"Sugar Daddy" by Thompson Twins

Song#:  4042

Date:  09/23/1989

Debut:  83

Peak:  28

Weeks:  12

Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  After a pair of successful albums and three Pop Top 10 hits, the trio of Thompson Twins became more akin to their name and became a duo. Joe Leeway left the group leaving Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie to carry on. Their first album as a duo, '87's Close to the Bone, would not do so well. It would stall at #76 with the only charting single being the #31 "Get That Love." After that disappointment, the duo picked up the pieces, moved over to Warner Bros. Records, and got a fresh start. They would record their seventh album, Big Trash. This first single would get things kicked off. It would become a #2 Dance hit while also making it to #16 Modern Rock. On the Pop chart, the tune would crack the Top 30, but falter soon after. A second single would fail to chart. Although the LP received some good notices, the lack of a significant hit doomed the album and it would peak at a very minor #143.

ReduxReview:  This was a good attempt to regain chart favor for the duo. It was a fun, bouncy track with a good hook. It was better than "Get That Love," but not by much. The tune lacked that extra zing that makes a hit. The Top 30 result was appropriate, but the Twins needed a far better result to get them back into the game. As it ended up, this would be their final Pop chart single.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Despite the results of Big Trash, Warner Bros. decided to give the Twins another shot. In 1991, they would released the album Queer. While it would spawn the #7 Dance/#23 Modern Rock hit "Come Inside," the song and the album failed to catch on in the mainstream. The LP disappeared quickly and by '92, the Twins were done for good. The following year, Bailey and Currie (who married in '91) brought Keith Fernley into the fold and a new trio called Babble was born. They would issue out two albums for Warner Bros. in '94 and '96. The LP's didn't get much attention, but did produce a pair of Top 20 Dance singles including the #10 "Love Has No Name." Warner would end up dropping the band and Babble came to an end. While Currie would choose to leave the music business later in the 90s, Bailey continued on writing and producing for others while also recording under the moniker International Observer. The pair would divorce in 2003.

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"Right Back Where We Started From" by Sinitta

Song#:  4041

Date:  09/23/1989

Debut:  84

Peak:  84

Weeks:  4

Genre:  Dance-Pop

Pop Bits:  Although Sinitta Malone was born in Seattle, Washington, her main home became London after she moved there as a kid with her mother who had gotten a job performing in the musical Hair. Getting the acting/singing bug from her mother, Sinitta started to audition for roles and would eventually appear in West End productions. A couple of film/TV appearances would come her way as well. In 1984, Sinitta met with a struggling A&R guy by the name of Simon Cowell. Cowell had just formed a new label called Fanfare and he signed Sinitta to be the label's first artist. Sinitta would then record the song "Cruising." While the song was a hit in gay clubs, it didn't make much of an impression elsewhere. She then recorded the tune "So Macho." Released in '85, the song again found favor in clubs only. Cowell would apply some marketing strategy to bring attention to the song and eventually it would pay off. Nearly a year after its initial release, "So Macho" would take off and reach #2 in the UK and go gold. It was both Sinitta's and Cowell's first hit. A third single didn't fare as well, but Cowell had in mind to match Sinitta with the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting/production team. It took a while, but the collaboration finally took place with SAW heading up four tracks for Sinitta. The song "Toy Boy" would be released as a single in the summer of '87. It would become her second UK Top 10 hit reaching #4. A debut album was then assembled titled Sinitta!. Another SAW tune, "Cross My Broken Heart," would get to #6. The singles would help the album get to #34 in the UK and go gold. It seems along the way Cowell got a distribution deal in the US for Sinitta and the track "Feels Like the First Time" would become a #4 Dance hit in '86. Her other two SAW hits would also make the US Dance chart, but the album failed to click. Sinitta's next album, '89's Wicked, would contain one SAW track, "I Don't Believe in Miracles," which served as the first single, but it stalled at #22 in the UK. However, her next single, "Right Back Where We Started From," turned things around and made it to #4. It would be her fourth and final UK Top 10. The album would be another gold seller reaching #52. In the States, "Right Back Where We Started From" would get some minor attention and would be Sinitta's only song to make the US Pop chart. Unfortunately, it would just be for a short month at the bottom. Sinitta would basically wrap up her solo recording career with the '95 covers album Naughty Naughty, which failed to generate much interest.

ReduxReview:  This tune was a good one to cover, but besides a more modern, sleek synthpop arrangement that practically sounded dated by '89 standards, there wasn't much that made it different from the stompin' original. Sinitta had a good pop voice, but it wasn't strong or memorable and it certain paled in comparison to Maxine Nightingale's (see below). While the Brits enjoyed the remake (nostalgia factor and Sinitta's popularity most likely helped), Stateside it did win much favor. No harm, no foul. Just meh.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by British R&B/disco singer Maxine Nightingale. Her version would reach #2 on the US Pop chart in 1976 (#8 UK). Nightingale would make the US Pop Top 10 (#5) once more in 1978 with "Lead Me On."  2) Sinitta's connection to Simon Cowell would come in handy later. When he developed The X-Factor singing competition show that began in 2004, Cowell invited Sinitta to participate on the show during one of the rounds of competition. Each judge would hold a "bootcamp" where they would guide and shape the contestants that were selected for their respective categories (solo acts under 25, solo acts 25 and over, and groups). While at the bootcamps, the judges would have assistants to help them in the process and decision making. Sinitta would work with Cowell at his bootcamp as an assistant or guest mentor for the majority of the show's 15 season run, which ended in 2018. Her work on the show led to appearances on several reality TV shows including competition-based ones like Celebrity MasterChef and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

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"No Big Deal" by Love and Rockets

Song#:  4040

Date:  09/23/1989

Debut:  87

Peak:  82

Weeks:  4

Genre:  Alternative Rock

Pop Bits:  This English band scored a left field hit with the #3 "So Alive." It was taken from their self-titled fourth album that ended up reaching #14 and went gold. To try and push album sales further this next single was issued out. It did not fare well peaking at #19 Modern Rock while only spending a month on the Pop chart.

