"Heaven Help Me" by Deon Estus

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3819

Date:  02/25/1989

Debut:  67

Peak:  5

Weeks:  16

Genre:  R&B, Pop, Adult Contemporary

Pop Bits:  This singer/bassist from Detroit, Michigan, got his first real taste of the music business when he became the bass player for Brainstorm, a local disco/funk outfit. After the group broke up he took off for Europe and started to get gigs in recording sessions and on tour with artists like Marvin Gaye. His career took an upward swing when he met a couple of guys in England who were recording their first album - Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael of Wham! Estus would be hired on to play bass on their first album and also accompany them on tour. He stayed on with the duo through to their breakup in '86 and then continued on working with George Michael as his solo career took off. Following the huge success of Michael's Faith album, Estus was given the opportunity to record his own solo album. Working with a variety of producers, Estus wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on his debut LP Spell. In late '88, the first single from the album, "Me or the Rumours," was issued out. It was able to reach #15 on the US Dance chart. Next up for release was this track that was co-written and produced by George Michael and featured him on backing vocals. It would do far better reaching #3 R&B, #3 AC, and #5 Pop. That result helped the album get to #89. The LP's title track would be the third single, but it could only reach #11 AC/#74 R&B while failing to make the Pop chart. It was a pretty good start to a solo career, but then a second album never came. Because of this lone Top 10 hit on the Pop chart, Estus was tagged as a one-hit wonder. Estus returned to being a musician for hire and got to work with artists like Tina Turner, Annie Lennox, and Elton John. He also remained working with George Michael until Michael's death in 2016. Estus himself would pass away in 2021.

ReduxReview:  This was certainly a flashback. I haven't heard this track since its original chart run and had completely forgotten about it. The tune got a boost from George Michael via writing, production, and vocals. With him being so hot at the time, that promo angle helped to shine a brighter light on the single. It was a quietly groovy tune that set a nice mood. Both the chorus and production were excellent. Estus didn't have a distinctive voice, but his delivery was perfect for the song. Unfortunately, there wasn't another track on the album as enticing and single-worthy as this one and it left Estus as one-hit wonder.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Estus would spend a couple of years with Brainstorm, a Detroit-based disco/funk outfit that had gotten signed to Tabu Records. Their first album, 1977's Stormin', would feature their biggest hit, the #14R&B/#14 Dance track "Lovin' Is Really My Game." The album would get to #31 R&B/#145 Pop. It was after that success that Estus joined the band. They would record two more albums in '78 and '79 with their best single effort during that time being the #21 Dance/#65 R&B entry "Hot for You." It seems that when disco went bust, so did Brainstorm. Various members of the group continued their music careers joining up with other artists like Cameo, The Sounds of Blackness, the Funk Brothers, and others. Estus would be the only former member to earn a solo Pop Top 10 hit.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Where Are You Now?" by Synch

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3813

Date:  02/25/1989

Debut:  89

Peak:  10

Weeks:  24

Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary

Pop Bits:  Wait...didn't this song already get covered?  Yep. This Pennsylvania-based band first released this single back in '86 when they had signed on with Columbia Records. It could only manage to reach #77 Pop at the time and that result left Synch off the Columbia roster. Eventually, Synch would break up. That could have been the end of the story, but a few years later the song started to get picked up again by several radio stations. As requests started to stack up, Columbia got wind of the song's resurgence and reissued it on the WTG label, a new imprint of Epic/CBS. On its second go-round, the single was credited to Jimmy Harnen w/Synch (Harnen was the song's co-writer and lead singer). Suddenly the song picked up momentum and it was once again climbing the Pop chart. Eventually it would find its way into the Top 10. AC jumped on board this time around and the tune made it to #3 on that chart. As the single was scaling the charts, Harnen was able to secure a solo deal with WTG and work quickly began on a debut album titled Can't Fight the Midnight. Unfortunately, singles from the album failed to chart and the album quickly disappeared along with Harnen's record deal. At least he and the band got a brief unexpected moment in the spotlight that got them tagged as a one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  As for the song, my original assessment is still valid. The only thing I can add is that the songs on Harnen's solo album, which included "Where Are You Now?" as the last track, were nothing like that sentimental ballad. Harnen went full-on arena/heartland rock. It was like a combo of Bryan Adams and Journey. His voice was also raspier than on the hit. The styles didn't quite match up and so for those that loved the smooth AC-leaning sounds of the hit, a rockin' single from Harnen wasn't what they wanted. It was definitely going to be hard to spin a new career off of an older, unexpected hit song so the odds were stacked against Harnen from the beginning. However, he made the odds worse with the direction/sound he went with for the LP. It was actually a fairly good album, but nothing on it came close to representing what he did with "Where Are You Now" and I think that kind of sunk his recording career.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  The story goes that when this song first came out, a part-time DJ at a Richmond, Virginia, radio station, JJ Wright, liked the tune and decided to hold on to the promo single. He still had it with him when he moved on to a station in Buffalo, New York. While there, another older song, Benny Mardones' "Into the Night," was beginning to have a resurgence and that gave Wright the idea to dig out his Synch record. He handed it off to the station's program director who then passed it on to a national consultant who liked the tune enough to pass it on to other radio stations. Through those channels, the song started to get airplay and it began to catch the ears of listeners who didn't catch it the first time around. It wasn't long before the former #77 single finally made it into the Pop Top 10. Oddly, this song seemed to catch fire faster than "Into the Night" as that tune would not get reissued and back on the Pop chart until May of '89.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"What I Am" by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3729

Date:  11/26/1988

Debut:  96

Peak:  7

Weeks:  19

Genre:  Alternative Rock, Folk-Rock

Pop Bits:  In 1985, a local Dallas folk rock outfit called New Bohemians invited one of their former high school classmates, Edie Brickell, to sit in and sing with them. From the get-go, Brickell fit in perfectly with the band and she quickly secured a permanent spot as their lead vocalist. New Bohemians would become a popular act on the Dallas folk rock/college scene and in '86 they would independently record and release a cassette album titled It's Like This. That tape along with their burgeoning popularity attracted major label attention and the band eventually signed with Geffen Records. Work began on a debut album with producer Pat Moran and by the fall of '88 Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars was completed. Four songs from their original cassette would be re-recorded for the LP including this lead single. Co-written by Brickell and band member Kenny Withrow, the song first started gaining traction at college/modern rock radio stations and by mid-October it peaked at #4 on the Modern Rock chart. That led to the song climbing the Rock chart where it reached #9. A few weeks before that peak, the song crossed over to the Pop chart. It started off a bit slow, but gained momentum and made its way into the Top 10. The quirky hit got folks interested in the band and that helped to sell albums. It would peak at #4 and eventually go double-platinum. The band was off and running in a big way, but long-term chart success wasn't in the cards. They would only get more more mid-charting single at Pop. Due to that, this lone, standout Top 10 hit would get the band tagged as a one-hit wonder (#23 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s).

ReduxReview:  I think the jangling guitar riff and the opening line quickly reeled people in to this song. It was unusual, catchy, folky, and hippy-ish right off the bat. The song then unfolded with further hooks including the chorus and that distinct filtered guitar solo. It was perfect for college radio and it was that crowd that helped the song get off the ground. A few months later, the mainstream were all singing "I know what I know, if you know what I mean" thinking they are all hip and cool. The tune got my attention too and I ended up buying the album. It was a good listen, but nothing on it was as entrancing as "What I Am." In fact, I think this album might have come 'n' gone quickly if it wasn't for that song. I figured that the band was most likely not going to be Pop chart mainstays, but it did surprise me how quickly they imploded. Still, Brickell continued to maintain a successful low-key career over the years that included solo work, collaboration albums with Steve Martin, and even a Broadway musical.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This song and the band got a boost when they were selected as the musical guest on the November 5, 1988, airing of Saturday Night Live. It was also at that show that Brickell met her future husband. As she was singing "What I Am," she noticed standing by one of the cameras superstar folk rocker Paul Simon. The glimpse of him nearly threw her off her performance. The pair met and soon began dating. They were married in '92 and would go on to have three kids. The couple had a bit of an infamous argument at home in 2014 that got them arrested on disorderly conduct charges. Apparently, Simon did something that broke Brickell's heart and after a couple of drinks things got heated and a minor physical altercation ensued that caused Simon to dial 911 (although he hung up). Brickell's mother was staying with them and witnessed the argument and apparently called the police. The couple were later a united front in court and after explaining the situation, the charges were dismissed.  2) Upon release, this song would only reach #31 in the UK. However, a remake would later do far better. The UK electronic/dance music duo Tin Tin Out (Darren Stokes and Lindsay Edwards) would cover the song in 1998 for their second full-length album Eleven to Fly. For the vocals, they would bring in Spice Girl Emma Bunton (Baby Spice). It would be released as the LPs third single and would reach #2 in the UK. It would not reach a US chart. It was the duo's biggest hit and their second UK Top 10 following another remake. For their first LP, they covered "Here's Where the Story Ends," which was originally recorded by The Sundays (1990, #1 US Modern Rock). English singer Shelley Nelson would provide the vocals on that UK #7/US #15 Dance hit.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"The Promise" by When in Rome

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3634

Date:  09/03/1988

Debut:  87

Peak:  11

Weeks:  25

Genre:  Synthpop

Pop Bits:  This UK trio formed in '87 and immediately set out to record demos and gain exposure by performing in clubs. Elektra Records showed interest in the trio and ended up signing them. Unfortunately, not long after joining Elektra, the US-based label decided to close their London office. The trio could have stayed on the label, but decided to get out of their contract because it proved too difficult to be in London and have to work remotely with a US office. Luckily, they had another option. Virgin Records had also been interested in the trio, so they quickly signed on with Virgin's offshoot label 10 Records. One of their demo songs that attracted the label, "The Promise," got recorded and was initially pushed out in the UK in '87, but it got nowhere. However, later in '88 a remix of the tune got some traction in US clubs. It would catch on and in June of '88 it would get to #1 on the Dance chart. With that success, Virgin ordered an album and then tried to push the song to pop radio. It would take a while, but the tune began to gain an audience and eventually it would just miss the US Pop Top 10 peaking at the dreaded #11 spot. The trio's debut album would get released in the fall and it would make it to #84. Although When in Rome would get one more very minor Pop chart entry, this lone near-Top 10 hit got them tagged as a one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  When in Rome fell in line with other Europop bands of the era like OMD and Ultravox who took a combination of synthpop and new wave to the masses via chugging rhythms and catchy melodies. The band hit the right formula on the head with "The Promise." The percolating track with its soaring, memorable chorus and sentimental lyrics was certainly 80s ear candy. It was too bad that it stopped one notch short of the Top 10. Unfortunately, their album didn't have anything else as radio-ready and the band just sort of came and went. Still, they were able to score this one memorable hit that has had a pretty good post-chart life.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This song got a bit of a revival via a quirky hit film. In 2003, When in Rome member Clive Farrington got a phone call asking if "The Promise" could be used in an upcoming movie. The original trio agreed and the song was used in the 2004 comedy flick Napoleon Dynamite. The tune can be heard during the film and also over the end credits. The film, which starred Jon Heder as the title character, would go on to be a hit and that drew attention to "The Promise." The song would also be on the film's soundtrack album, which got to #147. Unfortunately, the song's resurgence did not reunite the original trio. Instead, it drove a wedge between two factions of the band along with a dispute concerning use of the band's name.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"She's Like the Wind" by Patrick Swayze (featuring Wendy Fraser)

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3367
Date:  12/19/1987
Debut:  84
Peak:  3
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  Although Patrick Swayze became known for his acting, he had other talents as well. He was a trained ballet dancer as well as a musician. He put both of those skills to use early on in his career when he became part of the replacement cast of Grease during its Broadway run. Swayze got the lead role of Danny Zuko. After that, his acting career began to slowly take off. His breakout role came in 1987 via a low-budget film called Dirty Dancing and once again his two other talents were put to use. Swayze was not only able to show off his smooth moves playing a resort dance instructor, but he also got to show off his musical side by recording a song for the film's soundtrack. Swayze co-wrote and sang "She's Like the Wind," which ended up being released as the third single from the soundtrack album. With the film becoming a success and with two other songs from the soundtrack already becoming hits, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" and "Hungry Eyes," not to mention Swayze's new star status, the song began to take off. It would eventually reach #3 at Pop and stay there for three weeks while hitting #1 at AC. Unfortunately, it would end up being Swayze's only song to reach the charts making him a true one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  I've always been 50/50 on this song. It kind of sounds like a relic from the late 70s spruced up with 80s production. I don't like Swayze's voice and the lyrics are awful. Yet there is something oddly endearing about the tune. The mysterious verse followed by a quick two measure chorus/hook was a bit unusual as was the outro that was different from the rest of the song and added a female voice. It really shouldn't have worked at all, but in the end it kind of did. Would this have been a hit if it wasn't attached to the movie and Swayze's newfound star status? I dunno. I just think it was one of those songs that found its opportunity at the exact right moment. While the song makes me cringe sometimes, by the end is has usually won me over in a guilty pleasure kind of way.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Triple Shot!  1) Swayze did not write this song specifically for Dirty Dancing. He actually wrote it for another movie he was in, 1984's Grandview U.S.A. Swayze was cast as one of the leads along with Jamie Lee Curtis and C. Thomas Howell. At some point, Swayze learned that the producers were assembling a soundtrack for the film and were looking for songs. Swayze had an idea for a tune, but was having trouble fleshing it out so he called on his friend, songwriter Stacy Widelitz, to help out. The pair finished "She's Like the Wind" and recorded a demo. Swayze presented his song to producers, but they nixed it. In 1986, Swayze got a role in the film Youngblood, which starred Rob Lowe. According to an interview with Lowe, Swayze brought the tune around for soundtrack consideration, but it was rejected again. The following year, Swayze once again hawked his song, this time to the folks behind his new flick Dirty Dancing. It seems third time was the charm and not only did the song make the film and soundtrack, it became a hit.  2) The female vocal part on the song was done by Wendy Fraser. Fraser was Stacy Widelitz's girlfriend and had sung the part on the original demo for the song. When it came time to formally record the track for the movie, the producer just called her in to do the part instead of hiring in someone else. While the hit didn't present Fraser with an opportunity for a solo career, it did offer her the chance to work as a background vocalist for many artists including Cher, Hall & Oates, Jimmy Barnes, and Neil Diamond.  3) When an actor gets an unexpected hit song, the typical next step is to record an album. This can be driven by the actor's management or even the star thinking - yeah, I can have a music career too! Most of the time it doesn't work out and the actor returns quickly to their day job. Swayze did not do that. He chose to focus on acting. However, that didn't mean he couldn't dabble a bit in music on the side. In 1989, Swayze would star in two films, Road House and Next of Kin. For Road House, he would record two songs for the soundtrack, one of which he co-wrote. For Next of Kin, Swayze would do a duet with country star Larry Gatlin on "Brothers," a song Gatlin wrote.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Catch Me (I'm Falling)" by Pretty Poison

