoup Fish. It would reach #3 in the UK and spawn a pair of Top 20 hits. Emerson would later depart Underworld leaving Hyde and Smith to continue on. They would record more albums and even write music for the 2012 Summer Olympics that were held in London. In the US, the techno era of Underworld was never able to get a song on the Pop chart. However, they would earn three Dance Top 10s. Beaucoup Fish would do the best on the album chart peaking at #93.

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"Glamour Boys" by Living Colour

Song#:  4008

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  98

Peak:  31

Weeks:  13

Genre:  Rock

Pop Bits:  The band's second single from their debut album Vivid, "Open Letter (To a Landlord)," didn't catch fire. It stalled early on the Pop chart at a low #82. It did better at Rock where it got to #11. Looking for something to keep their momentum going, the band then released this third single, which was produced by Mick Jagger (he also supplies some backing vocals). While it stopped at a minor #26 at Rock, it did well enough at Pop to get the band their second Top 40 hit. However, it didn't move the needle much regarding album sales. It had already reached the platinum level back in April of '89 and that is where it would remain for a while. Later on in 1994, the LP would finally reach the double-platinum mark. "Glamour Boys" would earn Living Colour a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

ReduxReview:  While I liked "Open Letter (To a Landlord)," I don't think it was the right choice for a second single. This track really should have been released. If it had been issued out second, I think it might have done a bit better on the chart. The fact that this one nearly cracked the Pop Top 30 following the lackluster performance of the previous single was certainly a clue that it was a stronger contender. It was a catchy song that poked a little fun at guys who are fixated on money, parties, clothes, etc. As the band states in the chorus, they are not like them - they're fierce! And they certainly were.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  The band would return in 1990 with their second album Time's Up. Featuring songs that touched on several genres and influences, the LP would reach #13 and go gold. None of its singles would make the Pop chart, but "Type" would be a hit at Rock (#5) and Modern Rock (#3). The album would earn the band a second Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. After a small lineup change, the band would return in 1993 with Stain. While the song "Leave It Alone" (#14 Rock/#4 Modern Rock) would get them a Grammy nod for Best Hard Rock Performance, the LP stalled at #26 and failed to go gold. During session for a fourth album, the band encountered issues regarding their musical direction and decided to call it quits. That lineup of Living Colour would reunite in 2000. They have continued to record albums and perform over the years.

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"That's When I Think of You" by 1927

Song#:  4007

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  100

Peak:  100

Weeks:  1

Genre:  Pop, Rock

Pop Bits:  This Australian band was formed by guitarist/keyboardist Garry Frost. Frost had been a member of Moving Pictures, who scored a Top 30 hit in the US in 1982 with "What About Me." After Frost left the band in '84, he began to contemplate forming a new band. He began working on songs and scouting for members and it all fell together in '87 with Frost bringing in his brother Bill on bass, James Barton on drums, and Eric Weideman on lead vocals/guitar, whom he saw performing on a TV show. The band began performing and in '88 they were signed to Trafalgar Productions. They would issue out this first single in Australia in the summer of '88. It would do well getting to #6. As the song was shaping up to be a hit, the band would assemble their debut album ...ish. It would be released in November of '88 along with a second single, "If I Could." The song would get to #4 while the album would spend four weeks at #1. The LP would eventually go 5x platinum in Australia. With that success, 1927 was able to secure a distribution deal in the US with Atlantic Records. This first single would be pushed out and while it would be able to make the Pop chart, it would only be able to reach the lowest rung on the chart for one sole week. In doing so, it became the only single in the 80s to debut at the #100 spot and fall off the chart the next week. Due to that result, the album would fail to chart. (Oddly, the same week this song debuted on the Pop chart, a reissue of Moving Pictures' "What About Me" was climbing the chart.)

ReduxReview:  I've been waiting all the decade for a single to peak at #100 for one week on the chart and here it is! While that is kind of a cool fact, it wasn't necessarily deserved. The song is better than its chart result. It was a nicely done, driving pop/rock tune with a sweet chorus that sort of fell alongside bands like Cutting Crew and The Outfield. I would have pegged this for at least a Top 50 showing. It might not have been strong enough to really sail up the chart, but should have done better than a lone week at #100.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  After the major success of ...ish at home in Australia, the band began work on a second album. However, conflicts within the band arose during the making of the LP and that led to founder Garry Frost leaving the band in 1990. The band would hire in a replacement and would finish off the album The Other Side. It would not be nearly as successful as their debut album. It would peak at #3 and go platinum mainly on the strength of the LP's lone Top 20 single, the #17 "Tell Me a Story," which was a track that Frost had written and co-produced prior to his departure. After a self-titled third album failed to do much in 1992, the band would split up. Lead singer/guitarist Eric Weideman would revive the 1927 name in 2009 and fill the band out with three new members. They would tour and release an album in 2013.

