Blast from the Past: Songs that Should have Been Hits

Yes, this is a rerun, but I've added two new "shoulda beens" to the end!

For this week's Blast from the Past, I'm going to see how many songs I can find that are examples of great songs that either barely hit the Billboard charts, or didn't even break through at all. And I'm sure I'll only crack the surface here. These are the kinds of songs that you either know because they were on an album you played a lot, sometimes on a Greatest Hits collection with some "extras" that really weren't. Or it's an attempt at a comeback from an established star that just didn't do the trick. Whatever it is, these songs all have the makings of a hit, but just. . .weren't for some reason. See how many you know.



1. Ring Ring by ABBA (1973) - This early tune by the Swedish quartet managed to make several world-wide charts, some to number one. But it didn't chart in the states at all. It should have.

2. On and On and On by ABBA (1980) - A later track by the same group had all the makings of a hit (and the by now standard repeating title of many of their others), but only hit #90 in the US. It was still very catchy, and should have been a hit.



3. I'm Gonna Be Strong by Cyndi Lauper (1994) - According to Lauper, this is the song that got her a recording contract. Small wonder. I've always wondered what could have happened if Lauper had been a contestant on American Idol, and belted this out. It's amazing.

4. You Don't Know by Cyndi Lauper (1997) - As you can now tell, I have some favorite artists who have several songs I think should have been hits. This one was probably hampered by an album track that was slow and languid. This dance version is one of my favorites, a song about the stupidity of bigotry.



5. Quantum Mechanic by Thomas Dolby and Dr. Fiorella Terenzi (1994) - This great tune from the Gate to the Mind's Eye soundtrack always made me happy. And should have been released.

6. UMF by Duran Duran (1993) - One of several tracks from "The Wedding Album," something of a comeback album that did have a couple of hits. UMF stands for "ultimate mind f**k," thought the profanity is never uttered.



7. Only You by Pat Benatar (1997) - Again, a great album, chock full of great tunes, but it still couldn't revive Benatar's hit-making career.

8. Try by Billy Pilgrim (1994) - I saw this band when they opened for Melissa Etheridge on tour. I bought their album, and totally dug it. This is one of their best songs, and it turned up on a compilation or two, but didn't really go anywhere. Great harmonies.



9. Rock D.J. by Robbie Williams (2000) - This incredibly catchy dance tune was a hit around the world, but didn't manage more than #24 on the dance chart in the US. Maybe it had something to do with the gory, out-of-left-field video.

10. Little Bird by Annie Lennox (1993) - This is (along with a couple of other tracks that didn't chart) one of my favorite Lennox tunes. Amazing that I didn't do better.



11. One by One by Cher (1996) - Like the Cyndi Lauper tune, You Don't Know above, this one had a down-tempo album version, and this spirited dance version. The dance version charted at #6, the album version at #52. I'm fairly certain it was this song's performance that made Cher go straight for dance releases like Believe after this.

12. That's What I Think by Cyndi Lauper (1993) - Another Lauper tune, I can't help myself. I think she's been criminally overlooked. This one she even plays the recorder. I remember her blowing David Letterman away when she performed it on his show.

And that will wrap it up for now. I realized as I was writing that there are many, many songs I listen to that were never hits but seemingly could have been. Give these a listen, and look forward to another edition. This one is worth a sequel. (or a rerun, heh)

Happy Monday!

BONUS: Here's the Letterman clip.

Blast from the Past: Class of '84, The Women

I graduated high school thirty years ago, give or take a few weeks. And for all the crap 80s music gets for its soulless sound, there actually were a lot of good songs back then. They seem a lot more recent to me than three decades gone. Maybe because they have gotten so much play since then. And it's true, a lot of 80s music is crap--even If I like it, colored with my heaping helpings of nostalgia. But, you know what? A lot of it's pretty damned good in any time period.

I'm going to start my Orwellian tribute with the ladies of rock. Not the bands, that comes later. This is the solo women of rock, pop, whatever you call the hits of the 80s. And yes, I'm aware that even solo acts have backing bands, but I'm going with how they classify themselves. I'm not always going with the most obvious tracks either, no sir. These are my favorites, which usually skew to the slightly more obscure. So, come along with me, and hear the voices of the ladies who serenaded the Class of 1984!

