Uncovered 1984

And finally, here are the songs from recent 1984 shows that I haven't gotten to yet.

11/17/1984:

9  -"All Through The Night," Cyndi Lauper
The fourth Top 5 from She's So Unusual was this dreamy midtempo ballad about finding comfort in others.  It has kind of a lullaby quality to it.  All in all, another reason Cyndi will always be a favorite of mine.

14 - "No More Lonely Nights," Paul McCartney
This ballad about missing someone came from the McCartney-starring musical film Give My Regards to Broad Street.  The movie didn't do too well, but the soundtrack, which contained many new versions of past Sir Paul compositions, sold all right.  As for this song, it's not his strongest, but probably in the upper end of his 80s hits.

#15: What About Me - Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes & James Ingram
Rogers was originally supposed to record this balladic dramatization of a love triangle with Lionel Richie and Barbra Streisand, but he ended up with these two.  Probably wouldn't have turned out much differently.  Meh melodrama.  Mehlodrama, if you will.

#16: Cool It Now - New Edition
The Boston boy band picked up their first pop Top 40 with this bubblegum R&B track about a guy whose friends advise him to "slow his roll" with a girl he likes.  But he decides not to follow this counsel.  It's not quite Jackson 5-level, but Ralph Tresvant's falsetto is sweet.

#17: The War Song - Culture Club
This lead single from Boy George and co.'s third album was their lowest charting Top 40 to date.  And deservedly so.  It's a song with an obvious message, and it hits you over the head with it.  That generally doesn't work.  George was a lot of things, but Edwin Starr wasn't one of them.

#18: Sea Of Love - The Honeydrippers
The retro-rock lark of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page produced two Top 40 hits, the biggest of which was this cover of Phil Phillips' 1959 ballad.  Well done, but forgettable.

#19: Wild Boys - Duran Duran
The Brit superstars were in the midst of their hottest period when they put out this tribal-sounding tune whose lyrics depict some sort of violent struggle.  Wasn't a fan when it was out, but listening again, it started to grow on me.

#20: I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
The "Eye of the Tiger" guys continued their post-Rocky III career with this dramatic romance-rocker.  A decent bit of corporate-rock.  They had changed lead singers since "American Heartbeat," but few noticed.

#22: It Ain't Enough - Corey Hart
The Montrealer followed up "Sunglasses at Night" with this ballad about knowing that no matter what you do for a loved one, it won't be sufficient.  I prefer it to his other slow ones.

#23: Walking On A Thin Line - Huey Lewis & The News
The fifth hit from the band's mega-selling Sports LP was a more serious number than their previous singles.  It's about a war veteran struggling with what he did in combat and trying to cope with normal life.    Certainly more effective than "The War Song."

#25: We Belong - Pat Benatar
The rock diva had the second of her two Top Fives with this atmospheric ballad about knowing you're meant to be with someone even through the more difficult times.  I prefer her in rocker mode, but this is pretty and heartfelt.

#27: I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar
The Red Rocker's signature song is this lament about his inability to operate his vehicle within posted speed limits.  Dumb fun.

#28: Teacher, Teacher - .38 Special
The Southern rockers recorded this surprisingly effective critique of the education system for the forgotten comedy film Teachers.  To me, it's between this and "Caught Up in You" for favorite honors.

#29: Valotte - Julian Lennon
John Lennon's son with first wife Cynthia already had a place in musical history for inspiring "Hey Jude,"  But at 21, he began a pop career of his own with this wistful, piano-driven pop song, that made people wonder if he had an extremely small ass or just enjoyed being uncomfortable.  How else to explain "sitting on a pebble by a river"?  That aside, a fine song.

#31: Hello Again - The Cars
The fourth single from Heartbeat City is jittery and nonsensical, so of course it was accompanied by a video directed by Andy Warhol.  And that's not a slam at either.

#32: Do What You Do - Jermaine Jackson
Michael and Janet's brother had one of his hits with this breakup ballad.  Like his voice on this, but otherwise, nothing here.

#33: Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
The Styx guitarist had his lone solo hit with this rocker about, well, ladies with firearms.  Probably as some kind of metaphor, but I'm not sure for what.  Cheesily catchy.  Or maybe catchily cheesy.  Either way, I like it.

#34: We Are The Young - Dan Hartman
Hartman followed up "I Can Dream About You" with this dance number about being the impetuousness of youth.  "Every street is an arcade of dreams," he sings.  If that's true, I don't think I had enough dream quarters back then to play the really good games.

#36: Sugar Don't Bite - Sam Harris
Before American Idol and America's Got Talent, there was Star Search, the Ed McMahon hosted showcase for aspiring performers.  While most of its success stories are comedians, one of the first acts to make an immediate splash was Harris, a singer who was signed to Motown after being named the show's first "Grand Champion."  His only pop hit was this disco-funk tune about trying to pick someone up at a club (although what that has to do with wooden clothing, I'm not sure.)  Flimsy, but oddly charming, with Harris coming off as a growlier Frankie Valli.  He would go on to have a successful career on Broadway.  That seems about right.

