Song#: 2602
Date: 02/01/1986
Debut: 97
Peak: 74
Weeks: 8
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Frampton tasted success at an early age. When he was sixteen, he was a member of the British band The Herd. They captured two UK Top 10's beginning in 1967. The following year he left that band and joined Humble Pie. That blues-rock band would have good success in the US in the early 70s, but by 1971 Frampton was done and ready to move out on his own. His first three albums were low-charters that failed to yield any charting singles. The tides began to turn with his fourth album, 1975's Frampton. A couple of songs from the album got some attention and even though none of them charted, the album grew in popularity and made it to #32 on the chart. That set him up for one of the biggest albums of the 70s, Frampton Comes Alive! It hit #1 thanks to two Top 10 hits ("Show Me the Way" and "Do You Feel Like I Do") and another that got to #12 ("Baby, I Love Your Way). Although he'd been a star for years, it seemed like overnight Frampton was a superstar. His next studio LP contained the #2 title track "I'm in You," but the #2 platinum album was considered a disappointment after the multi-platinum live set. Things tumbled from there with his next three albums successively doing worse. Due to a dispute with his label (A&M), Frampton didn't record anything for four years. He finally moved over to Atlantic Records for 1986's Premonition. This first single would be his first Top 10 on the Rock chart getting to #4. That result allowed the song to cross over to Pop for a couple of months. It wasn't a major hit, but it got Frampton back in the game. Although it would be his last charting Pop single, the boost helped his career and he would go on to have some good successes such as 2006's Fingerprints, which won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album.
ReduxReview: Guitar wizard Frampton returns after a four years absence and glosses up his sound with a slick 80s synths and production. It worked well enough to get him back on the Pop chart, but critics weren't all that kind. I remember the album coming out and hearing this song on the radio. I thought it was a pretty good track that fit in at the time with stuff being pushed out by Huey Lewis, Don Henley, and Steve Winwood. Is it the same 70s classic rock Frampton? Nope. But that is fine. He took a stab at keeping up with trends and I thought it worked out fine.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Back in 1970, Frampton was having issues with his guitar during some Humble Pie shows in San Francisco. An audience member got Frampton's attention and said he had a modified Les Paul guitar available if Frampton wanted to give it a try. Frampton tested it out and immediately fell in love with the guitar. For the next decade he used that guitar in all his performances including the one for his famous Frampton Comes Alive! album (the guitar is on the cover of the LP). In 1980 between stops on a South American tour, the guitar was loaded on the cargo plane that was to take the gear to the next gig. Unfortunately, the plane crashed just after take off killing the pilot. Frampton assumed that his guitar was destroyed in the crash. Yet, it was not. It somehow survived with some bumps and bruises and ended up with a musician who lived in Curaçao. He played it for decades and sometime in 2009 the guitar needed a fix and he took it to a local guy who does repairs. As it happens, that repair guy's main job is as a customs agent and being a collector of guitars, he noticed the modifications on the instrument and thinkg started to click. He identified it as Frampton's guitar and sent pictures to Frampton so that he could verify. It did indeed look like Frampton's guitar, but the current owner wasn't very willing to part with it. After two years, the guy finally sold it to the custom's agent who then presented it back to Frampton. After 31 years, Frampton's guitar was finally back home.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
"Life's What You Make It" by Talk Talk
Song#: 2601
Date: 02/01/1986
Debut: 98
Peak: 90
Weeks: 4
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: This English band broke through in the US in 1984 with the hooky synthpop song "It's My Life," the first single and title track from their second album. While the hit brought a lot more attention to the band, they didn't seem all that happy by the success, the pressures it brought, and their more commercial synthpop sound. The band decided to change course for their next LP The Colour of Spring. The shimmery synthpop of their previous LP was traded in for a fuller band sound that leaned towards experimental rock while retaining a bit of commercial appeal, as typified by this first single. The new sound was warmly received in the UK where the single got to #16 and the album #8. In the US, the news wasn't quite as good. Although the song got to #20 at Dance and #26 Rock, it just couldn't make it out of the basement at Pop. It would be their last charting single in the US.
ReduxReview: I really like the groove of this song with that deep piano riff leading the way. The production of the song is terrific. It's moody and atmospheric and I really dig listening to it. However, I can see why it didn't really do much in the US. There is nary a hook in the thing, which is a near necessity for US pop radio. Yet I don't think the song needed one. The jam stands out on its own and makes an impression. It's just a shame that US listeners weren't patient enough to give the song a chance. They missed out.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: This song was basically a forced write. It seems their management didn't think there was anything on the new album that was single-worthy and asked them to write another song. They were reluctant at first, but then came up with this tune, which helped the album become their best selling studio album in the UK. After this, the band dove even further into experimental territory for their next album Spirit of Eden. Although it featured no hits, the album sold well and critics applauded their new sound. Feeling that their label, EMI, was not in-tune with what they were doing, they sought to dissolve their contract, which they eventually did. They signed up with Polydor and issued out the post-rock album, 1991's Laughing Stock. While critically well-received, the album was not a big seller. The following year, the band decided they had other interests broke up.
