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*** 1980's One Hit Wonders . . . #1 - LIPPS, INC. - Funkytown *** (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Anarchy99
- Start date
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Somehow I got Bell & James "Livin' It Up (Friday Night)" into my head - the rhythm tracks are great - and thought of this thread. This one got to 15 in 1979, so it missed this countdown.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#68 - FORCE M.D.'S - Tender Love (#10 - 4/12/1986 - 19 Weeks)
Force M.D.'s was formed in Staten Island in 1981 and has hung around in one form or another ever since. They released 5 albums over a 10-year stretch in the 80's and 90's and then a reunion album in 2000. Love Is A House was their other popular song, which hit #1 on the R&B chart in 1987. Three of the original band member died in the 90's. Another original member died in 2016, so whatever version of the band that still remains has a vastly different lineup.
Coming up, the band that features the older (and lesser known) brother of a Texas guitar legend, with a video with some hardworking female construction workers.
Force M.D.'s was formed in Staten Island in 1981 and has hung around in one form or another ever since. They released 5 albums over a 10-year stretch in the 80's and 90's and then a reunion album in 2000. Love Is A House was their other popular song, which hit #1 on the R&B chart in 1987. Three of the original band member died in the 90's. Another original member died in 2016, so whatever version of the band that still remains has a vastly different lineup.
Coming up, the band that features the older (and lesser known) brother of a Texas guitar legend, with a video with some hardworking female construction workers.
wikkidpissah
Footballguy
The greatest embarrassment of my music-listening life is how much i love this song. It is literally on my bookmark bar, without folder, for when i miss my Mary.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#67 - THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS - Tuff Enuff (#10 - 7/12/1986 - 19 Weeks)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds were formed in 1974 and featured Kim Wilson on vocals and Jimmy Vaughan on guitar. Vaughan never had the same success as his younger brother Stevie Ray did but is an accomplished guitar player in his own right and has won 4 Grammy Awards. Jimmy left the Thunderbirds to record an album with his brother in 1990. Sadly, Stevie Ray passed away just weeks before that album came out. The Thunderbirds highest charting song was Tuff Enuff at #10. Stevie Ray never had a song hit the Hot 100 as a solo artist (he did play guitar on 3 of David Bowie's Top 40 hits from Let's Dance).
Wilson is the only remaining original member of the band still around. They have now released 14 studio albums and 2 live albums. Since the album with SRV, Vaughan has put out 8 albums including one in 2019.
Tuff Enuff was covered by Foo Fighters (with help from Jimmy Vaughan) on Austin City Limits in 2015.
I was going to save this story for later but figured now would be as good a time as any. Back in college (and shortly thereafter), I used to help set up sound equipment and instruments for bands that played at my school or at local clubs. Someone I knew owned this hole in the wall club in New Haven called The Moon. They used to get hip, trendy new bands to play there and I would help get the equipment set up. Some of the bands were decent but I thought most of them were only so-so.
One afternoon in fall 1991, I helped unload and set up equipment for some band I never heard of from the West Coast that was doing an East Coast leg of a tour. I had already graduated but was still active in the college's radio station and even I had never heard of them (which was rare as I played a bunch of little known bands on my show). I helped with the soundcheck and set sound levels to what we normally would set them at. The band kept wanting things adjusted to make for more feedback and distortion and to be honest, I was not that impressed with their music.
But I hung around after the sound check and drank beers and had a few shots with the band. I stayed for the show and had a few more rounds with the band after the gig. They all had long hair and did not strike me as being particularly "cool." I thought the singer was mostly quiet, the drummer never shut up and was like he was on speed, and the bass player was somewhere in the middle. I also remember that there was a blonde chick that was there that I thought said was a singer in her own band. In talking to the guys in the band, they mentioned their first record came out two years ago but didn't really sell that well. They had just released a new album two days earlier and they gave me a copy (which I must still have somewhere).
A bunch of us hung out for awhile after the show and ultimately we went our separate ways. I remember having a discussion about music in general with the guys in the band and reviewing what I thought was popular and what wasn't. It wasn't contentious or an argument or anything, but I said I didn't see much of a market for their brand or style of music. I VIVIDLY remember telling the drummer good luck when everyone was leaving and telling him not to quit his day job because I wasn't sure he would make it in the music business.
Now I readily admit that there have been many, many times in my life that I have been wrong about things. But NEVER in my life have I ever been more wrong about anything than I was about THAT band and THAT drummer. The band, of course, was a little known band that would never amount to anything. I'm pretty sure no one here has ever heard of them . . . a band called NIRVANA. The drummer I questioned about whether he would have much of a career in the music biz was DAVE GROHL. The girl hanging out with the band I believe to have been Courtney Love.
The album they gave me that day that had just been released was Nevermind and it went on to sell 30 million copies. Nirvana eclipsed 80 million total albums sold. Grohl went on to sell another 30 million albums with Foo Fighters.
They were about three rungs below nobodies at the time (again, at least on the East Coast). I certainly did not walk away thinking these guys were the next big thing. But as they say in Anchorman, that escalated quickly. If you told me that day that Nirvana would be huge, two and a half years later Kurt would be dead, and the Foos would become one of the most popular bands in the world, I would have said you were certifiable and 100% insane.
Here is the show from that fateful day: Nirvana - The Moon, New Haven (1991-09-26).
