Song#: 3328
Date: 11/14/1987
Debut: 94
Peak: 85
Weeks: 4
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: The Cars' Door to Door album didn't get off to the best start. Its first single, "You Are the Girl," did fine at Rock (#2) and AC (#12), but it didn't meet expectations at Pop where it stalled at #17. It was a disappointment since their previous two studio albums and one compilation all began with Top 10 hits. To try and reignite interest in the band, this second single was pushed out. Again, it did well at rock reaching #4, but over at Pop it did far worse. It only spent a month on the chart and became the lowest peaking single of the band's career. The lack of a better follow-up played into album sales with Door to Door missing their first album to miss the Top 20 (#26) and their first to not go platinum (it would reach gold level sales).
ReduxReview: "You Are the Girl" was a bouncy synthpop ditty that made The Cars sound tired. It was an uninteresting been-there-done-that track from an album that was supposed to be more rock oriented. This follow-up track was more in-line with those expectations. The beefy guitars outweighed the synths and it did make The Cars sound more like a band than one that was doing a lot of synth programming, which was a good thing. However, the song itself wasn't all that great. It played well at Rock, but the darker sounding track wasn't a fit for Pop. It didn't have the alluring, candy-coated hooks found on the band's bigger hits that sounded great on the radio. Still, this was a better song than "You Are the Girl."
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: While in the studio recording the Door to Door album, the band began messing around and jamming, perhaps in hopes of stumbling upon an idea for a song. As they were playing along, they found themselves playing a song from their early days. The tune was called "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo" and although it was one the band had performed in the late 70s before they released their 1978 debut LP, they never actually got around to recording it. They did do a demo of the song in 1977, but apparently it was set aside in favor of other songs for their debut LP. The song had basically become nearly forgotten until the band started to riff on it in the studio. Needing songs for the new album, they decided to let the song have its day. Also on the LP was another song from the same time period that never got recorded. "Leave or Stay" finally saw the light of day on Door to Door.
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Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Monday, November 23, 2020
"Criticize" by Alexander O'Neal
Song#: 3327
Date: 11/14/1987
Debut: 97
Peak: 70
Weeks: 11
Genre: R&B, Electro-Funk
Pop Bits: O'Neal's second album, Hearsay, got off to a great start when its first single, "Fake," made it to #1 on the R&B chart. It then crossed over to Pop and was able to crack the Top 30 (#25) while getting to #7 Dance. For a follow-up, this next track was selected. It would easily make the R&B Top 10 at #4, but this time around it wasn't able to catch on at Pop and it stalled low on the chart. It was also less popular at Dance peaking at #17. It was a slight dip in the road as his next single would put him back in the upper reaches of the Pop chart.
ReduxReview: O'Neal wrote this track with Garry Johnson, but it was producers Jam & Lewis that made the song work. It was a signature production by the pair that was amped up with a bit of rock. It was a beefy track that may not have been as immediately accessible or hooky as "Fake," but it was a worthy follow up that should have done better on the Pop chart.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: While the Hearsay album and its singles would do okay on the Pop chart in the US, it was far more successful in the UK. This single would be O'Neal's biggest hit there getting to #4. In turn, the album would reach #4 as well. Four other singles from the LP would reach the UK Top 40. With O'Neal's popularity soaring, the album would end up going triple-platinum in the UK. His next regular studio album, 1991's All True Man, would also do well getting to #2 and going gold thanks to four charting singles. In 1998, this song would return to the UK chart in a remix form. "Criticize ('98 Mix)" would make it to #51.
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Date: 11/14/1987
Debut: 97
Peak: 70
Weeks: 11
Genre: R&B, Electro-Funk
Pop Bits: O'Neal's second album, Hearsay, got off to a great start when its first single, "Fake," made it to #1 on the R&B chart. It then crossed over to Pop and was able to crack the Top 30 (#25) while getting to #7 Dance. For a follow-up, this next track was selected. It would easily make the R&B Top 10 at #4, but this time around it wasn't able to catch on at Pop and it stalled low on the chart. It was also less popular at Dance peaking at #17. It was a slight dip in the road as his next single would put him back in the upper reaches of the Pop chart.
