"Good Music" by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

Song#:  2889
Date:  10/11/1986
Debut:  97
Peak:  83
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Jett was last on the Pop chart in 1983 with the #35 "Fake Friends." It was the second single from her third LP titled Album, which ended up being a #20 gold seller. She and her band followed it up a year later with Glorius Results of a Misspent Youth. Unfortunately, singles from the album failed to get any attention and the album halted at #67. Jett then took two years to issue out her next album, Good Music. The title track would be the first single issued out, but it just couldn't get a foothold anywhere. The song completely missed the Rock chart while faltering near the bottom of the Pop chart. A second single, a cover of the Modern Lovers' garage rock classic "Roadrunner," reached a minor #46 at Rock while missing the Pop chart. With little to support it, the album tanked at #105. Luckily, her career would get a boost in '87 thanks to her taking a role in a high-profile film.

ReduxReview:  This sounds like one of those old-fashioned sing-a-long songs from the 50s or 60s amped up in a hard rock way for the 80s. The appearance of members of the Beach Boys and Darlene Love (see below) is appropriate and they give the song a little authenticity. Yet despite a catchy chorus it's not that great of a song. It doesn't come close to the classics it was paying homage to. Jett was caught between being honest to her hard rock roots and trying to please her label and the mainstream. It was a tough position and I think she was trying to figure it out with this tune, but it didn't quite work. Even rock radio ignored the tune, which was not a good sign. Although it is not a bad song, it just wasn't what Jett needed at the time. She'd finally figure it all out with her next album.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  This song was written by Jett and producer Kenny Laguna. The background vocals were done by Darlene Love and The Beach Boys. The appearance of The Beach Boys was particularly surprising since it came during one of their periods of not getting along. Laguna wanted to have them on the record, but was told it was virtually impossible to assemble them in the same session. So Laguna thought he'd at least ask Carl Wilson to supply a guitar part. Wilson agreed and then brought along with him Bruce Johnson. Somehow Mike Love got wind of the session and showed up followed by Al Jardine. In the end, Jett and Laguna got what they originally had wanted with nearly a full compliment of Beach Boys doing vocals on the track.

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"True Blue" by Madonna

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  2888
Date:  10/04/1986
Debut:  40
Peak:  3
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Following the #1 success of the controversial tune "Papa Don't Preach," the second single from her third LP True Blue, Madonna scaled things back a bit and released this title track song as a follow-up. The retro doo wop-ish 50s sound of the tune with it's sunshiny love-inspired lyrics was a bit different for Madonna. Still, fans and record buyers ate it up and the single became Madonna's tenth consecutive to reach the Pop Top 10. It also got to #5 at AC and #6 Dance. It would sell well enough to become her fifth gold single. The hit kept sales of the album brisk as it remained lodged in the Top 10.

ReduxReview:  This ended up being a really good choice for a single, but it wasn't my favorite from the album. It was a light, fluffy confection that helped put a little more distance between Madonna and her boy-toy image. The song's retro Motown girl group feel fits Madonna's voice well and it was an easy song to digest. For me, it was just a bit too saccharine and simple. I got bored with it on repeated listens and would typically skip this song when listening to the album. However, it was an endearing song that many folks loved and it worked in her favor.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  There were two videos shot for this song. The first one was the official video that starred Madonna. It reflected the 50s feel of the tune with Madonna and three backup singers/dancers who portray her friends. It is basically shot on an all blue sound stage that is at various times vaguely decorated like a diner and a park. They also perform the song while in a white '57 Thunderbird. (Note that one of Madonna's actual friends, Debi Mazar, is one of the girls in the video. Mazar went on to have a successful acting career in TV and film.) The second video was the result of a contest. In conjunction with MTV, Madonna's label, Sire, ran a contest where anyone could make a video to "True Blue" and send it in. It was titled the "Madonna's Make My Video" contest and MTV devoted one day of programming to show nothing but the submitted entries. A top ten was selected based on popularity and in the end a video made by Angel Garcia and Cliff Guest won the contest. They were flown to New York where Madonna awarded them with a check for $25k. The win helped Guest get a job at Geffen Records as an in-house video developer/producer/director.

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"Love Will Conquer All" by Lionel Richie

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  2887
Date:  10/04/1986
Debut:  56
Peak:  9
Weeks:  18
Genre:  Pop, R&B, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  After the upbeat "Dancing on the Ceiling" topped out at #2, Richie stepped back into ballad mode with this follow-up single. The tune did well at Pop getting to #9 to become his twelfth consecutive Top 10 hit. It would accomplish the same feat at R&B reaching #2. AC also fell in line and in addition to being his twelfth Top 10 there, it was also his tenth #1 on the chart. The tune kept the album in the Top 10 after peaking at #1 for a couple of weeks at the end of September. While it wouldn't reach the dizzying heights of his 10+ million selling Can't Slow Down, it would do well selling over 4 million copies.

ReduxReview:  By this point I had jumped off the Lionel Richie bandwagon. His last couple of hits made me lose interest and I thought the magic he generated in his earlier hits was gone. This single didn't necessarily change my mind, but at least it was a pleasant listen. It's a far more relaxed effort and it floats along easily. Was it a great song or single? No. But I'd rather hear this anytime over the dreck of "Say You, Say Me."