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"Cherish" by Madonna

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  4006

Date:  08/19/1989

Debut:  37

Peak:  2

Weeks:  15

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  Madonna continued her reign as the 80s queen of pop with the first two singles from her fourth regular studio album Like a Prayer. The #1 LP spawned the #1 platinum title track along with the #2 gold-selling "Express Yourself." Both were heavy-hitters in tone, theme, and production, so when it came time for the third single, this lighter, romantic track was selected. The change would go over very well with the song reaching #2 Pop while becoming her third song to top the AC chart. With this song reaching #2 at Pop, that gave Madonna 16 consecutive Top 5 hits. She bested The Beatles' 15 streak, but remained in second place behind Elvis Presley's 24 Top 5 streak (discounting b-sides, EPs, and out-of-the-vault releases).

ReduxReview:  This doo-wop-ish confection was sort of the "True Blue" of the Like a Prayer album. A retro-styled, crowd pleasing palate cleanser that would easily become another hit. The beach/mermen black and white video for the song directed by photographer Herb Ritts (who was basically forced into the job by Madonna) certain helped the single along. Oddly, Ritts would go on to do two more beachy black and white videos - "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson. The song certainly wasn't one of Madonna's meatiest, but it was a pleasant, easy listening ditty that did its job in earning Madonna a 17th Top 10 hit.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Madonna co-wrote this song with producer Patrick Leonard. Apparently, Madonna had recently read Romeo and Juliet and it served as a bit of inspiration for the tune. She calls the characters out by name in the lyrics. Also included in the song are lyrics borrowed from a 60s hit of the same name. The Association earned their first #1 hit in 1966 with "Cherish," a song written by lead vocalist Terry Kirkman. That tune's opening lyric is "Cherish is the word I used to describe." Based on a suggestion from Leonard, Madonna incorporated part of that lyric into her song at the end of the bridge as "cherish is the word I used to remind me of your love." Later on in 2012, a mash-up of the two hits was performed by the cast of the TV show Glee. It appeared on a Valentine's Day episode titled "Heart" during season three.

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"When I Looked at Him" by Exposé

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  4005

Date:  08/19/1989

Debut:  71

Peak:  10

Weeks:  20

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  This trio's second album What You Don't Know got kicked off with the gold selling title track single, which got to #8 Pop/#2 Dance. For a follow-up, this mid-tempo ballad was selected for release. It would just barely make the Pop Top 10 making it their sixth single in a row to cross that mark. It would do better at AC getting to #3. Earlier in August, the album reached its peak of #33. Just a few days prior to this single debuting on the chart, the album would be certified gold.

ReduxReview:  Here's another one where I didn't remember the tune until I heard the chorus. I find parts of this song odd. At the end of the opening there is a really strange transition chord that doesn't make sense. Then there are like two bridges before the chorus that include a key change, I think. It was just a strange composition. Once the chorus comes along, things settle in. Luckly, the chorus is strong enough to overcome the unmemorable verses. The final key change adds dramatic urgency near the end and Jurado does a nice job with the vocal. The song was like a nearly baked cake. It may have tested done, but it wasn't fully cooked all the way through.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Like the trio's #1 hit ballad "Seasons Change," this song featured lead vocals by Jeanette Jurado. Later in 1995, Jurado would get the opportunity to appear in a film. She would portray singer Rosie Hamlin, lead singer of the early 60s band Rosie and the Originals in the indie drama My Family, which starred Jimmy Smits and Esai Morales. In the film, Jurado would get to sing the band's lone hit, 1960's #5 "Angel Baby." Her version of the song would also appear on the film's soundtrack. My Family did modestly well at the box office. The story concerned three generations of a Mexican-American family. The film also featured Jennifer Lopez in a small role. It was the third film she appeared in prior to her breakout performance in '97's Selena and her '99 hit debut album On the 6. Rosie Hamlin was a young singer that found her way to California after being raised in Alaska. Barely a teenager, she started performing with a band. While in school, she would write a poem about her first boyfriend that then became the lyrics to the song "Angel Baby." When she was 15, she and the band were able to record a rough two-track version of the song that they shopped around. No one bit, but after they convinced a department store to play it in their listening booth to good feedback, Highland Records picked up the song. However, in order for the single to get released, the band had to sign a contract that gave the record company possession of the master tape and the composer credit going to another band member, who was the eldest. The song would go on to be a #5 hit, but then Hamlin realized she was getting zero royalties due to someone else being listed as composer. Issues ensued that would lead to the end of the band. Hamlin would regain copyright control in '61, but then she'd spend years in court over royalty disputes. Hamlin tried for a solo career with an album in '62, which resulted in the minor #66 single "Lonely Blue Nights." After that, Hamlin dropped out of music for a while but would later record a few more singles and perform. "Angel Baby" would be covered by many artists including Jurado, Tiffany, and Linda Ronstadt. However, only one other artist has been able to reach the Pop chart with a version. Latin pop singer Angelica would cover and release the song in 1991. It would get to #29 on the Pop chart.

