Song#: 1955
Date: 06/23/1984
Debut: 52
Peak: 13
Weeks: 15
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Over time, Van Halen's 1978 self-titled debut album would be a diamond seller (10 million). It was bookended by their second diamond LP 1984, which was their last album before David Lee Roth left the band. The difference between the two albums is that Van Halen featured no major Pop chart hits (the best was "You Really Got Me," which reached #36), while 1984 would have a string of them that included the #1 "Jump" and this third single. Skipping the synths for this song, the guitar-driven tune was more in-line with their past efforts and it rocked right up to #2 on the Rock chart. It was also received well at Pop and became their fifth Top 20 hit.
ReduxReview: Although this song was more similar to their classic Van Halen sound, it still had a great lean towards commercial rock. The guitars are crunchy as hell, Alex's drumming is spot-on, and Roth's vocals are appropriately cocky and smarmy without being over the top. I love the quiet bridge that leads up to the last explosion of chorus. It's a big shot of rock adrenaline and one of their best singles.
ReduxRating: 9/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) By most accounts, this song is either about a car or a stripper - or both. The Panama in the song is not the country, but apparently refers to a car. There are possibly two cars involved. The first one was David Lee Roth's 1969 Opel Kadett Caravan, of which the front end is on display in his house. The second was a race car that Roth saw in Vegas named the Panama Express. Apparently, Roth wrote the lyrics about one or both of the cars. Later on, he realized the lyrics were also about a stripper he once met in Arizona. Either way, it seemed to work out fine. However, the car that is actually featured in the "Panama" video is neither. It was Roth's own red '51 Mercury that was named "California Girl." 2) During the bridge of the song, you can hear a revving engine while Roth recites a few lines of lyrics. The car that provided the sound was not one of Roth's vehicles, but the one owned by Eddie Van Halen. Wanting an engine sound for the track, Van Halen backed up his 1972 Lamborghini Miura S to the studio and microphones were place on the exhaust pipe. Van Halen revved up the car and the sound was recorded. Van Halen still owns the car and will drive it around on occasion.
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Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Monday, February 27, 2017
"Stuck on You" by Lionel Richie
Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 1954 Date: 06/23/1984
Debut: 72
Peak: 3
Weeks: 19
Genre: Pop, Country Crossover
Pop Bits: As Richie's third single, "Hello," from his album Can't Slow Down was beginning to descend from its #1 peak, this fourth single was released. The ballad extended his Top 10 solo hit streak to seven in a row when it got to #3. It would be his fifth solo single to hit #1 at AC. The song was also popular at R&B where it reached #8. The album was still riding high on the chart and would actually spend all of 1984 in the Top 10 thanks to this stretch of hit singles.
ReduxReview: Richie purposely made an album that would appeal to the masses. It covered several styles and genres including this country-pop tune. The LP could have been a major mess, but somehow it all worked together well. I've always waffled on this song though. There are times I think it is well-written and nice to hear, and then other times I think it's kind of annoying and saccharine. When compared to some of the other hits from the album, it's actually kind of bland. I'm surprised it did so well, but Richie was at his peak around this time, so there was not much wrong he could do. It's a fine tune, but I have a tendency to use the skip button when it circles around in a playlist.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: This song had a distinct country-pop feel to it, so the label decided to market it to Country radio. It actually did well and ended up peaking at #24 on that chart. That result may seem a bit unusual, but it wasn't Richie's first experience in the Country market. Kenny Rogers' 1980 #1 Pop/#1 Country/#1AC hit "Lady" was written and produced by Richie. The results were so good that Rogers retained Richie for his next album, Share Your Love. Richie produced and contributed four songs to that album. Although none of Richie's tunes were released as singles, it did include four Pop/Country hit songs including the #1 Country/#1 AC/#3 Pop "I Don't Need You."
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Sunday, February 26, 2017
"It Can Happen" by Yes
Song#: 1953
Date: 06/23/1984
Debut: 85
Peak: 51
Weeks: 7
Genre: Prog Rock
Pop Bits: Yes had been making albums since 1969 with many of them hitting the gold or platinum mark, but their biggest success wouldn't come until 1983 with their multi-platinum album 90125. The more commercial-friendly collection was enhanced by the #1 Pop and Rock hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and the #3 Rock/#24 Pop follow-up "Leave It." A third single was called for and this track, which got to #5 at Rock, was chosen. It made it nearly halfway up the Pop chart, but stalled and quickly fell away. There would be no further singles, but one other track from the album, "Changes," would be a hit at Rock getting to #6.