The Fabulous Thunderbirds were formed in 1974 and featured Kim Wilson on vocals and Jimmy Vaughan on guitar. Vaughan never had the same success as his younger brother Stevie Ray did but is an accomplished guitar player in his own right and has won 4 Grammy Awards. Jimmy left the Thunderbirds to record an album with his brother in 1990. Sadly, Stevie Ray passed away just weeks before that album came out. The Thunderbirds highest charting song was Tuff Enuff at #10. Stevie Ray never had a song hit the Hot 100 as a solo artist (he did play guitar on 3 of David Bowie's Top 40 hits from Let's Dance).
Wilson is the only remaining original member of the band still around. They have now released 14 studio albums and 2 live albums. Since the album with SRV, Vaughan has put out 8 albums including one in 2019.
Tuff Enuff was covered by Foo Fighters (with help from Jimmy Vaughan) on Austin City Limits in 2015.
I was going to save this story for later but figured now would be as good a time as any. Back in college (and shortly thereafter), I used to help set up sound equipment and instruments for bands that played at my school or at local clubs. Someone I knew owned this hole in the wall club in New Haven called The Moon. They used to get hip, trendy new bands to play there and I would help get the equipment set up. Some of the bands were decent but I thought most of them were only so-so.
One afternoon in fall 1991, I helped unload and set up equipment for some band I never heard of from the West Coast that was doing an East Coast leg of a tour. I had already graduated but was still active in the college's radio station and even I had never heard of them (which was rare as I played a bunch of little known bands on my show). I helped with the soundcheck and set sound levels to what we normally would set them at. The band kept wanting things adjusted to make for more feedback and distortion and to be honest, I was not that impressed with their music.
But I hung around after the sound check and drank beers and had a few shots with the band. I stayed for the show and had a few more rounds with the band after the gig. They all had long hair and did not strike me as being particularly "cool." I thought the singer was mostly quiet, the drummer never shut up and was like he was on speed, and the bass player was somewhere in the middle. I also remember that there was a blonde chick that was there that I thought said was a singer in her own band. In talking to the guys in the band, they mentioned their first record came out two years ago but didn't really sell that well. They had just released a new album two days earlier and they gave me a copy (which I must still have somewhere).
A bunch of us hung out for awhile after the show and ultimately we went our separate ways. I remember having a discussion about music in general with the guys in the band and reviewing what I thought was popular and what wasn't. It wasn't contentious or an argument or anything, but I said I didn't see much of a market for their brand or style of music. I VIVIDLY remember telling the drummer good luck when everyone was leaving and telling him not to quit his day job because I wasn't sure he would make it in the music business.
Now I readily admit that there have been many, many times in my life that I have been wrong about things. But NEVER in my life have I ever been more wrong about anything than I was about THAT band and THAT drummer. The band, of course, was a little known band that would never amount to anything. I'm pretty sure no one here has ever heard of them . . . a band called NIRVANA. The drummer I questioned about whether he would have much of a career in the music biz was DAVE GROHL. The girl hanging out with the band I believe to have been Courtney Love.
The album they gave me that day that had just been released was Nevermind and it went on to sell 30 million copies. Nirvana eclipsed 80 million total albums sold. Grohl went on to sell another 30 million albums with Foo Fighters.
They were about three rungs below nobodies at the time (again, at least on the East Coast). I certainly did not walk away thinking these guys were the next big thing. But as they say in Anchorman, that escalated quickly. If you told me that day that Nirvana would be huge, two and a half years later Kurt would be dead, and the Foos would become one of the most popular bands in the world, I would have said you were certifiable and 100% insane.
Here is the show from that fateful day: Nirvana - The Moon, New Haven (1991-09-26).
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#66 - LOUIS CLARK & THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC - Hooked On Classics (Parts 1 And 2) (#10 - 1/30/1982 - 20 Weeks)
There's a good chance anyone under 40 won't remember this one, as let's face it, it just doesn't get played anywhere anymore. There was a year or two where medleys were popular, and certainly this one helped lead the charge up the charts. This song was all over the airwaves at the time. For the classical purists out there, here is a breakdown of all the snippets of songs that were performed.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor Op 23 1st Movement / Tchaikovsky
Flight of the Bumblebee / Rimsky-Korsakov
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor 1st Movement / Mozart
Rhapsody in Blue / Gershwin
Karelia Suite Op 11- Intermezzo/ Sibelius
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Op 67 1st Movement / Beethoven
Toccata in D Minor / J.S. Bach
Serenade No. 13 in G Major - 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' 1st Movement / Mozart
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor Op 125 4th Movement / Beethoven
Overture to William Tell / Rossini
Voi Che Sapete (Aria), Le Nozze di Figaro / Mozart
Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture- Love Theme / Tchaikovsky
Trumpet Voluntary / Clarke
Messiah Hallelujah Chorus / Handel
Piano Concerto in A Minor Op 16 1st Movement / Grieg
March of the Toreadors - Carmen / Bizet
1812 Overture / Tchaikovsky
Louis Clark and the Royal Philharmonic have released 25 albums pretty similar to the music contained here. Clark also has worked as an arranger for several popular artists including Roy Orbison, Ozzy Ossbourne, America, UB40, Air Supply, and Asia.
Up next, a Brooklyn-born singer scores a hit that she intended for Madonna to sing but the record label asked her to record it herself.
