Song#: 1252
Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 58
Peak: 20
Weeks: 18
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Petty's fifth album, "Long After Dark," was another success reaching #9 on the album chart thanks in part to this first single that became the band's fourth Top 20 hit. It was also a smash at rock radio where it reached #1. Despite the solid lead-off, the album didn't sell quite as well as their previous two platinum efforts and only got to gold-level.
ReduxReview: Petty move into the 80s with this song. It was their first album to feature a synth and it worked out pretty darn good, at least on this song. The album as a whole was not one of their best efforts, but this song is certainly a stand-out and sits comfortably alongside their greatest hits.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Many established artists were not ready to embrace MTV and making music videos. Petty and crew were an exception. They set out to make something interesting and that certainly helped them get a lot of airplay on the new channel. The video for this song was developed by the band and was unusual at the time because the song didn't start until sometime after the minute mark. The Mad Max-ish style video was high concept for MTV and both the channel and viewers ate it up.
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Saturday, May 9, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
"Two Less Lonely People in the World" by Air Supply
Song#: 1251
Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 72
Peak: 38
Weeks: 14
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: It seems Air Supply's brand of music was in decline as the 80s moved on with pop audiences beginning to ignore their big ballads. "Young Love," the second single from their album "Now and Forever," stalled at #38 and broke their string of Top 10 hits. This third single did exactly as well reaching the same #38. However, their songs still thrived at AC with this one hitting #4. It was their eighth AC Top 10 hit.
ReduxReview: This song is big a step up from the bland "Young Love," but I still don't consider it among their best. It's just a good, standard pop ballad that is an easy listen. No fuss, no muss. I'll always remember it as the first dance song for my best friend's sister's wedding. It was her second wedding, so they just got married at home. The happy couple danced to this song during the reception party. I'll always remember their cake too. It was a three tiered cake with chocolate frosting decorated in green and orange (can anyone say 70s?). What was even worse about it was that the decorator made a spelling mistake. They wanted the title of a Queen hit on the cake, but instead got "Another One Bits the Dust." In bright orange...
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was co-written by Howard Greenfield (with Ken Hirsch of "I've Never Been to Me" fame). Greenfield has written numerous hits including several for artist/writing partner Neil Sedaka. He has four #1 pop hits to his credit including Sedaka's "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and the Captain & Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together." Greenfield died in 1986 at age 49.
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Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 72
Peak: 38
Weeks: 14
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: It seems Air Supply's brand of music was in decline as the 80s moved on with pop audiences beginning to ignore their big ballads. "Young Love," the second single from their album "Now and Forever," stalled at #38 and broke their string of Top 10 hits. This third single did exactly as well reaching the same #38. However, their songs still thrived at AC with this one hitting #4. It was their eighth AC Top 10 hit.
ReduxReview: This song is big a step up from the bland "Young Love," but I still don't consider it among their best. It's just a good, standard pop ballad that is an easy listen. No fuss, no muss. I'll always remember it as the first dance song for my best friend's sister's wedding. It was her second wedding, so they just got married at home. The happy couple danced to this song during the reception party. I'll always remember their cake too. It was a three tiered cake with chocolate frosting decorated in green and orange (can anyone say 70s?). What was even worse about it was that the decorator made a spelling mistake. They wanted the title of a Queen hit on the cake, but instead got "Another One Bits the Dust." In bright orange...
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was co-written by Howard Greenfield (with Ken Hirsch of "I've Never Been to Me" fame). Greenfield has written numerous hits including several for artist/writing partner Neil Sedaka. He has four #1 pop hits to his credit including Sedaka's "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and the Captain & Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together." Greenfield died in 1986 at age 49.
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Thursday, May 7, 2015
"I Gotta Try" by Michael McDonald
Song#: 1250
Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 74
Peak: 44
Weeks: 11
Genre: Soft Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul
Pop Bits: McDonald's solo career started off well with the Top 10 hit "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" (#4). Unfortunately, this second single from his gold debut album, "If That's What It Takes," stalled before reaching the Top 40. It also had a low #28 peak at AC.
ReduxReview: "I Keep Forgettin'" didn't stray too far from the sound of the Doobie Brothers but it was different enough to work well. However, this one sounds like an outtake direct from the Doobies' "Minute By Minute" album. It's a good song and is better than anything off of McDonald's last outing with the Brothers, but by this time everyone had heard this sound before. Instead of something new and different, McDonald played it way too safe, which usually equates to boring no matter how pleasant the song may be.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was co-written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, who also co-wrote the Grammy winning Doobie Brothers hit "What a Fool Believes." And like that song, Loggins also would release his own solo version of "I Gotta Try." A couple of months before this single got issued, Loggins' version appeared on his "High Adventure" album. However, it was not issued as a single.
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Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 74
Peak: 44
Weeks: 11
Genre: Soft Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul
Pop Bits: McDonald's solo career started off well with the Top 10 hit "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" (#4). Unfortunately, this second single from his gold debut album, "If That's What It Takes," stalled before reaching the Top 40. It also had a low #28 peak at AC.