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"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by Rick Astley

Song#:  4004

Date:  08/19/1989

Debut:  93

Peak:  89

Weeks:  3

Genre:  Pop, Blue-Eyed Soul

Pop Bits:  Astley's second album, Hold Me in Your Arms, was not matching the success of his #10 double-platinum debut. The LP peaked at #19 thanks mainly to the #6 single "She Wants to Dance with Me," but after a second single just barely scraped the Top 40, the label was looking for a third single that would breathe life back into the album This cover tune was selected for release, but it did not get the job done. While the tune would do okay at AC getting to #16, it was a dud on the Pop chart disappearing after a quick three weeks. The results didn't spark album sales and it would only be able to go gold.

ReduxReview:  In the UK, the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting/production era was in full swing and remaining popular. In the US, audiences were getting tired of the trio's cookie cutter tracks so instead of releasing the SAW song "Take Me to Your Heart" in the US (#8 UK) the label perhaps thought that this cover tune would suit tastes better. It wasn't a bad tactic, but the problem was this mid-tempo take on the Motown hit was a bit sleepy, especially for a single. Astley sounded like he put his all into the tune and luckily he didn't desecrate the classic. However, there was just nothing exciting or engaging about the track.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by The Temptations. Written by Norman Whitfield and Eddie Holland (produced by Whitefield), the 1966 single would be the group's fourth R&B #1 while also getting to #13 Pop. The only other artist besides Astley to reach the Pop chart with a version of the song was The Rolling Stones. They covered the tune for their 1974 album It's Only Rock and Roll. It was released as the second single from the LP and it would get to #17 Pop.  2) After his second album didn't meet expectations, Astley decided to move in a new direction. First, he chose not to work with the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting/production team, who had supplied tracks for Astley's first two albums including his first #1 Pop hit "Never Gonna Give You Up." Then he chose to change his image and update his sound focusing on a more mature soul-leaning direction. In 1991, Astley would release his third album Free. He would write/co-write the majority of songs on the album and produce them all with Gary Stevenson. The LP's first single was the ballad "Cry for Help." It would be a success reaching #7 Pop and #1 AC. It would also get to #7 in the UK. While the hit would provide a bit of validation for Astley's new approach, other singles failed to ignite and that left the LP peaking at #31. Astley's fourth album, 1993's Body and Soul, would supply him with one last Pop Top 40 entry with the #28 "Hopelessly" (#4 AC). Unfortunately, the album didn't sell and it stalled at a very minor #185. After that result, Astley would take an extended break from music. He would return to the biz starting in 2001 with an album only released in Germany, followed by a 2005 covers album that got wider distribution. However, he would make a big splash in the UK in 2016 with his album 50. It was released to coincide with Astley's 50th birthday. The LP was a surprise hit reaching #1 in the UK. Follow-up albums in 2018 and 2019 would both crack the UK Top 10.

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"Let Go" by Sharon Bryant

Song#:  4003

Date:  08/19/1989

Debut:  98

Peak:  34

Weeks:  13

Genre:  R&B, Dance-Pop

Pop Bits:  Bryan first got attention when she became one of the lead singers in the R&B group Atlantic Starr. Starting in 1978, she would make five albums with the band and sing the lead vocal on their first Pop Top 40 hit in 1982, "Circles" (#38 Pop/#2 R&B/#9 Dance). However, after the band's fifth album failed to break the band wider, Bryant chose to leave for a solo career. It seems she initially tried to stay on with the band's label A&M, but when that failed she moved on to work as a session singer before finally landing a deal with Wing Records. Bryant would then work on a solo album to be titled Here I Am. She would co-write five tracks for the album while co-producing seven, including this first single that was written by Darryl Duncan. The song would do well at R&B getting to #2. It would be able to cross over to the Pop chart where it cracked the Top 40 doing slightly better than her Atlantic Starr hit "Circles." The song would help sell a few album and it would reach #27 R&B/#139 Pop.

ReduxReview:  Bryant had a terrific voice and she elevated this standard late-80s R&B/dance-pop tune. The production was also on point, but in the hands of a lesser vocalist, I think this song wouldn't have had a chance. Bryant had all the makings of a solo star and this song wasn't a bad beginning. However, I think she needed stronger material to really take her over the finish line. I think Jam & Lewis could have done that for her, but unfortunately that didn't work out (see below). Still, this was a good track that at least earned her a #2 R&B hit.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Stories have circulated that songwriters/producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis presented some of their songs to Bryant for a debut album, but that she rejected them. Then those same tracks would later appear on Janet Jackson's Control album. According to an interview with Jimmy Jam, that wasn't quite the case. With Bryant and Jam & Lewis hooked up with A&M Records, Jam & Lewis were offered the chance to record an album with Bryant following her departure from Atlantic Starr. Jam & Lewis did play some material for her (although it is not clear what exactly they presented), but it seems what they had wasn't what she was looking for and both parties went their own ways. After the album with Bryant fell through,the A&R rep at A&M sent a roster of artists over to Jam & Lewis and asked them if there was anyone on the list they wanted to work with. One name stood out - Janet Jackson. That led to Jam & Lewis collaborating with Jackson on her huge breakthrough LP Control. Jimmy Jam mentioned in the interview that had they got to work with Bryant, it would not have been like the Control album as they try to specifically tailor songs to the artist. Therefore, it was after first meeting Jackson that Jam & Lewis got a feel for what she wanted and began working on material specific to her. When she arrived in Minneapolis to work with the pair, they first played "Control" and it was exactly what Jackson was looking for. From then on, she collaborated with the team and came out of it with a career defining album.