There's a good chance anyone under 40 won't remember this one, as let's face it, it just doesn't get played anywhere anymore. There was a year or two where medleys were popular, and certainly this one helped lead the charge up the charts. This song was all over the airwaves at the time. For the classical purists out there, here is a breakdown of all the snippets of songs that were performed.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor Op 23 1st Movement / Tchaikovsky
Flight of the Bumblebee / Rimsky-Korsakov
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor 1st Movement / Mozart
Rhapsody in Blue / Gershwin
Karelia Suite Op 11- Intermezzo/ Sibelius
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Op 67 1st Movement / Beethoven
Toccata in D Minor / J.S. Bach
Serenade No. 13 in G Major - 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' 1st Movement / Mozart
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor Op 125 4th Movement / Beethoven
Overture to William Tell / Rossini
Voi Che Sapete (Aria), Le Nozze di Figaro / Mozart
Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture- Love Theme / Tchaikovsky
Trumpet Voluntary / Clarke
Messiah Hallelujah Chorus / Handel
Piano Concerto in A Minor Op 16 1st Movement / Grieg
March of the Toreadors - Carmen / Bizet
1812 Overture / Tchaikovsky
Louis Clark and the Royal Philharmonic have released 25 albums pretty similar to the music contained here. Clark also has worked as an arranger for several popular artists including Roy Orbison, Ozzy Ossbourne, America, UB40, Air Supply, and Asia.
Up next, a Brooklyn-born singer scores a hit that she intended for Madonna to sing but the record label asked her to record it herself.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#65 - REGINA - Baby Love (#10 - 9/13/1986 - 20 Weeks)
As mentioned above, this song was written with the intent to be recorded by Madonna, but Atlantic Records instead told Regina Richards to record it herself. The song sounds like a textbook Madonna song and hit #1 on the Dance chart. Richards had been in a band call Regina Richards and Red Hot that released an album in the early 80's before recording her only other album called Curiosity in 1986.
She began work on a follow up album in 1988 that the label didn't love. She released two other singles that went nowhere and was dropped. After that, she left the industry to become a wife and mother.
Up next, a band that featured a future R & B star that went on to write and produce 26 #1 R&B songs, recorded 13 Top 40 solo hits, and earned 11 Grammy Awards.
As mentioned above, this song was written with the intent to be recorded by Madonna, but Atlantic Records instead told Regina Richards to record it herself. The song sounds like a textbook Madonna song and hit #1 on the Dance chart. Richards had been in a band call Regina Richards and Red Hot that released an album in the early 80's before recording her only other album called Curiosity in 1986.
She began work on a follow up album in 1988 that the label didn't love. She released two other singles that went nowhere and was dropped. After that, she left the industry to become a wife and mother.
Up next, a band that featured a future R & B star that went on to write and produce 26 #1 R&B songs, recorded 13 Top 40 solo hits, and earned 11 Grammy Awards.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
But first, a special long distance dedication to our daughter . . .
MURRAY HEAD - One Night In Bangkok (as previously posted, doesn't meet the OHW criteria but many still consider a OHW).
She just flew 8,500 miles to Bangkok to start a new job teaching English in Thailand. Scary proposition knowing absolutely no one there and moving halfway around the world.
MURRAY HEAD - One Night In Bangkok (as previously posted, doesn't meet the OHW criteria but many still consider a OHW).
She just flew 8,500 miles to Bangkok to start a new job teaching English in Thailand. Scary proposition knowing absolutely no one there and moving halfway around the world.
zamboni
Footballguy
Exactly what I thought when I first heard this song - very much a Madonna soundalike.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#64 - THE DEELE - Two Occasions (#10 - 5/21/1988 - 21 Weeks)
The Deele was a Cincinnati R&B band that featured Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid. The original lineup released three albums before those two went on to form LaFace records. That label got absorbed by Arista and helped launch other notable acts including TLC, Toni Braxton, Outkast, Pink, Usher, Goodie Mob and Donell Jones. As mentioned above, Babyface went on to huge solo career and also as a top producer.
Reid went on to be a record industry executive, writer, and producer. In addition to the performers I just listed, Reid's credits include work with Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Mariah Carey, Avril Lavigne, Paula Abdul, Pink, Justin Bieber, Meghan Trainor, Rihanna, Kanye West, Ne-Yo, 21 Savage, Young Jeezy, Ciara, Zara Larsson, Jidenna, Jennifer Lopez, Future, Travis Scott, Fifth Harmony, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Delacey, and The Jacksons.
The Babyface / Reid duo has written and produced a total of 40 #1 songs on the R&D chart.
In 2016, all members of the classic Deele lineup reunited to perform at a BET Honors event and there has been talk of more work together, but so far nothing else has come out of it.
Up next, a solo effort from one of the 70's/80's most popular rock bands that had 4 multi-platinum albums in a row
The Deele was a Cincinnati R&B band that featured Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid. The original lineup released three albums before those two went on to form LaFace records. That label got absorbed by Arista and helped launch other notable acts including TLC, Toni Braxton, Outkast, Pink, Usher, Goodie Mob and Donell Jones. As mentioned above, Babyface went on to huge solo career and also as a top producer.
Reid went on to be a record industry executive, writer, and producer. In addition to the performers I just listed, Reid's credits include work with Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Mariah Carey, Avril Lavigne, Paula Abdul, Pink, Justin Bieber, Meghan Trainor, Rihanna, Kanye West, Ne-Yo, 21 Savage, Young Jeezy, Ciara, Zara Larsson, Jidenna, Jennifer Lopez, Future, Travis Scott, Fifth Harmony, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Delacey, and The Jacksons.
The Babyface / Reid duo has written and produced a total of 40 #1 songs on the R&D chart.
In 2016, all members of the classic Deele lineup reunited to perform at a BET Honors event and there has been talk of more work together, but so far nothing else has come out of it.
Up next, a solo effort from one of the 70's/80's most popular rock bands that had 4 multi-platinum albums in a row
zamboni
Footballguy
If it's the one I'm thinking of, the video for the song is an enjoyable nostalgic story where the singer goes back to his hometown.
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Jeez, I had no idea that one made it that high until you provided these clues leading me to check it out. Schmaltz sells.
zamboni
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Since the cat is already out of the bag . . .
