"I'll Be Good to You" by Quincy Jones featuring Ray Charles & Chaka Khan

Grammy Alert!

Song#:  4108

Date:  11/18/1989

Debut:  86

Peak:  18

Weeks:  16

Genre:  R&B

Pop Bits:  The last time Quincy Jones release an album under his name was 1981's The Dude. It was a #10 Pop/#3 R&B platinum hit that would go on to win three Grammys for Jones (plus one for James Ingram). On the heels of that success, Jones would work with Michael Jackson on Thriller and then Bad. In between those was the charity single "We Are the World" and a few other projects. In other words, it was a busy stretch for Jones that left little time to do a project of his own. That would change starting in '88 when Jones began to assemble his next effort. It seems he had a vision of melding the various styles of music he had been a part of throughout his career, such as jazz, soul, and pop, with the current sounds of the day, i.e. rap, new jack swing, etc. He also wanted to bring together artists from his jazz days with established pop/R&B superstars and new hot artists. The project would be called Back on the Block and it would feature a diverse list of artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, El DeBarge, Barry White, Tevin Campbell, Ice-T, and Big Daddy Kane. This first single would be issued out and it would featured vocals by Ray Charles and Chaka Khan. It would be a #1 hit at R&B and Dance while making the Pop Top 20 and getting to #30 AC. A second single, "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)," featured a quartet of vocal stars (James Ingram, Al B. Sure!, El DeBarge, and Barry White). It would become a #1 R&B/#31 Pop gold seller. A third R&B #1 (#75 Pop), "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)," was headed up by Tevin Campbell. The hits would help send the album to #1 R&B/#9 Pop. It would be a platinum seller that would win seven Grammys including Album of the Year. "I'll Be Good to You" would win a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Duo or Group."

ReduxReview:  The ingredients were great. A classic 70s hit, two superstar singers, and a brilliant arranger/producer. This should have been a slam-dunk. Yet it wasn't. I found it mired in late-80s new jack production that overwhelmed the vocals. Now, Chaka Khan is a vocalist that can rise above any production din and make the song better, however this is one instance where she could not. Weirdly, Charles comes out better, but I think Jones wanted to spotlight him more than Khan. Still, it just didn't mesh and what should have been a killer track ended up a bit of a mess. I have to say that I felt the same way about most of the album. I thought Jones had a great vision, but overall the song selection was not terribly strong and the production heavy handed. Songs from The Dude are still getting airplay today, but when was the last time you heard anything from Back on the Block? I believe it won Album of the Year due to respect for Jones, the concept, and the fact that it had very weak competition. It typically ranks low on worst-to-best Grammy Album of the Year lists. While it was a bit of a big deal at the time, these days the LP has kind of been forgotten.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This was a remake of a song originally recorded by The Johnson Brothers. Their 1976 version served as their debut single and it would be a gold seller that got to #3 Pop/#1 R&B. The producer of that song and the Brothers' debut album was none other than Quincy Jones. Jones would revive the song for Back on the Block pairing music legends Ray Charles and Chaka Khan for the vocals. Jones would produce four consecutive platinum selling albums for The Johnson Brothers that include two more R&B #1s, "Strawberry Letter 23" (#5 Pop) and "Stomp!" (#7 Pop).  2) Jones' next mainstream effort would be 1995's Q's Juke Joint. It would once again feature a diverse list of performers including Gloria Estefan, Phil Collins, Brandy, Babyface, Bono, Queen Latifah, Heavy D, and Tone Loc. It would be a platinum seller that reached #1 R&B/#31 Pop. Jones would only receive one Grammy nod for the LP, however it would win the Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"No More Lies" by Michel'le