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"Don't Shut Me Out" by Kevin Paige

Song#:  4002

Date:  08/19/1989

Debut:  99

Peak:   18

Weeks:  24

Genre:  Dance-Pop

Pop Bits:  This Memphis-born singer/songwriter/drummer spent time working in a few local band before making the attempt to go out on his own. He attracted the attention of Chrysalis Records and after signing up with them, work began on a debut album. Paige would write all but one of the tracks on the self-titled LP and would serve as the main producer. When completed, this first single was issued out. After a low debut on the Pop chart, the song started to slowly catch on. In its fifteenth week on the chart, it reached a peak of #18. A second single, "Anything I Want," would be able to sneak inside the Pop Top 30 at #29. The two songs helped sell a few albums and it would top out at #107. Paige also got the opportunity to tour with Debbie Gibson. It seemed like a positive result for Paige that would lead to a second album, but for whatever reason he would not get the chance to record again for Chrysalis.

ReduxReview:  When this tune came along, the title and artist were not familiar to me at all, but once I heard the chorus it all came flooding back. The chorus with its stuttering "duh-duh-don't" apparently lodged itself way back in a teeny corner of my brain and it got freed when I heard the track for the first time in 30+ years. This was a solid dance tune with great late 80s production and a nice vocal from Paige. I'm kind of surprised I didn't buy this single way back when. It seems to be a completely forgotten Top 20 hit from the 80s. Paige had talent and the knack to write and produce snappy dance-pop tunes, so I'm not sure why he either left or got dropped by the label.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  After his brief moment in the national spotlight, it seems Paige retreated to be behind the scenes. He continued to co-write songs and get a few recorded including ones by teen idol Aaron Carter, country singer Jimmy Wayne ("I'll Be That," #46 Country, 2009), and short-lived UK boy band twen2y 4 se7en ("Hide," #42 UK, 2004). Paige performed for many years in the house band at the Memphis venue Alfred's on Beale along with his wife Bethany. Both have also served as musical directors for area churches.

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"Lovesong" by The Cure

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  4001

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  58

Peak:  2

Weeks:  17

Genre:  Alternative Rock

Pop Bits:  The Cure kicked off their eighth album Disintegration with the single "Fascination Street." It was a big hit at Modern Rock spending seven weeks at #1. That attention helped the song cross over to the Pop chart where it peaked just outside of the Top 40 (#46). To follow it up, this next track was selected. It would result in a somewhat unexpected smash hit for the band becoming their first and only single to crash the Pop Top 10 nearly topping the chart. It also got to #2 Modern Rock, #8 Dance, and #27 Rock. Although the album had already peaked at #12 in June, this hit helped album sales and in October it would be certified platinum. The Cure went from being a popular cult band to a major mainstream act thanks to the success of this single.

ReduxReview:  Filled with riffs and hooks, this became an instantly memorable song. The quiet groove and Robert Smith's plaintive vocal set an emo-goth tone that was still relatable and radio-friendly. Add to that a popular MTV video and this song was bound to go Top 10. While The Cure have had other songs that were certainly Top 10-able (but somehow didn't get there), this seemed to be the one that a larger swath of folks took to. Surprisingly, the song was only a major hit in the US. In their UK homeland it only got to #18 while faring even worse in other European countries. Luckily for The Cure, it was the right song at the right time to break them through in the US in a big way.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Band leader and songwriter Robert Smith wrote this tune as a wedding present for his soon-to-be wife Mary Poole. The pair were married in 1988. They had met in a drama class while in their teens. Fifteen years later, they would finally tie the knot.  2) Several artists have covered this song, but thus far only one has been able to reach the Pop chart with a version. The alt rock band 311 was commissioned to cover the tune for the 2004 Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore rom-com 50 First Dates. Released as a single, the band's version would reach #59 Pop/#1 Alt Rock. The soundtrack album consisted of 80s cover tunes mainly done in a reggae style. It would reach #30 and go gold. The film received mixed reviews, but was a box office hit. Singer/songwriter Adele notably covered "Lovesong" for her Grammy-winning 2011 album 21. While it was not released as a single, her string-laden version became a popular album track that got to #18 on the Smooth Jazz chart.

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"Don't Look Back" by Fine Young Cannibals

Song#:  4000

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  76

Peak:  11

Weeks:  12

Genre:  Pop, Rock

Pop Bits:  By this point in time, this trio's second album The Raw & the Cooked, had spent seven weeks at #1 and spawned a pair of #1 Pop hits including "Good Thing." To keep the momentum going, the band issued out this next single. It would do well, but stop just shy of the Pop Top 10 at the dreaded #11 spot. It would also get to #5 Modern Rock and #38 Rock. Just prior to this song debuting on the Pop chart, the album was certified double-platinum.