#63 - DENNIS DEYOUNG - Desert Moon (#10 - 11/10/1984 - 22 Weeks)
As already commented on, not sure what made this song so popular. It was sappy and a far cry from the hay day of rocking Styx. But the band itself was having some troubles. Tommy Shaw left after the Mr. Roboto / Killroy Was Here era. He would re-join the band 12 years later, but in the interim there was a void and DeYoung recorded his first of 7 solo albums. Most of the later ones were more Broadway based than rock based. A reformed Styx without Shaw would record an album in 1990 (with the popular song Show Me The Way).
DeYoung would go on to have some health issues that would prevent him from touring (at least for a time), he still could not get along with Shaw (once he returned), and Styx essentially booted DeYoung, a founding member of the band that was formed in 1970. His final performance with the and was 20 years ago (1999). Things apparently haven't gone well in terms of a potential reconciliation, as the band's official web site has removed all rederences to DeYoung and totally eliminated him from the history of the band.
I saw Styx several times with and without DeYoung and always had a good time. Never saw him on his own, however. My fear would it would be snooze fest if he focused on a Broadway / Cabaret / ballad style.
Styx is said to be the first band to ever have 4 consecutive multi-platinum albums. I find that one tough to swallow, seeing how Led Zeppelin's entire studio album catalog (8 albums) all went multi-platinum.
Coming up, we can all just relax and enjoy the next song . . . well, unless you are the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
#63 - DENNIS DEYOUNG - Desert Moon (#10 - 11/10/1984 - 22 Weeks)
As already commented on, not sure what made this song so popular. It was sappy and a far cry from the hay day of rocking Styx. But the band itself was having some troubles. Tommy Shaw left after the Mr. Roboto / Killroy Was Here era. He would re-join the band 12 years later, but in the interim there was a void and DeYoung recorded his first of 7 solo albums. Most of the later ones were more Broadway based than rock based. A reformed Styx without Shaw would record an album in 1990 (with the popular song Show Me The Way).
DeYoung would go on to have some health issues that would prevent him from touring (at least for a time), he still could not get along with Shaw (once he returned), and Styx essentially booted DeYoung, a founding member of the band that was formed in 1970. His final performance with the and was 20 years ago (1999). Things apparently haven't gone well in terms of a potential reconciliation, as the band's official web site has removed all rederences to DeYoung and totally eliminated him from the history of the band.
I saw Styx several times with and without DeYoung and always had a good time. Never saw him on his own, however. My fear would it would be snooze fest if he focused on a Broadway / Cabaret / ballad style.
Styx is said to be the first band to ever have 4 consecutive multi-platinum albums. I find that one tough to swallow, seeing how Led Zeppelin's entire studio album catalog (8 albums) all went multi-platinum.
Coming up, we can all just relax and enjoy the next song . . . well, unless you are the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Another group where I thought the keyboards and keyboard singer ended up dominating a bit too much. Similar to REO, where I preferred the earlier output which was more guitar oriented.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
My memory is shot these days, but for some reason I don't think "official" platinum records were awarded until the mid-70s. I'm pretty sure Johnny Taylor's '76 hit "Disco Lady" was the first platinum single. Stuff released before then got ret-conned with platinum status (like Zep's albums).
Osaurus
Footballguy
imo
Gr00vus
Footballguy
This is what happens when DeYoung operates within Styx unchecked by Tommy Shaw. Of course, Tommy shaw's response - touche.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#62 - FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD - Relax (#10 - 3/16/1985 - 23 Weeks)
Frankie Goes To Hollywood initially lasted for just two albums and produced two other quasi hits that almost hit the Top 40: Two Tribes and Welcome To The Pleasuredome. The Power Of Love was a hit in the UK and the band became only the second recording artist to top the British charts with their first three singles. The first artist to do so was Gerry and the Pacemakers. The Spice Girls later achieved a six-single UK chart topping streak to start their career in the 90's.
Relax was banned in the UK as the original video was deemed to be too risque for being shot in a leather bar with gay men and drag queens. That only led to the song and video to become even more popular.
The initial run of Frankie fizzled in 1987. Several reissues and greatest hits packages prompted a brief reunion in the mid-2000's but no new music was released by the band but several older tracks got the remix treatment. Relax was also featured in the film Zoolander (used as part of a murder plot to get Ben Stiller to kill the prime minister of Malaysia). (On a side note, the scene in Zoolander with David Bowie in the Walk Off Challenge is one of my favorite cameos.)
After the band's break up, lead singer Holly Johnson had a successful first post-Frankie solo effort and his that album topped the UK album charts and yielded 3 UK Top 40 singles. Like many of the 80's OHW crowd, his solo career in its early phase only lasted until 1991. He resurfaced with an album 8 years later and another 15 years after that.
Coming up next, a power ballad that initially charted in 1986 (listed as a band) with lukewarm results but was re-released 3 years later and hit the Top 10 (this time listed as a solo artist).
Frankie Goes To Hollywood initially lasted for just two albums and produced two other quasi hits that almost hit the Top 40: Two Tribes and Welcome To The Pleasuredome. The Power Of Love was a hit in the UK and the band became only the second recording artist to top the British charts with their first three singles. The first artist to do so was Gerry and the Pacemakers. The Spice Girls later achieved a six-single UK chart topping streak to start their career in the 90's.
Relax was banned in the UK as the original video was deemed to be too risque for being shot in a leather bar with gay men and drag queens. That only led to the song and video to become even more popular.
