Song#: 1209
Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 72
Peak: 23
Weeks: 16
Genre: Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: After Fogelberg's LP "The Innocent Age" spawned four chart hits that including three Top 10's, he had the task of trying to follow up that highly successful album. With a few other hits to his credit, the time seemed right to push out a compilation and he did so with "Greatest Hits." The LP contained eight of his chart hits plus two brand new songs. The first of the new songs was spun off into this single that couldn't quit make it into the Top 20. It was more successful at AC where it reached #6.
ReduxReview: This is a pretty good tune, but it wouldn't make my list of favorite Fogelberg songs. It's a bit rockier than the singles he put forth from "The Innocent Age." The song doesn't have "hit" written all over it, but I think it did pretty well for what it was. These days it is pretty much forgotten.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Fogelberg's name is Swedish (his paternal great-grandfather was from Sweden). It originates from "Vogelberg," which means "mountain bird." This seemed quite appropriate when Fogelberg built a ranch in the Colorado Rockies. Of course he called it Mountain Bird Ranch.
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Saturday, March 28, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
"Be My Lady" by Jefferson Starship
Song#: 1209
Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 73
Peak: 28
Weeks: 16
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: The Starship's latest LP, "Winds of Change," closely mimicked the results of their previous album "Modern Times." Both albums would peak at #26 and go gold with the first single from each reaching the Top 30. "Modern Times" had "Find Your Way Back," which peaked at #29, while "Winds of Change" led off with this single which got one notch higher to #28. Although they were not blowing the doors off of any chart, they were keeping a steady pace that lead to filled seats at their concert stops.
ReduxReview: I'd have to say (and some critics agree) that this album was Jefferson Starship's low point. The material was just not there. Plus, their inner struggles didn't help things. While not awful, this bland single just sounds lazy. Honestly, I've heard this song many times but when the title pops up somewhere, I have to try and remember what the dang thing sounded like. That's not good.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: The band's lead guitarist, Craig Chaquico, became a full-time member of Jefferson Starship in 1974 and remained with them as they transitioned to just Starship in the mid-80s. In the 90s, Chaquico expanded his musical horizons and branched out into new age music. His 1994 album, "Acoustic Planet," garnered a Grammy nod for Best New Age Album.
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Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 73
Peak: 28
Weeks: 16
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: The Starship's latest LP, "Winds of Change," closely mimicked the results of their previous album "Modern Times." Both albums would peak at #26 and go gold with the first single from each reaching the Top 30. "Modern Times" had "Find Your Way Back," which peaked at #29, while "Winds of Change" led off with this single which got one notch higher to #28. Although they were not blowing the doors off of any chart, they were keeping a steady pace that lead to filled seats at their concert stops.
ReduxReview: I'd have to say (and some critics agree) that this album was Jefferson Starship's low point. The material was just not there. Plus, their inner struggles didn't help things. While not awful, this bland single just sounds lazy. Honestly, I've heard this song many times but when the title pops up somewhere, I have to try and remember what the dang thing sounded like. That's not good.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: The band's lead guitarist, Craig Chaquico, became a full-time member of Jefferson Starship in 1974 and remained with them as they transitioned to just Starship in the mid-80s. In the 90s, Chaquico expanded his musical horizons and branched out into new age music. His 1994 album, "Acoustic Planet," garnered a Grammy nod for Best New Age Album.
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Thursday, March 26, 2015
"The Only Way Out" by Cliff Richard
Song#: 1208
Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 74
Peak: 64
Weeks: 7
Genre: Pop, Contemporary Christian
Pop Bits: As Richard's peak period in the US began to ebb, he suddenly made a left turn and veered into Christian rock territory. While not overtly religious, several of the songs that made up his album "Now You See Me...Now You Don't," had Christian overtones within the lyrics including this first single. Unfortunately, it's low peak signaled that Richard's US downslide was still in progress.
ReduxReview: This song is not too far away from the pop he had been releasing in the years prior. However, it's just not quite as strong as songs like "Dreamin'," so the result is the lower peak. It's not an outstanding song, but I find it another enjoyable tune from this period in his career.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Richard has said in an interview that he didn't inform anyone about this being a gospel album. He simply turned it in to his label and they didn't bat an eye. The album was set for release and marketed just like any other of Richard's releases. No marketing to the Christian/gospel market was done. The album did well in the UK reaching #4 and going gold thanks to this single hitting #10 and the #11 peak of the Christmas-timed release of "Little Town," an updated version of the carol "O, Little Town of Bethlehem."
