"Right on Track" by Breakfast Club

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  3056
Date:  03/14/1987
Debut:  85
Peak:  7
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  This NYC band had been around since 1979 and had gone through several personnel changes. By 1984, they had a more steady lineup and were able to get a contract with the NYC dance label ZE Records. The band recorded a single titled "Rico Mambo" that the label released. Unfortunately, the single didn't get anywhere and then the label closed up shop. This left the band starting over again. But one of its member's association with another artist helped draw attention to the band and they landed another contract, this time with MCA Records. They proceeded to record a self-titled debut album that featured this first single that was produced by Jimmy Iovine, who was more known for his association with rock artists like Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty. The song took off and made it to the Pop Top 10 while reaching #7 at Dance and #64 at R&B. The album would see some sales and eventually peak at #43. While they weren't major breakout stars, the song and album seemed to get them noticed by the Grammy folks and they were handed a nomination for Best New Artist. Unfortunately, this song would end up being their only major hit (a second single would be a minor chart entry). Because of that, they have been referred to as a one-hit wonder.

ReduxReview:  I remember when this song came out. Much was made of the fact that this was Madonna's former band (see below). I'm sure a big chunk of that buzz came via MCA, who were trying to play it up and cash in on the connection. I can't say I blame them. The facts were there, why not use them? But it did seem sort of a desperate way to promote. Luckily, the band sort of lived up to the hype with this tune, which, not surprisingly, had a Madonna-ish feel. It had a solid club groove with a catchy chorus. It was also enhanced by background vocals by Jocelyn Brown. The problem was that the rest of the album wasn't nearly as good and didn't contain anything as commercially viable as this hit. The band also got lucky that the hit came during a very, very weak year for new artists and they ended up with the Grammy nod. Most any other year they would have not even be in the conversation. Still, they pumped out one solid tune that's still a pretty good listen.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:   This band was initially formed by brothers Dan and Ed Gilroy. Not long after the band formed, Dan began dating a new transplant from Michigan who would later be know by a single name - Madonna. The band happened to need a drummer and Madonna quickly learned how to play and took the spot. However, she had higher ambitions and wanted to do lead vocals, which had been handled at the time by Dan. Madonna got to sing a little, but apparently she wanted the whole spotlight and Dan was not willing to give it up. Therefore, Madonna upped and left them both. She then formed her own band Emmy and the Emmys with her friend Stephen Bray. It wasn't too long before Madonna headed out on a solo career. Bray then joined up with Breakfast Club. After Madonna's career kicked off, Bray reconnected with her and they began working together again, which resulted in hits he co-wrote like "Angel" and "Into the Groove." Suddenly, Bray's profile was raised and that, in turn, helped the Breakfast Club. MCA Records apparently liked the Madonna connection and gave the band a chance (with some choice Madge-related marketing, of course).

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"Heartbreak Beat" by Psychedelic Furs

Song#:  3055
Date:  03/14/1987
Debut:  87
Peak:  26
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Alternative Rock



Pop Bits:  The Furs were pushed into a more mainstream spotlight when their 1981 song "Pretty in Pink" got revamped and included on the soundtrack to the popular teen rom com flick of the same name. It got issued out as a single and would become their highest charting one to-date for the band reaching #41 on the US Pop chart and #18 back in their UK homeland. With their record company wanting to pounce on the band's higher profile, they were pushed back into the studio to usher out a new album pronto. Working with producer Chris Kimsey (The Rolling Stones, Marillion), the band busted out a set of songs that would form their fifth album Midnight to Midnight. This song would be issued out as the first single. It would nearly crack the Rock Top 10 at #11 while a remix of the tune would make it to #14 at Dance. It would then become their biggest hit on the Pop chart getting inside the Top 30. The song ended up being the band's last to reach the Pop chart. A second single, "Angels Don't Cry," would fail to reach the charts, but another track, "Shock," would make it to #30 on the Dance chart. The Furs would put out two more albums before taking an extended hiatus that would last nearly twenty years.

