Saturday, February 18, 2017

"Taking It All Too Hard" by Genesis

Song#:  1945
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  82
Peak:  50
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary

Pop Bits:  With their self-titled twelfth studio album, Genesis broke through to the Top 10 on the Pop chart with the single "That's All" (#6). It also became their first AC Top 10 getting to #7. The follow-up single, "Illegal Alien," sputtered out at #44, but their record company decided to see if they could eke out one more hit from the LP. This fourth single had mixed results. It was greeted well by AC got to #11 on that chart, yet despite some good airplay, the song could only manage to get halfway up the Pop chart. The single was only issued for the US market and was the last released from the album.

ReduxReview:  If "That's All" didn't confirm that Genesis was bucking for pop commercial success, this single certainly should have. It nearly harks back to yacht rock days. That's not necessarily bad, but I'm sure it disappointed a lot of their prog rock fans to have this ballad all over the radio. Unfortunately, for those fans, it was only gonna get worse from here. Yet while those fans were abandoning the band, a plethora of others were coming on board. This song is a nice ballad with a memorable chorus. The verse lacks a bit of the commercial zing of their future hits (or really, Phil Collins' upcoming hits), but I'm kinda surprised it petered out early at Pop. It probably should have gotten into the Top 40.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  In addition to all four singles from the album getting on the Rock chart, three more tracks received enough airplay to gain entry. "Home By the Sea" got to #24 while "It's Gonna Get Better" reached #16. The best performing of the bunch was "Just a Job to Do," which cracked the Rock Top 10, but just barely - it peaked at #10.


Friday, February 17, 2017

"Breakaway" by Tracey Ullman

Song#:  1944
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  84
Peak:  70
Weeks:  4
Genre:  Pop

Pop Bits:  British TV star Ullman scored a left-field hit with "They Don't Know," a single from her debut album You Broke My Heart in 17 Places. Helped along by a popular MTV video, the fluke hit reached #8 at Pop (#11 AC) and introduced the comedic actress the US audiences. For a follow-up single, this song was chosen. It originally served as her debut single in the UK and got to #4 on that chart, but the US was far less interested and the song stalled early in the basement of the Pop chart. It would be Ullman's final charting single in the US. While her first album was charting in the US, her second album was already issued in the UK. It wasn't as successful as her debut, but it did featured four charting singles the best of which was the #18 "Sunglasses." Those lackluster results in addition to Ullman wanting to stop her music career kept the album from being issued in the US. She would become a bigger star in the US when The Tracey Ullman Show would be a hit for the new Fox TV network.

ReduxReview:  Although "They Don't Know" had a retro girl group sound, it was still a contemporary pop song. This tune was just all-out retro and not too dissimilar from the original (see below) and that may have been what killed it at radio. Even though it had a fun video, the song might have just been a little too old-fashioned for the modern pop audience. She might have been better off issuing her version of Blondie's "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear," which had a new wave, Go-Go's feel to it. Or maybe her dramatic remake of Dusty Springfield's "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten," a song that never got its due in the US (Springfield took it to #4 in the UK). "Breakaway" just wasn't going to do it. However, I think it is a fun song. The original version is kind of a lost gem from the 60s that probably should have been a hit back in the day. Luckily, it got some overdue attention thanks to Ullman. It was a song that fit her voice and persona perfectly.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song originally recorded by soul star Irma Thomas. Written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheeley, the tune served as the b-side to Thomas' biggest hit, 1964's "Wish Someone Would Care" (#2 R&B, #17 Pop). Originally titled as "Break-A-Way," the b-side never charted or gained much airplay, but over the years it caught on and became one of Thomas' more well-known songs. It then got a second lease on life when Ullman took the song to #4 in the UK.


Thursday, February 16, 2017

"The Glamorous Life" by Sheila E.

Top 10 Alert!
Song#:  1943
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  86
Peak:  7
Weeks:  26
Genre:  R&B, Dance

Pop Bits:  Sheila Escovedo was born into a musical family with her father, Pete, and her uncles all having success performing with artists like Santana and with their own bands. Sheila carried on her father's work and began playing percussion at a young age. By the late 70s, she was already performing with major artists like George Duke, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross. After a show with her father's band, a new R&B star named Prince came backstage to meet with them. Prince was enamored with the percussionist and told her that one day she was going to be in his band. Flash forward a few years and Sheila did find herself in Prince's studio doing the vocals on "Erotic City," the famous b-side to his "Let's Go Crazy" single. This led to Sheila getting a crack at her own career. With Prince behind the boards, Sheila readied her debut LP The Glamorous Life. While Sheila wrote the majority of the album, the title track was supplied by Prince and it became the lead single. The song would hit #1 at Dance while getting to #9 at R&B. It ended up being a slow starter at Pop, but it eventually caught on and finally got into the Top 10. The hit would help the album reach gold level sales. Sheila would go on to receive two Grammy nods as well. One for Best New Artist and one for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.

