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Thursday, March 16, 2023

"The Same Love" by The Jets

Song#:  4076
Date:  10/21/1989
Debut:  92
Peak:  87
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Pop


Pop Bits:  After a pair of successful albums, this family band was hoping their luck would continue with their third regular studio effort Believe. Unfortunately, the LP's first single, "You Better Dance," didn't connect with listeners and it stalled at a minor #59 Pop/#73 R&B/#28 Dance. That definitely didn't bode well for album sales and it was hoped that this second single, written by Diane Warren, would turn things around. It didn't happen. While the song was able to reach #15 at AC, it was unable to get out of the basement rungs on the Pop chart. With those results, the album faltered at #107 Pop/#74 R&B.

ReduxReview:  This was an average ballad from Warren. It certainly didn't rank alongside her bigger hits and that didn't do The Jets any favors. With Warren on a hot streak, I'm sure the band and their label thought one of her songs would be a surefire hit, but this one just wasn't all that memorable. With the tune not becoming a hit, it seems Warren may have continued to shop the song and Exposé picked it up for their '92 self-titled LP, but it wasn't released as a single. The lifespan of a bubblegum/teen pop group is typically short and The Jets' time in the spotlight quickly came to an end after grabbing five Pop Top 10s. An issue for them was that with minor exceptions, they didn't write their own material. They relied on outside writers and chances are that their label did most of the song selection. That worked out fine for a couple of albums, but by the third one, the material just didn't hit potential and didn't move the band forward in any way. Still, the Wolfgramm family had a nice run of hit singles.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  The Jets would have one more album issued out by MCA Records. In 1990, the compilation The Best of the Jets would be issued. It consisted of the band's biggest hits along with four new songs. One of the new tracks, "Special Kind of Love," would be issued out as a single. It would be their final one to reach any chart topping out at a minor #83 at R&B. Left off of the MCA roster, the band would keep going and would issue out a few indie albums over the years. Along the way, original members would bow out and be replaced by other siblings who were too young to participate during the band's heydays. There would be no shortage of Wolfgramm's to fill up spots as there were 17 siblings (15 born to the family, 2 adopted). However, like any other band disagreements arose and the family would be left fractured. They would attempt to solve issues and reunite, but that didn't last long and a lawsuit would divide the family again. It seems things would finally be resolved, but in the aftermath there would end up being two versions of the band - The Jets and The Jets Original Family Band.

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