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  4107

Date:  11/18/1989

Debut:  92

Peak:  7

Weeks:  29

Genre:  R&B, New Jack Swing

Pop Bits:  L.A.-born singer Michel'le Toussant caught people off guard with her two distinct voices. While she spoke in a high-pitched, thin, mousy tone, her singing voice was full bodied and powerful and both got folk's attention. As a teen, Michel'le spent time around L.A. doing vocal competitions, which eventually led to an audition with DJ Alonzo Williams. In addition to owning a club, Williams was also busy with his group the World Class Wreckin' Cru, which featured soon-to-be stars DJ Yella and Dr. Dre. Around that time, the Cru was working up a track that needed a female vocalist and Michel'le was brought in to give it a go. The resulting song, the '87's slow jam "Turn Off the Lights," would be released as a single and get to #84 Pop/#30 R&B. Along the way, Michel'le and Cru member Dr. Dre would dive into a relationship. Dre's other group, N.W.A., was signed to Ruthless Records and it wasn't long before Michel'le had her own deal with the label. She and Dre would co-write the majority of songs (with Dre serving as producer) on her self-titled debut album including this first single. Released in the fall of '89, it would become a hit at R&B reaching #2. The song would crossover to Pop where it would take a slow climb before finally landing in the Top 10. The single would sell well enough to go gold. A second single, "Nicety," would get to #5 R&B/#29 Pop while "Something in My Heart" would make it to #2 R&B/#31 Pop. The hits helped send the album to #5 R&B/#35 Pop and it would turn gold. It was a terrific start to her career and should have led to further success, but then it would take nearly ten years before she could record a follow up.

ReduxReview:  I had forgotten about this great jam. It was defiant and tough with hot production. Michel'le then took it to the next level with her powerful vocal. While it did well and made it to #7, it really should have easily made the Top 3. Michel'le definitely had the goods to be a bigger star and it was too bad that she didn't get to do an immediate follow up. By the time she got one out, it was too late. Despite that, we are still left with her debut album and this terrific hit. It also seems she doesn't get enough credit for helping to forge a new path in music. There are some folks that consider Michel'le's debut as the first hip hop soul album; or at least the influence for the genre. The general view is that Sean "Puffy" Combs first coined the term hip hop soul when promoting Mary J. Blige's 1992 debut What's the 411?, an album on which he served as executive producer. She was then dubbed the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. However, some argue that Michel'le working with Dr. Dre set the genre in motion.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  After the success of her debut album, Michel'le should have recorded a follow up soon after. However, that didn't happen. Her volatile relationship with Dr. Dre, which has been accounted in various ways, was a factor along with having a baby. While she would make guest appearances on a few tracks for other artists, she was unable to record songs of her own. The turmoil led to substance abuse, which she would later address. Her relationship with Dre would come to an end after she found out he got married to another woman, but then she began to see another notorious rap impresario, Suge Knight. He would eventually help Michel'le get her second album out. Hung Jury would be released in 1998, but the lengthy time away didn't help things and with only two minor charting singles, the LP would only get to #56 R&B. Michel'le would end up marrying Knight (while he was in prison) and they would have a daughter. They would later divorce, but it was during those proceedings that Michel'le found out that their marriage was actually invalid because Knight had never gotten divorced from his previous wife. Since then, Michel'le has recorded a few singles and even branched out to reality TV. Starting in 2013, she appeared in three seasons of the TV One show R&B Divas: Los Angeles. Then in 2016 she was the subject of a Lifetime TV biopic titled Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Rhythm Nation" by Janet Jackson

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  4106

Date:  11/11/1989

Debut:  49

Peak:  2

Weeks:  17

Genre:  Dance-Pop, R&B, Funk

Pop Bits:  Jackson's fourth album Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 got kicked off in a big way with its first single, "Miss You Much," quickly getting to #1 and staying there for four weeks. It would end up being a platinum seller. It was a highly successful start to what would be a record-setting run of singles from the album. While sales and chart-wise "Miss You Much" would do better, this title track second single would be the one to make a major statement. The topical tune and its associated military style video would both become iconic and help push Jackson's career into the stratosphere. The single would hit #1 at R&B and Dance while getting to #2 at Pop. It would sell well enough to go gold. By this point in time, the album had already spent four weeks at #1 and was on the verge of going double-platinum.