ReduxReview:  The combo of Prince's production, his song, a great sax break, and Sheila E. bangin' the crap out of her percussion created an irresistible moment on record. It had a lengthy half-a-year stay on the Pop chart, which was pretty remarkable at the time. I'm surprised it didn't go gold. It had to have been close. The album was nearly an EP with only six tracks, but it was a solid effort that featured some good Sheila E. compositions like "Oliver's House." The full nine-minute version of "The Glamorous Life" on the LP was a bit much. I far prefer the concise single edit. Over the years Prince had some offspring that were not necessarily all that talented, but Sheila E. was the real deal. Watching her play percussion is da bomb. She could spin around in high heels and kick the cymbal without ever missing a beat. Awesome.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1)  This song was written for and about another Prince protégé, Patricia Kotero, aka Apollonia. Originally, Prince had cast Vanity, from the vocal trio he mentored called Vanity 6, as the lead female in Purple Rain. But when Vanity left both the trio and Prince prior to the movie, he then cast Kotero in the part. He also placed Kotero in the trio, which then became known as Apollonia 6. With the trio scheduled to record an album, Prince had intended this song for their use. However, after bringing Sheila E. into the fold, he switch the song over to her.  2) Nicole Richie is actually Sheila E.'s biological niece. Yes, originally she was Nicole Escovedo and was the daughter of Sheila's brother Peter. So how did she become a Richie? Back when she was very young, her parents didn't have the means to support a child. Peter had been friends with Lionel Richie and Richie agreed to let Nicole live with him and his wife. By the time Nicole was nine, Richie had officially adopted her.


Wednesday, February 15, 2017

"Round and Round" by Ratt

Song#:  1942
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  88
Peak:  12
Weeks:  18
Genre:  Hard Rock

Pop Bits:  As another band on the burgeoning L.A. glam metal scene, Ratt quickly gained a solid following and in 1983 they recorded an EP for the indie Time Coast Music label. Its success along with the band's reputation as a solid live act drew the attention of Atlantic Records. They were quickly signed to the label and by summer of '84 their debut album, Out of the Cellar, was ready for release. This first single got things kicked off and it was an immediate Rock hit getting to #4. Thanks in part to a popular MTV video, the song got some good crossover action and it peaked just outside the Pop Top 10. The album would get to #7 and quickly go platinum. Over time it would eventually hit the 3x platinum mark.

ReduxReview:  I wasn't much into hard rock at the time, but this song definitely caught my ear. Not only was it hooky as hell, but it just sounded so damn good! This was one of the singles that helped get hair metal established on the Pop charts and it was easy to hear why. Had it been released maybe a year later, I think the song would have easily come close to topping the Pop chart. Still, it was a major hit and deservedly so. The band was never able to capture the magic of this single again, but it got them a very loyal following that kept them covered in gold and platinum for several years.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  What made the video for this song particularly memorable was the appearance of legendary entertainer Milton Berle. In it, a fancy dinner is taking place at a mansion with Berle playing both the host and his wife. So how did this hair metal band get the famous comedian to appear in the video? It was easy. Berle was the uncle of the band's manager Marshall Berle. That connection led to Uncle Miltie making the dual-role cameo.


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

"Somebody Else's Guy" by Jocelyn Brown

Song#:  1941
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  89
Peak:  75
Weeks:  10
Genre:  R&B, Dance

Pop Bits:  By all rights, Jocelyn Brown should have been a major star. Her voice took six song to #1 on the Dance chart, she sang on several other disco classics, and she supported some of the greatest stars in music. Yet, despite her impressive résumé, Brown was never fully able to transition to a solo star. Her career began to take off when she supplied the vocals on two #1 Dance hits for the studio project Musique, most famously on the salacious song "In the Bush" (#1 Dance, #58 Pop, #29 R&B). After that, she circled through a series of studio assembled groups like Inner Life, Change (with Luther Vandross), and Chic. There were hits along the way, but she remained just the lead voice for these studio sessions and not a lot of credit was given to her. However, her reputation and experience finally led to a single of her own. The song "Somebody Else's Guy," co-written by Brown and her sister, was recorded and released as her first solo single on the Vinyl Dreams label. The tune caught on and it soon reached #2 at R&B and #13 Dance. She got some crossover action and the single spent a nice chunk of time floating around the bottom quarter of the Pop chart. The hit prompted Vinyl Dreams to quickly assemble an album. It mainly consisted of this song, the minor R&B/Dance entry "I Wish You Would," and a few other recordings that she had previously fronted for other projects. The hit helped her get a contract with Warner Bros. and her first single for them, "Love's Gonna Get You," became a #1 Dance smash (#38 R&B). Unfortunately, the associated album got delayed by a couple of years and once released it failed to deliver any significant mainstream hits. Warner dropped her and that pretty much halted her solo career. She would return to studio work heading up more #1 Dance hits for other artists in addition to sing background for many major music acts.

