Pages

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

"Lucky Me" by Anne Murray

Song#:  0122
Date:  04/05/1980
Debut:  81
Peak:  42
Weeks:  8
Genre:  Pop, Country Crossover, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Anne Murray became an unexpected trailblazer when her first single "Snowbird" became the first single by a female Canadian artist to achieve gold status in the US. In 1978 she also became the first to hit #1 with her song "You Needed Me." With her unmistakable alto, Murray had great success on the US pop and country charts with her sound that straddled both genres. She has won four Grammy awards and a record-setting twenty-four Juno awards (the Canadian version of the Grammys). She was just coming off of a remake of the Monkees "Daydream Believer" (#12 - her last pop Top 20) when this single was release. Although its lack of pop reception ended up being the start of her declining popularity on the pop chart, she would continue to have success on the country charts with six more #1's still ahead of her.

ReduxReview:  I've never been a big fan of Anne Murray. I love her voice - you can detect it anywhere you hear it - but I was never in love with a lot of her material. She had some terrific singles in the 70s, but when the 80s arrived it seemed she was trying to pick songs that kept her on the pop chart and move along with the times. It didn't work. This is a very lackluster AC song and one that I wouldn't even think of as single-worthy.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Anne Murray got some hip publicity in 1999 when she was referenced in the song "Blame Canada" from the animated film "South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut." The line states "Blame Canada! With all their hockey hullabaloo, and that bitch Anne Murray too!" The song was nominated for an Academy Award and was sung on the telecast by Robin Williams. Murray stated that she was not offended by the reference. She was invited to participate in the Oscar performance, but a scheduling conflict prevented her from appearing.

_________________________________________________________________________________

1 comment: