Song#: 3304
Date: 10/24/1987
Debut: 96
Peak: 68
Weeks: 8
Genre: R&B, Soul
Pop Bits: This NYC-born singer/songwriter found himself in Germany in the early 80s via a stint in the military and while there he kicked off his music career heading up a band called The Touch. That group would record and release an indie album titled Love on Time in 1984. The LP didn't do much for his career, so D'Arby left Germany and eventually landed in London where his performances and songs grabbed the attention of CBS Records who decided to take a chance on the soul artist. D'Arby then recorded a couple of songs with producer Howard Gray, which included this debut single. It was released in England early in '87 and quickly made the Top 10 (#7) thanks in part to appearances on TV that showcased D'Arby's performance style. With the song hitting, CBS ordered a full album. D'Arby then worked with Martyn Ware (of Heaven 17) to produce tracks for a debut LP titled Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby. Released in the summer of '87, the album debuted at #1 in the UK and would spend nine non-consecutive weeks at the top. All the hype in the UK surrounding D'Arby set him up well for success at home in the US, but when this single was finally released in the fall, it was met with a shrug. It got to #19 at R&B and #47 Dance while peaking in the lower half of the Pop chart. It seemed that America wasn't quite ready for D'Arby's throwback soul, but that would change with the release of his next single.
ReduxReview: I had forgotten that this was the lead single from the album. There was so much hype surrounding D'Arby after his album hit #1 in the UK it seemed like a no-brainer that he was going to easily conquer his home country. Weirdly, the initial reaction was "meh" here. The retro soul of this first single just didn't click with listeners. It also didn't help that back in the UK D'Arby's ego was in full bloom with him declaring his debut album the best of the decade and better than Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. That bravado, whether for real or just for show, fed the hype beast in the US with music fans anxiously awaiting to hear what this guy sounded like. Apparently, he didn't initially impress with this single unexpectedly under-performing. The results could have killed his career in the US, but he got a second chance with his next single. As for this one, I thought it was a good soul track and a fun listen. It just wasn't one that was going to knock everyone's socks off.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: After high school, D'Arby attended college for a bit but then dropped out and joined the US Army. According to his bio, D'Arby would spend four years in the military. Three of those years would be in the US while his final year was spent in Germany, where he began to focus more heavily on a music career. However, his bio doesn't include how his military career came to an end. Apparently while in Germany, his army life and music career clashed and it forced him to make a decision. D'Arby was scheduled to play a concert with The Touch, but he was denied permission to leave the army base for the performance. With his interest in the military flagging in favor of a career in music, D'Arby chose to go AWOL. The escapade ended up getting him a dishonorable discharge from the army. A few years later, D'Arby would be worldwide star with a multi-platinum debut album.
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Saturday, October 31, 2020
Friday, October 30, 2020
"Power of Love" by Laura Branigan
Song#: 3303
Date: 10/24/1987
Debut: 97
Peak: 26
Weeks: 18
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: Branigan's fifth album, Touch, didn't get off to a great start with its first single, the Stock Aitken Waterman product "Shattered Glass," stalling early at #48. Since that upbeat track couldn't gain an audience, the label then chose this ballad for a second single. It did better making the Pop Top 30 while reaching #19 at AC. The better result didn't necessarily play into album sales with Touch already topping out at #87. It was Branigan's worst showing on the album chart to-date and her second in a row to not at least reach gold level sales. This song would also prove to be Branigan's last to reach the Pop Top 40.
ReduxReview: It's back - the song that never dies. There's not much I can really add about the tune that I haven't covered in its other versions (see below). While Branigan's take is not my favorite of the four charting version ("favorite" is a strong word here), I do admire the passion and gusto that she put into her vocal. Near the end it sounded like was gonna bust a lung, but weirdly it didn't sound as screamy and piercing and Celine Dion's massive, technically perfect wail on the tune. Thankfully, this is the last time I have to hear this freakin' song for the blog. I say good riddance to the "Power of Love."
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: This is a remake of a song originally written and performed by Jennifer Rush. Her version became a major hit in Europe and other countries in 1985. It would finally make the US Pop chart in 1986, but would only get to #57. However, before she could chart with the song in the US, Australian group Air Supply would hit the chart first with their take on the song. It didn't do well peaking at #68. Branigan would have the best result on the song with her 1987 version, but then a newly minted star came along and finally got the song to #1. Celine Dion would cover the song for her 1993 album The Colour of My Love. It served as the LP's second single and it would become Dion's first US #1 Pop hit and third US AC chart topper. The song would also earn Dion a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. With Dion creating a new standard for the song, other artists just bowed down and no one else has attempted to release a version as a single since.