ReduxReview:  The Furs go (a bit unwillingly) for a more commercial sound on the album and it is on full display with this single. I absolutely loved it and thought for sure it was headed to the Top 10. I was disappointed when it stalled before that mark. Was it overproduced? Yeah. Did it really reflect the Furs' sound. Not really. Apparently, the band was not happy they were being forced to rush out a more commercial album and pretty much dismissed it a while after its release. I can understand that, but in general the album wasn't all that bad and on some of the songs you could hear elements of their writing/sound. The thing was, they were already heading towards a more mainstream sound with Mirror Moves and something like this was really the next step. I just think they wanted to do it on their own terms. Instead, they got paired with the wrong producer and weren't given the time to refine their tunes or write ones they liked better. Regardless of the issues they had, I'm glad they came up with this song. I love the big chorus on it and the excessive production. I still include it on several of my playlists.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) While Midnight to Midnight would be their highest peaking effort at #29, it would not be their best selling album. Their previous two, 1982's Forever Now and 1984's Mirror Moves, would both end up being certified gold records. Forever Now would turn gold in 1991 while Mirror Moves would do it in 1994.  2) In 1988, Billboard would introduce a new chart called Modern Rock Tracks (later renamed Alternative Songs). It was developed to list the popular songs being played on alternative and modern rock radio stations, a good chunk of which were college-based. It was different from the Mainstream Rock chart that tracked action on the bigger rock radio stations. The market for alternative/modern rock had grown and the chart was to help reflect that and the artists getting exposure on the stations that might not get airplay on the more commercial rock stations. The Psychedelic Furs would benefit from the new chart. Their albums Book of Days (1989) and World Outside (1991) would feature between them five tracks that made the new chart. Three of the songs would hit #1. None of the tunes would make any other US chart, but having hits on the Modern Rock Chart showed that the band still had a good following and that people were paying attention to their music.

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"He Wants My Body" by Starpoint

Song#:  3054
Date:  03/14/1987
Debut:  95
Peak:  89
Weeks:  7
Genre:  R&B, Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  This band's career finally took off in a bigger way when their seventh album Restless generated a couple of crossover hits including the #8 R&B/#25 Pop entry "Object of My Desire." With momentum going their way, the band went back into the studio to record their next album Sensational. This first single was released and it did well at R&B reaching #8. It was their third (and final) Top 10 on that chart. Unfortunately, it didn't catch on in a more mainstream fashion and it stumbled early on the Pop chart while getting to minor #40 at Dance. A couple more singles wound their way into the R&B Top 30, but it didn't really help album sales which were lower than their previous effort. They would release two more albums with diminishing returns before calling it a day in 1990.

ReduxReview:  For this album, the band worked with producer Preston Glass, who also wrote this song. Glass worked closely with producer Narada Michael Walden and you can hear some of that influence here. Unfortunately, the material wasn't all that great. Lead singer Renée Diggs does her best to inject some excitement into a run-o-tha-mill dance tune, but in the end it all sounds like they just tried too hard to make something out of very little.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  While Starpoint's career was in high gear, lead singer Renée Diggs got some devastating news. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Despite that, she soldiered on and continued her career with Starpoint along with her relationship with band member Ernesto Phillips. After the band split, Diggs was able to record a solo album titled Oasis, but it only saw a limited release in Europe in 1993. Later in 2004, Phillips died from a stroke. A year later, Diggs would pass away from complications due to the MS.

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"There's Nothing Better Than Love" by Luther Vandross with Gregory Hines

Song#:  3053
Date:  03/14/1987
Debut:  96
Peak:  50
Weeks:  14
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  Vandross got his highest entry to-date on the Pop chart with "Stop to Love," the second single from his fifth album Give Me the Reason. It was also his second #1 at R&B. To follow it up, this third single from the LP was released. It was another big winner at R&B topping the chart. It also did pretty well at AC reaching #20. Yet like several of Vandross' other singles, it couldn't make much headway on the Pop chart and it stopped at the halfway point. A fourth single, "I Really Didn't Mean It," was pushed out and it got to #6 at R&B, but it failed to chart at Pop. Despite the lack of support at Pop, the album was a major success becoming his third to reach double-platinum status.

