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Wednesday, October 7, 2020

"Should've Know Better" by Richard Marx

Top 10 Alert!
Song#:  3280
Date:  09/26/1987
Debut:  64
Peak:  3
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  Marx had been doing session work and songwriting for other artists for a few years before breaking out on his own. Right off the bat he earned a hit when his debut single "Don't Mean Nothing" reached #3. It was from his self-titled debut album as was this follow-up track. It would do equally as well also peaking at #3 for one week and spending 21 weeks on the chart. It would also get to #7 Rock while becoming his first song to chart at AC getting to #30. This hit would help the album reach its initial peak of #19, but later in the summer of '88 it would end up cracking the Top 10 thanks to a chart-topping hit.

ReduxReview:  This was the perfect follow-up to "Don't Mean Nothing." That song was kind of bluesy and fun. This one was a more straight-forward pop/rock tune in the Journey vein that was a bit more serious. The two tracks complimented each other well and showed that Marx wasn't relying on one specific sound. His next two singles would expand on that variety. While I really liked "Don't Mean Nothing," I'm kind of partial to this track. The production is terrific and I like the darker tone, especially in the quiet mid-section. It was an excellent one-two punch from Marx.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Thanks to all the connections Marx made via session and songwriting work, his debut album featured several big name contributors including former Eagles Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, and Timothy B. Schmit. Schmit would provided background vocals on this track along with Tubes leader Fee Waybill. Also providing some background vocals on the album were two singers who would soon have hits of their own. Karyn White would go on to have four Pop Top 10 hits including the 1992 #1 "Romantic." Marx's wife, Cynthia Rhodes, would join the band Animotion and reach #9 in 1989 with "Room to Move."

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