ReduxReview:  This was such a bad ass song and video. Jackson wanted to make a statement and she certainly did with this track. Then on the album it was the one-two-three punch of this song plus the equally effective "State of the World" followed by "The Knowledge." If Control was about independence and empowerment, then Rhythm Nation expanded to include what was going on in the world and this title track set the tone. Of course there was still some delicious dance-pop tracks like "Escapade" and the rockin' "Black Cat" to round out the set. While many folks consider this the peak of Jackson's power and creativity (and I do agree), that doesn't mean she still didn't do some interesting and adventurous work (the underrated The Velvet Rope comes to mind). However, Rhythm Nation would be her Thriller moment - hugely successful and highly influential.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  The run of singles from Rhythm Nation 1814 would end up setting two chart records. While Jackson wouldn't be the first artist to earn seven Pop Top 10 hits from one album (her brother Michael would achieve that with Thirller as would Bruce Springsteen with singles from Born in the U.S.A.), she bested everyone by being the first (and still the only) artist to have seven Pop Top 5 singles from one album. In addition to that record, the album became the first to have three singles reach #1 in three different years. "Miss You Much" would top the chart in '89, then both "Escapade" and "Black Cat" would reach #1 in '90, and the finally "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" would get to the top in mid-January of '91. In total, Rhythm Nation would earn Jackson six Grammy nominations. The associated video album would win the Grammy for Best Music Video, Long Form."Rhythm Nation" would win an MTV Music Video Award for Best Choreography while "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" win Jackson one for Best Female Video. As of this posting date, the Rhythm Nation album has been certified 6x platinum. Her '93 follow up janet. would reach that same mark making both her biggest sellers in the US. On a worldwide scale, janet. would be her best seller at 14 million copies followed by Rhythm Nation with 12 million. Jackson would be induced into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 2019.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Oh Father" by Madonna

Song#:  4105

Date:  11/11/1989

Debut:  55

Peak:  20

Weeks:  13

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  By this point in time Madonna's Like a Prayer album had reached the double platinum mark and was on its way to adding another million to that total. It got there thanks to the #1 title track and a pair of #2s including "Cherish." To keep the ball rolling, this fourth single was released from the LP. Although it debuted near the halfway point on the Pop chart, the tune didn't catch fire like the previous singles and it would halt at #20. It would be Madonna's first single to not reach the Top 10 since her first Pop chart song, '83s "Holiday" (#16). The song also famously ended her run of 17 consecutive Pop Top 10 hits. Luckily, the album's next single, "Keep It Together," would kick off another run of Top 10s for Madonna. The track would reach #7 and go gold. It would be the last single released from the LP, which over time would eventually reach the 4x platinum mark.

