Song#: 0175
Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 77
Peak: 40
Weeks: 9
Genre: Rock, New Wave
Pop Bits: Cooper's solo career started out great with his "Welcome to My Nightmare" concept album. But between his alcohol issues and lack of quality material and critics no longer taking him seriously, his successive albums couldn't replicate the success of "Nightmare." He did pinch off a couple of hit singles along the way, most notably the #9 "I Never Cry," but it wasn't enough. As the 80s blew in, Cooper took a dive into the new wave waters with the album "Flush the Fashion." The new sound confused listeners, but years later many fans considered the album a lost gem. This lead single just barely managed to hit the Top 40 and would be his last chart entry for six years.
ReduxReview: Yeah, new wave did not fit Cooper like a glove, but I do like this single. It is like Gary Numan meets The Cars. I was (still am) a huge fan of "Nightmare" and even the later album "From the Inside" I really liked. But this was the point I lost interest in Cooper - like many others did.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Alice Cooper was originally the name of the band, not the person. His real name is Vincent Furnier and his band got the name Alice Cooper from a ouija board session. The wholesome sounding name was chosen because it was the opposite of the band's image and music. Furnier later legally change his name to Alice Cooper, which then helped avoid any legal issues when he embarked on his solo career.
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Saturday, December 8, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
"All Night Thing" by The Invisible Man's Band
Song#: 0174
Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 79
Peak: 45
Weeks: 10
Genre: R&B, Soul
Pop Bits: In 1965 a group of five siblings (last name Burke) began a vocal group call The Five Stairsteps. In the late 60s they had some Top 20 R&B hits with most making to the lower rungs of the pop chart. They had their peak in 1970 when their now-classic single, "O-o-h Child" went to #8 and became a gold record. But the hits stopped soon after and the group disbanded. However, four of the Burke's reformed in 1979 as The Invisible Man's Band and released an album that featured this track. Although not a big pop hit, it did return them to the R&B Top 10. A second album didn't generate attention and the group split with the siblings going their own ways. Three of them still work in music while the rest of the family have gone on to their own careers in other fields.
ReduxReview: Oh crap. Another 6+ minute R&B tune. Yeah, I know this one is more for the dance market, but still, a quality single can get the point across in 3-4 minutes. Here is my view: wreck up the radio in a short time and leave folks wanting to hear it again. Long songs = boring and repetitive. This song peaked at around the 4 minute mark. If they had cut the long intro and tail end, this would be a solid funky single. Actually, I'm sure they did some edit for the radio but I can't find it. So I'm stuck with this version - and it is too long. However, I'd rate it better than most.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: The Burke's story was similar to the Jackson's before they came along. Five siblings from the Chicago area made up the group with a sixth youngster briefly joining later. Plus, there were three more brothers who did not participate in the group. When they began having R&B hits, they garnered the nickname "the first family of soul." Of course the Jackson 5 would soon overshadow the group and become far more successful.
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Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 79
Peak: 45
Weeks: 10
Genre: R&B, Soul
Pop Bits: In 1965 a group of five siblings (last name Burke) began a vocal group call The Five Stairsteps. In the late 60s they had some Top 20 R&B hits with most making to the lower rungs of the pop chart. They had their peak in 1970 when their now-classic single, "O-o-h Child" went to #8 and became a gold record. But the hits stopped soon after and the group disbanded. However, four of the Burke's reformed in 1979 as The Invisible Man's Band and released an album that featured this track. Although not a big pop hit, it did return them to the R&B Top 10. A second album didn't generate attention and the group split with the siblings going their own ways. Three of them still work in music while the rest of the family have gone on to their own careers in other fields.