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Date: 10/24/1987
Debut: 97
Peak: 26
Weeks: 18
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: Branigan's fifth album, Touch, didn't get off to a great start with its first single, the Stock Aitken Waterman product "Shattered Glass," stalling early at #48. Since that upbeat track couldn't gain an audience, the label then chose this ballad for a second single. It did better making the Pop Top 30 while reaching #19 at AC. The better result didn't necessarily play into album sales with Touch already topping out at #87. It was Branigan's worst showing on the album chart to-date and her second in a row to not at least reach gold level sales. This song would also prove to be Branigan's last to reach the Pop Top 40.
ReduxReview: It's back - the song that never dies. There's not much I can really add about the tune that I haven't covered in its other versions (see below). While Branigan's take is not my favorite of the four charting version ("favorite" is a strong word here), I do admire the passion and gusto that she put into her vocal. Near the end it sounded like was gonna bust a lung, but weirdly it didn't sound as screamy and piercing and Celine Dion's massive, technically perfect wail on the tune. Thankfully, this is the last time I have to hear this freakin' song for the blog. I say good riddance to the "Power of Love."
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: This is a remake of a song originally written and performed by Jennifer Rush. Her version became a major hit in Europe and other countries in 1985. It would finally make the US Pop chart in 1986, but would only get to #57. However, before she could chart with the song in the US, Australian group Air Supply would hit the chart first with their take on the song. It didn't do well peaking at #68. Branigan would have the best result on the song with her 1987 version, but then a newly minted star came along and finally got the song to #1. Celine Dion would cover the song for her 1993 album The Colour of My Love. It served as the LP's second single and it would become Dion's first US #1 Pop hit and third US AC chart topper. The song would also earn Dion a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. With Dion creating a new standard for the song, other artists just bowed down and no one else has attempted to release a version as a single since.
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Thursday, October 29, 2020
"Skeletons" by Stevie Wonder
Song#: 3302
Date: 10/17/1987
Debut: 66
Peak: 19
Weeks: 16
Genre: R&B, Synthpop, Electro-Funk
Pop Bits: Wonder's 1985 album In Square Circle was a double-platinum success thanks to a pair of Top 10 hits including the #1 "Part-Time Lover." Next up for Wonder was his twenty-first studio effort, Characters. Once again, the album was produced, written, and mainly performed by Wonder. This first single was released and it became a major hit at R&B reaching #1. It was his nineteenth song to reach the top of that chart. Unfortunately, the track didn't have the same mainstream appeal as some of his other hits and it stopped just inside the Pop Top 20. The album would then perform similarly. It would get to #1 at R&B while stalling at #17 on the Pop chart. It was his first album since 1972 to not make the Pop Top 10. Unfortunately, this single would also end up being Wonder's last to crack the Pop Top 40.
ReduxReview: This single definitely showed off the funkier R&B side of Wonder's music, which was a nice change of pace following the tepid pop-leaning singles he had been releasing in the mid-80s. However, the song wasn't as catchy or memorable as some of his classic jams like "I Wish" or "Boogie on Reggae Woman." and that certainly hurt its chances over on pop radio. Once again, Wonder relied on a lot of keyboards and synths. While that was appropriate for the time, I think both he and the song would have been served better by an actual band. The song also needed a more defined chorus. While I like the groove Wonder set down, in the end the song sounded a little incomplete and the production quite mechanical.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: With this song hitting #1 at R&B, it gave Grammy voters something to chew on and in the end it would receive two nominations. One for Best R&B Song and one for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. The single came out late in the year, but in time for Grammy consideration. The album arrived after the deadline, which then made it eligible for the following year's Grammys. The album would earn Wonder another nomination in the Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, category. None of the three nods would net him a win, but it hardly mattered. By this point in time Wonder already had 14 Grammys to his credit. As of this posting date, he had amassed 25 wins from 74 nominations.
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Date: 10/17/1987
Debut: 66
Peak: 19
Weeks: 16
Genre: R&B, Synthpop, Electro-Funk
Pop Bits: Wonder's 1985 album In Square Circle was a double-platinum success thanks to a pair of Top 10 hits including the #1 "Part-Time Lover." Next up for Wonder was his twenty-first studio effort, Characters. Once again, the album was produced, written, and mainly performed by Wonder. This first single was released and it became a major hit at R&B reaching #1. It was his nineteenth song to reach the top of that chart. Unfortunately, the track didn't have the same mainstream appeal as some of his other hits and it stopped just inside the Pop Top 20. The album would then perform similarly. It would get to #1 at R&B while stalling at #17 on the Pop chart. It was his first album since 1972 to not make the Pop Top 10. Unfortunately, this single would also end up being Wonder's last to crack the Pop Top 40.