ReduxReview:  The one thing I can say is that FYC didn't rely on one trick or sound. Tracks on their album pulled from various influences and genres and this third hit showed yet another side. This time around, it seemed the trio was aiming for a more retro rock sound that was in a similar vein to The Traveling Wilburys. It worked out well for them with the tune just getting shut out of the Top 10. It really should have dipped in for at least a week or two. I liked this song better than "Good Thing," but it still didn't make me a fan of the trio. The song didn't have the legs that their two previous #1s did so you don't heard it anymore, which is too bad.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Prior to the trio finally finishing off The Raw & the Cooked, band members Andy Cox and David Steele worked on a small side project of their own. The pair would record a couple of house music tracks along with Graeme Hamilton under the name of 2 Men A Drum Machine And A Trumpet. The songs would be released as a single in 1988 with the a-side being "Tired of Getting Pushed Around." In the UK, that song would make it to #18. The single was pushed out by I.R.S. Records in the US and it would end up reaching #3 on the Dance chart. It would be the only release from the trio. However, Cox and Steele under the name 2 Men And A Drum Machine would appear as the featured artist on a single by the UK rap duo Wee Papa Girl Rappers. That duo was made up of twin sisters Sandra and Samantha Lawrence. Steele co-write the song "Heat It Up" with the twins while Steele and Cox produced the track. Released as the second single from the rap duo's debut album The Beat, the Rhyme, the Noise, the song would reach #21 in the UK and hit #6 on the US Dance chart. The duo's next single, "Wee Rule," would be their biggest hit reaching #6 in the UK. It did not chart in the US. After a second album, the sisters brought an end to Wee Papa Girl Rappers.

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"It's No Crime" by Babyface

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  3999

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  84

Peak:  7

Weeks:  18

Genre:  R&B, New Jack Swing

Pop Bits:  Babyface (Kenneth Edmonds) and his business partner L.A. Reid had been having success writing and producing songs for other artists since doing well as members of The Deele ("Two Occasions," #4 R&B/#10 Pop, 1987). Along the way, Babyface would step out for a solo career and would push out a debut album titled Lovers in 1986. It would peak at #28 R&B thanks to the #8 R&B hit "I Love You Babe." Neither would make the Pop charts. After leaving The Deele and gaining more experience as a hit songwriter/producer, Babyface would work on his second solo album. Tender Lover would be finished in the summer of '89 and this first single would be pushed out. It would be a big hit at R&B reaching #1. It was Babyface's second solo chart topper following a duet with Karyn White, "Love Saw It," that was released earlier in the year from her debut album. "It's No Crime" would be Babyface's mainstream breakthrough with the tune becoming his first to make the Pop chart. It would end up in the Top 10 while also getting to #5 Dance. The hit helped the album reach #1 at R&B while initially peaking at #25 Pop. It would also go gold. However, thanks to a couple more singles, the album would rebound to a new high on the Pop chart while extending its stay at #1 on the R&B chart.

ReduxReview:  I didn't remember this song at all and certainly had no idea this was Babyface's first Pop Top 10. I'm sure I would have heard it back in the day, but none of it sounded familiar. It's a pretty good new jack track with mainstream appeal. The verse kind of reminded me of Duran Duran's "I Don't Want Your Love." Obviously it wasn't all that memorable for me when it was first released. This time around it might stick in my ears a bit longer, but the tune still wouldn't rank among the best new jack songs of the era.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  For the "It's No Crime" single, an instrumental version of the song was created for the b-side of the 45 and for the 12" single. It would end up getting a Grammy nod for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. In that same Grammy cycle, Babyface would receive three other nominations. One for Producer of the Year and two for Best R&B Song (Karyn White's "Superwoman" and Bobby Brown's "Every Little Step"). All three of those nods also included L.A. Reid with Daryl Simmons included on "Superwoman." Babyface would walk away empty handed, but three years later he would earn his first two Grammys, which included one for Producer of the Year.

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"What I Like About You" by Michael Morales

Song#:  3998

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  88

Peak:  28

Weeks:  13

Genre:  Pop, Rock

Pop Bits:  Morales got a bit of a break when the first single from his self-titled debut album, "Who Do You Give Your Love To," cracked the Pop Top 20 (#15). It was a good start, but Morales needed something a little better to really kick off sales of his album. This cover tune was selected to be the follow up single, but it wouldn't do as well. It would stop just inside the Pop Top 30, which wasn't a bad result, but the minor hit did little to help the album, which ended up peaking at #113.

