Category Archives: Artists

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 11/20/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

You’re on a mission and your wishin’
Someone could cure your lonely condition

Last Song: “Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones from the album Tattoo You (1981)

Great job Melissa, and Roy (@rbutt14)!!!

Spread out the oil, the gasoline
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 11/19/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

Spread out the oil, the gasoline
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine

Last Song: “C’est La Vie” by Robbie Nevil from the album Robbie Nevil (1986)

Great job J-Dub, and Denise (@denise_mcaleer)!!!

Got a job
That’s okay
But they’ve got me workin’ night and day

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 11/13/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

Got a job
That’s okay
But they’ve got me workin’ night and day

Last Song: “Jack & Diane” by John Cougar (Mellencamp) from the album American Fool (1982)

Great job Melissa and (@missichievous)!!!

Oh, let it rock, let it roll
Let the bible belt come and save my soul

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

1988, Artists, Music, Top 40

Top 40 This Week – Week Ending November 5, 1988: Songs 10-1

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Welcome back, as we wrap up this week’s Top 40 Countdown! This brought back a lot of fond memories for me. And I do love how there was quite a few different genres represented throughout this whole countdown. So, let’s Return to the week ending November 5, 1988, and see what were the most popular songs in the country

10. “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)” by Information Society

Awesome song that has that eary-mid ’80s sound. And yes that’s Leonard Nimoy’s voice as Mr. Spock from the Star Trek episode “Errand of Mercy”, which was the first time we saw the Klingons in the Star Trek universe.

 

9. “Red Red Wine” by UB40

Wow, my two least favorite ’80s songs are both on the same countdown! First there was “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. And now there’s this Neil Diamond cover.

 

 

8. “Desire” by U2

Awesome rocker, which was U2’s first single off their Rattle and Hum album. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

 

7. “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS

If you noticed that the last three bands in this countdown have an abbreviation/acronym as a band name, welcome to my brain.

 

 

6. “One Moment In Time” by Whitney Houston

It is in the middle of Fall, and this 1988 Olympic theme song is still going strong.

 

 

 

5. “Bad Medicine” by Bon Jovi

After Slippery When Wet launched Bon Jovi in the stratosphere, they did not let up, as they followed up with the incredible New Jersey album, with “Bad Medicine” as the lead single.

 

4. “The Loco-Motion” by Kylie Minoque

Kylie Minogue was the third act to make this song a top 5 hit, starting with LIttle Eva in 1962 and Grand Funk Railroad in 1974. This song was a locomotion for Minogue, as it started as a hit in her home country of Australia. Then it made it’s way to Europe and Asia, then came to the U.S. and Canada.

 

3. “Groovy Kind of Love” by Phil Collins

We have another cover here, as Phil Collins recorded this Mindbenders 1965/66 hit for the Buster movie soundtrack. Between this song, and “Two Hearts”, you would think the movie was going to be a blockbuster. However, I still haven’t seen it, and I don’t know anybody who ever has.

 

2. “Wild, Wild West” by The Escape Club

This song would go on to be a number one hit next week. The Escape Club the only British artist to have a No. 1 hit in the United States while never charting in the UK.

 

1. “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys

I think we can track the division in the country back to this song. I personally think it’s a fun song, although I did get very sick of it. But, a lot of people had this extreme hatred of this song. And seeing John Stamos on drums really sent them over the edge! This song would be their last hit on the Hot 100.

Well that wraps up the Top 40 this week. I hope you enjoyed it! The next time, we will hop back across the pond to the U.K. In the meantime, Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars.

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 11/8/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

Oh, let it rock, let it roll
Let the bible belt come and save my soul

Last Song: “Luka” by Suzanne Vega from Solitude Standing (1987)

Great job !!!

I think it’s because I’m clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it’s because I’m crazy
I try not to act too proud

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

1988, Artists, Music, Top 40

Top 40 This Week – Week Ending November 5, 1988: Songs 20-11

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Welcome back to this week’s countdown! I hope you are all enjoying it so far. Here are some famous quotes from 1988. Can you guess who made them:

“Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy”

“Read my lips: no new taxes”

“Just do it”

“It’s everywhere you want to be”

“I’m not bad- I’m just drawn that way”

Now let’s Return to the week ending November 5, 1988 and continue the countdown. Don’t forget, you can click on the song title to get the YouTube video, and you can click on the album cover to get the song from Amazon. Now, on with the countdown!

20. “I Don’t Want Your Love” by Duran Duran

Were the remaining 3 members of Duran Duran singing this to their former guitarist, Andy Taylor? I don’t know, but it’s a pretty cool tune.

