"C'mon and Get My Love" by D-Mob introducing Cathy Dennis

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  4139

Date:  12/16/1989

Debut:  96

Peak:  10

Weeks:  21

Genre: Dance-Pop, Acid House

Pop Bits:  British producer/remixer/songwriter Daniel Poku, aka Dancin' Danny D, worked his way through the music biz as a DJ and promoter until landing an A&R job at Chrysalis Records. He would continue to work remixer for various artists including ones on Chrysalis while branching out to do his own projects. After leaving Chrysalis, Danny would write and produce a track titled "We Call It Acieed." The song featured vocals by Gary Haisman. Released in the UK in the fall of '88 on the FFRR label and credited to D-Mob, the single became an unexpected hit reaching #3 on the UK chart. With the sudden success of his D-Mob project, Danny needed to get a follow up out and his next effort was "It Is Time to Get Funky" featuring rapper LRS and DJ Sarome. It would also reach the UK Top 10 (#5) in the spring of '89. The second success prompted Danny to create a debut album from D-Mob. In the meantime, across the pond in the US, the two D-Mob singles would both reach #1 on the Dance chart. By the fall of '89, the D-Mob debut album A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That would be set and this next single that featured singer Cathy Dennis would be issued out. While the song would do fine in the UK getting to #15, over in the US it would be D-Mob's third #1 at Dance while becoming a surprise Pop Top 10 hit. Another Cathy Dennis-led track, "That's the Way of the World," would stall in the UK at #48, but would hit #1 on the US Dance chart (#59 Pop). The album would sell modestly well in the US reaching #82 (#46 UK). 

ReduxReview:  House music was certainly popular in clubs, but it would only break through to the mainstream on occasion and this was one of them. With its relentless beat, the track was a catchy dancefloor filler that was made all the better by Dennis' vocal. Acid house music is generally not something I gravitate towards as I find it too repetitive, but when the beats are paired with a catchy melody and chorus and edited to a single, it can be terrific. This song was a good example. It was a whirlwind house track that was easy to get caught up in.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) The D-Mob outfit would go on to release a couple more singles later in '94 that didn't catch on as well and with that Dancin' Danny D would go on to other projects. He would run his own record label and also team up with Tim Blacksmith to form a publishing company. They would also manage the Norwegian songwriting/production team Stargate. That outfit would work on hits by major acts like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Selena Gomez, Sam Smith, and many others. 2) While at Chrysalis, Poku would befriend a co-worker by the name of Simon Fuller, who would later become widely known for the UK's Pop Idol show (aka American Idol in the US along with franchises in many other countries). The connection came in handy when Poku needed a vocalist for a couple tracks. Fuller started his own management company and had signed on singer/songwriter Cathy Dennis. With her two D-Mob tracks becoming hits, Dennis then got her own record deal and later in 1990 issued out her debut solo album Move to This. While it would only reach #62 in the US, it would spawn three Pop Top 10 hits:  "Just Another Dream" (#9), "Touch Me (All Night Long)" (#2), and "Too Many Walls" (#8). Dennis co-wrote all three songs along with the majority of tracks on her debut. Unfortunately, her 1992 second album didn't fare as well and it more or less brought an end to her solo career (save for a '97 album). However, it would be Dennis' songwriting skills that would take her career to new heights. She began writing songs for other artists and things would start to rev starting in 1999 when she co-wrote four Top 10 hits for the UK pop outfit S Club 7. Her next hit would be a biggie. Dennis would co-write and co-produce the 2001 worldwide #1 "Can't Get You Out of My Head" by Kylie Minogue (#7 US). Dennis then got involved in Pop Idol thanks to Fuller. She would co-write the theme song, which would later be used for American Idol as well. Dennis would also be tapped to write songs for winners including the first UK winner Will Young and American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson. Many more hits would follow for Dennis including Britney Spears' 2004 "Toxic" (#9 US) and 2008's "I Kissed a Girl" (#1 US) by Katy Perry. Along the way Dennis would win two Grammys.