ReduxReview: Oh crap. Another 6+ minute R&B tune. Yeah, I know this one is more for the dance market, but still, a quality single can get the point across in 3-4 minutes. Here is my view: wreck up the radio in a short time and leave folks wanting to hear it again. Long songs = boring and repetitive. This song peaked at around the 4 minute mark. If they had cut the long intro and tail end, this would be a solid funky single. Actually, I'm sure they did some edit for the radio but I can't find it. So I'm stuck with this version - and it is too long. However, I'd rate it better than most.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: The Burke's story was similar to the Jackson's before they came along. Five siblings from the Chicago area made up the group with a sixth youngster briefly joining later. Plus, there were three more brothers who did not participate in the group. When they began having R&B hits, they garnered the nickname "the first family of soul." Of course the Jackson 5 would soon overshadow the group and become far more successful.
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"Dancin' Like Lovers" by Mary MacGregor
Song#: 0173
Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 83
Peak: 72
Weeks: 4
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: Discovered by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, MacGregor burst onto the pop scene when her first single, "Torn Between Two Lovers," topped the chart in 1976. Follow-up singles were far less successful and after two albums she was let go from her label. However, she recorded "Good Friend" for the soundtrack to the Bill Murray movie "Meatballs" for the RSO label and it scratched the Top 40. It was enough to make RSO sign her for an album. This was the second single released and it's low performance did not encourage the label to ask for another album. It was a quick shot of fame for MacGregor and she basically left the industry and worked night clubs and other gigs.
ReduxReview: The waltz-ballad is one of my least favorite styles of pop. It had better be a damn good song to rise above the oom-pa-pa feeling. This one is just okay. I think the chorus works fine but in the verses I still just hear 1-2-3, 1-2-3...
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: Peter Yarrow not only discovered MacGregor, but he also wrote her signature tune "Torn Between Two Lovers." The song proved so popular that it inspired a TV movie that used the song and its title. It aired in 1979 and starred Lee Remick.
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Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 83
Peak: 72
Weeks: 4
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: Discovered by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, MacGregor burst onto the pop scene when her first single, "Torn Between Two Lovers," topped the chart in 1976. Follow-up singles were far less successful and after two albums she was let go from her label. However, she recorded "Good Friend" for the soundtrack to the Bill Murray movie "Meatballs" for the RSO label and it scratched the Top 40. It was enough to make RSO sign her for an album. This was the second single released and it's low performance did not encourage the label to ask for another album. It was a quick shot of fame for MacGregor and she basically left the industry and worked night clubs and other gigs.
ReduxReview: The waltz-ballad is one of my least favorite styles of pop. It had better be a damn good song to rise above the oom-pa-pa feeling. This one is just okay. I think the chorus works fine but in the verses I still just hear 1-2-3, 1-2-3...
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: Peter Yarrow not only discovered MacGregor, but he also wrote her signature tune "Torn Between Two Lovers." The song proved so popular that it inspired a TV movie that used the song and its title. It aired in 1979 and starred Lee Remick.
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Thursday, December 6, 2012
"Is This Love" by Pat Travers Band
Song#: 0172
Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 84
Peak: 50
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Canada is not necessarily known for supplying blues-rock artists, but Travers is probably the most universally known and appreciated. However, it took a move to London for him to get signed to a label - Polydor. His self-title debut came out in 1976 and garnered attention, but it wasn't until 1978 that he broke through to the US market. His most successful album was 1980's "Crash and Burn," which featured this single. But in many ways it is not the most popular song from the album. The song "Snortin' Whisky" was a top rock radio hit and became one of his most well-known songs. Travers would not hit the pop chart again and by the mid-80s his sales were in deep decline and he was without a label contract. He still continues to tour and record and has been cited as a major influence by many guitar players.
ReduxReview: As remakes go (see below), I guess this one is okay. It's pretty faithful to the original, but has more of a slick sound to it which takes away some of Marley's exotic edge. I don't mind it at all, but I highly prefer the original.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This is a remake of Bob Marley's famous song from his 1978 "Kaya" album. It never charted here in the US (it hit #9 in the UK) by Marley and this version by Travers is the only one that has. 2) Travers resides in Florida and holds a Black Belt in Isshin Ryu Karate.