ReduxReview:  This may not be the case, but my guess is that the label didn't hear another potential hit within the tracks Morales wrote and recorded for the album and perhaps pushed for a cover tune to help promote the LP. It seems logical since Morales wrote, performed, and produced most everything on the album save for Roy Thomas Baker producing three tracks including this one. In general, Morales stayed fairly true to the original, but replaced The Romantics' garage rock sound for a more slick late 80s production. It was fine, but there was nothing special about it. My hope was that anyone who first heard the song through Morales would go back and discover the superior classic original.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song originally recorded by The Romantics in 1979. Written by three of the band members, the song was the first single taken from the band's self-titled debut album. While the song would only reach #49 on the Pop chart in 1980, it would end up becoming a rock radio staple. Morales' version was able to do better than the original on the chart, but it quickly disappeared soon after its run whereas the original continued to get played over the years. Several artists have covered the song including the Aussie band 5 Seconds of Summer and a version by Poison, which was the first single from their 2007 covers LP Poison'd!. However, Morales has been the only other artist beside The Romantics to reach the Pop chart with a version.

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"Need a Little Taste of Love" by The Doobie Brothers

Song#:  3997

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  92

Peak:  45

Weeks:  9

Genre:  Rock

Pop Bits:  In 1989, a version of The Doobie Brothers reunited and recorded their first album in nearly a decade. Cycles would end up being a modest success reaching #17 and going gold mainly on the strength of the #1 Rock/#9 Pop single "The Doctor." For a follow-up single, this next track was selected. It would do well at Rock getting to #5, but it would falter at Pop missing the Top 40 while getting to #27 AC. A third single, "South of the Border," would only make the Rock chart at #30. Overall the results were positive and it prompted the Doobies to keep moving forward.

ReduxReview:  The band gave this older funk-rock track an early 70s Doobie sound and the results were not too bad. It jammed along okay and it seemed to fit rock radio just fine. However, it wasn't the catchiest of songs and that along with its ol' school approach didn't do much for its mainstream prospects. In general, I like this tune slightly better than "The Doctor," but it still wasn't anything great or memorable from the band.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by The Isley Brothers in 1974. Written by the Brothers and band member Chris Japser, the song would be included on their #1 R&B/#14 Pop album Live It Up. It would not be released as a single.  2) The Doobie's second album for Capitol Records, Brotherhood, would arrive in 1991. Its first single, "Dangerous," would reach #2 at Rock, but fail to make the Pop chart. A second single, "Rollin' On," would make it to #12 Rock. With those results, the album stalled at a minor #82. It was a big disappointment following their previous success with much of the blame shoved Capitol's way for not promoting the album. Capitol's response was to drop the band. The Doobie's would then focus on their live shows for the balance of the 90s. Former member Michael McDonald would briefly rejoin for a tour in '95. Nine years after Brotherhood, the band would record the album Sibling Rivalry. It would fail to chart. Later in 2014, the band would push out Southbound, the first album to feature Michael McDonald as a member since 1980's One Step Closer. It would do fairly well peaking at #16. The Doobies would continue to tour over the years with various lineup changes. In 2020, they would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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"What About Me" by Moving Pictures

Song#:  3996

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  93

Peak:  46

Weeks:  17

Genre:  Pop, Rock

Pop Bits:  In the late 80s, there was an odd trend of reviving lesser known charting songs and giving them a second chance. Sometimes it paid off as when Sheriff's 1983 #61 Pop entry "When I'm With You" suddenly went to #1 early in 1989. Other times the venture didn't quite yield the hoped for results as with this reissue from the Australian band Moving Pictures. Originally released in 1982, the single made it to #29 on its initial run. However, it racked up an unusually long 26 weeks on the chart. Then in the summer of '89, someone somewhere began to play this tune again and it started to catch on. Geffen Records caught wind of the revival and secured the rights to reissue the single, which had originally been issued out by Elektra Records in the US. It would re-enter the Pop chart and slowly climb, but it would end up stopping short of the Top 40. However, like on its first chart run, the single spent a lengthy time on the chart. With both singles being the exact same song, the total weeks on the chart for the tune was 43. At the time, this tied the record for the song with the most weeks on the Pop chart with Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." With the song only getting to #46 Pop/#41 AC on its second run, it didn't lead to the band reuniting or prompt a re-release of the band's debut album Days of Innocence, which originally got to #101 back in 1982.

ReduxReview:  It is still a mystery to me as to why this didn't go Top 10 on its first run. My guess is that the tune slowly spread across the country, which kept it active on the chart, but it was never able to find a time where it was consistently a big hit in enough markets to push it further. Therefore it had to settle for longevity rather than a higher chart position. No matter as it was still a great song and I'm glad it got a revival, but again it should have done better.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) After Moving Pictures had a bit of success in the US in '82, they had planned to do a tour in the States. However, it came along at a time when Elektra Record was going through changes and after the dust settled the tour was cancelled and their distribution deal gone. Being highly successful back in Australia, they went ahead and recorded their second album, 1983's Matinee. It didn't do as well as their #1 debut LP peaking at #16 and spawning a lone Top 40 entry. The band continued to tour for a few years, but eventually broke up in '87.  2) In 2004, this song would become a #1 hit for a second time in Australia, but by a different artist. The runner-up contestant on the finale of the first season of the competition show Australian Idol, Shannon Noll, would perform the tune on the series in September on 2003. After coming in second in the finale, Noll recorded the song and pushed it out as his debut single in January of 2004. It would debut at #1 and stay there for four weeks. It would become the best selling single in Australia that year. It was also the first time in Australian chart history that two different artists hit #1 with the same song.