 

 

19. “Don’t Be Cruel” by Bobby Brown

This is the second “Don’t Be Cruel” of the countdown. But, this one is a Bobby Brown original, when he was at the top of his game.

 

 

18. “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” by Cinderella

Only in the ’80s could you go from a great new jack swing song to an awesome glam metal power ballad in the same countdown! Yes ’80s, we didn’t know what we had till you were gone.

 

17. “Look Away” by Chicago

Chicago is one of my all-time favorite bands, and I could not get enough of this song. This power ballad, written by Diane Warren, is Chicago’s largest selling single. It topped the charts for two weeks, matching the chart success of the group’s “If You Leave Me Now” (1976) and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (1982).

 

16. “Another Lover” by Giant Steps

Giant Steps was a pop duo from England. This was their only top 40 hit. It came off of their lone album, The Book of Pride.

 

 

15. Kissing a Fool” by George Michael

This jazzy song was the seventh and final single to be released from the Faith album. It was also the least successful single of the album, only peaking at #5. Slacker.

 

 

14. “Chains of Love” by Erasure

The synthpop duo, Erasure, finally broke through in the U.S. with this song,as it peaked at #12. This was Erasure’s sixth consecutive U.K. Top 20 hit.

 

 

13. “Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird” by Will to Power

This mashup of Peter Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” will soon top the charts (December 3, 1988). Kudos for taking two overplayed classic rock songs, and making them fresh again. Only to become overplayed itself. I’m liking it again, 30 years later.

 

12. “How Can I Fall?” by Breathe

Great ballad by the British pop group, Breathe. It would go on to peak at #3 on the Hot 100, and top the Billboard adult contemporary chart, Breathe’s only single to accomplish this feat.

 

 

11. “Don’t You Know What the Night Can Do?” by Steve Winwood

What is it with all the questions? This song is OK. But, I had gotten sick of it before it was officially released. It was used in a national TV commercial for Michelob.

 

This is shaping up to be a damn good countdown! We will wrap this up on Friday. See you then!

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 11/7/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

I think it’s because I’m clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it’s because I’m crazy
I try not to act too proud

Last Song: “Election Day” by Arcadia from the album So Red the Rose (1985)

Great job Lillian (@LilliBug93)!!!

All over you as they say
Rumours or rivals yell at the strike force
Hi guys, by the way
Are you aware you’re being illegal?

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

1988, Artists, Music, Top 40

Top 40 This Week – Week Ending November 5, 1988: Songs 30-21

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Hi Everybody! Welcome back as we continue the countdown! I understand that as we get into the late 80s, we are starting to lose that classic 80s sound. So, this can be depressing for some. But for me, this was a great time. I had just graduated high school. And because I was working a part time job, I was starting to get my own money. So of course I spent a lot of it on music. The late 80s were good to me as I was coming into my own.
Now, let’s Return back to the week ending November 5, 1988, and continue the countdown!

30. “Edge of a Broken Heart” by Vixen

Great way to start the countdown today! I loved Vixen from the time they first came out and released this song. I actually had this on a 45. If you like this song, you should check out Vixen’s entire self-titled album. Every song is great, and the album would be one of my top “desert island” choices. It should also be noted that Richard Marx was one of the writers of this song.

 

29. “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin

I’ll be happy when this annoying song is over.

 

 

 

28. “Don’t Be Cruel” by Cheap Trick

OK, I’m happy now. This is a pretty cool cover of Elvis’ hit. This is a good follow-up to Cheap Trick’s comeback #1 smash hit, “The Flame”.

 

 

27. “The Promise” by When in Rome

This awesome song by the British band When in Rome, reached up to #11. It had a bit of a resurgence in recent years, as it was featured in the cult movie Napoleon Dynamite in 2004.

 

 

26. “Walk On Water” by Eddie Money

The hits keep on coming! I guess I was on a 45 kick in 1988, as I also owned this one. This song was written by one-time Sammy Hagar keyboardist Jesse Harms.

 

 

25. “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart

This was the second single released from Rod Stewart’s awesome Out of Order album. I had lost hope in Stewart staying “forever young” as he was only focusing on big band music in recent years. However, he just released a new pop album, Blood Red Roses on September 28, 2018.

 

24. “A Word in Spanish” by Elton John

I had totally forgotten about this song. This was the other song released from Elton John’s Reg Strikes Back album, after “I Don’t Wanna Go On with You Like That”. With the exception of a few songs, I still much prefer his 70s music.