ReduxReview:  In general, this was a pleasant ballad nicely performed by Vandross and Hines. Would I list it among Vandross' best works? Nope, but I certainly don't mind listening to it. I realize that Vandross was giving a kickstart to Hines' recording career and it certainly worked with the song hitting #1 at R&B, but I'm not sure the tune was a good candidate for a duet. It just seemed kind of split up (you sing these lines, I'll sing these and we meet at the chorus). Because of that, there was little interaction between the vocalists, which is what makes duets interesting. Hines was a capable vocalist, but his voice didn't have that special something to make it memorable, like Vandross'.  All-in-all, a good effort, but not among my faves from Luther.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Vandross shared the spotlight with entertainer Gregory Hines on this song. Hines' popularity was soaring at the time. The influential tap dancer had already been nominated for three Tony awards and two Emmys, and had co-starred in two successful films, White Nights and Running Scared. It seemed he could do it all so the natural next step was to take a stab at a recording career. Apparently, Hines had previously tried to get a recording deal, but he was rejected by labels who saw him as a tap dancer/Broadway showman rather than a modern, commercial recording artist. That changed when Vandross happened to catch a TV appearance Hines had done. Vandross saw something the labels hadn't and reached out to see if Hines wanted to work with him. The two got together and this single became Hines' introduction as a recording artist. This would later be followed by a self-titled 1988 debut solo LP that was all produced and co-written by Vandross. The album's first single, "That Girl Wants to Dance with Me," became a #6 hit at R&B, but it didn't reach the Pop chart. A second single was a very minor entry at R&B. Despite the hit, it seemed like it was a one-n-done for Hines and he moved on to other work including his Tony-winning performance in 1992's Jelly's Last Jam. It should be noted that this was not Hines' first foray into singing or recording music. In 1968, he recorded an album titled Pandemonium with his brother and his dad for Columbia Records. It was credited to Hines, Hines & Dad. The trio had been together for a few years working the clubs. Later in the 70s, Hines became the lead singer of a rock/funk band named Severance. They recorded a self-titled debut LP in 1976.

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"Do Ya, Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)" by Samantha Fox

Song#:  3052
Date:  03/14/1987
Debut:  98
Peak:  87
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  British singer/model Fox grabbed her first big US hit with the #4 "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)." The success of that single helped get her debut album Touch Me to #24. A follow-up single was certainly in order and this track was selected for release. Unfortunately, it didn't catch on as well and it failed to get out of the basement of the Pop chart. After a little over a month, the song disappeared. Following those results, it was decided that a third single from the LP would not be issued out in the US.

ReduxReview:  This song featured another suggestive title, but it wasn't anything like "Touch Me." Instead of keeping things going in the dance-pop vein, Fox moved into synth rock territory for this one. It nearly comes off like a female-fronted Billy Idol recording. It actually works pretty well. It's an urgent track with some rockin' guitar work and a surprisingly effective vocal from Fox. She probably could have pulled off a hard rock album. Oddly, this is the only real rock track on the album so it seemed a bit out of place. Why it was selected as a single is anyone's guess. It worked out in a few markets, but in the US she was introduced as a dance-pop diva and this change of pace wasn't what folks were looking for. Still, it was an interesting track that highlighted Fox quite well.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  While this song wouldn't do well in the US, it became a second Top 10 hit for Fox in the UK. The tune made it to #10. It also reached the Top 10 in several other countries and even hit #1 in Sweden. Because of that, a third single was pushed out. "Hold on Tight" (not a remake of the ELO hit) was released, but it didn't fare as well. It got to #26 in the UK. Still, a fourth single was called for and "I'm All You Need" was selected. It got to #41 in the UK. The singles kept album sales going and after peaking at #17, the LP would be certified silver (60,000 units) in the UK.

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