#37: I Do'Wanna Know - REO Speedwagon
REO's seventh Top 40 was this snappy little pop-rocker about romantic denial.  It wasn't one of their biggest hits, but it might be my favorite.  Love the organ solo.  Unfortunately, it was followed immediately by that mush monster "Can't Fight This Feeling."

#38: Tears - John Waite
Waite's follow-up to the #1 "Missing You,"was this song that was originally done by Peter Criss on a post-Kiss solo album that wasn't released until fifteen years after its 1982 recording.  It was co-written by Vinnie Vincent, whose time in Kiss was somewhat briefer than Criss'.  As for Waite's version, it's a catchy heartbreak rocker that I liked a lot then, and I still now.  I'd check out Criss' version, but as I recall, he was never much of a singer.  I'll stick with John.

#39: I Need You Tonight - Peter Wolf
The ex-J. Geils Bander's second solo hit was this synth-driven cheese slice about desire that needs immediate gratification.  I don't need to hear this tonight, or any other time.  Beneath him.

#40: Centipede - Rebbie Jackson
The oldest and most often forgotten Jackson sibling didn't begin her music career until the age of 34, and her first single, produced and written by Michael, went straight to the Top 40.  I'm not sure what's supposed to be so sexy about a hundred-legged arthropod, but it's catchy and cool.  Rebbie wouldn't crack the 40 again, but still, that's one more hit than La Toya had.

12/15/1984:

#3: Like A Virgin - Madonna
Ms. Ciccone picked up the first #1 of her career with the title t.rack to her second album.  Written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, the team behind Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" and Heart's "Alone" among other hits, it's a percolating dance-popper about going through a rough period that is ended by a relationship that makes one feel "shiny and new."  Still her defining song, and the video, which involved a wedding dress, the gondolas of Venice, and a lion, provided what are still many of the images people most closely associate with her..

#14: All I Need - Jack Wagner
The artist then known as Frisco Jones on General Hospital made it all the way to #2 with this gooey ballad.  Like I said before, pop radio and soap operas had something going on in the 80s.

#15: Born In The U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen
The title track from the Boss' biggest album is also his most misunderstood song.  While its anthemic, keyboard-driven arrangement and sloganistic refrain caused many to hear the song as an example of patriotic jingoism, the lyrics in fact tell the story of a man who ends up being sent to fight in Vietnam after he "got in a little hometown jam," and then struggles in the years after his return with unemployment, the death of his brother, and the other issues associated with being a combat veteran.  Sometimes I wonder if a starker, more Nebraska-style version would have served the song better.  But then, it almost certainly wouldn't have reached as many ears.

#16: Run To You - Bryan Adams
The Vancouverite's first U.S. Top Ten with urgent rocker about infidelity.  Solid, catchy, well-constructed.  Easily among the top two or three songs in his catalog.

#24: Understanding - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
The Styx of Detroit made their own contribution to the Teachers soundtrack with this midtempo ballad about keeping an open mind.  It follows their template, but doesn't really stand out.

#27: Jamie - Ray Parker Jr.
Parker's first post-"Ghostbusters" hit was this song on which he laments the loss of his ex-girlfriend and the fact that she has the temerity to date others after "I trained her just the way I wanted her."  Questionable sexual politics seem to be a theme in his music.

#31: Stranger In Town - Toto
This song, whose lyrics were based on the 1961 British film Whistle Down the Wind, tells the tale of a man wanted for murder who is hidden by a group of children who believe he's Jesus.  It wasn't one of their bigger hits, but it's my favorite.  Much more interesting than anything else they did.

#33: (Pride) In The Name Of Love - U2
The Irish band's first American pop hit was this now-familiar tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.  Simple but powerful, and featuring some of The Edge's most iconic guitar work.

#34: The Belle Of St. Mark - Sheila E.
The Prince acolyte's second hit was this funky ode to a "frail but passionate creature" that she is passionately in love with.  Apparently she wrote it entirely herself, but it sounds like her mentor himself could have penned it in the same exact fashion.

#37: Tender Years - John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
Cafferty and co.'s second Eddie and the Cruisers hit was this bland ballad that sounds like watered-down Springsteen.  Not much at all.

#38: Bruce - Rick Springfield
From an album of 1978 recordings dug up and released to capitalize on his 80s success, this novelty rocker is about how people confuse him with Bruce Springsteen due to the similarity of their names.  I'm not sure if this was ever really that much of a problem, but I enjoy this nonetheless.

#40: Love Light In Flight - Stevie Wonder
Wonder's second hit from the soundtrack of The Woman in Red is burbly electro-funk that doesn't quite remove the taste of "I Just Called to Say I Love You," but certainly isn't nearly as cringeworthy.  And that's a significant improvement.

Next time: we push into 2004.