Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Rick James - "Super Freak, Part 1" (#78 of 1981)

I'm Rick James, bitch!  Sorry, couldn't resist.  The Master of Funk, Rick James, began crossing over into the mainstream dance charts in 1981.  The bassline riff is a classic, being sampled on MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" in 1990.  Also, 10-year old Abigail Breslin does a very inappropriate burlesque routine to the song at a children's beauty pageant in "Little Miss Sunshine".

The video featuring James and his bevy of "freaks" is pure fun.  One particularly overzealous "freak" dancing around him before jumping in a limosine is entertaining simply for holding a quellazaire very close to Rick's heavily jheri curled glittery wig!  Hopefully, it was not lit.


 
 
My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: November 6th, 1981


Peak Position: #11

Number of Weeks:  6

Little River Band - "The Night Owls" (#7 of 1981)

Australia's Little River Band was one of my favorite groups of the late 70's and 80's.  Like most early videos, "The Night Owls" combines band performance with snippets of video images.  This brief "storyline" may be about the dangers of being a "night owl"!  A woman is chased through rain-soaked streets in the dead of night by a man in a trenchcoat! 


 
 
My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: November 6th, 1981


Peak Position: #2

Number of Weeks:  12


Kim Carnes - "Draw of the Cards" (#67 of 1981)

Kim Carnes' follow-up to her smash hit "Bette Davis Eyes", this strange video is a mish-mash of dream sequences ranging from Carnivale dancers to what appears to be escapees from an insane asylum. 
 
 


My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: October 30th, 1981


Peak Position: #8

Number of Weeks:  8

Dan Fogelberg - "Hard to Say" (#17 of 1981)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

REO Speedwagon - "In Your Letter" (#61 of 1981)

REO Speedwagon's album Hi Infidelity was one of my favorites during my sophomore year in high school.  "In Your Letter" is not one of the best songs on the album, but I liked the 50's retro vibe.

The video was the band's stage performance combined with a woman typing a Dear John letter as she watches them on video.  At the end, she is the one on the video screen with the band "dismissing" her.



My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 30th, 1981


Peak Position: #8 (October 4th, 1981)

Number of Weeks:  8

Christopher Cross - "Arthur's Theme" (#11 of 1981)

From the film "Arthur", this hit for Christopher Cross won the Academy Award in 1981 for Best Original Song. 

The original video was a performance of the song with scenes from the movie woven in.  I was unable to find it, so here is a rare video done for the Western Germany TV show "Bananas".  Very hokey special effects with a nearly comatose performance by Christopher Cross.  (Not that he's usually all that exciting of a performer.)



My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 23rd, 1981


Peak Position: #1 (October 18th, 1981)

Number of Weeks:  14

Sheena Easton - "For Your Eyes Only" (#4 of 1981)

"For You Eyes Only" by Sheena Easton used the opening title sequence of the movie for the "music video".  One of the best James Bond themes, the song made it to #4 on the Billboard chart.  (The only Bond theme to make it to #1 was Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill".)



My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 23rd, 1981


Peak Position: #1 (September 20th & 27th,  1981)

Number of Weeks:  11

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Beach Boys - "Beach Boys Medley" (#79 of 1981)

I really love the sound of The Beach Boys and this single capitalized on the popular Dutch band, Stars on 45's medleys that were popular in the 80's.  If it wasn't The Beach Boys, it's doubtful I would've liked it all.

There is no video for this single, but here is their performance from American Bandstand in 1981.



My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 16th, 1981


Peak Position: #11 (September 13th, 1981)

Number of Weeks:  7

The Moody Blues - "The Voice" (#35 of 1981)

1981's Long Distance Voyager is by far one of my favorite albums, ever.  Like E.L.O., The Moody Blues is a consummate progressive rock band.  For me, the music and lyrics of "The Voice" is transcendant.
 
"Cause out on the ocean of life my love.
There's so many storms we must rise above.
Can you hear the spirit calling, as it's carried across the waves?
You're already falling it's calling you back to face the music.
And the song that is coming through.
You're already falling the one that it's calling is you."
 
