Monday, November 10, 2014

"Keep the Fire Burnin'" by REO Speedwagon

Top 10 Alert!
Song#:  1072
Date:  06/12/1982
Debut:  52
Peak:  7
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Arena Rock



Pop Bits:  REO's "Hi Infidelity" would be one of the decade's biggest LPs, eventually selling nine million copies. It featured their first #1 hit "Keep on Loving You" along with four other chart hits. Expectations were high for their follow-up and REO came up with the album "Good Trouble." This first single debuted mid-chart and found its way into the Top 10. However, its #7 peak wasn't exactly a blockbuster and the LP couldn't do much better also hitting #7 and eventually reaching platinum status. While most artists would kill to have a platinum album, for REO it was a slight disappointment in the wake of the mega-selling "Hi Infidelity."

ReduxReview:  I don't think I've heard this since the 80s and I recall not really liking this song. It's certainly not of the caliber of "Keep on Loving You" or even "Take It on the Run," but this one kind of creeps up on you. It opens with a simple chorus that at first isn't all that interesting. However, the song gains some momentum and by the time the instrumental passages arrive, it is kickin' in pretty good. By the end it is rockin'.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  As MTV was being developed, they needed on-air personalities to introduce videos, chat, do interviews, etc. It would be the equivalent of a radio DJ, so they called the position a VJ. One of the first to be approached for a VJ position was Kevin Cronin. He met with MTV execs, but turned them down due to his touring and recording schedule. The position eventually went to Mark Goodman, who had a similar look to Cronin.

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