Song#: 0903
Date: 02/06/1982
Debut: 90
Peak: 66
Weeks: 6
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary, Crossover Country
Pop Bits: Clark became a 60's pop icon thanks to her 15 Top 40 hits that included her signature #1 from 1964 "Downtown." Numerous appearances on TV (including her own show), in film, on stage, and in Vegas only added to her popularity. Although a still in-demand performer in the 70s, she slowed down to focus on family for a while and her recording career dwindled with her last chart entry coming in 1972. A decade later, Clark signed on with Scotti Brothers and issued this single that got her back on the pop chart one last time. It got a third of the way up the chart and reached #24 at AC. The country feel of the song also got it on the country chart where it reached #20 - her only appearance there. A second single was issued, but it failed to chart. The failure of either single to ignite the charts most likely caused Scotti Brothers to pass on doing a full album. Clark would continue to perform and issue an occasional album, but this single effectively closed the door on her pop chart career.
ReduxReview: I really love Petula Clark. Her string of hits throughout the 60s were some of the best of that time period. By the early 70s, her hits were behind her but she still had some quality recording like here 1970 LP "Memphis," which some folks have considered a pop companion to Dusty Springfield's classic "Dusty in Memphis." This single is not quite up to those standards, but it's really not a bad song at all. It kind of reminds me of something Olivia Newton-John would have done early in her country-ish years. Pop-country was kind of hot at the time, so this seemed to fit right in. It just may not have found the right audience.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Triple Shot! 1) Although "Downtown" was her first chart entry in the US, Clark had been recording since 1949 and hitting the UK chart as far back as 1954. A performer since she was 9-years-old, her career started with a by-chance radio performance in 1942. From there, she did more singing and began acting in films. Her popularity soared and she was eventually dubbed "Britain's Shirley Temple." 2) As adulthood approached, Clark focused on music and composition. In addition to writing or co-writing many of her songs, she also composed scores for several films and a stage musical. 3) Petula's name was created by her father. He has jokingly said that it was a combination of names from two former girlfriends - Pet and Ulla.
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Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
"Be Mine (Tonight)" by Grover Washington, Jr.
Song#: 0902
Date: 02/06/1982
Debut: 95
Peak: 92
Weeks: 4
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Pop Bits: Washington had a big hit the previous year with "Just the Two of Us" (#2, vocals by Bill Withers) from his Grammy-winning "Winelight" album. He continued his jazz/R&B/pop formula with his follow-up album "Come Morning." For this first single, he teamed with vocalist Grady Tate, but the results were nowhere near as successful as "Just the Two of Us." The minor few weeks on the chart didn't help the album, which only peaked at #28. It did eventually go gold and hit #1 on the jazz chart, but couldn't muster a showing at R&B. This would be Washington's last single to reach the pop chart.
ReduxReview: Well, this certainly ain't no "Just the Two of Us." It doesn't even come close. I'm actually surprised it even got any attention at pop. Of course, the sax work and Tate's voice are great, but the song just fizzles. The first part of the song is a quiet, smooth R&B-ish groove, but then it moves into a "funky" instrumental section that kind of reminds me of the theme from "Barney Miller." It just doesn't fit. Add in uninspired lyrics and this doctor's office lite-jazz tune is almost cringe inducing.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: Jazz musician Grady Tate was mainly known for his drumming but also used his baritone voice to great effect on many recordings. In addition to being a sideman for some of the most famous names in jazz, Tate was also the house drummer on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" for a six-year stint. Kids who grew up in the 70s might recognize his voice from a couple of Multiplication Rock songs - "I Got Six" and "Naughty Number Nine."
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Date: 02/06/1982
Debut: 95
Peak: 92
Weeks: 4
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Pop Bits: Washington had a big hit the previous year with "Just the Two of Us" (#2, vocals by Bill Withers) from his Grammy-winning "Winelight" album. He continued his jazz/R&B/pop formula with his follow-up album "Come Morning." For this first single, he teamed with vocalist Grady Tate, but the results were nowhere near as successful as "Just the Two of Us." The minor few weeks on the chart didn't help the album, which only peaked at #28. It did eventually go gold and hit #1 on the jazz chart, but couldn't muster a showing at R&B. This would be Washington's last single to reach the pop chart.
