Before we finish '88, let's travel back to a mere five days before I was born, February 6, 1971.
Dawn was on top with "Knock Three Times"..."One Bad Apple," "My Sweet Lord," "Rose Garden," and "Your Song" were amont the highlights of the Top Ten...The first newbie we come across is found at #17, "Born to Wander" by Rare Earth. Decent soul rock, despite hippy-dippy lyrics about "talkin' to the sky" and how "the wind is my brother." And nice use of flute...Elvis Presley is at #21 with his take on the country ballad "I Really Don't Want to Know." It's about denying oneself knowledge of a lover's romantic past. That may not be wise, Elvis...Bread are at #28 with one of their lesser chart performers, "Let Your Love Go." It actually kind of rocks. I'll take it over most of ther rest of their stuff. This Bread has a little jam on it...Little Sister first served as Sly and the Family Stone's backup singers. In fact, they got their name because one of their members was Sly's "little sister," Vet Stewart. But then they put out some of their own records, and two hit the Top 40, including a funky cover of their parent band's "Somebody's Watching You," found this week at #33..James Brown asks you to "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" at #34. Always good advice, and JB knows how to motivate...And Joe Simon scraped in at #40 with the big soul ballad "Your Time to Cry." His voice is definitely growing on me...But this week, I'm shining my spotlight on...
35 - "1900 Yesterday," Liz Damon's Orient Express
This was the house band at the Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel in Honolulu. It consisted of lead vocalist Liz Damon, two female backing singers, and a backing band made up of predominantly Asian musicians (hence the name). They made a record, and it somehow not only got a wide release, but produced this minor hit single. It's smoky, Bacharach-ish lounge pop about romantic regret. The pillow-soft singing and old-fashioned arrangement make even The Carpenters sound edgy, but still, despite its aggressive uncoolness, I like it. The group wasn't heard from on the mainland again, but still, the left this little curio behind for me to find.
Okay, now back to 1988.
20 - "Pump Up the Volume," M/A/R/R/S
19 - "Father Figure," George Michael
18 - "Got My Mind Set on You," George Harrison
17 - "Tell it To My Heart," Taylor Dayne
16 - "Never Gonna Give You Up," Rick Astley
The second half kicks off with a collaboration between the British groups Colourbox and A.R. Kane. It's a sample-heavy dance number, predominantly featuring snippets of rap and older R&B. It was the first example of the "house" genre to break through the U.S. mainstream, and it sounded nothing like anything that had been heard on pop radio before. So you know what that means. Yep, M/A/R/R/S claims this week's Uneasy Rider.
George Michael makes his second appearance on this week's chart with this extremely sensual song with a deceptive title. I don't really think he wants to be a paternal figure to the one he's singing to. Because if he did, I hope he wouldn't want "to be bold and naked at your side." That'd be all kinds of wrong.
George Harrison pays us another visit with his declaration of romantic relentlessness. You go, Quiet Beatle.
Then it's Taylor Dayne, back yet again with her first hit. It sucks, but it still might be the best thing she ever did.
This group is rounded out by Richard Paul Astley's first hit, a worldwide #1 that is now best known as the key ingredient in the online meme known as "Rickrolling." The internet is a truly strange place. Maybe that's why I feel so at home here. Anyway, the song itself isn't half bad, and Rick had a nice voice.
15 - "She's Like the Wind," Patrick Swayze
14 - "Everywhere," Fleetwood Mac
13 - "I Live for Your Love," Natalie Cole
12 - "The Way You Make Me Feel," Michael Jackson
11 - "Don't Shed a Tear," Paul Carrack
This section begins with actor Patrick Swayze's only hit single, a ballad from the soundtrack of his hit movie Dirty Dancing. He's not a terrible singer, but this song is incredibly cheesy. I mean "She's like the wind through my tree"? How does one do anything but laugh at that line? But I do wish the man was still around.
The Mac are back from last time, wanting to hang out for an extended period of time. Probably their weakest hit of the decade.
Natalie Cole is another repeater with this boring ballad. I live for music, but not songs like this. No flavor.
Being flavorless, however, isn't anything Michael Jackson was ever accused with. He's back, trying to swagger his way into a woman's heart. That guy was pretty good at music, I have to say.
This group closes with Paul Carrack, once again telling an ex that he's moved on from her and is better for it. Solid radio fodder, but nothing more.
Can't you feel it, the Top Ten's everywhere.
10 - "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man," Prince
The Purple One selflessly tells a potential conquest that he's not what she's looking for. He may have a dirty mind, but he's a softie at heart.
9 - "Tunnel of Love," Bruce Springsteen
The Boss explores romantic desperation with a carnival-ride metaphor. This may not have been his most commercially successful period, but it was certainly one of his most interesting creatively.
8 - "Say You Will," Foreigner
No, Lou, I won't. I respect you too much to lie to you.
7 - "What Have I Done to Deserve This," The Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield
The synth-pop duo and one of Britain's greatest divas make beautiful music together. Magic.
6 - "Hungry Eyes," Eric Carmen
Have I told you lately that Eric Carmen went to shit when he went solo? I think I have, but still, listen to this dreck if you need proof.
5 - "I Want to Be Your Man," Roger
Mr. Troutman breaks out his robot voice on this bedroom ballad. It works, though. And apropos of nothing, I must point out that "Roger" is one of the sturdiest, most manly names out there.
4 - "Seasons Change," Expose
And yet my opinion of this song doesn't. Annoying.
3 - "Need You Tonight," INXS
The Aussie rock combo had their only U.S charttopper with this bit of seductofunk. Not bad, but not my favorite of theirs. For the record, that's 1990's "Disappear."
2 - "Hazy Shade of Winter," The Bangles
These four L.A. ladies took a minor Simon and Garfunkel hit and improved it by cranking up the guitars. They made the song their own, dawg.
And on top of the pop world 24 years ago, looking down on creation, we find...
1 - "Could've Been," Tiffany
Ms. Darwish topped the chart for the second and last time with this decent ballad about faded love. Again, I think it would have been better in more capable hands, but upon further listening, the kid did better than I gave her credit for.
This week's NotCaseys were "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson, "Check it Out" by John Cougar Mellencamp, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M., and "When We Was Fab" by George Harrison. As an extra, Casey played "Cat's in the Cradle" after reporting on a recent Harry Chapin tribute concert. And there were two Long Distance Dedications. First, a guy from Cincinatti dedicated "I Miss You" by Klymaxx to a woman he met on vacation in Niagara Falls at the end of a series of unfortunate events. And later, a recovering alcoholic sent out Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" to the man who took her back once she started getting her life together after injuring herself in a drunk-driving accident.
And another one's gone. See you next time, kids.
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