ReduxReview: This song has a terrific bridge and chorus, but I think what may have held it back at Pop was the verse. It nearly brings the song to a halt with the way it is produced. The original version by Cinema (see below) plays it a bit different and it makes the song more cohesive. However, that version is missing the soaring unique vocals of Jon Anderson, so I guess there is a trade off. Either way, it's a good song and one that could have ducked inside the Top 40.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) As mentioned in a previous post, this album started out as a project by a new group called Cinema. However, after a lineup change there ended up being three former members of Yes in the band. Therefore, marketing tactics dictated that the Yes brand had to be revived. In the early Cinema sessions, a few songs were completed including this one. At that time, Chris Squire sang the lead vocals. After the personnel changes, this song was then reworked and the lead vocal was handled by Jon Anderson. The original Cinema version featuring Squire would later be included on a reissue of 90125 along with two other completed songs from the Cinema sessions. 2) In the instrumental section of this song you can hear a spoken word recitation under the music. The passages are bits of dialog taken from the 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. In the play, the lines are said by one of the main characters, Algernon Moncrieff.
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Date: 06/23/1984
Debut: 85
Peak: 51
Weeks: 7
Genre: Prog Rock
Pop Bits: Yes had been making albums since 1969 with many of them hitting the gold or platinum mark, but their biggest success wouldn't come until 1983 with their multi-platinum album 90125. The more commercial-friendly collection was enhanced by the #1 Pop and Rock hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and the #3 Rock/#24 Pop follow-up "Leave It." A third single was called for and this track, which got to #5 at Rock, was chosen. It made it nearly halfway up the Pop chart, but stalled and quickly fell away. There would be no further singles, but one other track from the album, "Changes," would be a hit at Rock getting to #6.
ReduxReview: This song has a terrific bridge and chorus, but I think what may have held it back at Pop was the verse. It nearly brings the song to a halt with the way it is produced. The original version by Cinema (see below) plays it a bit different and it makes the song more cohesive. However, that version is missing the soaring unique vocals of Jon Anderson, so I guess there is a trade off. Either way, it's a good song and one that could have ducked inside the Top 40.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) As mentioned in a previous post, this album started out as a project by a new group called Cinema. However, after a lineup change there ended up being three former members of Yes in the band. Therefore, marketing tactics dictated that the Yes brand had to be revived. In the early Cinema sessions, a few songs were completed including this one. At that time, Chris Squire sang the lead vocals. After the personnel changes, this song was then reworked and the lead vocal was handled by Jon Anderson. The original Cinema version featuring Squire would later be included on a reissue of 90125 along with two other completed songs from the Cinema sessions. 2) In the instrumental section of this song you can hear a spoken word recitation under the music. The passages are bits of dialog taken from the 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. In the play, the lines are said by one of the main characters, Algernon Moncrieff.
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Saturday, February 25, 2017
"Simple" by Johnny Mathis
Song#: 1952
Date: 06/23/1984
Debut: 88
Peak: 81
Weeks: 8
Genre: Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: Mathis had been a highly successful singer and entertainer since signing with Columbia Records in 1956. With several Top 10's to his credit, he remained active on the charts until the mid-60s when rock music started to take hold. The hits dried up and save for a few Top 10's on the AC chart, it seemed that his heydays were done. That changed when he paired up with Deniece Williams for the 1978 duet "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late." That song reignited his career when it hit #1 at Pop, R&B, and AC. Unfortunately, the comeback was short-lived and Mathis was unable to capitalize on the success. He continued making albums that featured duets with a few songs getting a little attention at AC. He was able to grab one more Pop Top 40 appearance with "Friends in Love," a #38 duet with Dionne Warwick (#5 AC, #22 R&B). After that minor hit, Mathis moved on to make a solo album that would mainly consist of all new original material. The lone cover tune was "Love Won't Let Me Wait," a duet with Deniece Williams. It was the album's first single and it got to #16 AC and #32 R&B. It failed to chart at Pop, but this second solo single would roam around the bottom of the chart for a couple of months. It would go to #6 at AC and #43 R&B. The song would be Mathis' final one to reach the Pop chart. He would continue to record albums over the years and along the way four of them would grab Grammy nods in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category.
ReduxReview: Mathis breaks out of crooner ballad mode with this song. Unfortunately, it kind of treads on territory already occupied by Al Jarreau. That's not too surprising since the song's co-writer Keith Stegall also co-wrote Jarreau's hit "We're in This Love Together" (#15 Pop/#6 R&B/#6 AC). The tune fits Mathis pretty well, but when you consider that this could have been read by Jarreau, it kind of lacks by comparison. It's a nice, breezy tune that is probably just a year or two too late for the Pop chart.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) In 1958, Mathis released the LP Johnny's Greatest Hits. The album would reach #1, but what made it unique was its run on the Album chart. It would spend an unprecedented 490 consecutive weeks on the chart, which is about nine and a half years. It was a record at the time and was even recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. The record would stand until 1983 when Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon broke it. Dark Side would continue on to spend 927 weeks on the chart, a record that will most likely stand the test of time. Mathis' original 490 weeks still ranks at #2 on the longevity list. 2) This song was included on Mathis' album A Special Part of Me. Also included on that LP was the song "Love Never Felt So Good." The song was written by Paul Anka and Michael Jackson during a 1983 collaboration session. Jackson ended up not using the tune, so Anka passed it on to Mathis. The Mathis version was not issued as a single. Years later when the posthumous 2014 Michael Jackson album Xscape was being assembled, Jackson's original demo of the song was spruced up and added to the LP. For the deluxe edition, a duet version with Justin Timberlake was added. That version was issued as the LP's first single and it would reach #9 Pop, #5 R&B, #7 AC, and #8 Dance.