ReduxReview:  Brown has a fantastic voice and when she is matched with the right material, it's pretty awesome. But even with a voice like hers, it's hard to overcome average material and I think ultimately that is what doomed her solo career. This song, of course, is an exception. With it's jazzy chords, horn punches, and groovy feel, it was a good vehicle for her. Plus, it showed that she was a capable songwriter. It really should have done better at Pop, but at least folks at R&B had enough sense to make it a hit. Sadly, delays and lack of good material killed the momentum built up by this song and her solo career never fully took flight. However, she's had a prolific career and that amazing voice kept her gainfully employed for decades.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Although her name may not be familiar to a lot of folks, a large swath of the population has most likely heard her sing. In fact, it was just four words. Brown's 1985 #1 Dance hit "Love's Gonna Get You" featured her singing the line "I've got the power." In 1990, the German group Snap! lifted a sample of Brown's vocal from that single and used it to great effect on their song "The Power." That tune would be a worldwide hit and in the US would reach #1 Dance, #1 R&B, and #2 Pop.


Monday, February 13, 2017

"Too Young to Fall in Love" by Mötley Crüe

Song#:  1940
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  90
Peak:  90
Weeks:  2
Genre:  Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Pop Bits:  The hard rockin' and hard partyin' Crüe started to breakthrough to the mainstream with their second album Shout at the Devil. Having a #12 Rock track that crossed over to #54 on the Pop chart ("Looks That Kill") certainly helped. This next single also did well at Rock getting to #17, but it didn't get nearly as much support at Pop where it charted for two short weeks. The singles combined with popular shows and their outrageous antics helped sell the album, which got to #17. By January of '85 it would be certified double-platinum and by the end of the 90s it would be a quad-platinum seller.

ReduxReview:  As with "Looks That Kill," you could tell that this band was on the verge of creating a hot combination of hair metal with radio-friendly hooks. They weren't quite there yet, but the songs showed promise. The groove of this one is especially tasty along with the chorus, but the verse wasn't as strong. Still, I think it should have done just as good or better than "Looks" at Pop. While listening to this I kept thinking...I've heard something similar to this. After a couple of listens I realized what it was. Go take a listen to Franz Ferdinand's 2004 breakthrough tune "Take Me Out." After a long intro, the song settles into a groove that his highly similar to this Crüe song. Coincidence or influence? You pick.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Another band on the verge of a breakthrough was Finland's Hanoi Rocks. The band found success at home and over the course of four albums their reputation and popularity grew, particularly in Japan where they were highly successful. After the release of their fifth album, the Bob Ezrin-produced Two Steps from the Move, they began to gain traction in the US and soon they were on tour in the States with several sold-out shows. However, the tour came to a temporary halt when band member Michael Monroe fractured his ankle at a show. While awaiting his recovery, the band got out to L.A. where a couple of planned shows had sold-out. One day, the band (minus Monroe) found themselves partying at Crüe member Vince Neil's house. Later in the day, the beer was gone and Neil decided to drive to a local store for more. Along for the ride was Hanoi Rock's drummer Razzle (Nicholas Dingley). On the way back from the store, Neil (driving drunk and speeding) lost control of his car and slammed into an oncoming car. Neil ended up being okay, but Razzle died of his injuries. The two people in the other car were seriously injured and experienced brain damage. Neil was arrested and convicted of a DUI and vehicular manslaughter. He served eighteen days in jail, had to pay $2.6 million in damages, and had to perform 200 hours of community service. The band was still able to complete their next album, Theater of Pain, and get it released mid-'85. Neil dedicated the album to Razzle.


Sunday, February 12, 2017

"A Chance for Heaven" by Christopher Cross

Song#:  1939
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  91
Peak:  76
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary, Soundtrack

Pop Bits:  With the 1984 Summer Olympics being held in Los Angeles and the Eastern Bloc countries boycotting, it was a perfect opportunity to merge sports and music for a tie-in product. With Columbia Records on board and producers Peter Guber and Jon Peters (who recently did Flashdance and its soundtrack) overseeing the project, songs were requested from artists in various genres that would be used in the games' ceremonies, coverage, and TV spots, and included on the soundtrack album. The themes written were meant to represent a specific event. For Christopher Cross and his co-writers, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, their job was to write a theme for the swimming events. They came up with "A Chance for Heaven" and the song was selected for single release a couple weeks prior to the opening ceremonies of the games. The tune floated around at AC getting to #16, but it sank quickly on Pop chart. Without a big single to promote it, the album fell flat and could only manage a #92 peak.

ReduxReview:  Besides the hopeful lyrics about the urge to win, I have zero idea what this song has to do with swimming. Especially when it says "one more mountain to climb." Seems like it would be more suited to a skiing event. Regardless, I have to say that for a song that was written to be a sporting theme, it's not too bad. I think the crowd noise at the bridge is kind of stupid and pointless and the weird modulation at the end was jolting and unnecessary, but it's not a bad tune from Mr. Mumbles. It's kind of a shame it got a little lost in the Olympic shuffle.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Although the album tanked and none of the pop songs became hits, there was one major musical bright spot that came from the '84 Olympics. Composer John Williams wrote "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" for the event. The powerful piece of music proved very popular and was widely used throughout the coverage of the games. Williams would also end up winning a Grammy for the composition. That could have been it for the piece, but it quickly became synonymous with American coverage of the Olympics and it has served as the main theme for the event since then. It is often used in conjunction with Leo Arnaud's "Bugler's Dream."