1. All Through the Night by Cyndi Lauper - This was one of five hits from Lauper's debut album. A first in history, that accomplishment.
2. We Belong by Pat Benatar - Pat's one of my all-time favorites, and it's a shame (as it is with Cyndi) that her heyday is her only day to so many people. She's too good to be pigeon-holed.



3. Better be Good to Me by Tina Turner - Yes, What's Love Got to Do with It is a bit more famous, but this one is more timeless.
4. Self Control byLaura Branigan - Gloria is better known, but this one is just better.



5. Material Girl by Madonna - She ended up getting the name of this song as a nickname for a while. Ironic, when you consider she made all of her jack, herself. No man did it for her.
6. Twist of Fate by Olivia Newton-John - Love her, and love other songs of hers more than this one, but it was huge in '84.





7. 99 Red Balloons by Nena - This is probably a weird one today, but in 1984, cold war tensions ran high. Nena was German, and sang this song in her own language. But there was an English version of the song, and a Germanglish one too.
8. Breakdance by Irene Cara - Bet you forgot this one.



9. They Don't Know by Tracy Ullman - Funny lady Ullman had a big hit here in the states before we knew who she was. I loved it.
10. Let's Hear it for the Boy by Deniece Williams - From Footloose, this trifle nonetheless left its mark on '84.



Surprisingly, I found little else, beyond other hits by these same artists, for  popular songs by solo women. I'll follow this list with the gents, probably with women-headed groups, and a few other '84 odds and ends. But I was surprised to find so few female solo artists hitting it big in my senior year.

But it's better today, right!? So, happy Monday everyone! Have a great week.

Blast from the Past: Songs That Should Have Been Hits

For this week's Blast from the Past, I'm going to see how many songs I can find that are examples of great songs that either barely hit the Billboard charts, or didn't even break through at all. And I'm sure I'll only crack the surface here. These are the kinds of songs that you either know because they were on an album you played a lot, sometimes on a Greatest Hits collection with some "extras" that really weren't. Or it's an attempt at a comeback from an established star that just didn't do the trick. Whatever it is, these songs all have the makings of a hit, but just. . .weren't for some reason. See how many you know.



1. Ring Ring by ABBA (1973) - This early tune by the Swedish quartet managed to make several world-wide charts, some to number 1. But it didn't chart in the states at all. It should have.

2. On and On and On by ABBA (1980) - A later track by the same group had all the makings of a hit (and the by now standard repeating title of many of their others), but only hit #90 in the US.



3. I'm Gonna Be Strong by Cyndi Lauper (1994) - According to Lauper, this is the song that got her a recording contract. Small wonder. I've always wondered what could have happened if Lauper had been a contestant on American Idol, and belted this out. It's amazing.

4. You Don't Know by Cyndi Lauper (1997) - As you can now tell, I have some favorite artists who have several songs I think should have been hits. This one was probably hampered by an album track that was slow and languid. This dance version is one of my favorites, a song about the stupidity of bigotry.



5. Quantum Mechanic by Thomas Dolby and Dr. Fiorella Terenzi (1994) - This great tune from the Gate to the Mind's Eye soundtrack always made me happy. And should have been released.

6. UMF by Duran Duran (1993) - One of several tracks from "The Wedding Album," something of a comeback album that did have a couple of hits. UMF stands for "ultimate mind f**k," thought the profanity is never uttered.



7. Only You by Pat Benatar (1997) - Again, a great album, chock full of great tunes, but it still couldn't revive Benatar's hit-making career.

8. Try by Billy Pilgrim (1994) - I saw this band when they opened for Melissa Etheridge on tour. I bought their album, and totally dug it. This is one of their best songs, and it turned up on a compilation or two, but didn't really go anywhere. Great harmonies.



9. Rock D.J. by Robbie Williams (2000) - This incredibly catchy dance tune was a hit around the world, but didn't manage more than #24 on the dance chart in the US. Maybe it had something to do with the gory, out-of-left-field video.

10. Little Bird by Annie Lennox (1993) - This is (along with a couple of other tracks that didn't chart) one of my favorite Lennox tunes. Amazing that I didn't do better.