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Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 74
Peak: 64
Weeks: 7
Genre: Pop, Contemporary Christian
Pop Bits: As Richard's peak period in the US began to ebb, he suddenly made a left turn and veered into Christian rock territory. While not overtly religious, several of the songs that made up his album "Now You See Me...Now You Don't," had Christian overtones within the lyrics including this first single. Unfortunately, it's low peak signaled that Richard's US downslide was still in progress.
ReduxReview: This song is not too far away from the pop he had been releasing in the years prior. However, it's just not quite as strong as songs like "Dreamin'," so the result is the lower peak. It's not an outstanding song, but I find it another enjoyable tune from this period in his career.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Richard has said in an interview that he didn't inform anyone about this being a gospel album. He simply turned it in to his label and they didn't bat an eye. The album was set for release and marketed just like any other of Richard's releases. No marketing to the Christian/gospel market was done. The album did well in the UK reaching #4 and going gold thanks to this single hitting #10 and the #11 peak of the Christmas-timed release of "Little Town," an updated version of the carol "O, Little Town of Bethlehem."
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Wednesday, March 25, 2015
"She's Tight" by Cheap Trick
Song#: 1207
Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 81
Peak: 65
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Cheap Trick's LP "One on One" had a lackluster start thanks to the #45 peak of its first single "If You Want My Love." This second single didn't do much better and peaked twenty spots lower. The lack of single support didn't hinder sales of the album too much as it was another gold-seller for the band.
ReduxReview: The beginning of this song sounds like a lost ELO rave-up. That's about as far as that comparison goes though. This isn't too bad of a rock tune, but I think the album had some better choices for single contention. Still, there was nothing on the LP that would make it a major hit. They've done better.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Cheap Trick's drummer Bun E. Carlos later participated in a side project called Tinted Windows. The band was sort of a supergroup that consisted of Carlos, Taylor Hanson (Hanson brothers), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne). Their self-titled debut came out in 2009 and reached #59 on the album chart.
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Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 81
Peak: 65
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Cheap Trick's LP "One on One" had a lackluster start thanks to the #45 peak of its first single "If You Want My Love." This second single didn't do much better and peaked twenty spots lower. The lack of single support didn't hinder sales of the album too much as it was another gold-seller for the band.
ReduxReview: The beginning of this song sounds like a lost ELO rave-up. That's about as far as that comparison goes though. This isn't too bad of a rock tune, but I think the album had some better choices for single contention. Still, there was nothing on the LP that would make it a major hit. They've done better.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Cheap Trick's drummer Bun E. Carlos later participated in a side project called Tinted Windows. The band was sort of a supergroup that consisted of Carlos, Taylor Hanson (Hanson brothers), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne). Their self-titled debut came out in 2009 and reached #59 on the album chart.
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Tuesday, March 24, 2015
"Shakin'" by Eddie Money
Song#: 1206
Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 83
Peak: 63
Weeks: 9
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Money got his second biggest hit to-date with "I Think I'm in Love" (#16 pop, #1 Mainstream Rock) from his album "No Control." This second single was another rock hit reaching #9, but pop radio wasn't so keen on the song and it lingered around the bottom third of the chart for a couple months.
ReduxReview: In the late 80s, I was a DJ at a roller rink. This song was popular with a group of kids that came in. I'd play it, but never really liked the song. It had kind of a sleazy stripper-song feel to it that I just wasn't into. It's still not a favorite, but I can tolerate it better now.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Actress and model Patricia Kotero appeared in the video for this song. She became more well-known when she won the lead female role in Prince's film "Purple Rain." By that time she was known as Apollonia, which was her middle name. She also headed up the Prince protégé trio Apollonia 6 who would get one entry on the pop chart with 1984's "Sex Shooter" (#84 pop, #7 R&B). The song was featured in "Purple Rain."
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Date: 10/09/1982
Debut: 83
Peak: 63
Weeks: 9
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Money got his second biggest hit to-date with "I Think I'm in Love" (#16 pop, #1 Mainstream Rock) from his album "No Control." This second single was another rock hit reaching #9, but pop radio wasn't so keen on the song and it lingered around the bottom third of the chart for a couple months.
ReduxReview: In the late 80s, I was a DJ at a roller rink. This song was popular with a group of kids that came in. I'd play it, but never really liked the song. It had kind of a sleazy stripper-song feel to it that I just wasn't into. It's still not a favorite, but I can tolerate it better now.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Actress and model Patricia Kotero appeared in the video for this song. She became more well-known when she won the lead female role in Prince's film "Purple Rain." By that time she was known as Apollonia, which was her middle name. She also headed up the Prince protégé trio Apollonia 6 who would get one entry on the pop chart with 1984's "Sex Shooter" (#84 pop, #7 R&B). The song was featured in "Purple Rain."
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