The initial run of Frankie fizzled in 1987. Several reissues and greatest hits packages prompted a brief reunion in the mid-2000's but no new music was released by the band but several older tracks got the remix treatment. Relax was also featured in the film Zoolander (used as part of a murder plot to get Ben Stiller to kill the prime minister of Malaysia). (On a side note, the scene in Zoolander with David Bowie in the Walk Off Challenge is one of my favorite cameos.)
After the band's break up, lead singer Holly Johnson had a successful first post-Frankie solo effort and his that album topped the UK album charts and yielded 3 UK Top 40 singles. Like many of the 80's OHW crowd, his solo career in its early phase only lasted until 1991. He resurfaced with an album 8 years later and another 15 years after that.
Coming up next, a power ballad that initially charted in 1986 (listed as a band) with lukewarm results but was re-released 3 years later and hit the Top 10 (this time listed as a solo artist).
zamboni
Footballguy
I would have thought that "Two Tribes" hit the top 40. That video of simulating Reagan vs Chernenko in the wrestling ring was played all the time.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#61 - JIMMY HARNEN WITH SYNCH - Where Are You Now (#10 - 6/10/1989 - 36 Weeks)
We close out the #10 songs with a song that first reached #77 after two and a half months on the Hot 100 chart in 1986, which at that point was attributed to the band Synch. Harnen was the drummer of Synch, a Pennsylvania band. Harnen co-wrote and sang vocals on that track that the band had recorded themselves (I don't believe he sang any of their other songs). The band got some local airplay and signed with Columbia Records and re-recorded the song for their 1986 Get The Feelin' album. Synch didn't really get much traction and the label dropped them.
In 1989, the same DJ that helped fuel a comeback for the song Into The Night by Benny Mardones had the same effect on Where Are We Now. That DJ / station / show kept the song in it's regular rotation and it got popular again. While the song was getting airplay the second time, another label signed Harnen and the song was re-released as a track by Jimmy Harnen with Synch (although I do not believe it was re-recorded).
Harnen included the song on his 1989 album Can't Fight The Midnight. The album featured several well-known musicians including future American Idol judge Randy Jackson (bass), Toto's Steve Lukather (guitar) and a guest appearance by REO Speedwagon singer Kevin Cronin. But the album and subsequent tour flopped and Harnen's musical career ultimately went nowhere. He gave up performing and switched to roles in the recording industry. He became a record company executive with Columbia and later worked in the country music scene in Nashville and worked for the label that developed Taylor Swift and Florida Georgia Line, who apparently have the most digitally downloaded country song by a duo of all time with their song Cruise. (I take pride in that I have never heard that song until now.)
Synch never released another album, and neither did Harnen.
On a morbid side note, this song played a role in one of several instances that I have been at locations where tragic events happened. In the 1989 run of the song, I remember listening to it on my Walkman while I was out walking on my lunch break from work in downtown New Haven. A guy in a jeep honked and pulled me over and asked for directions. I told him he was on the right street but he had already passed the place he was looking for and he needed to go back a few blocks. The guy didn't look and tried to make an immediate U turn . . . only to get hit by an 18 wheeler that had just come off a highway exit ramp. The guy in the jeep got slammed and decapitated right next to me. File this one under the category of things you can't unsee.
On to the first #9 entry, a song that really has no business being on the list but I suppose we should still be grateful.
We close out the #10 songs with a song that first reached #77 after two and a half months on the Hot 100 chart in 1986, which at that point was attributed to the band Synch. Harnen was the drummer of Synch, a Pennsylvania band. Harnen co-wrote and sang vocals on that track that the band had recorded themselves (I don't believe he sang any of their other songs). The band got some local airplay and signed with Columbia Records and re-recorded the song for their 1986 Get The Feelin' album. Synch didn't really get much traction and the label dropped them.
In 1989, the same DJ that helped fuel a comeback for the song Into The Night by Benny Mardones had the same effect on Where Are We Now. That DJ / station / show kept the song in it's regular rotation and it got popular again. While the song was getting airplay the second time, another label signed Harnen and the song was re-released as a track by Jimmy Harnen with Synch (although I do not believe it was re-recorded).
Harnen included the song on his 1989 album Can't Fight The Midnight. The album featured several well-known musicians including future American Idol judge Randy Jackson (bass), Toto's Steve Lukather (guitar) and a guest appearance by REO Speedwagon singer Kevin Cronin. But the album and subsequent tour flopped and Harnen's musical career ultimately went nowhere. He gave up performing and switched to roles in the recording industry. He became a record company executive with Columbia and later worked in the country music scene in Nashville and worked for the label that developed Taylor Swift and Florida Georgia Line, who apparently have the most digitally downloaded country song by a duo of all time with their song Cruise. (I take pride in that I have never heard that song until now.)
Synch never released another album, and neither did Harnen.
On a morbid side note, this song played a role in one of several instances that I have been at locations where tragic events happened. In the 1989 run of the song, I remember listening to it on my Walkman while I was out walking on my lunch break from work in downtown New Haven. A guy in a jeep honked and pulled me over and asked for directions. I told him he was on the right street but he had already passed the place he was looking for and he needed to go back a few blocks. The guy didn't look and tried to make an immediate U turn . . . only to get hit by an 18 wheeler that had just come off a highway exit ramp. The guy in the jeep got slammed and decapitated right next to me. File this one under the category of things you can't unsee.
On to the first #9 entry, a song that really has no business being on the list but I suppose we should still be grateful.
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zamboni
Footballguy
Not sure if it's a coincidence that the song sounds more than a little like "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO.