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"Lay All Your Love on Me" by Information Society

Song#:  3995

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  94

Peak:  83

Weeks:  8

Genre:  Synthpop

Pop Bits:  After a pair of upbeat Pop Top 10 hits from their self-titled debut album, Information Society released the ballad "Repetition" for a third single. It faltered and peaked at a minor #76. Still feeling there was life left in the album, the band's label went ahead and released this fourth single. Although it got a little bit of attention at Dance reaching #23, the song would only spend a couple months near the bottom of the Pop chart. By this point in time, the album had already peaked at #25 and gone gold.

ReduxReview:   This was a good cover tune that perhaps could have benefited from a heartier remix. With "Repetition" not connecting, the band really needed something punchy and immediate to win back radio and listeners. I always thought the track "Tomorrow" could have been another hit, but instead the label went with this cover. It was fine, but it just needed an extra boost to really give it a push. Instead it just fell flat. I really didn't care for their next album upon release, but I've connected with it a bit more these days and it definitely has its merits. Still, it's not nearly as good as their synthpop debut.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by ABBA in 1980. It was included on their #17 gold album Super Trooper. It would not be released as a single until the spring of '81 when a remix of the tune began to gain attention in clubs. In the US, it would only be a 12" single combined with two other Super Trooper tracks. The new mix would end up reaching #1 on the US Dance chart. It did not make the Pop chart.  2) For Information Society's next album, 1990's Hack, they chose to be more experimental. They would use even more samples and loops on the LP than found on their debut. There were also short segues between several of the tracks. Of course "experimental" usually means less commercial and Hack certainly leaned that way with edgier tracks that weren't necessarily in line with the catchy synthpop of their debut. However, the band understood there had to be a couple of songs with chart potential and one of them was the lead single "Think," which was more in-line with their previous Top 10s. While it would reach #5 on the Dance chart, it was less successful at Pop where it stopped at #28. That left the album peaking at #77. The band would have one more major label release with 1992's Peace and Love, Inc. It would fail to chart, but did feature the #10 Dance title track. Over the years there would be various line ups of Information Society. The original trio would fully reunite in 2008 and go on to record a few albums.

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"Lay Down Your Arms" by The Graces

Song#:  3994

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  95

Peak:  56

Weeks:  9

Genre:  Pop, Rock

Pop Bits:  After the break up of The Go-Go's, guitarist Charlotte Caffey kept busy working with former bandmate Belinda Carlisle on her solo albums. Caffey would write or co-write nine songs that would appear on Carlisle's first two LPs, one of which went gold, the other platinum. Caffey would also perform on each album. It was a nice side gig, but Caffey had ambitions to do her own thing and she formed The Graces with Meredith Brooks and Gia Ciambotti. The trio would get signed to A&M and record a debut album titled Perfect View. This first single would be issued out and it would garner a little attention peaking just outside of the Pop Top 50. Unfortunately, further singles failed to chart and that left the album stopping at #147. The trio would end up getting dropped by A&M and eventually split in 1992.

ReduxReview:  It's funny this song popped up on the chart. Just a couple weeks ago I revisited this album. I bought the CD back in the day and finally loaded it up. Being a huge Go-Go's fan, I was buying most anything the former members pushed out. Perfect View wasn't exactly perfect, but it was a nicely done album that had some solid tracks including this first single. The dark, driving tune should have at least cracked the Top 40. It may not have been Top 10 material, but it could have done better. If it had, then the title track second single might have had a chance. I think the trio had something and might have been able to break through with a second album, but they never got that opportunity. The LP is definitely worth seeking out.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  After The Graces ended, Meredith Brooks took a break from music, but then chose to restart her solo career (she had previously recorded an indie self-titled debut album in 1986 for Ariola Records that seemed to get a limited release in Mexico). Brooks would secure a deal with Capitol Records and record her second solo effort, 1997's Blurring the Edges. Its first single, "Bitch," would become a big hit reaching #2 Pop and going gold. The album would become a #22 platinum seller. "Bitch" would end up earning Brooks two Grammy nominations. Unfortunately, besides one other mid-chart single, Brooks would be unable to capitalize on her breakthrough hit. Her follow-up album failed to chart and that left Brooks off of the Capitol roster. Because of her lone Top 10, Brooks would get tagged as a one-hit wonder.