ReduxReview: Let's face it. Love and Rockets wasn't a band that was going to make music for the masses. Of course they wanted to sell albums and such, but making chart hits wasn't their goal. So the fact that they grabbed a major hit with "So Alive" was surprising. Then the task was to try and figure out how to follow it up. There was nothing on par with "So Alive" on the album, so it really was a crap shoot for the label. They opted for this lo-fi blues-laced ditty, which was probably the one with the most (or any really) single/radio potential. Still, it wasn't something that was going to light up the phones and it certainly didn't. It would basically one-n-done for the band.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  The band's US audience grew with their second and third albums, both of which made the Top 100. Their fourth album would be their big mainstream breakthrough thanks to "So Alive." With that hit and a gold album under their belt, it seemed like the perfect time to strike while the iron was hot. But that did not happen. Instead of issuing out a fifth Love and Rockets album, the band decided to take a break and that allowed for two of its members, Danial Ash and David J, to make solo albums. The trio would finally reconvene later in '93 to work on a new album. The more electronic/dance influenced Hot Trip to Heaven would be issued out in '94. The experimental effort was met with a thud. Critics and fans were left confused about the band's direction and the LP quickly disappeared. Two more albums would follow that didn't to much to reignite the band's popularity. By 1999, they were done.

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"Radar Love" by White Lion

Song#:  4039

Date:  09/23/1989

Debut:  88

Peak:  59

Weeks:  13

Genre:  Hard Rock, Glam Metal

Pop Bits:  The band's first single from their third album Big Game, "Little Fighter," would do fine at Rock getting to #12, but it stalled a bit early on the Pop chart at #52. That was a bit of a disappointment since their previous album, Pride, spawned a pair of Pop Top 10 hits. To try and gain back momentum, this cover tune was issued out as the second single. It did little to help revive the album. It failed to make the Rock chart while stalling in the bottom half of the Pop chart. Still, the band's touring and popularity helped the album get to #19 and go gold. However, that was a far cry from the double-platinum status of Pride.

ReduxReview:  Pushing out a classic rock remake as a single wasn't a bad idea and their choice in doing this song was sound as well. It seemed like a no-brainer, but it didn't pay off for the band. I think the problem was that they really didn't do much to make the song their own, except perhaps make it louder. It was a capable cover, but there was nothing here that made it special. It just made you wanna go back and hear the original.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by the Dutch rock band Golden Earring. Their 1973 version would become their first hit in the US getting to #13. While the band would remain hugely popular back home, they mainly disappeared in the US until they were able to score their one and only Top 10 in 1983 with "Twilight Zone."   2) Like many other hair metal artists, White Lion succumbed to the new kids in town, the grunge bands. Their fourth album, 1991's Main Attraction, failed to spawn a significant single and peaked at a low #61. That result along with some internal struggles and the advent of grunge led to the demise of White Lion in '92. Over the years, lead singer Mike Tramp would revive the White Lion name and even record a couple of albums, but no other original member participated. Tramp would have some success with another band he formed called Freak of Nature. He would also step out for a solo career along the way. In his native country of Denmark, his solo albums would do well with five of them making the Top 20 in that country including 2014's Museum, which reached #3.

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"Hungry" by Winger

Song#:  4038

Date:  09/23/1989

Debut:  92

Peak:  85

Weeks:  6

Genre:  Hard Rock, Glam Metal

Pop Bits:  Winger scored a pair of Pop Top 30 hits from their self-titled debut album including the #19 power ballad "Headed for a Heartbreak." Both helped drive the album to #21 and make it a platinum seller. To try and keep some momentum going, this fourth single was issued out. It didn't fully catch fire stopping at #85 Pop and #34 Rock. Regardless, Winger's debut album was a solid success that made them new stars in hair metal.

ReduxReview:  The string section that starts out this song is an interesting add that gets your attention and it leads to a big arena rock chorus. However, the overall song just wasn't quite as memorable or mainstream as other glam metal songs climbing the charts. It was a good album track with an interesting mid section. As a single, it just wasn't going to do the job.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Winger would return in 1990 with their second album In the Heart of the Young. It would pretty much replicate the success of their debut reaching #15 and going platinum. The LP would spawn the band's biggest hit on the Pop chart, the #12 "Miles Away" (#14 Rock). Two other singles would just barely miss out on the Pop Top 40. By the time their third album, Pull, was ready in '93, grunge had set in and that did Winger no favors. The single "Down Incognito" would get to #15 Rock and that left the album stopping at #83. With that result, the band broke up. They would reunite in 2001 to record a new song for a hits package and then tour the following year. After another hiatus, they would get back together in 2006 and has since then toured and recorded a few album.

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