ReduxReview: Well, this certainly ain't no "Just the Two of Us." It doesn't even come close. I'm actually surprised it even got any attention at pop. Of course, the sax work and Tate's voice are great, but the song just fizzles. The first part of the song is a quiet, smooth R&B-ish groove, but then it moves into a "funky" instrumental section that kind of reminds me of the theme from "Barney Miller." It just doesn't fit. Add in uninspired lyrics and this doctor's office lite-jazz tune is almost cringe inducing.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: Jazz musician Grady Tate was mainly known for his drumming but also used his baritone voice to great effect on many recordings. In addition to being a sideman for some of the most famous names in jazz, Tate was also the house drummer on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" for a six-year stint. Kids who grew up in the 70s might recognize his voice from a couple of Multiplication Rock songs - "I Got Six" and "Naughty Number Nine."
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Sunday, June 29, 2014
"Power Play" by Molly Hatchet
Song#: 0901
Date: 02/06/1982
Debut: 98
Peak: 96
Weeks: 2
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: With the band's previous album "Beatin' the Odds," they started to slide away from their original Southern rock sound to something a little heavier. Their next album, "Take No Prisoners," took them even further away from their roots by featuring straight-ahead AOR tunes shined up with a lot of studio polish. Fans were not impressed and after three platinum successes, the album failed to even hit gold status. It was a slide downward that the band never really recovered from. However, they remained a highly successful touring act even through multiple personnel changes. This first single from the LP was a very minor blip for a couple of weeks.
ReduxReview: I'd have to agree with the fans on this one. It's like Blue Öyster Cult mixed with 38 Special. The song just kind of rambles with little melody and a verse and chorus that are close to being identical. The vocals kind of drone on and the only real relief from that are the guitar solo sections. This is certainly not the "Flirtin' with Disaster" Molly Hatchet.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: The "Take No Prisoners" album contains the song "Respect Me in the Morning," which is a duet between lead singer Jimmy Farrar and Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy. Kennedy was a member of the funk/rock band Mother's Finest. Although that group never really hit it big in their late-70s heyday (their best single was the #58 "Baby Love" in 1977), they got a reputation for being an opening act whose performance would often surpass that of the major rock artists that were the headliners. Kennedy would end up having one Top 40 hit in 1984 when "The Last Time I Made Love," a duet with Jeffery Osborne, reached #40.
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Date: 02/06/1982
Debut: 98
Peak: 96
Weeks: 2
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: With the band's previous album "Beatin' the Odds," they started to slide away from their original Southern rock sound to something a little heavier. Their next album, "Take No Prisoners," took them even further away from their roots by featuring straight-ahead AOR tunes shined up with a lot of studio polish. Fans were not impressed and after three platinum successes, the album failed to even hit gold status. It was a slide downward that the band never really recovered from. However, they remained a highly successful touring act even through multiple personnel changes. This first single from the LP was a very minor blip for a couple of weeks.
ReduxReview: I'd have to agree with the fans on this one. It's like Blue Öyster Cult mixed with 38 Special. The song just kind of rambles with little melody and a verse and chorus that are close to being identical. The vocals kind of drone on and the only real relief from that are the guitar solo sections. This is certainly not the "Flirtin' with Disaster" Molly Hatchet.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: The "Take No Prisoners" album contains the song "Respect Me in the Morning," which is a duet between lead singer Jimmy Farrar and Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy. Kennedy was a member of the funk/rock band Mother's Finest. Although that group never really hit it big in their late-70s heyday (their best single was the #58 "Baby Love" in 1977), they got a reputation for being an opening act whose performance would often surpass that of the major rock artists that were the headliners. Kennedy would end up having one Top 40 hit in 1984 when "The Last Time I Made Love," a duet with Jeffery Osborne, reached #40.
