June 8, 1985 Part Two

Before we finish off 1985, let's briefly slip back another decade to June 7, 1975.

John Denver was on top with "Thank God I'm a Country Boy."  The rest of the Top Ten included "Sister Golden Hair," "When Will I Be Loved," "I'm Not Lisa," and "Philadelphia Freedom."...The first newcomer to these parts is at #24.  It's "I Wanna Dance Wit ' Choo (Do That Dance)," the second and final hit by none other than Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes.  Technically, I'd never heard it before, but because it so closely follows the template of "Get Dancin'," it felt instantly familiar.  But I won't hold that against Mr. Tex or any of the Sex-O-Lettes.  You just can't stay mad at a group with a name like that...The funky Tavares brothers scored their second pop hit with the reconcilitation ballad "Remember What I Told You to Forget," found this week at #25.  Don't remember it, but it's good...Texas singer-songwriter Boomer Castleman had his only hit with this week's #34, the tale of how a teenage boy's affair with his young stepmother "Judy Mae" may have led to his father's suicide.  Wow, I guess "Run Joey Run" had some competition for the title of most fucked-up hit of 1975...And Bad Company are at #36 with the solid unspectacular hard rock of "Good Lovin' Gone Bad."  Doesn't have the spark of their bigger hits...But this week, my spotlight falls on...

39 - "Lizzie and the Rainman," Tanya Tucker
Raised in Arizona, Tucker was only 14 when she had her first country hit with "Delta Dawn," one year before Helen Reddy would take it to the top of the pop charts. Over the next three years, she would have several big country hits, including three #1s.  Her fourth C&W charttopper, however, would become her first and only pop Top 40.  It's a story song, inspired by a 1956 Burt Lancaster/Katherine Hepburn film called The Rainmaker, about a man who comes to a drought-stricked town in West Texas promising that he can bring rain if the town pays him one hundred dollars.  The townsfolk seem prepared to believe him, except for one woman, Lizzie Cooper, who calls the man a liar and a con artist.  The rainmaker then takes Lizzie aside, and it is implied that not only does he seduce her, but he actually does make it rain.  I'm not sure if that's how the movie turns out, but as for the song, I quite like it. It has the same vibe as my favorite Reddy and Cher tale tunes, plus Tucker's voice had a world-weary rasp even at seventeen.  Good stuff. 

Okay, now let's finish the '85 business.

20 - "Would I Lie to You," Eurythmics
19 -"Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody," David Lee Roth
18 - "The Neverending Story," Limahl
17 - "Raspberry Beret," Prince and the Revolution
16 - "The Search is Over," Survivor

The second half begins with Eurythmics last American Top 10, a strutting, R&B-inflected hard rocker in which Annie Lennox declares her intention to leave her lover.  Not one of my favorites of theirs, but Annie sings the hell out of it, so it's certainly admirable.

Diamond Dave returns from last time with his jazzy medley about a lonely Lothario.  He really was, and I suppose still is, one of mainstream rock's most fun characters.

Next is Limahl , back singing about a tale that has no conclusion.  And yet the song does have an ending.  Is that ironic?  Maybe.  But the song is meh.

Then it's Prince and company with a sunny pop song about a boy's "first time," which he shared witha girl in a distinctive hat that came into the store where he was working "through the out door."  A song that never fails to make me smile.  And probably Wendy and Lisa's best backing-vocal performance.

This section closes with Survivor and their overwrought power ballad about discovering that the love of one's life was always in front of you.  Not that good, but somehow, it sold.  Really, nothing they did other than "Eye of the Tiger" matters.  Speaking of which, Manny Pacquiao came out to that song Saturday night for his fight with Timothy Bradley.  Can you believe that decision.  This is why no one takes boxing seriously anymore.

15 - "A View to a Kill," Duran Duran
14 - "Smuggler's Blues," Glenn Frey
13 - "Smooth Operator," Sade
12 - "Sussudio," Phil Collins
11 - "Angel," Madonna

This bunch is led off by Duran Duran's second and last American Number One, which was also the theme song to Roger Moore's last James Bond film.  I must admit, I've never seen an entire Bond film, but in my opinion, this is the best Bond theme.  It's big, it's bold, it's got dramatic flourishes, the lyrics speak of intrigue and violence and lust.  What more do you need?  For me, it's between this and "Live and Let Die," and this takes it.

Next is Glenn Frey, back from last time with his tune about the ins and outs of the narcotics trade.  Again, its the closest thing to a song I like he ever did on his own.

Then Sade returns with her silky lounge-popper about what the kids these days call a "player."  This is kind of the outside view of the character from "Just a Gigolo."  Play them back to back and you kind of get the full story.

While working with a drum machine in the studio one day, Phil Collins was trying to figure out a word to use for one part of a song, and until he came up with one, he made up the nonsensical word "sussudio" as a placeholder.  But he found that no other word seemed to fit as well, so "Sussudio" became the name of the girl that's been on his mind all the time.  It's catchy, horn-heavy pop with a big beat, so of course it was a massive hit.  The only question is, is a weird title alone enough to merit an Uneasy Rider?  I've decided that yes, it is.  Congrats, Phil.

This bunch is closed out by Madonna and a nice little dance pop number about a guy she likes.  Reminds me a bit of "Lucky Star," only not as good.  One of her less-memorable early hits.

When the Top Ten awakens, the world will tremble.

10 - "Walking on Sunshine," Katrina and the Waves
Vitamin D in pop form.  You don't always feel like it, but it's good for you.

9 - "Fresh," Kool and the Gang
This is neither exciting nor inviting to me.  Play "Hollywood Swinging" instead.

8 - "Don't You (Forget About Me)," Simple Minds
I won't, Jim Kerr.  But Chrissie Hynde did.  Shame about that, really.

7 - "In My House," The Mary Jane Girls
Sure, you ladies say you'll "keep me happy and so satisified."  That's nice.  But my question is, do you actually have any "mary jane"?  You know what I mean.  But I'm sure if you didn't, your buddy Rick knew where to get some.

6 - "Things Can Only Get Better," Howard Jones
Can they, Howard?  Can they?  This song is so uplifting and positive I want to believe you, but sometimes it's difficult.

5 - "Heaven," Bryan Adams
This song probably gets played a lot in Hell, I'm guessing.

4 - "Suddenly," Billy Ocean
"You wake up, and suddenly, you're in love."  Does it really happen like that, Billy?  Another thing I'd like to be true but still aren't convinced about.

3 - "Axel F.," Harold Faltermayer
Hey Eddie, when's Beverly Hills Cop IV coming out?  You know you're going to do it.  Nothing else you've done lately that doesn't involve talking donkeys has set the world on fire, so you know you're going to be tempted to go back to this well someday.  Or are you going to try Norbit 2 first?

2 - "Everything She Wants," Wham
George Michael should have gotten the respect and cred then that Justin Timberlake gets now.  Discuss.

And at Number 1 twenty-seven years ago was...

1 - "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," Tears for Fears
Now this, I don't think is true.  We want control over more of our lives than we actually have, but ruling the world?  I think the only people who want that are assholes like Donald Trump.  Anyway, good song.

The NotCaseys this week were "I Wonder if I Take You Home," by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force, "Centerfield" by John Fogerty, "What About Love" by Heart, and "People are People" by Depeche Mode.  And there were two LDDs.  In the first, a teenage girl dedicated Chicago's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," to the troubled boy her parents adopted and later gave up because she couldn't get along with him.  And later, a Filipino university student dedicated Foreigner's "Waiting for a Girl Like You," to the classmate he's in love with but can't screw up the courage to talk to.

Thank you for allowing me onto your screens.  Back next week.