August 11, 1984 Part Two

Wrapping up '84.

20 - "She Bop," Cyndi Lauper
19 - "If This is It," Huey Lewis and the News
18 - "Jump (For My Love)," The Pointer Sisters
17 - "Round and Round," Ratt
16 - "Eyes Without a Face," Billy Idol

The second half kicks off with Cyndi Lauper's ode to doing pleasant things to herself while looking at pictures of a guy in tight jeans.  Listening to this is just about the most fun you can have with your pants on.  But that, of course, is optional.  Unless you're in public.

Another October returnee is Huey Lewis and associates' mediocre bit of doo-wop.  A better title might have been "This is it?"

Next are the siblings Pointer, back from May with their promise that "Heaven waits here at my door."  Not their best, but they did sexy well.

Then it's the first and biggest hit for the SoCal hair metallers originally known as Mickey Ratt.  This grinding, catchy rocker is truly one of the classics of the genre.  Fun to sing along and air-guitar to.  Plus, they were managed by Milton Berle's nephew, which is how Uncle Milty himself ended up in the video.  I'm sure the band respected him, for many reasons.

Closing out this group is Billy Idol, back from this spring with his dark rock ballad about someone who's "got no human grace."  And it was a while before I learned that the backup singers were singing the title in French ("Les yeux sans visage.").  I had a similar experience with Peter Gabriel's "Games Without Frontiers."  For years I thought Kate Bush was singing "She's so popular," instead of "Jeux sans frontieres."

15 - "Panama," Van Halen
14 - "Legs," ZZ Top
13 - "If Ever You're in My Arms Again," Peabo Bryson
12 - "Missing You," John Waite
11 - "Breakin'...There's No Stopping Us," Ollie and Jerry

This section is led off by Van Halen's final Top 40 hit with Diamond Dave at the mic.  Apparently, it was written about a car called "The Panama Express" that Dave had seen in a race in Las Vegas.  It makes driving sound like an almost sexual experience.  It's never really been like that for me, but I suppose I can see it.

ZZ Top had been winning over MTV viewers for over a year with the chicks-cars-and-beards formula employed in the videos for "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and "Sharp Dressed Man," but it wasn't until the summer of '84 that they finally achieved mainstream pop radio success with this bluesy dance number about worshipping a lady with lovely lower appendages and "hair down to her fanny."  Ofie course, it had a video featuring hot women arriving in the iconic Eliminator car and helping a dowdy salesgirl overcome bullying and win her dream guy through the power of a slutty makeover.  Progressive.  And as a kid, I was impressed at how ofter radio and TV stations played the line "Shit, I gotta have her" uncensored.  But apparently radio has gotten wise to the stealth obscenity, because the line was digitally distorted on this airing.  Damn.

Next is Peabo Bryson with his biggest solo pop hit, a song on which he asks a lover for another chance, despite knowing that "a second once-in-a-lifetime may be too much to ask."  Smooth, serviceable soul balladry.

Then ex-Baby/future Bad Englishman John Waite returns from last fall with his song of denial.  Still solid pop-rock, but not quite top-drawer.

This quintet is anchored by the only hit from the combination of session drummer Ollie E. Brown and former Raydio member Jerry Knight, the title song from the movie that helped popularize breakdancing in mainstream culture.  Yes, I saw that movie in a theater back in the day.  But no, I have never seen Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.  As for the song, it's just run-of-the-mill electro-pop-funk with lyrics about climbing and fighting and such.  Justly forgotten.

Into the Valley of Death rode the Top Ten.

10 - "Sunglasses at Night," Corey Hart
The first and best-remembered hit by the Montreal heartthrob is this synth-rock tune about donning eyewear designed to reduce solar glare in the evening hours.  The beat and the cadence of the main keyboard riff are somewhat derivative of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," but Hart's rasp-whine on the choruses and lyrics like "Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades, oh no!" make it its own delightfuly daft concoction, and the winner of this week's Uneasy Rider.