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Date: 02/01/1986
Debut: 98
Peak: 90
Weeks: 4
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: This English band broke through in the US in 1984 with the hooky synthpop song "It's My Life," the first single and title track from their second album. While the hit brought a lot more attention to the band, they didn't seem all that happy by the success, the pressures it brought, and their more commercial synthpop sound. The band decided to change course for their next LP The Colour of Spring. The shimmery synthpop of their previous LP was traded in for a fuller band sound that leaned towards experimental rock while retaining a bit of commercial appeal, as typified by this first single. The new sound was warmly received in the UK where the single got to #16 and the album #8. In the US, the news wasn't quite as good. Although the song got to #20 at Dance and #26 Rock, it just couldn't make it out of the basement at Pop. It would be their last charting single in the US.
ReduxReview: I really like the groove of this song with that deep piano riff leading the way. The production of the song is terrific. It's moody and atmospheric and I really dig listening to it. However, I can see why it didn't really do much in the US. There is nary a hook in the thing, which is a near necessity for US pop radio. Yet I don't think the song needed one. The jam stands out on its own and makes an impression. It's just a shame that US listeners weren't patient enough to give the song a chance. They missed out.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: This song was basically a forced write. It seems their management didn't think there was anything on the new album that was single-worthy and asked them to write another song. They were reluctant at first, but then came up with this tune, which helped the album become their best selling studio album in the UK. After this, the band dove even further into experimental territory for their next album Spirit of Eden. Although it featured no hits, the album sold well and critics applauded their new sound. Feeling that their label, EMI, was not in-tune with what they were doing, they sought to dissolve their contract, which they eventually did. They signed up with Polydor and issued out the post-rock album, 1991's Laughing Stock. While critically well-received, the album was not a big seller. The following year, the band decided they had other interests broke up.
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Monday, November 26, 2018
"Sanctify Yourself" by Simple Minds
Song#: 2600
Date: 01/25/1986
Debut: 64
Peak: 14
Weeks: 14
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Simple Minds got their second US Top 10 hit with "Alive and Kicking," the lead single from their album Once Upon a Time. It was a big hit at Rock getting to #2 and this next single got very close to that reaching #3. On the Pop chart, it couldn't quite make it to the Top 10, but it still did well getting to #14. The songs would help the album reach #10 and go gold. It would be the band's only LP to hit the US Top 10. In the UK, it would be their second of four #1 albums.
ReduxReview: Around this time the "sounds like U2" phrase was pushed on a lot of bands including Simple Minds (who got dubbed by some as the Scottish U2). It's really unfair to do that because in most cases that was not the intent of the band. Yet when you do something like this song, I almost think you are daring to invite the comparison. Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if Jim Kerr and the band actually wanted to do U2 better than U2. I doubt that was their true goal here, but dang whenever I hear this song I can hear Bono's voice. If they were trying to outdo U2 here, I think they succeeded. That's because by this point in time U2 hadn't quite found their commercial rock voice yet and Simple Minds kind of beat them to the punch. It was a worthy follow-up to "Alive and Kicking."
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: At the end of the song, you can hear a male gospel-ish voice taking off in the background. That vocal was provided by Michael Been the lead singer of the US rock band The Call. It seems that Simple Minds and The Call had toured together and that led to Been lending a hand on Once Upon a Time. To return the favor, Simple Mind's lead singer Jim Kerr did some background vocals on The Call's 1986 album Reconciled. The track "Everywhere I Go" featured both Jim Kerr and Peter Gabriel on background vocals. The song was able to make it to #38 on the Rock chart.
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Date: 01/25/1986
Debut: 64
Peak: 14
Weeks: 14
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Simple Minds got their second US Top 10 hit with "Alive and Kicking," the lead single from their album Once Upon a Time. It was a big hit at Rock getting to #2 and this next single got very close to that reaching #3. On the Pop chart, it couldn't quite make it to the Top 10, but it still did well getting to #14. The songs would help the album reach #10 and go gold. It would be the band's only LP to hit the US Top 10. In the UK, it would be their second of four #1 albums.
ReduxReview: Around this time the "sounds like U2" phrase was pushed on a lot of bands including Simple Minds (who got dubbed by some as the Scottish U2). It's really unfair to do that because in most cases that was not the intent of the band. Yet when you do something like this song, I almost think you are daring to invite the comparison. Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if Jim Kerr and the band actually wanted to do U2 better than U2. I doubt that was their true goal here, but dang whenever I hear this song I can hear Bono's voice. If they were trying to outdo U2 here, I think they succeeded. That's because by this point in time U2 hadn't quite found their commercial rock voice yet and Simple Minds kind of beat them to the punch. It was a worthy follow-up to "Alive and Kicking."