ReduxReview:  After three upbeat singles, I'm sure Madonna wanted to take the tempo down a tidge for single number four. The problem was that the LP didn't really have a single-worthy ballad. Three were on the album, "Promise to Try," "Oh Father," and "Spanish Eyes." The first two were very personal songs that were not typical pop radio fare. The third one was a mid-tempo effort with lyrics that have been interpreted as being about AIDS. So yeah. None of them were hits waiting in the wings. According to Madonna-lore, it seems "Spanish Eyes" might have been her single selection and out of the three, it would have been the better candidate. Had it been released, I think Madonna's popularity might have been enough to make it crack the Pop Top 10. But due to the influence of someone else (see below), "Oh Father" got released instead. Bad choice. As an album track, I think it was a wonderful song. Very personal and moving with a vulnerable vocal from Madonna. As a single? Hell no. I mean, imagine driving down the road with your windows down on a beautiful, happy, sunny day and then this tune comes on the radio. Nope! Switch! It was so obviously the wrong choice for a single and it rightfully stopped Madonna's run of Top 10s. Ah well. It was bound to happen sometime. She made up for it the next year in spades with "Vogue." For the most part, critics and polls will either put Like a Prayer or Ray of Light at the top of the list of best Madonna albums. I admit that I waffle between the two for the top spot. Both really pushed Madonna's artistic side. I do think Ray of Light is a more consistent listen front to back, but then Like a Prayer features some classic singles along with a few unusual tracks like the baroque pop of "Dear Jessie" and the blistering Sean Penn inspired "Till Death Do Us Part." Really, you can't go wrong with either of them.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) According to a 2009 interview with this song's video director David Fincher that appeared in The Guardian, he apparently talked Madonna into releasing "Oh Father" as a single. It seems Madonna may have had another song in mind (most likely "Spanish Eyes," which ended up being the b-side), but Fincher wanted to do a video for "Oh Father" and convinced Madonna to push it out. The song was considered a flop and the video pretty much ignored. Of course Madonna was not pleased and let Fincher know. Around the same time she needed a video done in short order for an upcoming single. Madonna then basically cornered Fincher and told him he needed to come up with a video for the song pronto to make up for his flub. Fincher did and the final result was the iconic video for Madonna's #1 hit "Vogue."  2) After this single, Madonna would start up a new string of Pop Top 10 hits. She would grab eight consecutive Top 10s, which included the #1s "Vogue," "Justify My Love," and "This Used to Be My Playground." After that streak, Madonna's singles would be more hit or miss, yet between 1994 and 2012, she would rack up an additional 13 Pop Top 10s including what would be the biggest hit of her career, '94's "Take a Bow." That song would spend seven weeks at #1. Along the way, all of Madonna's studio albums to-date (save for her self-titled debut) have hit the Top 3. Three soundtrack albums and five compilations would also make the Top 10. Madonna would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Two to Make It Right" by Seduction

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  4104

Date:  11/11/1989

Debut:  78

Peak:  2

Weeks:  23

Genre:  Dance-Pop, Freestyle

Pop Bits:  Seduction was initially a studio project from Robert Clivillés and David Cole. They recorded a couple of singles and released them under the moniker. One of the tracks, "(You're My One and Only) True Love" with vocals by Martha Wash, became an unexpected success getting to #3 Dance and #23 Pop. As the tune was shaping up to be a hit, Clivillés and Cole had to then form an actual vocal group named Seduction to help promote the single and then get them in the studio to record an album. Hired in for the trio were vocalists Idalis DeLeón, April Harris, and Michelle Visage. A debut LP titled Nothing Matters Without Love would be recorded and released in early fall of '89. The two previously released singles Clivillés and Cole did with other vocalists would appear on the album as-is, but the remaining tracks were performed by the new trio, which included this next single. The tune slowly caught fire and would finally reach #1 at Dance and #2 Pop. It sold well enough to go gold. The hit would send the album to #36 and in May of '90 it would go gold. The LP would spawn two more significant hits, "Heartbeat" (#11 Pop/#2 Dance/#21 R&B) and "Could This Be Love" (#13 Pop/#38 R&B/#21 AC).