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"Never 2 Much of U" by Dino

Song#:  4138

Date:  12/16/1989

Debut:  96

Peak:  61

Weeks:  9

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  After a fourth single from Dino's debut album 24/7 was able to make the Pop Top 30 ("Sunshine," #23), his label took a chance and decided to push out a fifth single. This next track was selected, but it really didn't do much to boost Dino or the album. The song would be unable to crack the top half of the Pop chart and it would do nearly the same at R&B (#69). Regardless, Dino's debut album was a success peaking at #34 and going gold.

ReduxReview:  With its Prince-like spelling, I figured this would be some kind of Minneapolis style jam. However, it was a more meditative mid-tempo soul-leaning tune a la George Michael. The track contained little production techniques/enhancements to boost the tune, which was needed as the song wasn't all that interesting or memorable. It probably wasn't the best decision to shove this out, but you can't blame them for trying.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  In 1990, Dino would issue out his second album Swingin'. Its first single, "Romeo," would end up becoming Dino's highest peaking on the Pop chart getting to #6. It would also reach #35 Dance and #69 R&B. Unfortunately, the LP's next single, "Gentle," would halt at #31 Pop/#31 R&B and that result would do little for album sales. Without a string of chart singles, the LP then would only peak at #82 and miss out on going gold. It then seems that Dino would be left off of the Island Records roster. He'd sign on with the Atlantic offshoot label EastWest and release a third album in '93 titled The Way I Am, but it came and went to little notice save for the #27 Pop single "Ooh Child," which was a cover of the 1970 #4 Pop/#14 R&B hit by The Five Stairsteps. With his time in the sunshine done, Dino would then step behind the scenes and mainly work writing and producing for other artists.

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"Tell Me Why" by Exposé

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  4137

Date:  12/09/1989

Debut:  67

Peak:  9

Weeks:  15

Genre:  New Jack Swing, Dance-Pop

Pop Bits:  The trio's second album What You Don't Know was off to a good start with its first two singles making the Pop Top 10 including the ballad "When I Looked at Him" (#10). For a third single, this new jack swing track was selected for release. It would be another winner for the trio becoming their seventh consecutive Pop Top 10. The tune also made it to #3 at Dance. Oddly, even though the LP featured three Pop Top 10 hits, it didn't sell as well as expected. It would top out at #33 and only reach gold status. That was a far cry from their triple platinum '87 debut. Alas, all good things have to come to and end and the album's fourth single, the mid-tempo Diane Warren-penned "Your Baby Never Looked Good in Blue," would bring a halt to the trio's Top 10 streak when it peaked at #17 (#9 AC).

ReduxReview:  I thought I knew all of Exposé's hits, but I don't remember this one at all. It seems to be a hit in their catalog that has disappeared. It was another pretty good track from the trio's writer/producer Lewis A. Martineé, but it certainly wasn't as strong or memorable as previous hits. I wouldn't have pegged this for a Top 10 hit, but somehow it did well enough to just make it in.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Later in 1990, group member Gioia Bruno experienced vocal issues. Eventually she lost her voice and was unable to sing. With the trio still needing to push out a third album, she would be replaced by Kelly Moneymaker. Arista Records head Clive Davis would take a more hands-on approach with the trio's self-titled third effort and move them more towards a pop/AC-leaning sound. The person who assembled the trio and produced their first to albums, Lewis A. Martineé, would only get to contribute four tracks to the new LP while the balance featured tracks written by Diane Warren and other songwriters. A first single, "I Wish the Phone Would Ring," would falter at #28 Pop, but then the Warren-penned "I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me)" would become a #8 Pop/#1 AC gold selling hit. Two further singles failed to crack the top half of the Pop chart. None of the four singles were written/produced by Martineé. Despite containing a major hit, the LP would stall at #135, however, over a two year period it would somehow sell well enough to be certified gold. After a '95 Greatest Hits album, the trio would be cut loose from Arista. Members would go their own ways, but then in 2003 the trio's third album lineup would get back together and start to perform. Bruno, who had recovered from her vocal outage, would come back in 2006 taking over her original spot from Moneymaker. The original trio would continue to perform over the years with Moneymaker subbing in as needed.