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3276
Date:  09/26/1987
Debut:  84
Peak:  8
Weeks:  23
Genre:  Dance, Freestyle



Pop Bits:  This Philly group mainly consisted of lead singer Jade Starling and keyboardist/guitarist Whey Cooler. They got together early in the 80s and formed a band that had a more rock oriented sound, but soon changed over to the dance/synth sounds that were popular at the time. They released an indie EP and a few singles with their 1984 track "Nightime" getting enough attention to reach #14 on the Dance chart. Then they wrote and recorded "Catch Me (I'm Falling)." As an indie release, the song became a big success in Philly. Around that time a rep from Virgin Records happened to hear the song while in town and that led to the group signing with the label. Virgin then released the song nationally and it started to take off. The week that the song hit #1 on the Dance chart, it would debut on the Pop chart. Eventually it would break into the Top 10 and peak at #8. With an album yet to be released by the group, the single sold well enough to go gold. Despite a minor Top 40 follow-up single, this would be the group's only major hit and it would get them tagged as a one-hit wonder (#46 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s). Their full-length debut album would then be ready for release in May of '88, but by then the glow of this hit had waned and the LP could only get to #104. Pretty Poison would then leave Virgin Records and return to their independent roots.

ReduxReview:  Many of the freestyle hits around this time were by assembled female vocal groups formed by producers who usually wrote the songs. This is one that was done by a band who wrote their own material and because of that I think it had a more mature, cohesive sound. It was a catchy, well-written tune with terrific production. I especially like the dramatic opening. There was certainly talent behind this track and it's too bad that they couldn't go further than this on the Pop chart.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Although this song had already been released for months and had reached #1 at Dance, Virgin Records got the song placed on the soundtrack to the 1987 comedy-drama flick Hiding Out. The film starred Jon Cryer as a guy who poses as a high school student in order to avoid being killed by the mob. It received a lukewarm reception from critics and just barely made its budget back at the box office.  2) The band got its name after watching the 1968 black comedy film Pretty Poison. The movie starred Anthony Perkins as an ex-con and Tuesday Weld as a high school cheerleader who go on a crime spree that involved a couple of murders. While some critics loved it (Gene Siskel included it on his Top 10 list for the year) others didn't including the film's own studio, Fox, which didn't do much to support it. Not surprisingly, the movie didn't do well at the box office. However, it later became a cult film.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Funkytown" by Pseudo Echo

Top Ten Alert!
One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3125
Date:  05/16/1987
Debut:  83
Peak:  6
Weeks:  15
Genre:  Synth Rock, New Wave



Pop Bits:  After having some good success at home, this Australian band decided to give America a shot and pushed out a revamped version of their 1985 LP Love an Adventure. Its first single, "Living in a Dream," made the US Pop chart, but it stalled at a minor #57. Next up for single release was this track that was included on the US version of the LP. The tune had been recorded and released as a one-off single back in Australia following the success of Love an Adventure. It ended up being a massive hit spending seven weeks at the top of the chart. When released in the US, the tune took off and it landed Pseudo Echo in the Pop Top 10 while also reaching #4 at Dance. The hit would help the album reach #57. Unfortunately, it would be the band's last single to reach a US chart. Back home in Australia, their fortunes also dried up. Their 1988 follow-up LP Race could only generate a couple of Top 40 entries and it sold far less than their previous two efforts. By 1990, the band had broken up.

ReduxReview:  Pseudo Echo took a disco classic and cranked the volume on it for the late 80s. Blaring synths and screeching guitars overrun the production and an increased tempo made the dance tune even more urgent. Why the band chose this song to cover is a mystery, but it worked out well for them. Unfortunately for the US audience they didn't have any originals as captivating as this remake and they got ignored afterward. This is certainly a relic of its time and one you really don't hear anymore. You could say that the original was also of its time, but that track was a classic of the disco era and it continued to be popular over the years, especially in the mid-90s when the genre experienced a revival of sorts. Pseudo Echo's take was kind of fun at the time, but it just didn't play as well as time went by. It was an interesting hit, but one that has remained overshadowed by the original.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Despite having another minor charting single, thanks to this lone Top 10 hit the band would later be tagged by some as a one-hit wonder. However, some lists of one-hit wonders of the 80s often excluded the band mainly because their hit was a remake of one that had already been an even bigger one-hit wonder of the decade. The studio group Lipps, Inc. originally recorded "Funkytown" and it became a big #1 platinum hit in 1980. It was their only major hit and like Pseudo Echo, despite a second minor charting song, Lipps, Inc. was tagged as a one-hit wonder (#36 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s).

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Heart and Soul" by T'Pau

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Rated 10 Alert

Song#:  3107
Date:  05/02/1987
Debut:  91
Peak:  4
Weeks:  27
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  This English band headed up by singer Carol Decker and guitarist Ronnie Rogers came together in 1985. Decker and Rogers had already been writing music and performing for a few years, but then decided to officially get a band together and seek a record deal. A demo tape ended up in the hands of producer Roy Thomas Baker and after seeing the band perform live, he helped get them signed to the Virgin Records offshoot label Siren. Baker would end up producing the band's debut LP that would eventually be titled Bridge of Spies. This first single was released earlier in '87 in the UK, but it went nowhere. Luckily, the song got picked up for use in a TV ad for Pepe Jeans that aired in both the UK and the US. Thanks to the exposure from the ad, interest in the song picked up. The single was reissued in the UK and released in the US. In the UK, the song would take off and reach #4. In the US, the tune debuted near the bottom of the chart and made a long, slow climb eventually hitting #4 in its fifteenth week. It also got to #13 at Dance. Thanks to the hit, the album (retitled as just T'Pau) would sell fairly well in the US getting to #31. Unfortunately, further singles from the band failed to make any US chart and that would leave their legacy here as a true one-hit wonder. However, the story was quite different for them back in the UK (see below).