9 - "Infatuation," Rod Stewart
Rod the Bod hit the Top Ten again with this rocker about lust.  I remember that in the video, he was stalking a woman with a camera.  Good times.  Not a bad little song though.  But is it just me, or was Rod one of the few British pop/rock icons who wasn't referenced during either the opening or closing ceremonies of the London Olympics?  If I missed one, I stand corrected, but if I didn't, that's a little curious.

8 - "I Can Dream About You," Dan Hartman
This native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania played bass in The Edgar Winter Group during the early seventies, then had a disco smash in the latter half of the decade with "Instant Replay."  But his biggest solo pop success came with this soul-pop number from the soundtrack to the "rock n' roll fable" film Streets of Fire.  The movie flopped, but it seems to be somewhat of an interesting failure, which makes me think I might want to see it someday.  That, and a young Diane Lane.

7 - "Dancing in the Dark," Bruce Springsteen
The first single from the blockbuster Born in the U.S.A. LP is this big-beated anthem about feeling bored and isolated and wanting to find some "action," whatever that may entail.  An undeniable pop stomper, and deservedly The Boss' biggest hit.  Plus, the video introduced the world to Courteney Cox, who would go on to take the world by storm in the NBC series Misfits of Science.  I'm not sure what happened to her after that.

6 - "Stuck on You," Lionel Richie
Lionel returns from October with his country ballad of devotion.  I still can't believe his latest album has sold more than any other this year...well, except that Adele record.  Not even Lionel can stop that train.

5 - "Sad Songs (Say So Much)," Elton John
Sir Elton maintained his radio presence with this song about those depressing tunes that "reach into your room" and make you "feel their gentle touch" when you're feeling blue.  Above-average stuff for him in this decade.  And come to think of it, I don't remember him being referenced in the Olympic festivities either.  Hmmm.

4 - "What's Love Got to Do With It," Tina Turner
A lot, Tina.  You reminded us how great you are on this, we remembered that we love you, and you went straight back to the top.

3 - "State of Shock," The Jacksons featuring Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger
The first single from the brothers' Victory album was this strutting rocker that Michael had originally planned to record with Freddie Mercury for Thriller, but when that didn't come about, he let his siblings and a Stone come along for the ride.  A decent enough song, but not very well-remembered.  And I think Freddie would have dome much better with it.

2 - "When Doves Cry," Prince
This lead single from Purple Rain became Prince's first Number One, and it's obvious why.  It's sensual, sexual, atmospheric funk about a troubled relationship that just cannot be denied.  A monster from the word go.  And if you want to know what doves crying feels like, I've heard that it's kind of like being a kid named Milhouse and finding out that there's another kid named Milhouse in the world.

And at the top back then was...

1 - "Ghostbusters," Ray Parker, Jr.
And here it is at last, the theme tune from the smash sci-fi comedy that introduced me to the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man.  And as I've mentioned once or twice, it's also the song that got Ray sued by Huey Lewis.  I guess Huey had a case, but like I inferred earlier, by this standard, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox could have gone after Corey Hart.  Anyway, it's a fun song, and was Ray's biggest hit by far.  Five years later, there was a sequel, and theme-song duties were given to Bobby Brown.  And of course, there's long been talk of a Ghostbusters 3.  All that seems to have been established about that is that Dan Aykroyd is committed to doing it, and Bill Murray is committed to not doing it.  But if it does happen, my money's on Chris Brown doing the song.

This week's NotCaseys were "Cover Me" by Bruce Springsteen, "Go Insane" by Lindsey Buckingham, "The Lucky One" by Laura Branigan, and "Hard Habit to Break" by Chicago.  As an extra, Casey played Aretha Franklin's "Respect," because the Queen of Soul was set to debut on Broadway in a musical about gospel legend Mahalia Jackson.  (This didn't happen.  Aretha pulled out, and was later successfully sued for breach of contract.).  And there were two LDDs.  In the first, a woman dedicated Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" to her best friend.  And later, a Vietnam vet scarred by the horrors of war dedicated Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" to the woman who taught him to love again.

Within the next couple of days, if all goes according to plan:  That 70s "odds and ends" post you've all been clamoring for.  At least I assume you have.