 

23. “Waiting for a Star to Fall” by Boy Meets Girl

This song was inspired for the Girl, Shannon Rubicam, when she saw an actual falling star at one of Whitney Houston’s concerts at the Greek Theatre. The folowing is from Wikipedia: “Initially, the duo did not consider recording it, and instead submitted the song to Clive Davis hoping he would decide to use it on Houston’s next album. He rejected it, suggesting that it did not suit her. The song was then offered to and recorded by Belinda Carlisle for her 1987 release Heaven on Earth, at the insistence of her label, but Carlisle disliked it and refused to include it on the album.”

Well that worked out for Boy Meets Girl, as it became their signature hit.

22. “Giving You the Best That I Got” by Anita Baker

This was Anita Baker’s biggest hit on the Hot 100 as it would go on to peak at #3. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart for 2 weeks. It also won Grammys for Best Female R&B Vocal performance and Best R&B Song.

 

21. “Love Bites” by Def Leppard

This was never one of my favorite Def Leppard songs. However, it was their only #1 hit. I have warmed up to it over the years, and love it now. Part of the reason is the nostalgia factor, and part of it is that it is a great song!

 

That wraps up today’s list of songs. And what a great list it was! What do you think? What were some of your favorites? What were you doing this week in 1988. I’d love to hear from you. In the meantime, please come back tomorrow as we continue the countdown.

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 11/6/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

All over you as they say
Rumours or rivals yell at the strike force
Hi guys, by the way
Are you aware you’re being illegal?

Last Song: “He’s So Shy” by The Pointer Sisters from the album Special Things (1980)

Great job Melissa, Jim (@JimVilk), and Pauline (@Dopey62)!!!

When I first saw him standing there
I longed to speak but did not dare

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

1988, Artists, Music, Top 40

Top 40 This Week – Week Ending November 5, 1988: Songs 40-31

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Time for another Top 40 countdown! With Election Day tomorrow, I decided to go with the week of an Election Day from the 80s. I had already done 1984 for this week. So, we will go towards the end of the Reagan era. This Presidential race was George H. W. Bush against Michael Dukakis. This was the first election I voted in.

I had graduated earlier in the year, and was now attending Community College. Well actually, I was registered at the Community College of Rhode Island. However, I attended DG’s Arcade instead of actual college classes. 3 months later I was heading to Great Lakes, in the dead of winter, for Navy boot camp.

Now, let’s Return to the week ending November 5, 1988, and see what songs may have come on the radio in my 1981 Chevy Citation, on the way to the arcade.

As usual, you can click on the song title to get the YouTube video, and you can click on the album cover to check out this song on Amazon.

40. “Spy in the House of Love” by Was (Not Was)

This is a pretty good song with a funky beat. But, I spend the entire song waiting for them to burst out singing about walking a dinosaur.

 

 

39. “I’ll Always Love You” by Taylor Dayne

Taylor Dayne burst on to the scene in 1987 with her debut album, Tell It to My Heart. She was one of the hottest acts around in the late ’80s/early ’90s. This was the 3rd song released from her debut album, and first ballad. It got Taylor Dayne nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal, was also nominated for Best R&B Song.

38. “Time and Tide” by Basia

This song from Basia’s debut album of the same name, is her biggest hit.

 

 

 

37. “Small World” by Huey Lewis and the News

This is the title track of Huey Lewis and the News’ last album released release on Chrysalis. The album did not sell as well as the band’s previous albums, Sports and Fore!.

 

36. “True Love” by Glenn Frey

This forgotten gem (well, I had forgotten about it anyway), was released off the late great Glenn Frey’s third studio solo album Soul Searchin’.

 

35. “Finish What Ya Started” by Van Halen

According to the book, Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga, Van Halen’s OU812 album was complete (or so they thought), Eddie came up with the riff at 2 in the morning and went down to his then-neighbor Sammy Hagar to show it. Hagar let Eddie in, and the two played guitars in his balcony until they had a completed song.

34. “Dance Little Sister” by Terence Trent D’Arby

This is a pretty cool, funky song. I would have never listened to it back when it was originally released. That may explain why I don’t remember this song at all.

 

 

33. “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses

This is probably one of the most iconic hard rock songs of the ’80s.

 

 

 

32. “Domino Dancing” by Pet Shop Boys

This seems like a little different sound for the Pet Shop Boys. The music is a freestyle dance style. Before the vocals come in, this sounds like it could be a song by Exposé, Sweet Sensation, or the Cover Girls.

 

31. “Downtown Life” by Daryl Hall & John Oates

Hall and Oates seem to have a different perspective of the city than Guns N’ Roses! Even though Hall & Oates had their best years behind them as far as climbing the charts is concerned, this is a pretty good tune. If it was released in 1982, it may have been a bigger hit.

That wraps up today’s list of songs. Not a bad start. Come back tomorrow to check out songs 30-21.