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"We Can't Go Wrong" by The Cover Girls

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  4136

Date:  12/09/1989

Debut:  73

Peak:  8

Weeks:  19

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  The vocal trio's second album, We Can't Go Wrong, didn't get off to the best start. Its first single, "My Heart Skips a Beat," would be a #4 Dance hit, but that didn't really help its mainstream prospects with the song peaking just inside the Pop Top 40 (#38). With that freestyle track not able to gain a bigger audience, the trio's label decided to change tactics and push out this title track ballad. It ended up being the right choice with the single becoming the trio's first to crack the Pop Top 10. However, despite the song doing well, it didn't help sales of the album, which halted at a minor #108. A third single, "All That Glitters Isn't Gold," wasn't able to contribute much either with the song topping out at #18 Dance and #48 Pop. It seems the results left the trio looking for a new label.

ReduxReview:  With its big sing-a-long chorus that made it sound like a charity single of some sorts, this ballad is what broke the trio into the Pop Top 10. It was a little surprising as they were more known for their freestyle hits, but since those were not connecting on a larger scale outside of the dance clubs, this big ballad was given a shot and it paid off.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  After things crumbled with Capitol Records, the trio caught a break and were tapped to record the track "Don't Stop Now" for the 1990 benefit album Music Speaks Louder Than Words that was put out by Epic Records. Epic decided to release the song as a single and it got a little attention reaching #8 Dance and #65 Pop. Its b-side, "Funky Boutique," started to pick up some airplay, so Epic released it as a one-off single. It would do slightly better getting to #55 Pop. With those results, Epic wanted more from the trio (who by that point had a lineup change) and decided to sign them on. A third album Here It Is would be ready by 1992 and a first single, "Wishing on a Star," would do well enough to become the trio's second Pop Top 10 hit (#9). It would also get to #7 Dance and #19 R&B. The track was a cover of a song originally recorded by Rose Royce in 1977 (#52 R&B). Yet despite The Cover Girls taking the song into the Pop Top 10, it seems that was not enough to spark any album sales and it would fail to chart. With those results, the trio were left off the Epic roster. Lineup changes would ensue and an indie LP in '96 titled Satisfy would fail to win an audience. Since that time, various iterations of The Cover Girls have continued to perform.

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"Electric Boogie" by Marcia Griffiths

Song#:  4135

Date:  12/09/1989

Debut:  90

Peak:  51

Weeks:  11

Genre:  Pop, R&B, Reggae

Pop Bits:  By this point in time, Jamaican singer Marcia Griffiths had already been a star for over twenty years. After basically being discovered in the early 60s singing at a friend's party, Griffiths became a singer for the influential ska band Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. A solo career would follow and in 1968 she had her first hit "Feel Like Jumping." Not long after that, Griffiths would team up professionally and personally with reggae singer/songwriter Bob Andy. As Bob and Marcia, the pair would record a couple of albums in the early 70s and score a major #5 UK hit in 1970 with their version of Nina Simone's "Young, Gifted and Black." After the duo parted ways, Griffith would become a member of Bob Marley's backing vocal group the I Three's. She would continue working with Marley until his death in '81. Along the way Griffiths would maintain her solo career recording several albums. In '83, she would record a cover version of a song called "Electric Boogie" that would become popular in Jamaica. By a stroke of luck, six years later the tune experienced a revival. It became popular enough that a new remix of the track was done and issued out by Island Records. Thanks in part to a popular dance (see below), the single started to sell and it would eventually make the US Pop chart where it stalled just a notch shy of the halfway point. It also got on the R&B chart at #83. With the song a hit, an album was quickly assembled and pushed out. Carousel would arrive in '90, but it would not chart. Griffiths would continue to record solo albums and work with other artists, but for many around the world she will mainly be recognized for "Electric Boogie" and its associated dance.