ReduxReview: This single definitely showed off the funkier R&B side of Wonder's music, which was a nice change of pace following the tepid pop-leaning singles he had been releasing in the mid-80s. However, the song wasn't as catchy or memorable as some of his classic jams like "I Wish" or "Boogie on Reggae Woman." and that certainly hurt its chances over on pop radio. Once again, Wonder relied on a lot of keyboards and synths. While that was appropriate for the time, I think both he and the song would have been served better by an actual band. The song also needed a more defined chorus. While I like the groove Wonder set down, in the end the song sounded a little incomplete and the production quite mechanical.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: With this song hitting #1 at R&B, it gave Grammy voters something to chew on and in the end it would receive two nominations. One for Best R&B Song and one for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. The single came out late in the year, but in time for Grammy consideration. The album arrived after the deadline, which then made it eligible for the following year's Grammys. The album would earn Wonder another nomination in the Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, category. None of the three nods would net him a win, but it hardly mattered. By this point in time Wonder already had 14 Grammys to his credit. As of this posting date, he had amassed 25 wins from 74 nominations.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2020
"I Do You" by The Jets
Song#: 3301
Date: 10/17/1987
Debut: 74
Peak: 20
Weeks: 15
Genre: R&B, Dance-Pop
Pop Bits: This family band grabbed their third Pop Top 10 hit with "Cross My Broken Heart," a track that served as the first single from their second album Magic. The tune was also featured on the soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop II. Next up was this second single from Magic. It would end up being just a mediocre performer barely making the Top 20 at both Pop and R&B (#19). However, it would prove to be just a very slight bump in the road with their next two singles doing much better.
ReduxReview: This was a good album-opening track, but it wasn't the best follow-up to "Cross My Broken Heart." Since the band had scored hits with both uptempo jams and ballads, my instinct would have been to select "Make It Real," an AC-leaning track that was eventually released and reached the Top 10. Instead, I guess either the band or their label wanted to keep the kids dancing and pushed this one out. It didn't do too bad, but it would have been better as a wrap-up single from the LP. Instead it ended up being a little hiccup between bigger hits and it most likely affected album sales.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: In addition to having a song on the soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop II, the band recorded a track for another 1987 film, the Whoopi Goldberg vehicle Burglar. The Jets contributed the song "Tough Guys" to the movie's soundtrack. It was not released as a single. The main single pushed out from the soundtrack was "Time Out for the Burglar" by The Jacksons. It wouldn't get much attention only peaking at #88 at R&B. That result went hand-in-hand with the outcome of the film, which was critically panned and didn't do well at the box office.
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Date: 10/17/1987
Debut: 74
Peak: 20
Weeks: 15
Genre: R&B, Dance-Pop
Pop Bits: This family band grabbed their third Pop Top 10 hit with "Cross My Broken Heart," a track that served as the first single from their second album Magic. The tune was also featured on the soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop II. Next up was this second single from Magic. It would end up being just a mediocre performer barely making the Top 20 at both Pop and R&B (#19). However, it would prove to be just a very slight bump in the road with their next two singles doing much better.
ReduxReview: This was a good album-opening track, but it wasn't the best follow-up to "Cross My Broken Heart." Since the band had scored hits with both uptempo jams and ballads, my instinct would have been to select "Make It Real," an AC-leaning track that was eventually released and reached the Top 10. Instead, I guess either the band or their label wanted to keep the kids dancing and pushed this one out. It didn't do too bad, but it would have been better as a wrap-up single from the LP. Instead it ended up being a little hiccup between bigger hits and it most likely affected album sales.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: In addition to having a song on the soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop II, the band recorded a track for another 1987 film, the Whoopi Goldberg vehicle Burglar. The Jets contributed the song "Tough Guys" to the movie's soundtrack. It was not released as a single. The main single pushed out from the soundtrack was "Time Out for the Burglar" by The Jacksons. It wouldn't get much attention only peaking at #88 at R&B. That result went hand-in-hand with the outcome of the film, which was critically panned and didn't do well at the box office.