ReduxReview:  Pure, classic 80s. Anchored by that opening bass line riff, this song was awash in everything 80s including synths, heavy production, rap, a hooky chorus, near nonsensical lyrics, and big vocals by Decker, who had equally big hair. The tune had everything going for it so it was quite surprising that it didn't take off on initial release. Fortunately, the advert brought it to the masses. I bought the single and played it over and over. I just loved it and I still do. It was one of those songs that I never got tired of hearing. It's a shame "China in Your Hand" (see below) didn't catch on here. At least the band was able to grab this big hit that has remained popular for decades.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Following the success of "Heart and Soul" in the UK, the band re-recorded a track from the album, "China in Your Hand," for single release. The power ballad would storm the charts in Europe and hit #1 in at least six countries including the UK where it stayed at the top of the chart for five weeks. A third single, "Valentine," would reach #9 while a fourth track make the Top 20. The Bridge of Spies album would make it to #1 and go 4x platinum in the UK. The band's second album, 1988's Rage, would be a #4 platinum seller. A third album would get to #10. The band would then split up. Decker would revive the band throughout the years for performances and a couple of albums.  2) When the band initially formed, they used the name Talking America. Then one day Carol Decker was watching a rerun of Star Trek when the character T'Pau appeared. T'Pau was a Vulcan high priestess and first appeared on the second season premiere of the show. The episode is famous for introducing the Vulcan reproductive condition known as pon farr and for a battle to the death between Spock and Captain Kirk overseen by T'Pau. Although the T'Pau character would not be in any further episodes of the original series, she would appear in episodes of Voyager and Enterprise.
_________________________________________________________________________________

"Right on Track" by Breakfast Club

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3056
Date:  03/14/1987
Debut:  85
Peak:  7
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  This NYC band had been around since 1979 and had gone through several personnel changes. By 1984, they had a more steady lineup and were able to get a contract with the NYC dance label ZE Records. The band recorded a single titled "Rico Mambo" that the label released. Unfortunately, the single didn't get anywhere and then the label closed up shop. This left the band starting over again. But one of its member's association with another artist helped draw attention to the band and they landed another contract, this time with MCA Records. They proceeded to record a self-titled debut album that featured this first single that was produced by Jimmy Iovine, who was more known for his association with rock artists like Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty. The song took off and made it to the Pop Top 10 while reaching #7 at Dance and #64 at R&B. The album would see some sales and eventually peak at #43. While they weren't major breakout stars, the song and album seemed to get them noticed by the Grammy folks and they were handed a nomination for Best New Artist. Unfortunately, this song would end up being their only major hit (a second single would be a minor chart entry). Because of that, they have been referred to as a one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  I remember when this song came out. Much was made of the fact that this was Madonna's former band (see below). I'm sure a big chunk of that buzz came via MCA, who were trying to play it up and cash in on the connection. I can't say I blame them. The facts were there, why not use them? But it did seem sort of a desperate way to promote. Luckily, the band sort of lived up to the hype with this tune, which, not surprisingly, had a Madonna-ish feel. It had a solid club groove with a catchy chorus. It was also enhanced by background vocals by Jocelyn Brown. The problem was that the rest of the album wasn't nearly as good and didn't contain anything as commercially viable as this hit. The band also got lucky that the hit came during a very, very weak year for new artists and they ended up with the Grammy nod. Most any other year they would have not even be in the conversation. Still, they pumped out one solid tune that's still a pretty good listen.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:   This band was initially formed by brothers Dan and Ed Gilroy. Not long after the band formed, Dan began dating a new transplant from Michigan who would later be know by a single name - Madonna. The band happened to need a drummer and Madonna quickly learned how to play and took the spot. However, she had higher ambitions and wanted to do lead vocals, which had been handled at the time by Dan. Madonna got to sing a little, but apparently she wanted the whole spotlight and Dan was not willing to give it up. Therefore, Madonna upped and left them both. She then formed her own band Emmy and the Emmys with her friend Stephen Bray. It wasn't too long before Madonna headed out on a solo career. Bray then joined up with Breakfast Club. After Madonna's career kicked off, Bray reconnected with her and they began working together again, which resulted in hits he co-wrote like "Angel" and "Into the Groove." Suddenly, Bray's profile was raised and that, in turn, helped the Breakfast Club. MCA Records apparently liked the Madonna connection and gave the band a chance (with some choice Madge-related marketing, of course).

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Lean on Me" by Club Nouveau

#1 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Grammy Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3025
Date:  02/14/1987
Debut:  47
Peak:  1 (2 weeks)
Weeks:  17
Genre:  R&B, Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  After the Timex Social Club hit it big with their #8 hit "Rumors," problems ensued and the group quickly disbanded leaving them known as a one-hit wonder. The co-producer of the song, Jay King, felt a bit burned by the TSC situation and so he formed his own group that was initially called Jet Set. King then changed the name to Club Nouveau (French for "new club") as a bit of a stab back to the Timex Social Club. The band's first single was an answer song of sorts to "Rumors" titled "Jealousy." It was a hit at R&B getting to #8. The follow-up single, "Situation #9," also followed into the Top 10 (#4). Neither made the Pop chart, but this third single finally did. The cover tune (see below) struck the right chord with a mainstream audience and the single bounded up to #1 at Pop and Dance while getting to #2 at R&B. Sales of the single were strong and it eventually went gold. In turn, the group's debut album Live, Love & Pain, would be a platinum seller that reached #2 R&B and #6 Pop. Club Nouveau would later grab a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, while the song would win composer Bill Withers a Grammy for Best R&B Song. It was a great start for the group, but then it seemed their star burned too bright too fast and it quickly began to fizzle. Despite their next single getting to #2 at R&B, it was a minor #39 entry at Pop. Then their follow-up albums failed to generate any sizable hits. In the end, this song would be their only major hit at Pop and because of that it got them tagged as a one-hit wonder (#94 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s).

ReduxReview:  This classic tune was never really one of my favorites, but I appreciated Withers' original (see below) and when played in the right context the song can be quite inspirational. Now, take that lovely little tune and then add beats, claps, farting vocal samples, screaming synths, and someone yelling "we be jammin'" and you have Club Nouveau's grating version. I just can't stress enough how much I hated this song back in the day. It made my ears bleed. I thought they completely desecrated the original. I wanted to throw a rock at any speaker that this song came out of. Frankly, I still do. After avoiding it all these years I thought that perhaps it might not sound so bad now. I was wrong. It is still just as horrible now as it was then. The beats are dorky, the production is loud and overdone, the vocals are indistinguishable, and the "we be jammin'" is as silly and out of place as ever. For me, it's still not only the worst hit remake of the decade, but one of the worst songs of the decade period. On the positive side, I'm glad it got Withers a Grammy and I hope he made a bunch of cash off this thing.