ReduxReview:  While it may not be as popular now, back in the day there wasn't a prom, wedding reception, or event with a DJ where this was not played. Folks would crowd the dance floor and the Electric Slide would commence. It was an fairly easy line dance to learn so it often got everyone participating including some of the most stubborn "I don't dance" kind of people. I remember doing it a few times, but these days I don't remember one step of it. There are times when a song behind a dance craze is really annoying, but this is one that stands on its own. It's a fun, engaging tune that can be easily listened to without having to dance. The remix is a lot slicker than Griffiths' previous '83 version and that definitely helped its mainstream chances.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This is a cover of a song originally written and recorded by reggae star Bunny Wailer (step-brother to the legendary Bob Marley and original member of The Wailers). By most accounts, Wailer wrote the song in 1976 and recorded a demo. It seems a single of the song was issued out later in 1980 under his name. Then in '83, Griffiths would record the song with Wailer producing, arranging, and singing background vocals. It was a popular tune at the time, but then later in '89 a DJ in Washington, D.C., started to spin the tune and it unexpectedly gained an audience. A new remix of the song would be created and become a minor hit. But what took the song to a whole new level was an associated dance that was developed back when Bunny Wailer wrote the tune. Choreography/performer Ric Silver heard the demo and created a line dance that was known as The Electric. The original 22-step dance would become popular with variations popping up. One of those variations, the 18-step Electric Slide, would receive renewed interest when Griffiths' song regained popularity and it soon started to find its way into mainstream culture. It would become a staple at parties, receptions, events, bars, etc., for years after. For the 2023 Super Bowl, a new remix of Griffiths' hit song was done by reggae rapper/singer Shaggy and used in a Jeep commercial. In the spot, CGI animals perform the Electric Slide.

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"I Don't Know" by Michael Morales

Song#:  4134

Date:  12/09/1989

Debut:  92

Peak:  81

Weeks:  6

Genre:  Pop, Rock

 

Pop Bits:  After the second single from Morales' self-titled debut album, the cover tune "What I Like About You," managed to crack the Pop Top 30 (#28), his label decided to give this third single a try. This time around the tune didn't catch on and it would only spend a few weeks near the bottom of the Pop chart. The single obviously didn't help sell the album any further, which had already topped out at #113.

ReduxReview:  This was a is good, serviceable mid-tempo pop/rock song. It had a nice chorus and was well produced. It had all the basic elements needed for a Pop Top 40 entry. Yet it was one of those records that despite having everything in place didn't stand out from the pack. It probably didn't help that this style of pop/rock wasn't what the kids were gravitating towards at the time. Morales would return with a second album, but after an initial single faltered (it was actually a pretty good tune), there was no second single, which usually indicates a lack of label support. It seems the cards were stacked against Morales and unfortunately he came out on the losing end.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  With his first album making some inroads, Morales was given the green light to record a follow up. In 1991, he would release Thump, an album mainly written, performed, and produced by Morales along with an assist from his brother Ron. Its first single, "I Don't Wanna See You," would fail to make an impact stalling at #73. A second single was not issue out and that left the LP disappearing quickly along with his label contract. However, by that point Morales and his brother had already opened up their own studio and were working with other artists. One project that the brothers would producer (also engineer and mix), singer Freddy Fender's 2002 album La Musica de Baldmar Huerta, would earn them a Grammy when the LP won for Best Latin Pop Album. The brothers would work on other albums that would go on to win Grammys including Selena's 1993 Live! and 1998's Said and Done by Flaco Jiménez.

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