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Tuesday, October 27, 2020
"Special Way" by Kool & the Gang
Song#: 3300
Date: 10/17/1987
Debut: 88
Peak: 72
Weeks: 14
Genre: R&B, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: While the band's seventeenth album, Forever, was able to generate two Pop and R&B Top 10 hits, it didn't sell as well as their previous multi-platinum Emergency. Forever topped out at #25 on the Pop chart (#9 R&B) and only managed to go gold. This third single from the album didn't do much to help sales. While it did become a Top 10 at AC (#6), the tune failed to catch fire at Pop and wasn't even able to get on the R&B chart. The track would be the band's last to reach the Pop chart. Apparently the band's formula for success was getting stale and it seems that lead singer James "J.T." Taylor knew that and took the opportunity to leave for a solo career after things for Forever wrapped up. As sort of a conclusion to the era of the band, the compilation Everything's Kool & the Gang: Greatest Hits & More was released in 1988. It included the new track "Rags to Riches," which could only manage to reach #38 at R&B. After more personnel changes, the band would return with 1989's Sweat. Drubbed by critics, the album sold poorly and it would be the band's last album to make the R&B chart until 2007.
ReduxReview: This single pretty much served as the swan song for Kool & the Gang's most popular and productive era. By this point I wasn't paying attention to the band. Their tracks had become formulaic and the group just sounded tired. This tune didn't change my mind, but it was a bit better than some of their previous singles. It did have a bit of a flaw though in that the track became unfocused and meandering in its second half. It was as if they wrote a good 2-minute, 30-second song, but then tried in vain to stretch it another three minutes. I'm kind of baffled as to why. The heart of the song was just fine. Still, it wasn't too bad of a song to go out on.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: After leaving Kool & the Gang, James "J.T." Taylor quickly got to work on a solo career. One of his first efforts was "All I Want Is Forever," a duet with Regina Bell. The song, written by Diane Warren, was selected for use in the Gregory Hines drama film Tap. Released as a single, the tune would get to #2 at R&B and #34 AC. It failed to make the Pop chart. The track would be included on Taylor's debut solo album, Master of the Game. It would be Taylor's only effort outside of Kool & the Gang to reach the R&B Top 10. Two other singles would be released from the album, but both stayed in the lower half of the chart. His next album, 1991's Feel the Need, wouldn't make the charts, but it did contain the #13 R&B "Long Hot Summer Night." A third album in 1993 failed to do much and that ended Taylor's initial foray into solo work. He would then return to Kool & the Gang in 1995 and stay until 1999.
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Date: 10/17/1987
Debut: 88
Peak: 72
Weeks: 14
Genre: R&B, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: While the band's seventeenth album, Forever, was able to generate two Pop and R&B Top 10 hits, it didn't sell as well as their previous multi-platinum Emergency. Forever topped out at #25 on the Pop chart (#9 R&B) and only managed to go gold. This third single from the album didn't do much to help sales. While it did become a Top 10 at AC (#6), the tune failed to catch fire at Pop and wasn't even able to get on the R&B chart. The track would be the band's last to reach the Pop chart. Apparently the band's formula for success was getting stale and it seems that lead singer James "J.T." Taylor knew that and took the opportunity to leave for a solo career after things for Forever wrapped up. As sort of a conclusion to the era of the band, the compilation Everything's Kool & the Gang: Greatest Hits & More was released in 1988. It included the new track "Rags to Riches," which could only manage to reach #38 at R&B. After more personnel changes, the band would return with 1989's Sweat. Drubbed by critics, the album sold poorly and it would be the band's last album to make the R&B chart until 2007.
ReduxReview: This single pretty much served as the swan song for Kool & the Gang's most popular and productive era. By this point I wasn't paying attention to the band. Their tracks had become formulaic and the group just sounded tired. This tune didn't change my mind, but it was a bit better than some of their previous singles. It did have a bit of a flaw though in that the track became unfocused and meandering in its second half. It was as if they wrote a good 2-minute, 30-second song, but then tried in vain to stretch it another three minutes. I'm kind of baffled as to why. The heart of the song was just fine. Still, it wasn't too bad of a song to go out on.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: After leaving Kool & the Gang, James "J.T." Taylor quickly got to work on a solo career. One of his first efforts was "All I Want Is Forever," a duet with Regina Bell. The song, written by Diane Warren, was selected for use in the Gregory Hines drama film Tap. Released as a single, the tune would get to #2 at R&B and #34 AC. It failed to make the Pop chart. The track would be included on Taylor's debut solo album, Master of the Game. It would be Taylor's only effort outside of Kool & the Gang to reach the R&B Top 10. Two other singles would be released from the album, but both stayed in the lower half of the chart. His next album, 1991's Feel the Need, wouldn't make the charts, but it did contain the #13 R&B "Long Hot Summer Night." A third album in 1993 failed to do much and that ended Taylor's initial foray into solo work. He would then return to Kool & the Gang in 1995 and stay until 1999.
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