ReduxRating:  1/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song originally written and performed by R&B singer/songwriter Bill Withers. It was the first single lifted from his 1972 album Still Bill. The tune would reach #1 on both the Pop and R&B charts. His follow-up single, "Use Me," would get to #2 on each chart. The album would be his first gold seller. Withers would have some success in the early 80s returning to the Top 10 with "Just the Two of Us" (#2 Pop/#3 R&B). With Club Nouveau hitting #1 at Pop, it made "Lean on Me" one of just a minor handful of songs that reached #1 on the Pop chart twice by different artists. This actually happened a few months prior for another song. In the fall of '86, Bananarama would reach #1 with "Venus," a remake of an earlier 1970 #1 hit by Shocking Blue.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Baby Love" by Regina

Top 10 Alert!
One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2769
Date:  06/21/1986
Debut:  88
Peak:  10
Weeks:  20
Genre:  Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  This Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter first got her start in a band she assembled called Regina Richards and Red Hot. The new wave group got signed to A&M in 1980 and with producer Richard Gottehrer (The Go-Go's, Blondie) they recorded a couple of singles followed by a self-titled debut album. The records didn't get anywhere and Richards decided to then work as a songwriter rather than a performer. Through her band, she struck up a friendship with drummer Stephen Bray. Bray had been working with another band Emmy & the Emmys, which used space in the same building where the Red Hots rehearsed. That band was headed up by Bray's former girlfriend, a soon-to-be superstar named Madonna. After Madonna hit it big with her debut album, she brought in Bray to help out on her second LP Like a Virgin. The pair would write four songs for the album along with the soundtrack tune "Into the Groove." Bray then reconnected with Richards and the pair began to write songs together. They recorded a demo hoping to sell the songs to other artists. One song in particular, "Baby Love," was written with Madonna in mind. Bray presented the song to Madonna, but she passed on the tune. In a weird twist of fate, the demo found its way to Atlantic Records who then wanted to sign Richards as an artist. Although she had resigned herself to working in the background, Richards decided to give it a shot and signed her second major label deal. Work began on a debut album with Richards writing or co-writing all the songs. It would include two she penned with Bray including this first single, which Bray produced (Leslie Ming would handle production duty on the rest of the tracks). Released as by Regina, the song initially confused a lot of listeners. Due to the vocals, the dance-pop structure, and the production, many people hearing it for the first time thought it was a new Madonna track. Despite the similarities, the tune started to catch on and it began to climb the charts. It would become a #1 Dance hit while reaching the Pop Top 10 and getting to #30 at R&B. The hit was certainly great for Regina, but the Madonna comparisons took their toll and further singles failed to make the Pop chart leaving her as a one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  For a one-hit wonder, this song certainly has a lot of interesting history attached to it (see above and below). In interviews with Regina from back in the day, she tried to brush off comparisons between her and Madonna, but c'mon - we pretty much know what happened here. At the time, labels were desperately seeking the next Madonna and when Atlantic heard the demo of this song that was shopped to Madonna, had production by Bray, and Regina nearly impersonating Madonna, they thought they may have found one (they also signed another Madonna-ish clone, Stacy Q, around the same time). There is just no mistaking that this was meant to sound like a Madonna song in order to capitalize on her success (and it wouldn't be the last time Bray would try to cash in on his Madonna connection - look up Breakfast Club or an album called Pre-Madonna). Setting all this aside, the song is actually not too bad. It's got a solid chorus and the sax solo is a nice addition. I think Madonna was right to pass on this as it sounded like a retread of what she'd already done, but it was still a hit-worthy tune.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Triple Shot!  1) Although she was a one-hit wonder on the Pop chart, Regina did get two other songs on the Dance chart. Her follow-up song "Beat of Love" would make it to #40. Two years later, she made it to #11 with the tune "Extraordinary Love." The song was the first single from her second solo album, but after the song failed to reach the Pop chart the album was shelved and remains unreleased. After releasing an indie single in 1990, Regina got married to a doctor and moved to Austin, Texas.  2) Although written with Madonna in mind, she was not the first artist to be offered the song. The Dutch vocal trio The Star Sisters recorded a version of the song for their 1985 album Danger. The Star Sisters were a product of Stars on 45 producer Japp Eggermont. The trio were known for their imitation of The Andrews Sisters. Eggermont produced two albums for them in the Stars on 45 medley style with the Sisters covering old pop standards in an Andrews Sisters way. The trio decided to ditch Eggermont and the Stars On format to record their first mainstream pop album, Danger, which contained this song. (Look it up - it is interesting because it is done as straight pop and not in a dance-pop Madonna way.)  3)  This song was covered by Australian singer Dannii Minogue in 1991. It was issued out as a single and it reached #28 in Australia and #14 in the UK. Dannii is the younger sister of hitmaker Kylie Minogue. Dannii would have a string of hits including nine Top 10's in the UK, but she was never able to crack the US charts. Kylie would grab two US Top 10's including the #3 gold remake of "The Loco-Motion" in 1988.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"I Wanna Be a Cowboy" by Boys Don't Cry

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2673
Date:  04/05/1986
Debut:  90
Peak:  12
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Synthpop, Dance-Pop, Novelty



Pop Bits:  This UK band was started up in the early 80s by a recording studio owner named Nick Richards. He and his house band would work up songs between other sessions and in 1983 they issued out an indie EP titled Don't Talk to Strangers. Nothing much came from it, but they kept on recording tunes. Richards was a fan of spaghetti Western films and one day he was walking around the studio saying "I want to be a cowboy." Someone heard Richards and told him that the phrase would be a cool song title. Richards got his band together and quickly wrote and recorded "I Wanna Be a Cowboy." Richards then got it pressed to vinyl under his own label, Legacy, and using connections began to get it circulated to clubs. Not long after, he got a call from the small US indie label Profile. They were interested in releasing the song in the States. Richards made a deal with the label thinking not much would come from it Yet the quirky song started to get some attention after its release and began climbing the Pop chart. It nearly made the Top 10, but stopped just shy. The hit prompted Profile to want an album and the band came up with a self-titled debut that contained the hit. A follow-up single failed to chart and a second album the following year yielded nothing. Those results brought an end to the band. This lone novelty-ish hit would be their only claim to fame and due to that they were labeled a one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  Let's just say it - this song is utterly inane. Yet the dang thing is so stupidly catchy that it's nearly hard to resist. It also helps that the production was pretty great. I remember the sound coming from my vinyl 45 really rocked my speakers. I think more than anything I just like the groove and production. The novelty of the rest wasn't so annoying that I couldn't listen to it. I don't necessarily love the tune, but it's kind of fun to have it rattle up on the speakers in a playlist. Sadly for the band, this was one of those songs that was so unusual and unique that it was going to take something absolutely amazing to get folks to pay attention to them and they just didn't have that second go-to special song in their arsenal. Well, if you are gonna end up a one-hit wonder, why not make it something as catchy and kooky as this?