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Date: 06/23/1984
Debut: 88
Peak: 81
Weeks: 8
Genre: Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: Mathis had been a highly successful singer and entertainer since signing with Columbia Records in 1956. With several Top 10's to his credit, he remained active on the charts until the mid-60s when rock music started to take hold. The hits dried up and save for a few Top 10's on the AC chart, it seemed that his heydays were done. That changed when he paired up with Deniece Williams for the 1978 duet "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late." That song reignited his career when it hit #1 at Pop, R&B, and AC. Unfortunately, the comeback was short-lived and Mathis was unable to capitalize on the success. He continued making albums that featured duets with a few songs getting a little attention at AC. He was able to grab one more Pop Top 40 appearance with "Friends in Love," a #38 duet with Dionne Warwick (#5 AC, #22 R&B). After that minor hit, Mathis moved on to make a solo album that would mainly consist of all new original material. The lone cover tune was "Love Won't Let Me Wait," a duet with Deniece Williams. It was the album's first single and it got to #16 AC and #32 R&B. It failed to chart at Pop, but this second solo single would roam around the bottom of the chart for a couple of months. It would go to #6 at AC and #43 R&B. The song would be Mathis' final one to reach the Pop chart. He would continue to record albums over the years and along the way four of them would grab Grammy nods in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category.
ReduxReview: Mathis breaks out of crooner ballad mode with this song. Unfortunately, it kind of treads on territory already occupied by Al Jarreau. That's not too surprising since the song's co-writer Keith Stegall also co-wrote Jarreau's hit "We're in This Love Together" (#15 Pop/#6 R&B/#6 AC). The tune fits Mathis pretty well, but when you consider that this could have been read by Jarreau, it kind of lacks by comparison. It's a nice, breezy tune that is probably just a year or two too late for the Pop chart.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) In 1958, Mathis released the LP Johnny's Greatest Hits. The album would reach #1, but what made it unique was its run on the Album chart. It would spend an unprecedented 490 consecutive weeks on the chart, which is about nine and a half years. It was a record at the time and was even recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. The record would stand until 1983 when Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon broke it. Dark Side would continue on to spend 927 weeks on the chart, a record that will most likely stand the test of time. Mathis' original 490 weeks still ranks at #2 on the longevity list. 2) This song was included on Mathis' album A Special Part of Me. Also included on that LP was the song "Love Never Felt So Good." The song was written by Paul Anka and Michael Jackson during a 1983 collaboration session. Jackson ended up not using the tune, so Anka passed it on to Mathis. The Mathis version was not issued as a single. Years later when the posthumous 2014 Michael Jackson album Xscape was being assembled, Jackson's original demo of the song was spruced up and added to the LP. For the deluxe edition, a duet version with Justin Timberlake was added. That version was issued as the LP's first single and it would reach #9 Pop, #5 R&B, #7 AC, and #8 Dance.
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Friday, February 24, 2017
"Missing You" by John Waite
#1 Alert!
Song#: 1951 Date: 06/23/1984
Debut: 89
Peak: 1 (1 week)
Weeks: 24
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: As lead singer of the band The Babys, Waite had already experienced having hits on the Pop chart. Two of the band's songs, 1977's "Isn't It Time" and 1978's "Every Time I Think of You," were popular rock tracks that managed to each reach the #13 spot on the Pop chart. After The Babys broke up in 1980, Waite decided to try for a solo career. He stayed with Chrysalis, The Babys' label, and by the summer of '82 his debut solo LP, Ignition was ready. The lead single, "Change," did well on the Rock chart getting to #16, but it failed to make a dent in the Pop chart. As a result, the album stopped at #68 and retreated soon after. The tepid results led to Waite switching labels and he moved over to EMI for his next effort No Brakes. This first single, co-written by Waite, started off slowly but gained momentum thanks in part to a popular MTV video. It would eventually grab the top spot at both Pop and Rock while getting to #7 at AC. It was a significant smash that allowed the album to reach #10 and go gold. Waite would earn a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
ReduxReview: Waite had a spotty career over the years, but when he was able to latch onto the right material, it was pretty spectacular. His two hits with The Babys were excellent and this specific single was brilliant. It was a well written ballad that was wrapped up in a lovely percolating rhythm. It became a staple of the 80s and beyond. It deserved its #1 placing and the long life that it has had since then. He was never able to properly follow it up solo-wise, but who cares when you have a hit like this.
ReduxRating: 9/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This song knocked Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do With It" out of the #1 position after a three-week reign. Later on in 1996, Turner would record a version of the tune for her album Wildest Dreams. The song would be issued as the LP's third single and would reach #16 at AC and #84 Pop. 2) Waite himself would revisit the song in 2006. He re-recorded the tune as a duet with country/bluegrass star Alison Krauss. It was included on his concept album Downtown: Journey of a Heart. The song was pushed out as a single and it got to #34 on the Country chart.
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