Nothing new on the 70s front this week, so it's straight back to '82.
20 - "Keep the Fire Burnin'," REO Speedwagon
19 - "Abracadabra," The Steve Miller Band
18 - "Take Me Down," Alabama
17 - "Play the Game Tonight," Kansas
16 - "Do I Do," Stevie Wonder
The second half begins with REO Speedwagon's most uptempo Top Ten hit. It's about not giving up and stuff. One of their less annoying hits. The organ solo is pretty nice.
Steve Miller's last #1 was this memorable number about the seemingly magical qualities of a woman who wears, among other things, "black panties with an angel's face." Though I don't know if the best way to enchant a woman is to say "I wanna reach out and grab ya." You might try being a little more, shall we say, delicate about it, Steve. Still, a decent dance-rocker, and a classic rock staple.
Next is the country-pop machine Alabama with a sultry sex song that reminds me more than a little of Exile's 1978 hit "Kiss You All Over." So it's hardly surprising to learn that Exile wrote and recorded it first, but with much less success. Perhaps this is what made that band go country. Anyway, this song's okay. And I think my mom had a crush on Alabama's lead singer back in the day.
Then it's another band named after a state, Kansas, with a dramatic ballad about standing in the spotlight and facing a pivotal moment. I think it's supposed to be some sort of big statement, but to me, it's just a fairly decent lighter-raiser. And there's nothing wrong with that.
This section concludes with Stevie Wonder with a poppy dance tune in which he promises the object of his affection "I got some honey suckle chocolate dripping kisses full of love for you ." Sounds messy. But I suppose some people are into that, and I wouldn't bet against Stevie finding one.
15 - "Any Day Now," Ronnie Milsap
14 - "The Other Woman," Ray Parker Jr.
13 - "Only the Lonely," The Motels
12 - "Crimson and Clover," Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
11 - "Tainted Love," Soft Cell
This section opens with Ronnie Milsap's version of a Bacharach/David composition that had previously been recorded by Elvis Presley and R&B singer Chuck Jackson, among others. It's about resigning oneself to a lover's imminent departure. Ronnie does all right with it, but I'm curious to hear other takes on the song. And I will, eventually.
Another week, another appearance by our friend Ray Parker Jr. This time, it's his first solo hit, a funk-rocker about getting too serious about someone who was supposed to be just a bit on the side. This might be his best hit. And it doesn't sound anything like the Huey Lewis song from earlier in the countdown. Sorry, couldn't resist.
Next is the first hit by L.A. New Wavers The Motels, a moody rumination on a past romance. Smoky, smooth, and satisfying, with great vocals by Martha Davis. Just plain good.
Then it's Joan Jett and company with a hard rock cover of a 1968 Tommy James and the Shondells hit about trying to impress a woman with a color and a flower. I guess that made sense in the 60s. Anyway, I always like Joan, and her tough vocal adds a cool edge. And I like that she didn't switch the gender of the song's subject.
Finishing off this bunch is the only American hit by the British synth duo Soft Cell. It's a spare cover of a song that was originally recorded by L.A. R&B singer Gloria Jones in 1964, but didn't get much notice until it was discovered by a British DJ and became a hit on the country's Northern Soul scene. It's one of the more familiar tracks of the early part of the decade, both on its own and on the version where it's paired with a cover of The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go." Very good, but slightly overplayed.
Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies, it's the Top Ten.
10 - "Caught Up in You," .38 Special
These Jacksonvilleans' second hit and first Top Ten is easily my favorite of theirs. A simple, catchy pop-rock love song. I imagine it'd be good to sing at karaoke, under the right circumstances. Perhaps I'll try it someday.
9 - "Eye of the Tiger," Survivor
Ah yes, the classic pump-up tune from Rocky III. The guts, the glory, going the distance, the thrill of the fight. How many times has someone played this to get themselves psyched for some significant moment of life? Must be in the millions. Me, I appreciate it, but I still prefer "No Easy Way Out." Viva Robert Tepper!
8 - "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me," Juice Newton
Her Juiciness cracked the pop Top Ten for the last time with this song about the metaphorical injuries she's suffered in the name of romance. In the video, however, she suffers physical injuries in her quest for love, to the point where she ends up in a body cast. Yeah, "a little bit hard."
7 - "Let it Whip," The Dazz Band
Apparently, this Cleveland band named themselves before they ever heard that Brick song. I like that. I also like this fun funk workout. But I'm not sure I'd let the singer be either my "paper man" or my "joker man." That's just me, though.
6 - "Always on My Mind," Willie Nelson
Willie returns from last time with his biggest hit. Like it better now than at the time.
5 - "Hurts So Good," John Cougar
Mr. Mellencamp is back from last October with his ode to a love that feels so bad it's good. And I myself sometimes long for "those young boy days."
4 - "Heat of the Moment," Asia
The first and biggest hit from the group that consisted of former members of British prog bands King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. It's a rocker about regret and lost ambition and, perhaps most importantly of all, the desire to "catch a pearl and ride the dragon's wings." When this came out, I somehow decided this was the greatest song ever. I've backed off from that just a little, but I still love it. The keyboards on the instrumental bridge still give me chills.
3 - "Ebony and Ivory," Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Paul and Stevie are back to endorse racial harmony. No disrespect to this song's good intentions, but I would have liked it if these two had collaborated again on something more, I don't know, interesting.
2 - "Rosanna," Toto
To me, this was always just a boring little pop-rocker that somehow won a buttload of Grammys. But apparently, musicians consider the drum pattern on this song to be really interesting and intricate, so I'm going to grudgingly give it a bit more respect than I did before. But just a bit.
And topping the charts 30 years ago was...
1 - "Don't You Want Me," The Human League
The immortal tale of the relationship between a Svengali and the waitress he made famous, performed by semi-robotic British New Wavers. I'm sure it's burned into the brains of anyone who was listening to pop radio at the time, and that's not a bad thing.
This week's NotCaseys were "Kids in America" by Kim Wilde, "Vacation" by The Go-Gos, "Hot in the City" by Billy Idol, and "Eye in the Sky" by The Alan Parsons Project. And there were two LDDs. First, a woman dedicated Don Williams' "I Believe in You" to the man in her life, who gave her the courage and confidence to face a serious surgical procedure. And later, another woman sent out "I Believe" by Chilliwack to her family, her friends, her church, Alcoholics Anonymous, and everyone else who helped her get clean.
So it goes.
No comments:
Post a Comment