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Some folks thought that perhaps this band was named after the 1980 album and single by The Cure. However, the name came about from an earlier hit. British band 10cc had a #2 hit in 1975 with "I'm Not in Love." During the mid-section of the song, a female vocalist whispers "be quiet - big boys don't cry." She repeats the last four words several times and the oddball spoken word section helped to make the song a hit. Richards got the name of his band from the phrase. (Note - the female vocal part in 10cc's song was performed by the band's secretary Kathy Redfern.)  2) In 1997, singer/songwriter Paula Cole reached the Pop Top 10 with her Grammy nominated hit "Where Have All the Cowboy's Gone?" Remixes of the hit soon followed including one produced by The E-Team (DJ EFX and Big Ed) that was titled the "E-Team Drugstore Cowboy Mix." Along with other mixes, it was released on a CD maxi-single of the song. Included in the specific mix (and not on the original recording) was a clip of a man saying "I wanna be a cowboy." The tone, inflection, and cadence of the added snipped was nearly identical to the chorus of the Boys Don't Cry song. While a one-off thing might have been fine, the problem was that it was repeated 24 times throughout the mix. That led to Richards and co-writer Brian Chatton to file suit against Cole, her label, and the remixers for copyright infringement. It seems the $7 million lawsuit never went to trial, so it assumed that some legal settlement may have been the result.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco

#1 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2618
Date:  02/08/1986
Debut:  79
Peak:  1 (3 weeks)
Weeks:  17
Genre:  Synthpop, Dance



Pop Bits:  Austrian musican Johann Hölzel, aka Falco, became part of Vienna's underground music scene at a teenager. He played with different bands for several years until an artist manager spotted him performing with the infamous shock-rock group Dhradiwaberl and offered to secure him a record deal. The results of that was Falco's 1982 debut album Einzelhaft. It became a major hit in Austria and several other countries thanks to the single "Der Kommissar." In the US, the song was ignored at Pop despite getting to #10 at Dance and #22 Rock. (It would become a hit in '83 when the band After the Fire did an English version of the song.) Falco's next LP, Junge Roemer, was only successful in his home country. Wanting to be a much bigger worldwide star, Falco hired new producers and worked with them to co-write his next LP Falco 3. In May of '85, this first single was issued out around Europe. It became enormously popular reaching #1 in many countries. As '86 began, the song started to get picked up in the US. Aided by a memorable MTV video, the single made a beeline for the #1 spot and ended up staying there for three weeks. It would also get to #4 Dance and #6 R&B. The hit boosted sales of the album and it would end up being a gold seller that reached #3. Falco finally had the hit that he wanted. Unfortunately, it would be his only Top 10 hit in the US. Although he would have far less memorable Top 20 follow-up, this song was so iconic that Falco got tagged as a one-hit wonder (#44 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders).

ReduxReview:  There were various versions of the song released. The one I'm most used to is the American Edit (above), which was the one used in the US for the single and for radio airplay. The video used the original "Gold Mix," which appeared on the European version of Falco 3. For the US version of the LP, the Gold Mix was replaced by a much longer 8 minute version called the Salieri Mix. That one includes an English language rundown of Mozart's life by date. Frankly, the dang thing is way too long. This is one tune that benefits from a good edit. Once it is down to the basics, the song is a lot of fun. Is it great? No way. Falco's goofy rap-sung delivery paired with the subject matter, German language, and the quirky video nearly put the song in novelty territory. However, a hooky chorus and solid production held the thing above water. It ended up being a cultural touch point with the tune being parodied and referenced many times including on The Simpsons.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Inspired by the 1984 Oscar winning film Amadeus, this song was written as a tribute to composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The lyrics portray him as a bad boy rock-n-roll type that everyone celebrates despite his debts and other faults like womanizing. In the video, Falco dresses up like Mozart in a rainbow wig and joins up with a motorcycle gang.  2) This was the first German language song to reach #1 on the US Pop chart. In 1983, Nena came close to being the first with the song "99 Luftballons," but it stalled at #2. Falco was also the first Austrian-born artist to reach the top spot in the rock era.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Let's Go All the Way" by Sly Fox

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2577
Date:  12/28/1985
Debut:  85
Peak:  7
Weeks:  25
Genre:  Synthpop



Pop Bits:  Sly Fox were an assembled duo put together by producer Ted Currier. He first brought on board Gary "Mudbone" Cooper of Bootsy's Rubber Band for the project. Then Currier had the idea to hire in a white singer and play up the black/white race angle of the duo. Currier found jingle singer Michael Camacho and Sly Fox was set to go. With Currier producing, the duo recorded their debut album for Capitol titled Let's Go All the Way. This title-track would be issued out as a single. It would be a slow-burner that would ease its way up the chart until it finally cracked the Top 10. It would be a middling entry at R&B reaching #57. The hit would help sell albums and it would get to #31, which was a good showing for a debut. It set them up well for further success, but artistic differences and other issues arose and the duo called it quits before they could issue out a second album. Besides a very low charting second single, this song was their only major hit and it got them tagged as a one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  The production and arrangement were really the highlights on this song. I remember buying the single and it sounded so damn good cranked up on my stereo. It also helped that it was hooky as hell. Yet this song was such a distinctive hit that none of their other material could gain any attention and as happens with a lot of groups that are put together by someone else, they didn't last very long. They got the one-hit wonder tag, but at least they earned it with a pretty cool song that folks still like.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  For many folks, this song's beat sounded awfully familiar. A few months earlier, a hip hop group named The Boogie Boys had a #6 R&B hit with a song titled "A Fly Girl." The beat of that song was nearly identical to the one used on "Let's Go All the Way." Did Sly Fox rip it off? Not necessarily as both songs just happened to be produced by Ted Currier. Currier actually recorded "Let's Go All the Way" first and thought it turned out so good that he played it for the Boogie Boys, whom he had started working with. Apparently, Boogie Boy member Stro loved it as well and ended up writing a rap over the beat. This impressed Currier and he decided to adjust the beat track from "Let's Go" for the new rap song "A Fly Girl." Timeline wise, "A Fly Girl" came out during the summer while "Let's Go didn't appear until the end of the year making it seem like "Let's Go" ripped off "Fly Girl." Yet it was just a case of same producer and same beat applied to two different styles of music.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Take on Me" by a-ha

#1 Alert!
Rated 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2383
Date:  07/13/1985
Debut:  91
Peak:  1 (1 week)
Weeks:  27
Genre:  Synthpop, New Wave



Pop Bits:  This Norwegian trio formed in 1982 and soon after made a move to London in order to try and jump start their career. A demo of a song they had titled "Lesson One" got the attention of some industry folks and soon the band was signed to Warner Bros. The band then revamped their demo song and it turned into a new one titled "Take on Me." Produced by Tony Mansfield, who recently had success with Naked Eyes, the song was issued as a single in several European countries. It failed miserably in all of them except one - Norway, where it got to #3. It was promoted by a video that had the band simply performing the song in front of a blue background. That might have been it for the song, but the US arm of Warner Bros. thought the trio had something and decided to give them a shot. They ended up re-recording the song with producer Alan Tarney and a new, innovative video was shot to accompany the single. The video brought attention to the band and soon the single was picking up airplay. It was a slow starter, but the tune finally caught on and began topping charts around the world, including the US. It would make a-ha the first act from Norway to hit #1 on the US chart. It also got to #4 at AC. The hit would push their debut album, Hunting High and Low, to #15 and eventually it would go platinum. It would also earn the band a Grammy nod for Best New Artist. Unfortunately, it would end up being their only major hit and despite a follow-up that reached #20, this indelible track ended up getting the band tagged as a one-hit wonder in the US (#3 on VH1's Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s and #8 on their All-Time list). The band would remain hugely popular in Europe scoring eight Top 10's in the UK alone.