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: At the end of the song, you can hear a male gospel-ish voice taking off in the background. That vocal was provided by Michael Been the lead singer of the US rock band The Call. It seems that Simple Minds and The Call had toured together and that led to Been lending a hand on Once Upon a Time. To return the favor, Simple Mind's lead singer Jim Kerr did some background vocals on The Call's 1986 album Reconciled. The track "Everywhere I Go" featured both Jim Kerr and Peter Gabriel on background vocals. The song was able to make it to #38 on the Rock chart.
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Sunday, November 25, 2018
"No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper
Song#: 2599
Date: 01/25/1986
Debut: 80
Peak: 22
Weeks: 16
Genre: Rock, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: This New Jersey singer/songwriter had been performing in bands and on his own since he was a teen in the late 60s. After supplying a couple of hits for other artists, Tepper ended up with a solo contract of his own with Scotti Brothers in 1985. Around that time, the soundtrack to Sylvester Stallone's film Rocky IV was being assembled, which was to be released on Scotti Brothers. The connection led to Tepper contributing this song to the film's soundtrack. It would end up being issued out as the third single from the soundtrack in addition to serving as the first single from Tepper's debut album of the same name. The song would do well at Rock getting to #12 while nearly breaking into the Pop Top 20. These results plus Tepper's sound was enough for Stallone to lift another track from Tepper's debut album, "Angel of the City," for the soundtrack to his 1986 film Cobra.
ReduxReview: The unmistakable 80s production on this track is massive and awesome. Luckily, it was paired with a good song with a solid hook. I liked it right off the bat and got the single. It might have been too heavy of a song to reach the Pop Top 10, but it really should have. Tepper is a good vocalist, but there is nothing really unique about his voice to make it stand out from other singers so he was going to need some A+ material to really make it. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and this ended up being his only major hit.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Tepper's first song to reach the chart was one that he wrote with Madeline Sunshine titled "This Is Love." The tune was picked up and recorded by Paul Anka in 1978. The single would get to #3 AC and #35 Pop. Tepper then hooked up with singer Benny Mardones and the pair wrote "Into the Night," a #11 hit for Mardones in 1980 (the song later re-charted in 1989 and got to #20). Tepper would also co-write "La Bel Age," at #54 Pop/#19 Rock entry by Pat Benatar.
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Date: 01/25/1986
Debut: 80
Peak: 22
Weeks: 16
Genre: Rock, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: This New Jersey singer/songwriter had been performing in bands and on his own since he was a teen in the late 60s. After supplying a couple of hits for other artists, Tepper ended up with a solo contract of his own with Scotti Brothers in 1985. Around that time, the soundtrack to Sylvester Stallone's film Rocky IV was being assembled, which was to be released on Scotti Brothers. The connection led to Tepper contributing this song to the film's soundtrack. It would end up being issued out as the third single from the soundtrack in addition to serving as the first single from Tepper's debut album of the same name. The song would do well at Rock getting to #12 while nearly breaking into the Pop Top 20. These results plus Tepper's sound was enough for Stallone to lift another track from Tepper's debut album, "Angel of the City," for the soundtrack to his 1986 film Cobra.
ReduxReview: The unmistakable 80s production on this track is massive and awesome. Luckily, it was paired with a good song with a solid hook. I liked it right off the bat and got the single. It might have been too heavy of a song to reach the Pop Top 10, but it really should have. Tepper is a good vocalist, but there is nothing really unique about his voice to make it stand out from other singers so he was going to need some A+ material to really make it. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and this ended up being his only major hit.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Tepper's first song to reach the chart was one that he wrote with Madeline Sunshine titled "This Is Love." The tune was picked up and recorded by Paul Anka in 1978. The single would get to #3 AC and #35 Pop. Tepper then hooked up with singer Benny Mardones and the pair wrote "Into the Night," a #11 hit for Mardones in 1980 (the song later re-charted in 1989 and got to #20). Tepper would also co-write "La Bel Age," at #54 Pop/#19 Rock entry by Pat Benatar.