And that's really a sad story about the jeep driver. :(
![[scooter]](/data/avatars/m/22/22287.jpg?1659477690){kind=avatar}
[scooter]
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#60 - THE GRATEFUL DEAD - Touch Of Grey (#9 - 9/26/1987 - 15 Weeks)
Yeah, I agree. This one is silly. They were one of the most popular bands ever and still have a huge following. They had 5 other songs hit the Hot 100 (Uncle John's Band, Truckin, Sugar Magnolia, The Music Never Stopped, and Alabama Getaway).
I never got around to seeing them live. One of my friends was a huge deadhead and saw them many times over and finally convinced me to go see them. We had tickets for the very next Dead show . . . in Boston . . . after they took the summer off. Jerry died after a gig in Chicago and that was that. Waited one show too long.
Not even worth discussing them as they really shouldn't be on a list like this.
There's no stopping the next song on the countdown, which appeared in a 1984 film (a movie that made 32 times its production cost at the box office).
Yeah, I agree. This one is silly. They were one of the most popular bands ever and still have a huge following. They had 5 other songs hit the Hot 100 (Uncle John's Band, Truckin, Sugar Magnolia, The Music Never Stopped, and Alabama Getaway).
I never got around to seeing them live. One of my friends was a huge deadhead and saw them many times over and finally convinced me to go see them. We had tickets for the very next Dead show . . . in Boston . . . after they took the summer off. Jerry died after a gig in Chicago and that was that. Waited one show too long.
Not even worth discussing them as they really shouldn't be on a list like this.
There's no stopping the next song on the countdown, which appeared in a 1984 film (a movie that made 32 times its production cost at the box office).
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#59 - OLLIE & JERRY - Breakin' . . . There's No Stopping Us (#9 - 8/4/1984 - 18 Weeks)
From the Breakin' soundtrack, which attempted to cash in on the break dancing craze of the early 80's. The film only cost $1.2 million to make but took in $38.7 million at the box office.
Ollie & Jerry tie M|A|R|R|S for having released the fewest albums of acts in the countdown, as they also released zero. The duo featured Ollie E. Brown and Jerry Knight. Brown was a drummer had appeared on albums from several popular acts in the 70's including Joe Cocker, The Temptations, Billy Preston, The Rolling Stones, Diana Ross, Van Morrison, Leo Sayer, and Sly and the Family Stone. He was part of the backing band on one of the Stones' tours.
He continued to be a session drummer and played on the #1 hits Man In The Mirror by Michael Jackson and Ghostbusters by Ray Parker, Jr.
Both Brown and Knight were members of the band Raydio (when Parker was the lead singer). Knight had released 3 albums on his own prior to the 2 Breakin' movies but focused more on songwriting for other R&B / dance acts including Crush On You by The Jets that hit #3 on the Hot 100. He died young of cancer in the 90's.
As Ollie & Jerry, they only released a song on each of the Breakin' movie soundtracks. This song hit #9. The other, Electric Boogaloo, hit #45.
Around this time, I was living in California and this song was a regional hit and was played constantly on a variety of formats. Continuing the eerie trend of almost being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a friend and I were out cruising around San Diego one night and stopped at a McDonald's to grab a snack while we were out. The next day THIS HAPPENED at the location we had been at hours before. As another example, my wife and I were at the World Trade Center in NYC two days before 9/11.
It's always important to count your blessings. My wife's ex-husband was actually supposed to be on one of the 9/11 flights out of Boston but there was only light traffic that day and he got to the airport way before his flight was due to leave and caught an earlier flight instead.
Coming up, people had a fever (and not for more cowbell) for another craze at the time that cost people tons of quarters.
From the Breakin' soundtrack, which attempted to cash in on the break dancing craze of the early 80's. The film only cost $1.2 million to make but took in $38.7 million at the box office.
Ollie & Jerry tie M|A|R|R|S for having released the fewest albums of acts in the countdown, as they also released zero. The duo featured Ollie E. Brown and Jerry Knight. Brown was a drummer had appeared on albums from several popular acts in the 70's including Joe Cocker, The Temptations, Billy Preston, The Rolling Stones, Diana Ross, Van Morrison, Leo Sayer, and Sly and the Family Stone. He was part of the backing band on one of the Stones' tours.
He continued to be a session drummer and played on the #1 hits Man In The Mirror by Michael Jackson and Ghostbusters by Ray Parker, Jr.
Both Brown and Knight were members of the band Raydio (when Parker was the lead singer). Knight had released 3 albums on his own prior to the 2 Breakin' movies but focused more on songwriting for other R&B / dance acts including Crush On You by The Jets that hit #3 on the Hot 100. He died young of cancer in the 90's.
As Ollie & Jerry, they only released a song on each of the Breakin' movie soundtracks. This song hit #9. The other, Electric Boogaloo, hit #45.
Around this time, I was living in California and this song was a regional hit and was played constantly on a variety of formats. Continuing the eerie trend of almost being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a friend and I were out cruising around San Diego one night and stopped at a McDonald's to grab a snack while we were out. The next day THIS HAPPENED at the location we had been at hours before. As another example, my wife and I were at the World Trade Center in NYC two days before 9/11.
It's always important to count your blessings. My wife's ex-husband was actually supposed to be on one of the 9/11 flights out of Boston but there was only light traffic that day and he got to the airport way before his flight was due to leave and caught an earlier flight instead.
Coming up, people had a fever (and not for more cowbell) for another craze at the time that cost people tons of quarters.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#58 - BUCKNER & GARCIA - Pac-Man Fever (#9 - 3/27/1982 - 19 Weeks)
Here's one you generally won't hear anywhere. Maybe once in a while on a weekend Back To The 80's show on the radio. Somehow this song sold 2.5 million copies. I believe an updated version of the song appeared in the film Pixels a few years ago.