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Saturday, June 28, 2014
"Start It All Over" by McGuffey Lane
Song#: 0900
Date: 02/06/1982
Debut: 99
Peak: 97
Weeks: 3
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: The country-rock group's second album, "Aqua Dream," spawned this first single that was barely a blip at the bottom of the chart. It would be their last to hit the pop chart. However, they refined their sound by moving closer to country than pop and had four mid-charting singles hit the country chart. The real heyday of the group ended around 1985 when they were dropped by their label. A form of the group continued and later released a few albums and continued to perform.
ReduxReview: I wasn't that fond of their first chart single, "Long Time Lovin' You," and this one doesn't make me a fan either. But I think the song itself is better and showed that the group had something going. It's still a bit of a snoozer, but an improvement from their debut.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This popular Columbus, Ohio, group was considered the house band at a local joint called Zachariah's Red Eye Saloon. Years after its closing, they spearheaded a reunion show of acts that used to perform at the venue. The reunion show turned into a popular annual event that continues to draw a large audience.
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Date: 02/06/1982
Debut: 99
Peak: 97
Weeks: 3
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: The country-rock group's second album, "Aqua Dream," spawned this first single that was barely a blip at the bottom of the chart. It would be their last to hit the pop chart. However, they refined their sound by moving closer to country than pop and had four mid-charting singles hit the country chart. The real heyday of the group ended around 1985 when they were dropped by their label. A form of the group continued and later released a few albums and continued to perform.
ReduxReview: I wasn't that fond of their first chart single, "Long Time Lovin' You," and this one doesn't make me a fan either. But I think the song itself is better and showed that the group had something going. It's still a bit of a snoozer, but an improvement from their debut.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This popular Columbus, Ohio, group was considered the house band at a local joint called Zachariah's Red Eye Saloon. Years after its closing, they spearheaded a reunion show of acts that used to perform at the venue. The reunion show turned into a popular annual event that continues to draw a large audience.
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Friday, June 27, 2014
"We Got the Beat" by The Go-Go's
Top 10 Alert!
Gold Record Alert!
Rated 10 Alert!
Song#: 0899 Rated 10 Alert!
Date: 01/30/1982
Debut: 79
Peak: 2
Weeks: 19
Genre: Rock, New Wave
Pop Bits: After the slow-rise success of their debut single "Our Lips Our Sealed" (30 weeks on the chart peaking at #20), this second single was an immediate smash reaching #2 and staying there for three weeks, kept out of the top spot by Joan Jett & the Blackheart's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." But the Go-Go's got a bit of revenge when their album "Beauty and the Beat" spent six weeks at #1, which kept Jett's album at #2. This song would be the band's biggest hit.
ReduxReview: I really liked "Our Lips Are Sealed," but when this came out I fell totally in love with The Go-Go's. It was a fresh, quick blast of rock and was just so fun. I remember in the summer of '82 trying out for the marching band's color guard (flag corps). A small group of us got together and created a routine to this song for our tryout. I made the squad and in doing so became the only male to ever get a spot on the color guard in the history of the school (others tried out but did not make it). I don't know if I'm still the only guy to be in the guard, but it was quite something at the time. And it was a lot of fun. If I had to pick a song to define my high school years, I think it would be this one.
ReduxRating: 10/10
Trivia: In 1979, the band recorded some demos and ended up opening for the group Madness in the US and the UK. With their popularity on the rise, one of their songs was issued as a single on Stiff Records in the UK. The original version of "We Got the Beat," featuring original bassist Margaret Olavarria, got good attention there with the import becoming popular in US dance clubs and reaching #35 on the dance chart. After an illness that sidelined her, Olavarria was replaced by Kathy Valentine. The band then got signed to I.R.S. Records and "We Got the Beat" was re-recorded for their debut album, eventually becoming their signature song.
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