Song#: 0804
Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 82
Peak: 60
Weeks: 8
Genre: R&B
Pop Bits: As a solo artist, Jackson finally hit it big with his album and single "Let's Get Serious" (#9 single, #6 LP). But his follow-up LP didn't generate any major hits and the success he build quickly waned. The slide continued with his next album "I Like Your Style" as this first single couldn't crack the top half of the chart. It even stalled out at #29 at R&B.
ReduxReview: This is a subtle groove that may just be slightly too subdued to really make an impact on radio. It's a lovely tune and probably one of Jackson's better solo outings, however I don't think it was strong enough to stick out among all the funk, new wave, and soft rock that was all over the airwaves at the time.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Although his website still calls him Jermaine Jackson, he had his name officially changed to Jacksun in 2013. The only reason stated for the changes was due to "artistic reasons," but no one knows what that means.
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Saturday, April 19, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
"The Jam Was Moving" by Debbie Harry
Song#: 0803
Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 82
Peak: 82
Weeks: 3
Genre: Rock, New Wave
Pop Bits: Harry's first solo single "Backfired" certainly did just that. The song from her debut solo album "KooKoo" tanked only reaching #43. This second single couldn't even get out of the basement as it debuted and peaked at the same #82 position. Although the album did reach gold status in the US, it was considered a major disappointment since it came out soon after Blondie's back-to-back #1's "Rapture" and "The Tide Is High."
ReduxReview: "KooKoo" was a pretty awful album but even amidst garbage you can sometimes find a treasure. Although I wouldn't call this song a true buried treasure, it is about the only tune on the album worth salvaging. It probably should have been the lead single instead of coming out after the bomb "Backfired."
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: When Harry first began her music career she became a back-up vocalist for the group The Wind in the Willows. They were a folk-rock outfit who got signed to Capitol Records and issued a debut album in 1968. The album barely made the chart peaking at a lowly #195. A second album was in the works, but was never released and the group disintegrated.
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Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 82
Peak: 82
Weeks: 3
Genre: Rock, New Wave
Pop Bits: Harry's first solo single "Backfired" certainly did just that. The song from her debut solo album "KooKoo" tanked only reaching #43. This second single couldn't even get out of the basement as it debuted and peaked at the same #82 position. Although the album did reach gold status in the US, it was considered a major disappointment since it came out soon after Blondie's back-to-back #1's "Rapture" and "The Tide Is High."
ReduxReview: "KooKoo" was a pretty awful album but even amidst garbage you can sometimes find a treasure. Although I wouldn't call this song a true buried treasure, it is about the only tune on the album worth salvaging. It probably should have been the lead single instead of coming out after the bomb "Backfired."
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: When Harry first began her music career she became a back-up vocalist for the group The Wind in the Willows. They were a folk-rock outfit who got signed to Capitol Records and issued a debut album in 1968. The album barely made the chart peaking at a lowly #195. A second album was in the works, but was never released and the group disintegrated.
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Thursday, April 17, 2014
"The Cowboy and the Lady" by John Denver
Song#: 0802
Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 85
Peak: 66
Weeks: 7
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: Denver scored his first pop Top 40 song and Top 10 country hit in years with the title track from his album "Some Days Are Diamonds." The LP returned him to gold status after missing the mark with his previous album "Autograph." This second single found its way on both the pop and country charts, but couldn't get much support and faded after a few weeks.
ReduxReview: Bobby Goldsboro can be a terrific songwriter ("Summer (The First Time)") or a painfully sappy one ("Butterfly for Bucky"). This particular song that he wrote (see below) kind of falls in between. Goldsboro will usually tell a story and this one fits Denver well. It definitely works for him, but around its time of release this type of song was not in fashion, so it may not have been the best choice for a single. But for late-era John Denver, it's not too bad. (Although my 12-year-old boy humor has to chuckle at the line "there's a little bit of cowboy in the lady.")
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: As with his previous title-track single "Some Days Are Diamonds", this song is a remake. Written by Bobby Goldsboro, it appeared on his 1977 album "Goldsboro." It was issued as a single and reached #85 on the country chart. Denver's version made it to #50. (Side note: I got to meet Goldsboro. I was attending the Jim Stafford show in Branson sometime in the late '90s and had house seats as did Goldsboro. He was probably surprised that a youngster like me (well, late 20's at the time) knew who he was, but I had a couple of his singles when I was a kid and saw him on TV. So I easily recognized him.)
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Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 85
Peak: 66
Weeks: 7
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: Denver scored his first pop Top 40 song and Top 10 country hit in years with the title track from his album "Some Days Are Diamonds." The LP returned him to gold status after missing the mark with his previous album "Autograph." This second single found its way on both the pop and country charts, but couldn't get much support and faded after a few weeks.