Buckner and Garcia mostly stuck to novelty records. One of their other singles was called Merry Christmas In The NFL.
I was not aware until now that Weird Al Yankovic released a parody of the Beatles song Taxman called Pac Man that was out at the same time as Pac Man Fever.
The arcade game is the top selling arcade game of all time in both units sold and revenue collected. I can't say I was a fan, but there's no doubt it sparked a huge surge in the video game market.
Here's one you generally won't hear anywhere. Maybe once in a while on a weekend Back To The 80's show on the radio. Somehow this song sold 2.5 million copies. I believe an updated version of the song appeared in the film Pixels a few years ago.
Buckner and Garcia mostly stuck to novelty records. One of their other singles was called Merry Christmas In The NFL.
I was not aware until now that Weird Al Yankovic released a parody of the Beatles song Taxman called Pac Man that was out at the same time as Pac Man Fever.
The arcade game is the top selling arcade game of all time in both units sold and revenue collected. I can't say I was a fan, but there's no doubt it sparked a huge surge in the video game market.
[scooter]
Footballguy
It was used in both "Family Guy" and "South Park" last year, and Homer Simpson sang it in 2000.
BTW, Weird Al's "Pac Man" was not released until 2017 -- the Beatles would not give permission until then. (On a related note, Paul McCartney still won't let Al release "Chicken Pot Pie" because he is a strict vegetarian and he finds the lyrics to be offensive. Oddly, ventriloquist Terry Fator found a way to circumvent McCartney's objections while simultaneously ripping off Weird Al's idea.)
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I thought I read somewhere that Weird Al’s recording of Pac Man was distributed to tea dip stations and was in their rotation for several weeks before Sir Paul brought the legal hammer down. That stopped the commercial release of the song until 2017.
Osaurus
Footballguy
[scooter]
Footballguy
You're right. Weird Al had recorded the song in 1982 and sent the demo tape to Dr. Demento, who played it on his show. This was before Al had signed a national recording contract, so at this point in his career he wasn't very well versed in the finer points of songwriting laws. The Beatles found out about the song and issued a cease-and-desist letter, and Al chose not to fight it.
Brony
Footballguy
Osaurus
Footballguy
zamboni
Footballguy
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Anarchy99
Footballguy
Yeah, Garcia was certainly the more talented one. I enjoyed his contributions to the Dead. Some really good fret work. His 3 younger brothers all went on to great success. Such a talented family. A pro QB, a PGA golfer, and an Oscar Nominated actor.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#57 - ORAN "JUICE" JONES - The Rain (#9 - 11/15/1986 - 19 Weeks)
I will defer to Penguin to see if there is more to the story on this one, as I don't have much.
All I know is Jones released 4 albums and 12 singles. This was the only one that hit the Top 40 in any of the singles charts. The Rain hit #1 on the R&B chart.
Up next, a Go-Go goes it alone with a song that was featured in a film . . . although not the film that shares its name (and starred Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker).
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#56 - JANE WIEDLIN - Rush Hour (#9 - 7/30/1988 - 19 Weeks)
The Go-Go's had been broken up and had not made one of several future reunifications at the time this song rolled around. It's actually from Wiedlin's second solo album (of the 5 that she released over the past 34 years. The song was featured in the film License To Drive in 1988.
Wiedlin participated in 3 Go-Go's reunions, one of which was slated to be a farewell tour in 2010. But she fell hiking, tore both her ACL's, and the tour had to be postponed. When she recovered, the band had gotten past the notion of a farewell tour and the band has toured multiple times since. The Go-Go's really haven't put out anything new since 2001, but they continue to have enough popularity to be able to go out on the road.
The closest thing Wiedlin got to having another Top 40 hit (without the Go-Go's) was when she appeared with the band Sparks for their song Cool Places, which climbed as high as #49 in 1983.
Up next, we head into the way back machine and stop in 1980 for the final #9 song, where the singer reveals where he feels safest at all.
The Go-Go's had been broken up and had not made one of several future reunifications at the time this song rolled around. It's actually from Wiedlin's second solo album (of the 5 that she released over the past 34 years. The song was featured in the film License To Drive in 1988.
Wiedlin participated in 3 Go-Go's reunions, one of which was slated to be a farewell tour in 2010. But she fell hiking, tore both her ACL's, and the tour had to be postponed. When she recovered, the band had gotten past the notion of a farewell tour and the band has toured multiple times since. The Go-Go's really haven't put out anything new since 2001, but they continue to have enough popularity to be able to go out on the road.
The closest thing Wiedlin got to having another Top 40 hit (without the Go-Go's) was when she appeared with the band Sparks for their song Cool Places, which climbed as high as #49 in 1983.
Up next, we head into the way back machine and stop in 1980 for the final #9 song, where the singer reveals where he feels safest at all.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#55 - GARY NUMAN - Cars (#9 - 6/7/1980 - 25 Weeks)
Another one of the defining songs of the early 80's, from Numan's third LP. He never went away and has recorded 25 studio albums to go along with 28 live albums, 18 compilation albums, and 4 remix albums over 40+ years. He had 23 songs hit the Top 40 in his native England . . . but Cars was his only song to break into the Hot 100, let alone the Top 40. He got his start as the front man for the group Tubeway Army and left after recording two albums with the band.
Numan has performed the song with Nine Inch Nails, and the band Fear Factory had a popular remake in 1999.
Up next, a woman that played a key role in launching the incredibly successful The Simpsons TV show.