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Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 84
Peak: 50
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Canada is not necessarily known for supplying blues-rock artists, but Travers is probably the most universally known and appreciated. However, it took a move to London for him to get signed to a label - Polydor. His self-title debut came out in 1976 and garnered attention, but it wasn't until 1978 that he broke through to the US market. His most successful album was 1980's "Crash and Burn," which featured this single. But in many ways it is not the most popular song from the album. The song "Snortin' Whisky" was a top rock radio hit and became one of his most well-known songs. Travers would not hit the pop chart again and by the mid-80s his sales were in deep decline and he was without a label contract. He still continues to tour and record and has been cited as a major influence by many guitar players.
ReduxReview: As remakes go (see below), I guess this one is okay. It's pretty faithful to the original, but has more of a slick sound to it which takes away some of Marley's exotic edge. I don't mind it at all, but I highly prefer the original.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This is a remake of Bob Marley's famous song from his 1978 "Kaya" album. It never charted here in the US (it hit #9 in the UK) by Marley and this version by Travers is the only one that has. 2) Travers resides in Florida and holds a Black Belt in Isshin Ryu Karate.
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"Stand By Me" by Mickey Gilley
Song#: 0171
Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 85
Peak: 22
Weeks: 18
Genre: Country, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: As the 80s rolled in, Gilley was in a slight slump. The mid-70s brought him seven #1 country hits but as the new decade approached the sound of country was moving towards a crossover sound and his straight-ahead country/honky tonk music was losing popularity. But the film "Urban Cowboy" would change that. Based on Gilley's Pasadena, Texas, bar, the film and its soundtrack would make the new pop-country sound extremely popular and Gilley rode that wave with this remake of the Ben E. King standard, which hit #1 on the country chart. It brought a new audience to him along with five more consecutive country #1's. Although this would be his biggest pop hit, he remained a fixture on the country chart through 1989.
ReduxReview: Alright, let the grief head my way now. I know this is a classic song beloved by millions of people. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. I have just never liked the song and I can't even tell you why. I can tolerate Ben E. King's original on rare occasions, but remakes like this one just make things worse. I was able to listen to this once. Don't make me cowboy up and do it again.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: The original Gilley's bar, featured in "Urban Cowboy," was opened in 1971 - three years before Gilley's first country hit, "Room Full of Roses," would top the chart. The giant bar featuring the famous mechanical bull and small rodeo arena would be the touchstone of the "Urban Cowboy Movement" and was called the world's biggest honky tonk. It was closed in 1989 and in 1990 the bar's interior was gutted in a major fire. The property was finally razed in 2006 and is now the site of a middle school.
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Date: 05/17/1980
Debut: 85
Peak: 22
Weeks: 18
Genre: Country, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: As the 80s rolled in, Gilley was in a slight slump. The mid-70s brought him seven #1 country hits but as the new decade approached the sound of country was moving towards a crossover sound and his straight-ahead country/honky tonk music was losing popularity. But the film "Urban Cowboy" would change that. Based on Gilley's Pasadena, Texas, bar, the film and its soundtrack would make the new pop-country sound extremely popular and Gilley rode that wave with this remake of the Ben E. King standard, which hit #1 on the country chart. It brought a new audience to him along with five more consecutive country #1's. Although this would be his biggest pop hit, he remained a fixture on the country chart through 1989.
ReduxReview: Alright, let the grief head my way now. I know this is a classic song beloved by millions of people. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. I have just never liked the song and I can't even tell you why. I can tolerate Ben E. King's original on rare occasions, but remakes like this one just make things worse. I was able to listen to this once. Don't make me cowboy up and do it again.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: The original Gilley's bar, featured in "Urban Cowboy," was opened in 1971 - three years before Gilley's first country hit, "Room Full of Roses," would top the chart. The giant bar featuring the famous mechanical bull and small rodeo arena would be the touchstone of the "Urban Cowboy Movement" and was called the world's biggest honky tonk. It was closed in 1989 and in 1990 the bar's interior was gutted in a major fire. The property was finally razed in 2006 and is now the site of a middle school.
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