ReduxReview: "I Keep Forgettin'" didn't stray too far from the sound of the Doobie Brothers but it was different enough to work well. However, this one sounds like an outtake direct from the Doobies' "Minute By Minute" album. It's a good song and is better than anything off of McDonald's last outing with the Brothers, but by this time everyone had heard this sound before. Instead of something new and different, McDonald played it way too safe, which usually equates to boring no matter how pleasant the song may be.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: This song was co-written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, who also co-wrote the Grammy winning Doobie Brothers hit "What a Fool Believes." And like that song, Loggins also would release his own solo version of "I Gotta Try." A couple of months before this single got issued, Loggins' version appeared on his "High Adventure" album. However, it was not issued as a single.
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015
"Forever Mine" by The Motels
Song#: 1249
Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 77
Peak: 60
Weeks: 8
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: The Motels most successful LP, "All Four One," was a #16 gold album thanks to the #9 single "Only the Lonely." Their follow-up single, "Take the L," couldn't get much support and stalled at #52. This third single did about as well and spent a short couple months on the chart.
ReduxReview: I really wish this could have been the second single. I think it may have had a chance to be a much bigger hit. The song's retro-ish sound seemed to be an ideal follow up to "Only the Lonely." But when "Take the L" kind of tanked, it made it more difficult for this single to get any traction. It's too bad as this is a lovely, quality song.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Their "All Four One" album contains a cover of the Gerry Goffin/Carole King song "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)." Originally done by The Crystals and produced by Phil Spector, the song courted some controversy due to its dark subject matter. Many thought the lyrics supported spousal abuse which resulted in the song getting little to no airplay. Goffin and King had apparently written the song after finding out that their friend and babysitter, singer Little Eva, was being beaten by her boyfriend. King later distanced herself from the song, basically regretting it, stating she herself had been a victim of an abusive relationship as well.
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Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 77
Peak: 60
Weeks: 8
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: The Motels most successful LP, "All Four One," was a #16 gold album thanks to the #9 single "Only the Lonely." Their follow-up single, "Take the L," couldn't get much support and stalled at #52. This third single did about as well and spent a short couple months on the chart.
ReduxReview: I really wish this could have been the second single. I think it may have had a chance to be a much bigger hit. The song's retro-ish sound seemed to be an ideal follow up to "Only the Lonely." But when "Take the L" kind of tanked, it made it more difficult for this single to get any traction. It's too bad as this is a lovely, quality song.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Their "All Four One" album contains a cover of the Gerry Goffin/Carole King song "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)." Originally done by The Crystals and produced by Phil Spector, the song courted some controversy due to its dark subject matter. Many thought the lyrics supported spousal abuse which resulted in the song getting little to no airplay. Goffin and King had apparently written the song after finding out that their friend and babysitter, singer Little Eva, was being beaten by her boyfriend. King later distanced herself from the song, basically regretting it, stating she herself had been a victim of an abusive relationship as well.
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Tuesday, May 5, 2015
"Valerie" by Stevie Winwood
Song#: 1248
Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 79
Peak: 70
Weeks: 4
Genre: Soft Rock
Pop Bits: Winwood's third LP "Talking Back to the Night" got off to a sluggish start when its first single, "Still in the Game," got shut out of the Top 40 (#47). On initial release, this second single spent a short month on the chart and disappeared. However, it would get a second lease on life later in the decade in a remix version that would reach the Top 40. But this original version was quickly forgotten.
ReduxReview: I'm not sure why this song didn't catch on the first time around. The remix version does sound better, but it's the same song. Sometimes when an artist hits it big, as Winwood did with his "Back in the High Life" album, older songs can get an opportunity to be rediscovered. I'm glad this one did. I've always liked it and Winwood's soaring voice on the chorus. My only quibble with it is the short, cut-off ending. It makes the song sound like a demo rather than a fully thought out production.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Winwood's co-writer on this song, Will Jennings, apparently had someone specific in mind while writing the lyrics. The "Valerie" in question seems to be singer Valerie Carter, a popular in-demand background singer whose career was on the skids due to her increasing drug use. This is not the first song where Carter was the inspiration. Jackson Browne's "That Girl Can Sing" (#22, 1980) is said to be about Carter. She also appeared on the pop chart in duet form with Eddie Money on "Let's Be Lovers Again" (#65, 1980)
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Date: 11/13/1982
Debut: 79
Peak: 70
Weeks: 4
Genre: Soft Rock
Pop Bits: Winwood's third LP "Talking Back to the Night" got off to a sluggish start when its first single, "Still in the Game," got shut out of the Top 40 (#47). On initial release, this second single spent a short month on the chart and disappeared. However, it would get a second lease on life later in the decade in a remix version that would reach the Top 40. But this original version was quickly forgotten.
ReduxReview: I'm not sure why this song didn't catch on the first time around. The remix version does sound better, but it's the same song. Sometimes when an artist hits it big, as Winwood did with his "Back in the High Life" album, older songs can get an opportunity to be rediscovered. I'm glad this one did. I've always liked it and Winwood's soaring voice on the chorus. My only quibble with it is the short, cut-off ending. It makes the song sound like a demo rather than a fully thought out production.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Winwood's co-writer on this song, Will Jennings, apparently had someone specific in mind while writing the lyrics. The "Valerie" in question seems to be singer Valerie Carter, a popular in-demand background singer whose career was on the skids due to her increasing drug use. This is not the first song where Carter was the inspiration. Jackson Browne's "That Girl Can Sing" (#22, 1980) is said to be about Carter. She also appeared on the pop chart in duet form with Eddie Money on "Let's Be Lovers Again" (#65, 1980)
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