ReduxReview:  This song was destined to be a hit, but it took a new recording and a cool video to make it happen. If you listen to the original version first released, the song is there and is still good, but the production by Fairlight expert Mansfield does not make the song soar. It's very tinny and one-dimensional. It took the skills of Tarney to transform the song into something bigger and better. Now, whether the song would have caught on without the video is another question. I think it might have, but perhaps it wouldn't have been as big of a hit. It goes without question that the video certainly sold this record. In this case, I don't think it was a bad thing. This is a great tune with excellent production and the wonderful, soaring vocals of Morten Harket. In addition, the band was more than this one song. Their debut album Hunting High and Low was excellent and remains a favorite of mine. It's too bad that this is really the only song that is remember from them in the US. They had a lot more to offer.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  If anyone at the time needed proof that a video could make a song a hit, this would be it. The animated pencil sketch video directed by Steve Barron fascinated viewers and it quickly became an MTV favorite. It would eventually go on to win six MTV Video Music awards, but it missed out on Video of the Year, which was won by Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing." The video remains a classic from the time and has even been parodied by TV shows like Family Guy, which had the character Chris getting caught up in a similar black-and-white pencil animation.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"19" by Paul Hardcastle

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2347
Date:  06/01/1985
Debut:  78
Peak:  15
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Synthpop, Electronic



Pop Bits:  This British electronic music wiz garnered some attention in the US with the unexpected #2 Dance/#5 R&B/#57 Pop single "Rain Forest." By the time a quick album of the same name was assembled for the US market, Hardcastle was already signed to Chrysalis Records and ready to issue a new self-titled album. This Vietnam-themed track was selected as the first single. It was an immediate #1 hit in many countries including Hardcastle's UK home. Stateside it began to shape up as a big hit as well getting to #1 Dance and #8 R&B. However, on the Pop chart the song stalled before it could get inside the Top 10. Apparently sales of the single were strong enough to send the song higher on the chart, but airplay stats were much lower thanks to some radio stations refusing to play the song due to its subject matter. Since the Pop chart combines sales and airplay, the song's overall placement took a hit. Despite the lack of airplay, the single sold and the video did well on MTV. The distinctive track would be Hardcastle's only one to be a significant hit and he ended up getting tagged as a one-hit wonder (#72 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s).

ReduxReview:  This was such an unusual song at the time. The use of clips from shows, movies, other songs, etc., wasn't a new idea, but the way that it was done in this track along with the serious subject matter certainly made it unique. Not only that, it was weirdly catchy and memorable with the stuttering "19." My good friend and I took the song quite seriously and even learned all the dialog. It was at a time when the Vietnam War was being revisited and focus was finally turning to the vets and after-war effects like PSD. It was all a bit controversial and even this song got caught up in it a bit. What I find odd is that it hit #1 at Dance. I mean, I can't really imagine being in a club, having the song come on and me going "oh I love this song!" and then heading to the dance floor to shake my booty with a smile on my face and a gin and tonic in-hand. Just doesn't seem right. But alas, it apparently happened. Frankly, its kind of a bummer of a song, but it was a well-done message tune that many folks still remember and talk about.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Hardcastle got the idea for this song after watching an ABC news documentary titled Vietnam Requiem, which dealt with the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder in Vietnam vets. It was commented in the show that the average age of a Vietnam soldier was 19. Hardcastle was a bit stunned by that stat and used it as the basis for creating the song. He used snippets of dialog from the show within the song including the narration voice of Peter Thomas, who ended up getting royalties for the use of his voice.  2) Right around this time, Hardcastle met a Chrysalis A&R guy named Simon Fuller. Fuller decided to leave the label to start his own management company and he wanted Hardcastle to be one of his first clients. Fuller decided to name his company after this hit - 19 Entertainment. If Fuller and 19 Entertainment sound familiar, it's because Fuller later created the hugely popular TV competition shows Pop Idol (UK), American Idol (US), and So You Think You Can Dance.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2272
Date:  03/30/1985
Debut:  69
Peak:  3
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Synthpop, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  This German-born musician/engineer/producer/composer got is first big break when he was hired by Giorgio Moroder to arrange the music for the Moroder's score to the 1978 film Midnight Express. The score won Moroder an Oscar and boosted Faltermeyer's career. The pair would continue to work together on projects and along the way Faltermeyer started to get work producing records for other artists like Donna Summer. He also started scoring films and by 1984 he was working on the music for Beverly Hills Cop. The movie was a major hit as was its soundtrack which featured hits like "Neutron Dance" by the Pointer Sisters and "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey. While an album of the full score that Faltermeyer composed for the film was never issued, one theme from the score was selected to appear on the soundtrack. Originally composed for the scene in the movie where Eddie Murphy places a banana in a cop car tailpipe, "Axel F" got included as the final track on the album. With the soundtrack doing well, this theme gained some attention and soon it was decided that it should be a single. Issued as the LP's fourth single, the song slowly caught on became a multi-format hit. In addition to its #3 Pop peak, it got to #1 at AC, #1 Dance, and #13 R&B. Since it was a bit of a left-field hit by a composer/producer, it wasn't a big surprise that it became Faltermeyer's only Pop chart entry, thus making him a one-hit wonder. It would also earn him a Grammy for Best Original Score Album. While Faltermeyer would go on to compose more scores and work with artists like Pet Shop Boys, Laura Branigan, Billy Idol, and others, this single would remain his biggest claim to fame.

ReduxReview:  I don't know why, but I didn't like this little ditty back in the day. I thought the main theme with that goose honking keyboard sound was annoying. Therefore, I ignored it. Many years later I then began to appreciate how quirky, simple, and catchy the song was and understood its appeal. It's kind of fun to hear once in a while, especially if it is on a party playlist. Seems like every time it comes up in rotation, someone will start to sing the theme and go "boop-bee boop-a-be boop-bop." It's not a classic, but it is a memorable little theme from the decade.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Working with Moroder, Faltermeyer contributed to another huge soundtrack album, 1986's Top Gun. Faltermeyer wrote the main theme to the film and performed in along with guitarist Steve Stevens. The album track "Top Gun Anthem" would prove to be popular enough to be issued as a single, but it never fully caught on at radio and failed to chart. However, the song did earn Faltermeyer his second Grammy. He and Stevens were the winners in the Best Pop Instrumental Performance category.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"All I Need" by Jack Wagner

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  2090
Date:  10/20/1984
Debut:  88
Peak:  2
Weeks:  22
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  In 1983 after Rick Springfield's music career took off, he ended up leaving his role on the daytime soap General Hospital. In the meantime, a young character named Blackie Parris (played by John Stamos) decided to start a band. He needed a lead singer and a new character named Frisco Jones filled that role. Jones was played by actor Jack Wagner. Although a music career wasn't Wagner's focus, he was a musician and had been playing guitar since he was a teen. It helped him land the role of Frisco Jones and a side story about the band was born. Impressed by Wagner's singing and smelling some more crossover potential ala Rick Springfield, an exec at ABC got Wagner a record deal with Quincy Jones' label. A few songs were recorded and this first single got released. Although there was no video for the song, the single began to slowly catch on and climb the Pop chart and finally landed at #2 for a couple of weeks. It also reached #1 on the AC chart. Unfortunately, Wagner wasn't able to capitalize on the song in the same way that Springfield did and it would be his only major hit. Despite having two other low-peaking singles to reach the Pop chart, this one hit got Wagner tagged as a one-hit wonder (#70 on VH1's list of the Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s).

