September 26, 1987 Part Two

Before we return to 1987, let's have a quick glance back at 1975.

John Denver's double-sided "I'm Sorry/Calypso was #1. And below that...not a lot new..."Run Joey Run" at 5, "Mr. Jaws" at 14, "Games People Play" at 18, the great "Bad Blood" at 25...Here's a new one, Tony Orlando and Dawn covering Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By" at 34. I liked Dawn's parts...Jim Stafford had his last Top 40 hit with his version of Shel Silverstein's cautionary drug goof "I Got Stoned and I Missed It" at 37...And the Average White Band did a lot of singing on their third hit, "If I Ever Lose This Heaven." 39 is where it was this week, and also where it peaked. But it's much better than that position would indicate...But this week, my spotlight hits...

35 - "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips was 14 in 1950 when she had an incredible run of success on the rhythm and blues charts, scoring three #1s and seven Top Tens in that year alone. But the hitmaking magic dried up as suddenly as it came on, and by 1962, she was playing in tiny clubs while struggling with drug addiction. But that year, none other than Kenny Rogers saw her performing in Houston, and arranged for her to sign with his brother's record label. She then recorded the counrty song "Release Me" (as in "Please release me, let me go." I bet you at least know that part), and it not only took her back to the top of the R&B charts, but to the pop Top Ten as well. She had a steady career in the years that followed, but no major hits until this disco version of a 1934 song that was originated in Spanish and translated into English in 1934 but not popularized until 24 little years later, when jazz great Dinah Washington took it to #8. Phillips' voice definitely has an old-school quality that's a little out of synch with the pulsing disco beat, but somehow, it works. A cool little curiosity.

Now back to the 80s.

20 - "Who Found Who," Jellybean
19 - "Jump Start," Natalie Cole
18 - "I Need Love," L.L. Cool J
17 - "Casanova," LeVert
16 - "One Heartbeat," Smokey Robinson

The second half opens with producer John "Jellybean" Benitez, who alongside his many production and remix credits, managed two Top 40 singles, the last of which was this nondescript dance number with vocals by the equally nondescript Elisa Firorillo. Nothing here, really.

In between her contemporary jazz-pop beginnings and her 90s reinvention as an interpreter of standards, Natalie Cole had a brief period of upbeat R&B success, an example of which is this song in which she compares herself to a battery that needs charging. And yes, she means she needs sex. This definitely isn't the type of song that she could do a duet with her dead father on.

Next is James Todd Smith, who fancied himself both "cool" and someone that ladies love. These two qualities inspired his rap name. His first pop hit was this tender ballad in which he promises gentlemanly behavior, including pulling out chairs for his lady and putting his coat over a puddle for her to walk over. Sweet. But I like his second hit "Goin' Back to Cali," waaaaay better.

Then it's the vocal group led by Gerald and Sean LeVert, two sons of O'Jay Eddie LeVert. On their first and biggest pop hit, they dismiss comparisons to such famous lovers as Romeo and the guy in the song's title, claiming they're just average guys. But they still feel worthy of the affections of whoever they're singing to. I guess that soft sell works on some women.

Rounding out this batch is Motown legend Smokey Robinson with his last Top Ten, a leisurely ballad about taking romance at a relaxed pace, even to the point of "making love in slow motion." Whatever works for ya, Smokey.

15 - "Can't We Try," Dan Hill with Vonda Shepard
14 - "Paper in Fire," John Cougar Mellencamp
13 - "Who Will You Run To," Heart
12 - "Wipe Out," The Fat Boys and the Beach Boys
11 - "Doing it All for My Baby," Huey Lewis and the News

This section begins with Canuck Dan "Sometimes When We Touch" Hill's second and final U.S. pop hit, a duet about a crumbling relationship with the then-unknown Vonda Shepard, who would later achieve her greatest fame by serenading single female lawyer Ally McBeal and her friends on a weekly basis. This song's nothing special.

Next is John Cougar Mellencamp with a rollicking number that seems to be about wasting one's time without realizing it until it's too late. Whatever. It's catchy, and I like the banjo and fiddle on it.

Then it's Heart with one of the better songs of their "utter crap" period. It's fairly decent pop-rock about feeling that a past lover will never have it as good as they had it with you. I can even overlook the fact that it was written by schlockmistress Diane Warren. The bar for this period of Heart is that low.

In one of the oddest combinations ever, pioneering rap group The Fat Boys teamed up with 60s surf-popsters The Beach Boys on a cover of a Surfaris song that was originally an instrumental save for "Hahahahahahaaha wipeout!" But of course, this would never do for this collaboration, so the Fat Boys did a rhyme about a beach vacation, while the Beach Boys contributed doo wop harmonies on the chorus. Bizarre, and not necessary at all. And the clear winner of this week's Uneasy Rider.

