Thursday, May 28, 2020

"Hypnotize Me" by Wang Chung

Song#:  3147
Date:  06/06/1987
Debut:  87
Peak:  36
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Pop, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  Wang Chung scored their second Pop Top 10 hit with "Let's Go" (#9), the second single from their album Mosaic. With the duo hitting new heights in popularity, it was hoped that this third single would follow the others into the Top 10. Unfortunately, once it got into the Top 40 it faltered and couldn't make the rest of the trip up the chart. Still, the singles would help the album sell and it would end up with a gold certification. Sadly this song would end up being the duo's final Top 40 entry.

ReduxReview:  Although this tune wasn't quite as in-your-face hooky than the duo's previous two hits, I thought it was good enough to at least get near the Top 10. I was a bit surprised it stopped just after entering the Top 40. I'm guessing their label was banking on the tie-in to a movie (see below) to help promote it, but when the film didn't become the expected summer box office hit, it was too late to come up with another strategy. Nevertheless, it was another solid single for the duo.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  In addition to being on the Mosaic album, this song was also included on the soundtrack to the sci-fi comedy flick Innerspace. The single was released a few weeks prior to the film's opening. Innerspace starred Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, and Meg Ryan. It took the basic plot point of the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage and framed it within a new story. In both films, scientists in a spaceship-like vessel are miniaturized and injected into a human. While Fantastic Voyage was more of a sci-fi adventure film, Innerspace combined sci-fi with comedy and even a little romance. Both films did well with critics, but neither became a box office hit. However, both found sizable audiences via home video. Both were also Academy Award winners. They both won Oscars for Special/Visual Effects while Fantastic Voyage also won for Art Direction.

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