ReduxReview: O'Neal wrote this track with Garry Johnson, but it was producers Jam & Lewis that made the song work. It was a signature production by the pair that was amped up with a bit of rock. It was a beefy track that may not have been as immediately accessible or hooky as "Fake," but it was a worthy follow up that should have done better on the Pop chart.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: While the Hearsay album and its singles would do okay on the Pop chart in the US, it was far more successful in the UK. This single would be O'Neal's biggest hit there getting to #4. In turn, the album would reach #4 as well. Four other singles from the LP would reach the UK Top 40. With O'Neal's popularity soaring, the album would end up going triple-platinum in the UK. His next regular studio album, 1991's All True Man, would also do well getting to #2 and going gold thanks to four charting singles. In 1998, this song would return to the UK chart in a remix form. "Criticize ('98 Mix)" would make it to #51.
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Sunday, November 22, 2020
"Candle in the Wind" by Elton John
Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 3326
Date: 11/07/1987
Debut: 68
Peak: 6
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: John's 1986 album Leather Jackets was the worst performing album of his career in the US. It featured to Top 40 singles and topped out at a very minor #91. It was a big disappointment after a solid run of four gold and platinum albums. It did better in other territories including Australia where it got to #4. That made Australia the perfect place to wind up his associated tour. For this last leg, which got titled the Tour de Force, John arranged a special show that would play for 28 dates in 5 Australian cities. The first half of the show featured John and his backing band while the second half had John performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The final show on the tour was recorded and the second half of the show was assembled and released as an album titled Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. To promote the album, this single was issued out. It ended up becoming a surprise hit reaching #2 at AC and becoming his twenty-first US Pop Top 10. The song helped the album get to #24 and go gold. Eventually it would be certified platinum. The hit put John back on the map and helped people forget about his Leather Jackets misstep
ReduxReview: I loved this song as a kid. Even though I was only nine years old at the time it was originally released (see below), I already knew who Marilyn Monroe was and I thought the lyrics and melody were so beautiful. A few years later I was able to buy the album and I played the track a lot. In fact, the whole first side of the double-LP Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which included this song, was sheer perfection. I didn't realize until much later that the song was never a hit. Still, everyone knew it. Then this live version came out. While it wasn't nearly as good as the original, it was well done and it helped bring the song to a younger generation who may not have known the song. I think the only thing I miss here is that John didn't involve the orchestra. It was just him on piano and a keyboard player filling out the arrangement. The addition of the orchestra might have made the song soar. I ended up buying the album and it ended up being the rare live set that I enjoyed.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) If John's vocals seemed a little rough on the album it was because he had polyps on his vocal chords. His condition had worsened over the tour and the show that was recorded was his last before he would undergo surgery to remove the polyps. The surgery was successful and after a lengthy period of rest, John was able to sing again. However, the surgery (along with getting older) altered his voice. He began to sing in a deeper register and also lost his ability to do falsetto. Considering that the risky surgery could have resulted in him losing his voice or singing voice (a la Julie Andrews), the outcome was good and it allowed John to continue his career. 2) This is a remake of a song that John himself originally co-wrote and recorded for his classic 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The tune, a tribute to the legendary Marilyn Monroe, was never released as a single in the US despite its popularity. It was released elsewhere like in the UK where it got to #11. The enduring classic finally got its chance to chart in the US with the live version. Eleven years later, the song would reach legendary status when John re-recorded it with new lyrics as a tribute to Princess Diana. Candle in the Wind '97 would become the biggest selling single in the history of the rock era and the second biggest of all-time (after Bing Crosby's "White Christmas").