ReduxReview: Bobby Goldsboro can be a terrific songwriter ("Summer (The First Time)") or a painfully sappy one ("Butterfly for Bucky"). This particular song that he wrote (see below) kind of falls in between. Goldsboro will usually tell a story and this one fits Denver well. It definitely works for him, but around its time of release this type of song was not in fashion, so it may not have been the best choice for a single. But for late-era John Denver, it's not too bad. (Although my 12-year-old boy humor has to chuckle at the line "there's a little bit of cowboy in the lady.")
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: As with his previous title-track single "Some Days Are Diamonds", this song is a remake. Written by Bobby Goldsboro, it appeared on his 1977 album "Goldsboro." It was issued as a single and reached #85 on the country chart. Denver's version made it to #50. (Side note: I got to meet Goldsboro. I was attending the Jim Stafford show in Branson sometime in the late '90s and had house seats as did Goldsboro. He was probably surprised that a youngster like me (well, late 20's at the time) knew who he was, but I had a couple of his singles when I was a kid and saw him on TV. So I easily recognized him.)
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"Castles in the Air" by Don McLean
Song#: 0801
Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 88
Peak: 36
Weeks: 14
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: McLean had a mini-revival of his career thanks to the late blossoming single "Crying," which reached #5 earlier in 1981 (though initially recorded in 1978). A follow-up album assembled and McLean released "Believers" later in the year. This first single from the album climbed into the Top 40, but it couldn't match the Top 10 performance of his previous hit. As a result, it marked the end of McLean's revival period and the song became his last to reach the pop chart, as did the album.
ReduxReview: Most times, the original version of a song remains the best. But this one (see below) for me is better than the original. McLean takes his time with the tune and the updated arrangement is better than the original folk version. The song itself is good and the new version better, but it's still nothing that I'd revisit again.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was originally recorded and included on McLean's debut album "Tapestry" in 1971. It was released as a single, but could only manage a #40 peak on the AC chart. Later the following year, this song was released again as the b-side to his #12 hit "Vincent." Radio began playing both songs and it was listed as a double-sided hit a month after "Vincent" first appeared on the chart. McLean re-recorded the song and the new version was included on "Believers" and cracked the Top 40, marking it's second appearance on the pop chart.
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Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 88
Peak: 36
Weeks: 14
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: McLean had a mini-revival of his career thanks to the late blossoming single "Crying," which reached #5 earlier in 1981 (though initially recorded in 1978). A follow-up album assembled and McLean released "Believers" later in the year. This first single from the album climbed into the Top 40, but it couldn't match the Top 10 performance of his previous hit. As a result, it marked the end of McLean's revival period and the song became his last to reach the pop chart, as did the album.
ReduxReview: Most times, the original version of a song remains the best. But this one (see below) for me is better than the original. McLean takes his time with the tune and the updated arrangement is better than the original folk version. The song itself is good and the new version better, but it's still nothing that I'd revisit again.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was originally recorded and included on McLean's debut album "Tapestry" in 1971. It was released as a single, but could only manage a #40 peak on the AC chart. Later the following year, this song was released again as the b-side to his #12 hit "Vincent." Radio began playing both songs and it was listed as a double-sided hit a month after "Vincent" first appeared on the chart. McLean re-recorded the song and the new version was included on "Believers" and cracked the Top 40, marking it's second appearance on the pop chart.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014
"More Than Just the Two of Us" by Sneaker
Song#: 0800
Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 89
Peak: 34
Weeks: 15
Genre: Soft Rock
Pop Bits: This West Coast band had been around for a few years before finally signing to Handshake Records and issuing their self-titled debut in 1981. This first single from the album made it into the Top 40 and has since become kind of a popular "lost" track from the 80s.
ReduxReview: The song starts out like an Air Supply song but it doesn't get as epic as some of their hits. I like the song and it's been on a couple 80s comps I've bought. It's a nice piece of West Coast pop and probably should have done a bit better on the chart.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: In addition to other artists, the group cites Steely Dan as being an influence. The group's name is a reflection of that influence as it was taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Bad Sneakers." That track appears on their 1975 LP "Katy Lied." It was issued as a single, but failed to reach the chart.
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Date: 10/31/1981
Debut: 89
Peak: 34
Weeks: 15
Genre: Soft Rock
Pop Bits: This West Coast band had been around for a few years before finally signing to Handshake Records and issuing their self-titled debut in 1981. This first single from the album made it into the Top 40 and has since become kind of a popular "lost" track from the 80s.
ReduxReview: The song starts out like an Air Supply song but it doesn't get as epic as some of their hits. I like the song and it's been on a couple 80s comps I've bought. It's a nice piece of West Coast pop and probably should have done a bit better on the chart.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: In addition to other artists, the group cites Steely Dan as being an influence. The group's name is a reflection of that influence as it was taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Bad Sneakers." That track appears on their 1975 LP "Katy Lied." It was issued as a single, but failed to reach the chart.
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