ReduxReview:  Yeah, I have to admit two things. I watched GH back in the day and I also fell for this song. I think it's a well-written song and I particularly like the chord progression and melody in the chorus. Wagner turns in a good performance and makes it sound easy, which it's not. That chorus is difficult to sing. It soars pretty high within just three notes. If you don't have the range, you ain't gonna make it. Weirdly, I've heard this massacred via Karaoke a few times. Although Wagner was a good singer/musician, I think it was more like a side hobby rather than a profession. Usually when that is the case, the results tend to be one-hit wonder-ish, which it was for him. Regardless, he left behind one of the better ballads of the 80s.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia: This song was co-written by David Pack, Glen Ballard, and Clif Magness. Pack was already a successful artist/songwriter with his band Ambrosia. Ballard and Magness were up-n-coming songwriters and producers who were beginning to have success. Each would later help two young artists with their breakthrough albums. Magness would co-write and produce several songs for Avril Lavigne's 2002 debut album Let Go. Ballard would co-write and produce Alanis Morissette's Grammy-winning 1995 album Jagged Little Pill.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Breakin'...There's No Stopping Us" by Ollie & Jerry

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  1930
Date:  06/02/1984
Debut:  62
Peak:  9
Weeks:  18
Genre:  R&B, Dance, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  Ollie E. Brown and Jerry Knight were session musicians who met up when Brown played drums on the 1978 debut album of the group Raydio, in which Knight was a member. Knight left Raydio after that album for a solo career. Brown played on Knight's third and final solo album in 1982 and that connection led to them developing a duo. They signed with Polydor and their first effort was this single that was recorded for the film Breakin'. The movie was a hit and this song followed suit getting into the Pop Top 10, #1 Dance, and #3 R&B. It appeared like the duo were on their way, but oddly there was no album on the horizon from the pair. They did record a follow-up song titled "Electric Boogaloo," which was used the the 1985 sequel film Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, but it failed to chart at Pop and could only muster a minor #45 at R&B and #43 Dance. Following the dismal results, the duo split having never recorded a proper debut album. With just the one lone Pop hit to their name, the pair ended up getting tagged as one-hit wonders. 

ReduxReview:  Although definitely stuck in the 80s, this is still a slick sounding production on a song that still holds up well today. I think they threw about every synth effect and sound at this recording and somehow it all worked. It's a shame these guys didn't record a full album. They could obviously write catchy songs, Knight had a solid voice, and Brown's production work is over-the-top, experimental, and fun. Somehow, the opportunity slipped away and we were basically left with this terrific single and the good, but less effective "Electric Boogaloo."

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Brown continued to perform as a session musician for many years. He later gave it up and moved over to work in the real estate industry. Knight turned to songwriting and penned songs for several R&B artists like The Whispers and DeBarge. He would end up co-writing most of the songs on the 1985 debut album of the R&B/pop group The Jets, including their #3 Pop/#4 R&B hit "Crush on You." Prior to forming this duo, Knight grabbed two solo Top 20 R&B chart entries with 1980's "Overnight Sensation" (#17) and 1981's "Perfect Fit" (#16). Neither song could dent the Pop chart.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"They Don't Know" by Tracey Ullman

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  1811
Date:  02/25/1984
Debut:  63
Peak:  8
Weeks:  17
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  It's hard to believe now, but Ullman was virtually unknown in the US at this time. In her UK home she was already a major comedy star thank to her roles on two BBC sketch programs A Kick Up the Eighties and Three of a Kind, but she had not crossed the Atlantic yet. While doing Three of a Kind, she had a chance encounter with the wife of Dave Robinson, the head of Stiff Records. Ullman was asked if she wanted to make a record and she though - why not? Some folks advised her that it was not a good idea, but Ullman forged ahead and recorded an album of retro 60s-style tunes titled You Broke My Heart in 17 Places. Her first single in the UK was "Breakaway," a remake of a 1964 b-side tune by Irma Thomas. It was an immediate hit and reached #4 on the chart. "They Don't Know" followed and became her biggest hit at #2. A third single, "Move Over Darling" (a 1963 Doris Day song) wound up at #8. The success of the album and singles pushed Stiff to try the US market. Ullman's first single would be "They Don't Know." Thanks in part to a video that featured a cameo by Paul McCartney, the song took off and got into the Pop Top 10. It also reached #11 at AC. It was a great introduction to Ullman who would go on to major success in the US on TV, but for her music career, this hit would be about it (she would have one low-charting follow-up later in the year). The single Top 10 got her pegged as a one-hit wonder. Luckily, her TV and film work made her a real star and pretty much overshadowed this oddball classic 80s tune.

ReduxReview:  I totally fell for this song when it came out. It was an excellent song perfectly dressed in 60s girl group glam. I loved Ullman's album as well, which had some really fun remakes. But the best thing coming from this for me was Kirsty MacColl (see below). I wouldn't fully discover her until 1991, but once I did I was a huge fan. She was a terrific singer/songwriter who just couldn't get a break in the US. Her untimely death broke my heart, but her musical legacy lives on. If you don't know her work, go listen. Her Galore! collection is a good starter, but her albums Titanic Days and Tropical Brainstorm are excellent. The latter contains a song that has gained some airplay over the years - "In These Shoes?" has been used on TV and even in figure skating. Bette Midler covered the song for her 2001 album Bette. The song hit #8 on the Dance chart. As for Ullman, her second album wasn't as good, but it still had a few gems. I think I became a bigger fan of her once she was on TV, but I still like to hear her albums once in a while.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This song came courtesy of Ullman's labelmate at Stiff, Kirsty MacColl. MacColl wrote and recorded her tune in 1979. Picked up by radio stations, the song ended up being a #2 hit for airplay and seemed destined to be a hit on the UK chart. Unfortunately, a strike prevented the actual single from getting distributed and because the main chart was based on sales, the song was unable to chart. Luckily, Ullman got the tune and recorded it and the song finally became a hit. MacColl even supplied background vocals for it and provided her signature "baby!" shout out at the end of the instrumental section. Despite having seventeen chart singles in the UK, including two Top 10's, MacColl was never really able to break through in the US. Sadly, she died in 2000 in a boating accident in Mexico.  2) After this song hit, Ullman's comedic skills started to get attention. Eventually she was offered her own skit show on the new fledgling Fox network. The Tracey Ullman Show debuted in 1987. It ended up being a hit and ran through to 1990. Along the way, the show nabbed ten Emmy awards with three of those going to Ullman. Most famously, Ullman's show served as the launching pad for another hit TV show - The Simpsons. Originally conceived as short bumpers for the show, the family cartoon became popular enough in its own right to get spun off into its own show. As of this blog date, the show is still on the air in its 28th season, making it the longest running American scripted show in TV history. Ullman later voiced a character in an episode as a dog trainer who is helping Bart with Santa's Little Helper.

_________________________________________________________________________________