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Date: 11/07/1987
Debut: 68
Peak: 6
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: John's 1986 album Leather Jackets was the worst performing album of his career in the US. It featured to Top 40 singles and topped out at a very minor #91. It was a big disappointment after a solid run of four gold and platinum albums. It did better in other territories including Australia where it got to #4. That made Australia the perfect place to wind up his associated tour. For this last leg, which got titled the Tour de Force, John arranged a special show that would play for 28 dates in 5 Australian cities. The first half of the show featured John and his backing band while the second half had John performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The final show on the tour was recorded and the second half of the show was assembled and released as an album titled Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. To promote the album, this single was issued out. It ended up becoming a surprise hit reaching #2 at AC and becoming his twenty-first US Pop Top 10. The song helped the album get to #24 and go gold. Eventually it would be certified platinum. The hit put John back on the map and helped people forget about his Leather Jackets misstep
ReduxReview: I loved this song as a kid. Even though I was only nine years old at the time it was originally released (see below), I already knew who Marilyn Monroe was and I thought the lyrics and melody were so beautiful. A few years later I was able to buy the album and I played the track a lot. In fact, the whole first side of the double-LP Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which included this song, was sheer perfection. I didn't realize until much later that the song was never a hit. Still, everyone knew it. Then this live version came out. While it wasn't nearly as good as the original, it was well done and it helped bring the song to a younger generation who may not have known the song. I think the only thing I miss here is that John didn't involve the orchestra. It was just him on piano and a keyboard player filling out the arrangement. The addition of the orchestra might have made the song soar. I ended up buying the album and it ended up being the rare live set that I enjoyed.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) If John's vocals seemed a little rough on the album it was because he had polyps on his vocal chords. His condition had worsened over the tour and the show that was recorded was his last before he would undergo surgery to remove the polyps. The surgery was successful and after a lengthy period of rest, John was able to sing again. However, the surgery (along with getting older) altered his voice. He began to sing in a deeper register and also lost his ability to do falsetto. Considering that the risky surgery could have resulted in him losing his voice or singing voice (a la Julie Andrews), the outcome was good and it allowed John to continue his career. 2) This is a remake of a song that John himself originally co-wrote and recorded for his classic 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The tune, a tribute to the legendary Marilyn Monroe, was never released as a single in the US despite its popularity. It was released elsewhere like in the UK where it got to #11. The enduring classic finally got its chance to chart in the US with the live version. Eleven years later, the song would reach legendary status when John re-recorded it with new lyrics as a tribute to Princess Diana. Candle in the Wind '97 would become the biggest selling single in the history of the rock era and the second biggest of all-time (after Bing Crosby's "White Christmas").
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Saturday, November 21, 2020
"There's the Girl" by Heart
Song#: 3325
Date: 11/07/1987
Debut: 70
Peak: 12
Weeks: 19
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Heart's album Bad Animals was another multi-platinum success thanks to a pair of Top 10 hits including the #1 "Alone." Their previous self-titled album spawned four Top 10 hits and the band had hopes that the new album would do the same. However, this third single dashed their hopes. It would just stop shy of the Pop Top 10 while getting to #16 at Rock. It certainly wasn't a bad result, but it didn't bode well for further singles as it seemed that Bad Animals didn't have the same legs as their previous album.
ReduxReview: This song continues Heart's flirtation with commercial pop/rock. While it has a slight smell of industrial hit songwriting (see below), it's not too bad. It just didn't have the same spark and likability factor as their previous six Top 10s. Frankly, I think it is one of their most forgettable hits. It nearly cracked the Top 10, but in the years since the track has pretty much disappeared. It's also one of those songs that could have easily been done by other artists. I could hear Starship or Pat Benatar recording it. In other words, the track is kind of faceless and Heart didn't put a big enough of a stamp on it to truly make it their own.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was co-written by Holly Knight and Heart's Nancy Wilson. Knight had certainly turned into a go-to hit songwriter. By this point in time she had co-written seven Pop Top 10 hits including one that appeared on Heart's self-titled 1985 comeback album, the #4 "Never." For this tune, Knight worked with Wilson and perhaps because of her co-writing status, Wilson got to perform the lead vocal. It was only the second Heart single where she got to sing the lead. The first was "These Dreams," which topped the Pop chart. Her sister Ann usually handled the lead vocals on most of the band's tracks, but once in a while Nancy got her chance at bat and the two hits made sure that her voice got heard.
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Date: 11/07/1987
Debut: 70
Peak: 12
Weeks: 19
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Heart's album Bad Animals was another multi-platinum success thanks to a pair of Top 10 hits including the #1 "Alone." Their previous self-titled album spawned four Top 10 hits and the band had hopes that the new album would do the same. However, this third single dashed their hopes. It would just stop shy of the Pop Top 10 while getting to #16 at Rock. It certainly wasn't a bad result, but it didn't bode well for further singles as it seemed that Bad Animals didn't have the same legs as their previous album.
ReduxReview: This song continues Heart's flirtation with commercial pop/rock. While it has a slight smell of industrial hit songwriting (see below), it's not too bad. It just didn't have the same spark and likability factor as their previous six Top 10s. Frankly, I think it is one of their most forgettable hits. It nearly cracked the Top 10, but in the years since the track has pretty much disappeared. It's also one of those songs that could have easily been done by other artists. I could hear Starship or Pat Benatar recording it. In other words, the track is kind of faceless and Heart didn't put a big enough of a stamp on it to truly make it their own.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was co-written by Holly Knight and Heart's Nancy Wilson. Knight had certainly turned into a go-to hit songwriter. By this point in time she had co-written seven Pop Top 10 hits including one that appeared on Heart's self-titled 1985 comeback album, the #4 "Never." For this tune, Knight worked with Wilson and perhaps because of her co-writing status, Wilson got to perform the lead vocal. It was only the second Heart single where she got to sing the lead. The first was "These Dreams," which topped the Pop chart. Her sister Ann usually handled the lead vocals on most of the band's tracks, but once in a while Nancy got her chance at bat and the two hits made sure that her voice got heard.