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  The female vocal on this track was performed by Marva King. The singer from Flint, Michigan, got work as a backing vocalist before signing a solo deal with Richard Perry's Planet Records - home to The Pointer Sisters. Perry produced King's debut solo album, 1981's Feels Right. None of the LP's singles charted and that ended King's contract. However, her career as a backing vocalist continued including her work on this song. In 1988, King would issue out an indie single titled "Back Up" that got to #42 at R&B, but it didn't lead to another recording contract. In 1990, a song she co-wrote titled "Innocent" was recorded by the R&B group The Whispers. The song would serve as the LP's first single and it would reach #3 R&B/#55 Pop. In 1997, she would become a member of Prince's New Power Generation band and tour with them along with appearing on the 1998 album Newpower Soul. In addition to working for artists like Phil Collins, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker, and many others, King would record a few indie solo albums.

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"To Be a Lover" by Billy Idol

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  2886
Date:  10/04/1986
Debut:  69
Peak:  6
Weeks:  18
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Idol's second studio LP, Rebel Yell, would be a double-platinum seller thanks to four Top 50 singles including the #4 "Eyes Without a Face." For his next effort, Idol would retain producer Keith Forsey and guitarist/co-writer Steve Stevens and together they completed Whiplash Smile. This first single was issued out and it easily became Idol's fifth Top 10 at Rock. It was also his highest peaking on that chart to-date getting to #2. Pop climbed on board as well and the tune would become Idol's second Top 10. The album would match the peak of Rebel Yell getting to #6, but it sales were a bit less and it could only get a single platinum certification.

ReduxReview:  In general, I wasn't a big fan of Idol's tough guy, snarling rock, but sometimes he would put out a terrific tune and this was one of them. This chuggin' rock-n-soul track with its peaks and valleys was a perfect vehicle for Idol. I especially love the background vocals, which featured the wonderful Jocelyn Brown. The track was an inspired cover tune that had mass appeal. For me, this ranks right alongside "Eyes Without a Face" as being Idol's best tracks.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song originally co-written and performed by soul artist William Bell. His 1968 version, titled "I Forgot to Be a Lover," was issued out as a single and it would get to #10 at R&B and #45 Pop. Bell's original version was nothing like the Idol's harder rockabilly take. It was actually a soul ballad. However, it seems that Idol was not familiar with Bell's original when he decided to cover the tune. He knew it from a remake done by reggae artist George Faith. Faith's version, titled "To Be a Lover (Have Mercy)," was featured on his 1977 LP To Be a Lover and it was issued out as a single. While the song and album proved to be popular with reggae fans, neither charted in the US. Many artists would cover the song including Melissa Etheridge,, who included the tune on her 2016 album MEmphis Rock and Soul. Her take was based on Bell's original ballad version.

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"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" by Wang Chung

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  2885
Date:  10/04/1986
Debut:  82
Peak:  2
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  This duo (Jack Hues and Nick Feldman) was on the brink of making it big. Their second album, Points on the Curve, sold well and spawned the #16 "Dance Hall Days." They then ventured into soundtrack territory with their music for the film To Live and Die in L.A. With their next LP they had an opportunity to make a big splash and they set out with producer Peter Wolf to try and make their most commercial effort to-date. The results would be their fourth album, Mosaic, and this lead single kicked things off in a big way. The song caught on and it eventually wound up in the #2 spot at Pop for two weeks. It also got to #4 Dance and #25 Rock. Even though the album would peak at #41, which was lower than the #30 peak of Points on the Curve, the hit kept the album selling and eventually it would be certified gold. The duo's plan to conquer the charts worked well in the US, but back home in their native UK it didn't quite work out. This song barely made a dent in the UK chart topping out at minor #76. The album didn't even chart. Seems like folks there just weren't ready to have fun tonight...or Wang Chung tonight...

ReduxReview:  This was a brilliant, yet goofy, pop single. Like the title says, they want you to have fun and frankly it's hard not to when this comes on. They really hit the nail on the head with the feel of the song and it's indelible chorus. Plus, the self-promoting within the chorus became a catchphrase on its own. Wolf's production is spot-on as well. Is it a great song? Not really. No one is going to compare this to Dylan or the Beatles, but that doesn't matter. The song was meant to be entertaining pop and it more than achieved that goal. It was played at an endless amount of wedding receptions and parties for years and I bet it can still fill a dance floor even today. When this song comes on and tells you to have fun tonight, you damn well better.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Triple Shot!  1) When Hues and Feldman originally wrote this song, it actually had a much slower tempo and was more like a ballad. But sometimes fate will step in and help a song reach its full potential. In the case of "Everybody," it would be producer Peter Wolf who would help shape the song. When Hues and Feldman played him their more relaxed original demo version, Wolf told them that if they sped it up, they had a dance hit on their hands. With Wolf's guidance (apparently enough to earn him a writing credit), the tune went from a pondering ballad to a hit party song. The original demo would be used on the b-side of the "Everybody" single and be retitled "Fun Tonight: The Early Years." It would also be issued out later as a track on the duo's 1997 compilation, Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits.  2) In the duo's original demo, they only use the phrase "everybody Wang Chung tonight" once. However, producer Peter Wolf encouraged them to use it throughout the song as it was catchy, memorable, and helped promote the band. They did and the phrase became a much quoted one over the years. Even stodgy Frasier Crane quoted the lyrics in an episode of Cheers in which he was trying to get in the mood for his bachelor party.  3) The original video for this song was created by Godley & Creme. They used a machine that did very quick edits at certain intervals and the jump cuts gave the video a jerky feel. The spasmy feel of the video made it very memorable, but not everyone was thrilled with it. It seems that folks at the BBC were not fans of the video and thought that the flashing speed of the edits would be too much for some people and might even cause someone to have a seizure. The BBC then banned the video from being aired.

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