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Saturday, November 24, 2018
"Bop" by Dan Seals
Song#: 2598
Date: 01/25/1986
Debut: 83
Peak: 42
Weeks: 15
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: After a successful run with his duo partner John Ford Coley, "England Dan" Seals set out on a solo career in 1980. He decided to move away from the duo's soft rock sound and head toward country music. His debut solo disc (and only one as England Dan Seals), Stones, was a crossover effort that yielded the #57 Pop entry "Late at Night," but country radio didn't bite. A second album fared even worse. Seals then moved over to the Liberty label and put out Rebel Heart. This time country folks took notice and Seals ended up with four country chart entries including the #10 "God Must Be a Cowboy." His next LP contained three more Top 10's, but it would be this single from his fourth album Won't Be Blue Anymore that would get him back on the Pop chart. The peppy tune would bolt up to #1 at Country while nearly making the Pop Top 40. It was also a hit at AC getting to #10. The hit helped his album get to #1 Country (#52 Pop) and go gold. It would be Seals' peak moment as a solo star. Although he would not get on the Pop chart again, Seals had a remarkable run of nine #1 songs in a row on the Country chart from '85-'88. He got two more in 1990, but his fortunes dwindled quickly when the new breed of country star (a la Garth Brooks) began to take over. Seals would pass away from cancer in 2009 at the age of 61.
ReduxReview: Man, this brings back memories of the skating rink! When I DJ'd on adult skate night, this was the most requested song for a long time. People just loved it. Even younger kids thought it was a fun tune. It was a perfectly written song that appealed to a big cross section of folks. Even with it's janky 80s country-trying-to-be-pop production, it's still a great song and I still enjoy it. This really should have made it to the Pop Top 10, but by the mid-80s, country crossover tunes were just not being played anymore at pop radio so it kind of got the shaft. Had it been released three or four years earlier, it would have been an across the board smash. Still, it was highly successful and the charm of the song hasn't diminished a bit in all these years.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This song was written by Paul Davis and Jennifer Kimball. Davis was familiar with writing hits and had a few of his own including 1982's "'65 Love Affair" (#6 Pop, #5 AC). He also wrote "Meet Me in Montana," which was the first single from Seals' Won't Be Blue Anymore album. The song was a duet between Seals and Marie Osmond. It would hit #1 at Country and kick off Seals' streak of hits. The pair won a CMA as Vocal Duo of the Year for the song. 2) Seals' older brother was Jim Seals of Seals & Crofts fame. That duo scored three Pop Top 10's in the late 70s all of which, oddly, peaked at #6 ("Summer Breeze," "Diamond Girl," and "Get Closer"). Dan and Jim would later get together and tour as Seals & Seals. They would perform versions of the chart hits each had earned over the years.
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Date: 01/25/1986
Debut: 83
Peak: 42
Weeks: 15
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: After a successful run with his duo partner John Ford Coley, "England Dan" Seals set out on a solo career in 1980. He decided to move away from the duo's soft rock sound and head toward country music. His debut solo disc (and only one as England Dan Seals), Stones, was a crossover effort that yielded the #57 Pop entry "Late at Night," but country radio didn't bite. A second album fared even worse. Seals then moved over to the Liberty label and put out Rebel Heart. This time country folks took notice and Seals ended up with four country chart entries including the #10 "God Must Be a Cowboy." His next LP contained three more Top 10's, but it would be this single from his fourth album Won't Be Blue Anymore that would get him back on the Pop chart. The peppy tune would bolt up to #1 at Country while nearly making the Pop Top 40. It was also a hit at AC getting to #10. The hit helped his album get to #1 Country (#52 Pop) and go gold. It would be Seals' peak moment as a solo star. Although he would not get on the Pop chart again, Seals had a remarkable run of nine #1 songs in a row on the Country chart from '85-'88. He got two more in 1990, but his fortunes dwindled quickly when the new breed of country star (a la Garth Brooks) began to take over. Seals would pass away from cancer in 2009 at the age of 61.
ReduxReview: Man, this brings back memories of the skating rink! When I DJ'd on adult skate night, this was the most requested song for a long time. People just loved it. Even younger kids thought it was a fun tune. It was a perfectly written song that appealed to a big cross section of folks. Even with it's janky 80s country-trying-to-be-pop production, it's still a great song and I still enjoy it. This really should have made it to the Pop Top 10, but by the mid-80s, country crossover tunes were just not being played anymore at pop radio so it kind of got the shaft. Had it been released three or four years earlier, it would have been an across the board smash. Still, it was highly successful and the charm of the song hasn't diminished a bit in all these years.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This song was written by Paul Davis and Jennifer Kimball. Davis was familiar with writing hits and had a few of his own including 1982's "'65 Love Affair" (#6 Pop, #5 AC). He also wrote "Meet Me in Montana," which was the first single from Seals' Won't Be Blue Anymore album. The song was a duet between Seals and Marie Osmond. It would hit #1 at Country and kick off Seals' streak of hits. The pair won a CMA as Vocal Duo of the Year for the song. 2) Seals' older brother was Jim Seals of Seals & Crofts fame. That duo scored three Pop Top 10's in the late 70s all of which, oddly, peaked at #6 ("Summer Breeze," "Diamond Girl," and "Get Closer"). Dan and Jim would later get together and tour as Seals & Seals. They would perform versions of the chart hits each had earned over the years.
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