This section closes with Huey Lewis and the News and another of their slick pop hits, this one a midtempo number about how coming home to a woman makes all the work worth it. I've never seen or read American Psycho, but even if that didn't exist, I would be suspicious of anyone who was really, really into these guys. What about them is there to be passionate about?

There are ten that rose above all others for seven days. Let us honor them.

10 - "U Got the Look," Prince
The Purple One gets an assist from Sheena Easton, the once-clean-cut Scots lass he so wonderfully corrupted, on this fantastic dancefloor stomper that invites us all to be spectators to "the dream we all dream of: Boy versus Girl in the World Series of Love." I find that a pretty sexy image. "Let's get 2 rammin'," not so much.

9 - "Touch of Grey," The Grateful Dead
As this year began, Jerry Garcia and company had been together for over two decades, sold millions of albums, amassed perhaps the most loyal fan base of any rock band ever (the "Deadheads") and had become living monuments to the Hippie era. But the one thing they hadn't done was have a Top 40 single. But by the fall, they had achieved that at last with this bouncy, catchy number with nonsensical lyrics about shoes on hands and cows giving kerosene. The only thing that sort of makes sense is the chorus, on which they commit to survival. Definitely not a song the diehards think is among their best, but it sounds good on the radio.

8 - "La Bamba," Los Lobos
This Mexican folk song, often played at weddings in the state of Veracruz, was first brought to rock n' roll by Richie Valens in 1958, then taken to #1 by this Los Angeles band in their recording for the Valens biopic of the same name. Oh, and apparently, this song describes a dance that must be done fast and with humor. I think that's the only way I know how to dance.

7 - "Carrie," Europe
This Swedish hair-metal band had their biggest American hit with this power ballad about leaving someone. Not over-the-top enough to stand out, which can't be said about their U.S. Top Ten, "The Final Countdown."

6 - "When Smokey Sings," ABC
This Sheffield, England band had five American hits, the last and biggest of which was this tribute to the man who was also on this week's chart at Number 16. When that guy sings, singer Martin Fry says, "I hear violins." And I guess that's a good thing. But for me, this is the least appealing of their hits. "The Look of Love" is my favorite, by the by.

5 - "Lost in Emotion," Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
This year, these two entities decided to record without Full Force, and were rewarded with the only two #1s of their career, the second of which was this midtempo tune about not realizing that friendship might be turning to romance. Another song I'm not a fan of. And quoting "Que Sera Sera" didn't help matters.

4 - "I Heard a Rumour," Bananarama
This was the last major American hit for this London trio, a tune about debating whether or not to take back an allegedly reformed ex. Wasn't a big fan of these ladies. "Cruel Summer" was probably my favorite.

3 - "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," Michael Jackson featuring Siedah Garrett
This was the long-awaited first single from Michael's follow-up to the biggest record ever. A duet with an unknown singer on a tender ballad may not have been what people had expected, but that didn't stop it from rocketing to the top of the charts. Garrett, who also co-wrote Bad's "Man in the Mirror, wasn't the first choice of partner for Michael, but after Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and ABBA's Agnetha Faltskog were unable to do the record, he turned to her on the suggestion of Quincy Jones. And she does all right. But really, the best part of the song is Michael's spoken word intro. It's overwrought, but it works.

2 - "Here I Go Again," Whitesnake
David Coverdale first gained fame as Ian Gillan's replacement in Deep Purple. After they broke up in the late 70s, he formed his own band. They'd had some success in their native Britain, but they didn't crack America in a major way until they released a new version of a song they'd first recorded in 1982, a driving rocker about searching for meaning and answers and love and such. It climbed all the way to #1. Whether that was because of its lyrical themes, or because of the video that featured Coverdale's future wife Tawny Kitaen writhing on the hood of a car in her underclothing, who can say, really? Regardless, it retains a cheesy nostalgic charm.

And at the top of the pop heap 24 years ago this week was...

1 - "Didn't We Almost Have it All," Whitney Houston
After her debut single, "You Give Good Love," only reached #3, Houston became the dominant diva of the latter half of the 80s by going on a run of 7 consecutive #1s. This, the fifth in that line, is a typically big ballad about a relationship that showed promise but wasn't built to last. This isn't the kind of thing that I'm into personally, but there's no doubt she delivered what the people wanted when she was at the top of her game like this.

The NotCaseys were "Holiday" by The Other Ones, "Hourglass" by Squeeze, "Heaven is a Place on Earth" by Belinda Carlisle, and "Should've Known Better" by Richard Marx. Casey played two Long Distance Dedications. The first was "Coming Around Again" by Carly Simon, which two American sisters dedicated to some Italians they met in the Bahamas. The other was Suzanne Vega's "Luka," which a man sent out to his sister who had suffered horrible abuse from her mother.

And that does it for another week.