"She Did It" by Michael Damian

Song#:  0615
Date:  05/30/1981
Debut:  91
Peak:  69
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Damian became best known for his role on the TV soap The Young and the Restless. His character Danny Romalotti remained a regular on the show from 1980-1998 and would return later for a few appearances. Damian's portrayal of a struggling singer had been playing out in real life as he started singing at a young age in a family band and was starting a solo career when he was discovered for the show. Around the same time, Damian recorded this one-off single that made it onto the chart for a few weeks - probably thanks in part to his increasing popularity on the soap. Throughout the 80s he would end up recording a few albums that went nowhere, but he would finally get a second single on the chart and reach #1 by the decade's end with his version of "Rock On" (1989).

ReduxReview:  I didn't care that much for the original (see below) and Damian's version sounded like average mid-70s bubblegum pop. In other words, it was not an improvement. Although he was eighteen when this came out, it made him sound younger - or less mature. I'm sure they were trying to get him into the Tiger Beat teen idol thing, but this wasn't the single to do it.

ReduxRating:  3/10

Trivia:  This song is a remake of a minor chart hit for Eric Carmen. Carmen wrote the tune and the single reached #23 in 1977. It was the first single lifted from his second album Boats Against the Current. The LP  could only reach #45, which was a disappointment coming on the heels of his gold-selling 1975 self-titled debut (#21) that featured his #2 gold single "All By Myself."

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"All Those Years Ago" by George Harrison

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  0614
Date:  05/23/1981
Debut:  33
Peak:  2
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Soft Rock



Pop Bits:  Harrison's solo chart appearances were spotty since his first #1 hit "My Sweet Lord" in 1970. His albums were consistent gold sellers, but as the 80s came on he had been absent from the Top 10 since 1973's #1 "Give Me Love - (Give Me Peace on Earth)." Harrison started working on his eighth album in 1979, but the record biz was giving him fits as the label rejected songs and even album artwork. He was still trying to finish the album when John Lennon's murder took place in 1980. Prior to that, Harrison had been working and writing for Ringo Starr's next album and this song was slated for Ringo. It was recorded, but Starr wasn't real happy with the results. After Lennon died, Harrison took back this song, reworked the lyrics to be a tribute to Lennon, and sang on the existing track. It was included on his album "Somewhere in England" and it got him back near the top of the pop chart.

ReduxReview:  It seems appropriate that the first Lennon tribute song came from another Beatle. And having something upbeat instead of some morose ballad kind of fits Lennon more. I didn't care too much for the song back then. Just wasn't my style and I had not been a fan of Harrison's solo work. But I can appreciate it much more these days and it sounds pretty good.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  For this song, Harrison kept the main track that was already recorded which featured Ringo on drums. He then asked Paul and Linda McCartney to come in and provide backing vocals. It was the first time the three ex-Beatles worked together on a track since 1970 when the three worked on Harrison's "I Me Mine," the last new song recorded by them before the breakup.

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"Boy from New York City" by The Manhattan Transfer

Top 10 Alert!

Grammy Alert!

Song#:  0613
Date:  05/23/1981
Debut:  72
Peak:  7
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Pop, Vocal



Pop Bits:  The Transfer's successful previous album "Extensions" got them their second Top 30 hit with "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" (#30). Their next album "Mecca for Moderns" became their most successful on the album chart reaching #22, thanks mainly to this first single which became their one and only pop Top 10 hit.

ReduxReview:  This song got me right from the first listen. Not being a big fan of doo-wop, I was surprised I liked it so much. The voices and arrangement were just perfect and I think they selected the right song to remake (see below). I already liked the group, but I became a much bigger fan thanks to this song. Although it was their commercial peak, they would go on to do some amazing vocal jazz work.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This song is a remake of the 1965 #8 hit by The Ad Libs. The British doo-wop revival group Darts reach #2 in the UK with their version in 1978.  2) The Transfer set a record at the Grammy's by winning awards in both the pop and jazz categories in the same year. This song won them Best Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group and the LP's track "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" got them the award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.

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"Promises" by Barbra Streisand

Song#:  0612
Date:  05/23/1981
Debut:  83
Peak:  48
Weeks:  9
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Streisand scored three Top 10 singles from her album "Guilty" and to try and keep the hot-streak going, this fourth single was issued. While the first three singles leaned toward mid-tempo AC, this song was more along the dance lines and was Streisand's first commercially available solo 12" release. It didn't make too much of a dent on the pop chart but it was another Top 10 AC hit reaching #8.

ReduxReview:  Although a solid song, I think the label may have been getting greedy by releasing this as a single. The album should have gone three and out. This song is just not really single-worthy. It's a really nice Bee Gee groove that sounds great when listening to the album, but it doesn't seem like this would stand out on the radio.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Streisand's debut album, "The Barbra Streisand Album," went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1964. At the time she was the youngest person to win the award and remained so until 32 years later when Alanis Morissette broke the record in 1996, followed by Taylor Swift in 2010. Streisand would also go on to received Album of the Year nominations for the following three years (1965-1967).

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"A Life of Illusion" by Joe Walsh

Song#:  0611
Date:  05/23/1981
Debut:  84
Peak:  34
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  With the breakup of the Eagles in 1980, Walsh continued on his solo trek and released his fifth LP "There Goes the Neighborhood." This first single became his fourth solo Top 40 single and reached #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

ReduxReview:  I didn't care for this song back upon initial release. It just wasn't what I was into and I thought Walsh's voice was whiny. But these days I can appreciate it and I think it is one of his better songs. It's not one you hear much anymore.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This song was originally recorded in 1973 with Walsh's old band Barnstorm, however the recording was never completed. Walsh chose to pick up where he left off on the song and finished it off for inclusion on the "Neighborhood" album.

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