Not really known for their music videos, The Moody Blues did do a couple of good ones for 1986's The Other Side of Life.  And, 1973's "I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)" did feature a basic studio performance video.  There is no video for this song, but I've included a fan video that incorporates some decent images.
 
 

My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 16th, 1981


Peak Position: #4 (September 6th & 13th, 1981)

Number of Weeks:  10

Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty - "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" (#94 of 1981)

This song was originally written to be performed by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, but they were later convinced to have it sung from a female perspective.

The video is a simple studio session with the two rock legends.  However, Petty seems pretty uncomfortable as Stevie Nicks does her trademark twirl.  Stevie definitely drowns out Petty in most of the song, but it still works.  I prefer both Nicks and Petty performing with their respective bands and, of course, Stevie's solo work.




My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 9th, 1981


Peak Position: #16 (August 16th, 1981)

Number of Weeks:  3

Electric Light Orchestra - "Hold On Tight" (#21 of 1981)

Electric Light Orchestra is definitely one of my favorite bands of the 70's and 80's.  Though I was too young to appreciate their earlier music, I became a fan after hearing 1974's "Can't Get It Out of My Head".  Of course they had already scored massive brownie points after recording the Xanadu soundtrack with Olivia Newton-John in 1980!

A band that is well-known for their rich orchestrations and concept albums, their music is unique and timeless in my opinion.  Jeff Lynne's vocals blend perfectly with both the ethereal and rocking qualities of their songs.

The "Hold On Tight" video combines the band's black and white performance interspersed with scenes from a fake adventure/romance film.  It was considered one of the most expensive videos of it's time costing £40,000.


My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 9th, 1981


Peak Position: #1 (2 weeks October 4th & 11th, 1981)

Number of Weeks: 14

Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet - "Everlasting Love" (#8 of 1981)

"Everlasting Love" was originally written for Robert Knight in 1967.  It has been remade many times, with the most popular versions including U2, Gloria Estefan, Carl Carlton and even Louise Mandrell (as a Country & Western hit.)

Rex Smith, a Broadway actor/singer, appeared in the musicals Grease, Sunset Boulevard and The Pirates of Penzance. He joined Rachel Sweet for "Everlasting Love", which did crack the Billboard's Top 40 in 1981.

The video, featuring Rex Smith (wearing big 80's sunglasses, a headband and tight leather pants) and Rachel Sweet (arriving all in white on a motorcycle), shows the couple exchanging their wedding vows using the lyrics of the song in front of a confused preacher.  Cute video, I've always liked the song itself and this version is pure pop perfection.


My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 9th, 1981


Peak Position: #1 (September 13th, 1981)

Number of Weeks: 12


BONUS VIDEO! 

Another popular version in the UK was from German singer, Sandra, in 1988.  Definitely a fun, upbeat video; it features Sandra and others in various different costumes/settings.

Pat Benatar - "Fire and Ice" (#90 of 1981)

In the pantheon of female rock vocalists, Pat Benatar is in the same league as Janis Joplin, Joan Armatrading, Ani Difranco and Melissa Etheridge.  Although "Fire and Ice" is not one of my favorite songs by Benatar, it certainly rocks.

For me, "Promises in the Dark" is a much better song from the same album Precious Time.  The video is your run-of-the-mill rock performance.  Benatar dances (more like sways) to the beat and her delivery is subdued compared to her powerful vocals.



My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted: August 2nd, 1981


Peak Position: #12 (August 16th, 1981)

Number of Weeks:  5

Stacy Lattisaw - "Love On a Two-Way Street" (#57 of 1981)

Stacy Lattisaw's sweet vocals really make this remake of The Moments' original version of this great R&B/Pop ballad.  Her first album, "Young and in Love", was recorded when she was only 13.  And, she recorded this song when she was only 15 years old.

Unfortunately, the only video I could find is of pretty poor quality.  It is a recording of Lattisaw's performance on Soul Train.  It is a typical performance video of the times (70's / early 80's).



My Personal Chart Data:

Debuted:  August 2nd, 1981

Peaked:  #7 (August 30th, 1981)

Number of Weeks:  10