ReduxReview:  With its big hook and samples from the Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock hit "It Takes Two," this song stood out among the glut of freestyle songs on the Pop chart. Clivillés and Cole were reaching the top of their game with this track and it would lead to their massive 1991 #1 hit "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" under the moniker C+C Music Factory (with vocal by Martha Wash) and their work on Mariah Carey's '91 album Emotions. As for Seduction, they were the right voices at the right time and the trio did fine on this hit and its follow ups. Unfortunately, just as quickly as they were tossed together, they split. Still, they will always be remembered for this track, which was one of the major freestyle hits of the era.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Like a lot of assembled groups, line up changes would happen and not everyone would get along. And they didn't necessarily see much of the profits made from their hits and tours. The various issues seemed to creep up on the trio and so in '91 they would go their own ways. Of course the most well known former member of the group would be Michelle Visage, although it would take a while. After the breakup of Seduction, Visage still did vocal work including being featured on the '92 track "It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day," which was recorded by The S.O.U.L. System for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard. Released as a single, it would get to #1 Dance/#34 Pop/#44 R&B. Visage would have other gigs before landing a job at a New York station. That job just happened to be co-hosting a radio show with RuPaul. That quickly led to her being the co-host on the VH-1 program The RuPaul Show, which lasted for two seasons. Visage would say in radio for several years in various cities until RuPaul called on her to be a judge on his new reality competition program RuPaul's Drag Race. The show would launch in 2009, but initially without Visage. She had a contract with CBS radio and they wouldn't let her join the show. Finally, by season three of Drag Race she got CBS to let her do the program and from that point on Visage became a fixture on the show's judging panel. Later on she would become of of the show's producers and would win an Emmy in 2021 when Drag Race won for Best Competition Program. As for her old group Seduction, former member April Harris, who owned the Seduction name, would reform the trio with two new members in 2004. A new album, Feel Brand New, would be released. The title track would get to #28 Dance, but the album would not chart. As of this posting date, Harris' version of Seduction is still out there performing on the bills of nostalgia shows.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"This One's for the Children" by New Kids on the Block

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  4103

Date:  11/11/1989

Debut:  82

Peak:  7

Weeks:  16

Genre:  Pop, Christmas

Pop Bits:  By this point in time, NKOTB had amassed six straight Pop Top 10 hits. Five of those came from their second album Hangin' Tough while the last one, the cover tune "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)," came from their '86 self-titled debut LP. Of course fans would be anxious for their next effort, but before that the group was hauled into the studio to quickly record a holiday album. While three of the tracks would be Christmas standards, the majority of the songs were co-written by the group's producer Maurice Starr. The one track that Starr solely wrote was this lead single. It would follow the group's previous hits into the Pop Top 10 while also making it to #27 AC. The album would get to #9 and go double-platinum.

ReduxReview:  If this one was indeed for the children, then those children should have asked for a gift receipt and returned it promptly. Ugh. I mean, yeah I get that it was a message song and its heart was in the right place, but I'm not sure how Starr came up with such drivel. It was like he cherry picked ages old cliches from a list and then spliced them together over a bubblegum track. In other words, it sounded slapped together and quickly recorded in order to get this produce out before the holidays so that everyone could continue making scads of money. I knew I was in for a world of hurt when it started with a spoken word part asking everyone to take the song seriously. The fact the line was included says a lot (and not in a good way). I'd normally say something like - I don't mean to be a Scrooge here - but in this case I'm fine with being a Scrooge. The song is utter dreck. I do admit that it was probably the right song for the target audience, but that did not include me. The only good thing that came from it was that I read that the proceeds from the single did benefit a charity. While it wasn't a fact listed on the single, I'd like to believe that it was true. Therefore, due to that potential bit of good, I won't dog this with a zero rating (although I really want to). See - there are Christmas miracles.

ReduxRating:  1/10

Trivia:  NKOTB would return in the spring of '90 with "Step By Step." It would quickly get to #1 and go platinum. It was taken from their third album of the same name. It arrived in the summer along with a second single "Tonight," which got to #7. It would end up being their last Pop Top 10. The album would end up being a #1 triple platinum seller. During this time the luster was starting to wear off of the group's popularity. Critics were not kind to the group and their use of backing tracks during live shows put them in a bit of a lip sync scandal, which was not good following the Milli Vanilli mess. They tried for a more mature look and sound for '94's Face the Music, but hardly anyone was buying it. The LP stalled at #37 and failed to reach the gold sales mark. After that, the group split. Over the years the group members did their own project to varying success. Then in 2008, they decided to reunite. The nostalgia factor from original fans cause some buzz and excitement surrounding their return. A new album, The Block, would be released and it would do well getting to #2. A tour would do very well and just like that NKOTB got their second wind. They have since done further touring and release another album, 2013's 10, which got to #6.

_________________________________________________________________________________