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"When the Radio Is On" by Paul Shaffer

Song#:  3993

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  97

Peak:  81

Weeks:  8

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  This multi-talented singer, songwriter, musician, actor, conductor, etc., is perhaps best known for being David Letterman's bandleader and second banana, a job he held from 1982 through the end of Letterman's late show run in 2015. Born in Canada, Shaffer got his first break when he became the musical director for the Toronto production of Godspell, a show that featured pre-SNL/SCTV alums Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, and Andrea Martin. That gig led him to working on a Broadway show in New York and then a spot in the house band for Saturday Night Live. Save for a year, Shaffer would be with the show from '75 to '80. Not long after that, he got hooked up with Letterman. Over the years Shaffer would record with numerous artists, appear on TV shows and in films, and compose songs for others including the 1982 #1 Dance hit "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls. However, the one thing Shaffer had not done was record his own solo album. That changed when Capitol Records issued out Shaffer's debut LP Coast to Coast. Recorded throughout '88 in multiple studios, Shaffer used his musical connections to get as many famous singers and musicians to contribute on the tracks. The LP featured a mix of originals (some penned or co-penned by Shaffer) and covers plus two live tracks. For anyone familiar with Shaffer from Letterman, the selections and plethora of contributions was not out of character for him. To kick things off, this first single was issued out. It featured nine vocalists including Shaffer, Dion, Carole King, Ellie Greenwich, and the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith. The tune got a little bit of attention and was able to crash the Pop chart for a couple months. However, it wasn't enough to sell albums and it failed to chart. On the bright side, it earned Shaffer his first Grammy nomination. The instrumental track "Late Night," which was the studio version of the Letterman show theme song written by Shaffer, would get a nod for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

ReduxReview:  I get that this oddball rap/sung doo wop influenced tune was meant to be a sort of nostalgic tribute to hearing music on the radio via Shaffer's kooky persona. However, it really didn't excuse the fact that it was a big kitchen sink mess. There was just too much going on. The rap sections were painful to hear and didn't fit. The myriad of voices really made no sense except for Shaffer to capitalize on the names involved. Then trying to wrap it all up in some kind of late 80s beats production made it all even worse. I could hear that there was probably an original idea and perhaps even a good song underneath all the chaos, but it was completely lost under the weight of it all. Let's face it. As talented as Shaffer is, he just wasn't meant to be a solo artist unto his own. He's better as a supporting player and personality.

ReduxRating:  2/10

Trivia:  While Coast to Coast was Shaffer's first solo album, it wasn't his first where he was given top billing. In 1977, Shaffer left his gig at SNL to co-star in a TV sitcom. The show was called A Year at the Top and Shaffer co-starred along with Greg Evigan. The script was based on Faust and had Shaffer and Evigan as two struggling musicians who make a pact with the devil's son to have one big successful year. The show was for CBS and the executive producer was music impresario Don Kirshner. It seems Kirshner and CBS were expecting the show to be a hit, so a soundtrack album was recorded. The show debuted in September of '77 and it flopped. It was cancelled after five episodes. Despite the show's demise, the album had already been produced so it was released as A Year at the Top by Greg & Paul. With little to promote it, the LP quickly disappeared along with the show. Shaffer would return to SNL for a few more seasons. Evigan would quickly get picked up to star in hit trucker show B.J. and the Bear, which lasted for three seasons. Evigan would co-star in another three season show, the sitcom My Two Dads, and grab a lot of guest spots on various TV shows.

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"On the Line" by Tangier

Song#:  3992

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  99

Peak:  67

Weeks:  7

Genre:  Hard Rock

Pop Bits:  This band was initially formed by guitarist/songwriter Doug Gordon in Philadelphia sometime in 1984. The following year they were able to record an indie self-titled debut album that featured lead vocalist Bill Mattson. The LP didn't do much to boost their profile, so Gordon decided to scrap the band and try a new approach. He began writing songs that leaned towards AOR with shades of the blues and then started to reform a new version of Tangier retaining singer Mattson. Gordon's new direction seemed to be the ticket as the band started to attract label attention. They would eventually sign on with Atco Records and work began on an album titled Four Winds. This first single would be pushed out and it would do well at Rock getting to #7. The tune was able to cross over to the Pop, but it was unable to get out of the bottom half of the chart. Further singles failed to do anything and that left the album peaking at #91. After further lineup changes, which included a new lead singer in Mike LeCompt, the band returned with 1991's Stranded. With no singles making an impact, the album peaked at a very minor #187. Tangier would split for good in 1992.

ReduxReview:  This song sort of fit in a slot between Foreigner and Whitesnake. It was prime for rock radio, but its mainstream prospects were limited. It wasn't as catchy as say a Bon Jovi track and it didn't quite fit in with the hit glam metal songs of the day. The tune was fine, but it wasn't all that memorable. The best part was Bill Mattson's voice which helped boost the song up a notch. Other than that, there wasn't anything special about it.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  After the end of Tangier, founder Doug Gordon would take a few spins in the producer's chair. One of the jobs he took on was definitely not in the same genre/style of Tangier. Gordon would co-write and co-produce a track for the second album from the freestyle trio Linear. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" would be included on Linear's 1992 album Caught in the Middle. It would not be released as a single, but it would be the b-side to the LP's lead single "T.L.C." (#30 Pop). Signed to Atlantic Records, the group initially hit it big with their 1990 single "Sending All My Love," which got to #5 Pop and went gold. A self-titled debut album would reach #52. Atlantic sprung for a second album and for that one Gordon would be involved on a track. However, with the LP's first single only making it to the Top 30, the album didn't sell and failed to chart. Linear's major label days would then come to an end.

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