Another one of the defining songs of the early 80's, from Numan's third LP. He never went away and has recorded 25 studio albums to go along with 28 live albums, 18 compilation albums, and 4 remix albums over 40+ years. He had 23 songs hit the Top 40 in his native England . . . but Cars was his only song to break into the Hot 100, let alone the Top 40. He got his start as the front man for the group Tubeway Army and left after recording two albums with the band.
Numan has performed the song with Nine Inch Nails, and the band Fear Factory had a popular remake in 1999.
Up next, a woman that played a key role in launching the incredibly successful The Simpsons TV show.
holy jumpin!
dickey moe
Fingerpicker
Coincidentally, I was listening to Tubeway Army's first album for the first time yesterday and it is awesome. Going to try to go through Numan's entire discography.
HellToupee
Footballguy
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
28 live albums? Not the genre I would have guessed for that.Anarchy99 said:
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#54 - TRACEY ULLMAN - They Don't Know (#8 - 4/28/1984 - 17 Weeks)
Our first foray into the #8's is a cover of Kirsty MacColl's "They Don't Know." Ullman was mostly known as a popular British actress and comedian in the 70's and early 80's. Her recording career consisted of only two albums (yet somehow that turned into 7 "Best Of" collections over the years). In the video, Sir Paul McCartney makes an appearance at the end.
Several years later, The Tracey Ullman Show debuted on Fox and ran for 4 seasons. It was the second prime time show that Fox developed after Married With Children. The show was a variety show with comedy sketches, some musical performances, skits, and dance routines choreographed by Paula Abdul.
The show is most notable for the first appearance of The Simpsons, which would appear in short video segments. The Simpsons appeared 7 times in Season One, became regulars for Seasons Two and Three, and were spun off into their own show and did not appear in Season Four. In all, 48 Simpson shorts appeared on The Tracey Ullman Show.
THIRTY seasons later and 662 episodes later, The Simpsons TV show is still going strong and the franchise was valued at $13 billion in 2016. Ullman sued for a piece of the action and lost in court in 1992, so she did not reap any financial windfall from The Simpsons series. It's tough to feel bad for Ullman, as her net worth is said to be $115 million. Since her show ended, she continued to land rolls in film, TV, and stage. She went on to receive 24 Emmy nominations across her career.
Warming up in the bull pen, a rockabilly artist from Memphis that hit #1 on the Australia charts. Peaking at #8, he matched the highest chart position that his father ever hit (a song that Ringo Starr topped the U.S. charts with).
Our first foray into the #8's is a cover of Kirsty MacColl's "They Don't Know." Ullman was mostly known as a popular British actress and comedian in the 70's and early 80's. Her recording career consisted of only two albums (yet somehow that turned into 7 "Best Of" collections over the years). In the video, Sir Paul McCartney makes an appearance at the end.
Several years later, The Tracey Ullman Show debuted on Fox and ran for 4 seasons. It was the second prime time show that Fox developed after Married With Children. The show was a variety show with comedy sketches, some musical performances, skits, and dance routines choreographed by Paula Abdul.
The show is most notable for the first appearance of The Simpsons, which would appear in short video segments. The Simpsons appeared 7 times in Season One, became regulars for Seasons Two and Three, and were spun off into their own show and did not appear in Season Four. In all, 48 Simpson shorts appeared on The Tracey Ullman Show.
THIRTY seasons later and 662 episodes later, The Simpsons TV show is still going strong and the franchise was valued at $13 billion in 2016. Ullman sued for a piece of the action and lost in court in 1992, so she did not reap any financial windfall from The Simpsons series. It's tough to feel bad for Ullman, as her net worth is said to be $115 million. Since her show ended, she continued to land rolls in film, TV, and stage. She went on to receive 24 Emmy nominations across her career.
Warming up in the bull pen, a rockabilly artist from Memphis that hit #1 on the Australia charts. Peaking at #8, he matched the highest chart position that his father ever hit (a song that Ringo Starr topped the U.S. charts with).
Shankopotamus
Footballguy
She was great as Latrine in Mel Brooks' Robin Hood.Anarchy99 said:
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#53 - ROCKY BURNETTE - Tired Of Toein' The Line (#8 - 7/26/1980 - 19 Weeks)
Another one of my personal faves that many (most?) people won't remember (or may rather just simply forget). Burnette put out 3 albums in the late 70's / early 80's. He resurfaced briefly in both the mid-90's and again in the mid 2000's. After 12 years, Burnette is rumored to be releasing another album this year. Ricky Nelson covered the song the year after Burnette released his version.
His father Johnny Burnette was also a performer, most known for his song You're Sixteen, which was an even bigger hit for Ringo Starr. The elder Burnette died tragically, drowning in a freak boating accident at age 30. He came from the same town and knew Elvis. The Beatles recorded one of his songs, Lonesome Tears In My Eyes.
Coming up next, a song originally written and recorded by Swedish performer Jerry Lee Williams that became the biggest hit for a Texas blues rock and electric blues singer.
Another one of my personal faves that many (most?) people won't remember (or may rather just simply forget). Burnette put out 3 albums in the late 70's / early 80's. He resurfaced briefly in both the mid-90's and again in the mid 2000's. After 12 years, Burnette is rumored to be releasing another album this year. Ricky Nelson covered the song the year after Burnette released his version.
His father Johnny Burnette was also a performer, most known for his song You're Sixteen, which was an even bigger hit for Ringo Starr. The elder Burnette died tragically, drowning in a freak boating accident at age 30. He came from the same town and knew Elvis. The Beatles recorded one of his songs, Lonesome Tears In My Eyes.
Coming up next, a song originally written and recorded by Swedish performer Jerry Lee Williams that became the biggest hit for a Texas blues rock and electric blues singer.
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