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Friday, November 20, 2020
"Kick the Wall" by Jimmy Davis & Junction
Song#: 3324
Date: 11/07/1987
Debut: 79
Peak: 67
Weeks: 6
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: This Memphis-based band headed up by singer/songwriter/guitarist Jimmy Davis gained a good reputation and a large enough fan base to attracted MCA Records. The band signed on with MCA as the first act to be on their small offshoot QMI label (headed up by former MTV head Bob Pittman) and recorded their debut album Kick the Wall. This title track single would get issued out and it got a little bit of attention thanks to some exposure on MTV. The song was able to reach #32 at Rock while spending a few weeks on the Pop chart. The album sold a few minor copies, but the results seemed to be good enough for the band to plan for a second album. Unfortunately, QMI folded and it left Davis and the band without a label or ability to record a new LP. The prospects of starting over didn't sit well with the band and the members ended up going their own ways.
ReduxReview: I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this song wasn't it. From what I read, it seemed the band was known for more of a Southern rock sound. I imagined something akin to earlier 80s 38 Special or even Georgia Satellites, but what came out of my speakers was closer to Jackson Browne or Eddie Money. Then there was the long, quiet beginning (which weirdly had a "Dirty Diana" sound/feel) before the rock finally kicked in. It was more heartland than southern. It was well done, but I don't think it was the most pop friendly single. The tune was appropriate for rock radio, yet it really didn't click there either. Davis had a good voice and the band was prime, as was the production. They just needed a more radio friendly track to push them further.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) On the heels of the Kick the Wall album, the band did get to record one more track. They co-wrote and recorded "My Way or the Highway" for the soundtrack to the 1988 horror flick A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. That sequel would get mixed reviews, but did well at the box office. 2) After the band folded, Davis concentrated on songwriting and performing with other artists. A few of his songs got picked up by major artists. He co-wrote "Blame It on Love," a track on the 1992 Restless Heart album Big Iron Horses. Another co-write, "Keeping My Distance," ended up on Martina McBride's triple-platinum 1997 album Evolution.
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Date: 11/07/1987
Debut: 79
Peak: 67
Weeks: 6
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: This Memphis-based band headed up by singer/songwriter/guitarist Jimmy Davis gained a good reputation and a large enough fan base to attracted MCA Records. The band signed on with MCA as the first act to be on their small offshoot QMI label (headed up by former MTV head Bob Pittman) and recorded their debut album Kick the Wall. This title track single would get issued out and it got a little bit of attention thanks to some exposure on MTV. The song was able to reach #32 at Rock while spending a few weeks on the Pop chart. The album sold a few minor copies, but the results seemed to be good enough for the band to plan for a second album. Unfortunately, QMI folded and it left Davis and the band without a label or ability to record a new LP. The prospects of starting over didn't sit well with the band and the members ended up going their own ways.
ReduxReview: I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this song wasn't it. From what I read, it seemed the band was known for more of a Southern rock sound. I imagined something akin to earlier 80s 38 Special or even Georgia Satellites, but what came out of my speakers was closer to Jackson Browne or Eddie Money. Then there was the long, quiet beginning (which weirdly had a "Dirty Diana" sound/feel) before the rock finally kicked in. It was more heartland than southern. It was well done, but I don't think it was the most pop friendly single. The tune was appropriate for rock radio, yet it really didn't click there either. Davis had a good voice and the band was prime, as was the production. They just needed a more radio friendly track to push them further.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) On the heels of the Kick the Wall album, the band did get to record one more track. They co-wrote and recorded "My Way or the Highway" for the soundtrack to the 1988 horror flick A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. That sequel would get mixed reviews, but did well at the box office. 2) After the band folded, Davis concentrated on songwriting and performing with other artists. A few of his songs got picked up by major artists. He co-wrote "Blame It on Love," a track on the 1992 Restless Heart album Big Iron Horses. Another co-write, "Keeping My Distance," ended up on Martina McBride's triple-platinum 1997 album Evolution.
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