"My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)" by Chilliwack

Song#:  0756
Date:  09/26/1981
Debut:  81
Peak:  22
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  In the US, this group kind of has a one-hit-wonder vibe thanks to this single, which was their best showing on the US chart. However, prior to this song they did have four others that reached the lower end of the chart beginning with 1972's "Lonesome Mary" (#75). In their homeland of Canada they were established stars who had six Top 10 hits and numerous other chart entries. They might have been even more successful but they seemed to be plagued with label issues and had to switch several times. By the time this single from their ninth album "Wanna Be a Star" came out, the group was pared down to a trio. The album would be their most successful and this single became their first (and only) Canadian #1.

ReduxReview:  This is another one of those almost-forgotten 80s tunes until it started appearing on several compilations. Thanks to those the song had lived on quite a ways past its heyday. I liked it back in the day, but didn't really love it. I enjoy it a lot more now and with the "gone, gone, gone" part, I've always been a little surprised it didn't do better on the chart.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  The group began as The Classics in 1964 and then changed their name to The Collectors a couple of years later. They issued two psychedelic pop albums in the late 60s that got them a couple of minor chart singles. After a personnel change, the group became Chilliwack in 1970 and issued their self-titled debut album. Their last album came out in 1984.

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"Take Me Now" by David Gates

Song#:  0755
Date:  09/26/1981
Debut:  82
Peak:  62
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  This title-track single from Gates' fifth solo album (and third after the demise of his group Bread) didn't do much to light up the chart. It ended up being his lowest peaking solo chart single and his last to reach the chart.

ReduxReview:  I'm thinking if Bread had a baby song with the Carpenters and named it after Christopher Cross, it might sound like this. It still sounds a bit rooted in 70s Bread-ery and baked with a little too much saccharine. I can enjoy some sickly sweet pastry every once in a while, but this one just tastes a little bland to me.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  His "Take Me Now" album would be Gates' last solo album released until 1994. During his hiatus, Gates focused his attention on his cattle ranch in Northern California. His comeback album "Love is Always Seventeen" didn't grab any attention and it currently remains his last full album of new recordings.

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"No Reply At All" by Genesis

Song#:  0754
Date:  09/26/1981
Debut:  85
Peak:  29
Weeks:  18
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Following on the heels of Phil Collins' successful debut solo disc "Face Value," Genesis reconvened and issued the LP "Abacab." The group initially wrote several tracks for the new album but those songs were scrapped as they thought they were repeating their past works and they really wanted to do something new. So with "Abacab" the group began to shift their sound from prog-rock to more radio-friendly pop/rock fare. This first single barely popped into the Top 30, but it was enough to push the album into the US Top 10 (their first) where it peaked at #7 and eventually sold double-platinum.

ReduxReview:  I really loved this song when it came out. And still do. It gets close to topping my list of favorite Genesis/Phil Collins songs. I remember back then just waiting for the single to go Top 10 - and then it petered out at #29! I'm not really sure why. It's an solid song with a great arrangement and one of their most accessible tunes during this time. Crazy.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  The horns on this song were supplied by Earth, Wind & Fire's Phenix Horns (aka EWF Horns), who also backed Collins on his solo album; specifically on his #19 hit "I Missed Again."

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"It's All I Can Do" by Anne Murray

Song#:  0753
Date:  09/26/1981
Debut:  86
Peak:  53
Weeks:  9
Genre:  Country Crossover



Pop Bits:  Murray's previous single, "Blessed Are the Believers," would be her last pop Top 40 entry. The follow-up single "We Don't Have to Hold Out" failed to reach the pop chart, but reached #16 at country. This third single from her LP "Where Do You Go When We Dream" got her back on the pop chart, but couldn't get into the upper half. It also got her back into the country Top 10 peaking at #9.

ReduxReview:  This is a nice ballad co-written by Richard Leigh who wrote Crystal Gayle's "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" (#2, 1977). I like this better than "Blessed Are the Believers," but I don't think it was a strong enough song to really hit at pop. It is a pleasant listen that is a good vehicle for Murray's great voice.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  An avid golfer, Murray hosts and annual golf tournament in support of colon cancer. She is known as an excellent player and was once named the best female celebrity golfer by a popular golf magazine.

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"Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock n Roll" by Freddy Cannon & the Belmonts

Song#:  0752
Date:  09/26/1981
Debut:  89
Peak:  81
Weeks:  4
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Cannon had been a popular Boston musician in the mid-50s when he signed with Swan Records via that label's co-owner Dick Clark. His first song for the label, "Tallahassee Lassie," became a national hit and reached #6 in 1959. He would go on to have several more chart entries with his biggest hit being the #3 "Palisades Park" in 1962. But the hits slowed after that single and his last chart entry came in 1966. Fifteen years later, Cannon found himself on the chart again with this song recorded with The Belmonts, who reached #5 in 1959 with "A Teenager in Love" as Dion and the Belmonts. It was a brief appearance, but it got these early rockers back on the chart one last time.

ReduxReview:  There were several nostalgia-ish tunes going on around this time so why not drag out some early rockers to bring back the old sound? So here we have Cannon and the Belmonts reminiscing about the innocent times and sounds of the late 50s. Sure the lyrics are little corny with the boy-meets-girl-gets-married-relives old days schtick, but I have a distinct feeling that it is kind of a swipe at the new decade of rock, new wave, and synthpop. I was really expecting this to be horrible, but it is actually not too bad and they do a nice job with the tune. I'm not gonna rush out and buy it, but a little blast o' tha past can be fun on occasion if done well.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Cannon became known by the nickname Boom Boom. This was due to the heavy thumping sounds featured on his recordings.  2) Cannon's hit "Palisades Park" was written by future "The Gong Show" host, Chuck Barris.

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