And that will wrap it up for now. I realized as I was writing that there are many, many songs I listen to that were never hits but seemingly could have been. Give these a listen, and look forward to another edition. This one is worth a sequel.

Happy Monday!

Blast from the Past: The Past Repurposed as Ringtones

A good bit of my weekend has been taken up getting used to my new Samsung Galaxy S4 smart phone (and don't worry, I'll stop talking about it soon). But it got me to thinking--as I loaded it up with my usual ringtones and notification sounds--that it might make a good topic for Blast from the Past. In fact, it might make a good psychological study. New phone, same old tunes and sounds.

Notification: Samantha from Bewitched's nose twitch. This is from the old days of my Windows 95 computer themes. I found that this particular sound effect was one I never got tired of. And those themes were usually tiring. Ironically, it's paired in this clip with easily the most annoying sound on earth: Fran Drescher. And here's the Bewitched theme for the sake of it. I have it saved on my phone too.



Default Ringtone: Theme from Match Game '76. Though I can't claim I got half of the jokes (or even knew that the cast was shitfaced) on this classic, long-running game show (with PM and '74, '75, '76, '77, etc. editions), I loved it as a kid. The theme seemed to know it was cheesy, and that's what I liked about it.



The Other Half's Ringtone: Making Our Dreams Come True by Cyndi Grecco, the theme from Laverne & Shirley. I'd like to say it was because of the song's indefatigable spirit of togetherness and can-do friendship. But it's really because we both loved the show. For a while, I had Georgie Girl by The Seekers, but it seemed like a confusing androgynous tune for my husband, so even though it's a favorite of his, it had to go.



Mom's Ringtone: Is Three Dog Night's Mama Told Me Not to Come a little too on the nose? Well, at least I'm using that instead of the theme from Halloween 2 I once used!

Sister's Ringtone: Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode, which was always one of her favorite bands, and Brother's Ringtone: You're Driving Me Crazy by Squirrel Nut Zippers, because, well, sometimes he does. . .




Others on my custom list are my friends Dona and Lester (Puttin' on the Ritz by Taco and Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs, respectively), Jeff and Sandy (Top of the World by The Carpenters), Denny and Kardinal (Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones and Hit Me with Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar), my boss ladies (You're the First by Barry White and I Love the Nightlife by Alicia Bridges), and my other boss (Popcorn by Hot Butter). But putting all of these clips up would wreck your browser, so here's just a couple of them.



What I've found out over several phones (and others' phones) is that you have to pick songs that you'll hear clearly, you need to edit clips that have the good part of the song right at the beginning, and you need to make sure the sound level isn't too high, or the tinny cell phone speakers will distort. Also, I've found that putting songs onto an Android phone is fairly easy, and doing the same on an iPhone is a multi-step process that taxes your patience. Oh, also that downloading sound software--even from a reputable site like CNet.com is very, very risky. I was up until 3:30 am on Friday night purging the gremlins from my computer.

And with that, we'll end this week's edition, and wish you all happy Monday!

What Happens in Vegas: Pat Benatar to Get Regular Las Vegas Gig!

Pat Benatar--and her perpetually co-billed husband, Neil Giraldo--are getting a regular Las Vegas gig! Squee! I'm a huge Benatar fan, from her early days in the late 70s (Heart Breaker), through my high school years (Promises in the Dark, Precious Time, Get Nervous), all the way to her post-hits career (Inamorata, Go). My good friend, "Mrs. Rev. Stu" is possibly an even bigger fan than I am, and will be quite distressed that this event is happening after she moved 1,000 miles away! But maybe I can lure her to town for a weekend to go see the Benatar show, after it begins.

[Excerpt]

'Fantastic' Las Vegas gig for Benatar, Giraldo

The husband-and-wife rockers of Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo are in talks to perform a regular gig in Vegas. . . 

Read more at: Las Vegas Review-Journal

Thanks to Dan, my political opposite friend at Las Vegas Badger for the link.


As further proof that I'm a big Benatar fan, here's a rerun of my Blast from the Past featuring her, only one of several posts featuring Benatar during the run of this blog. Check out these amazing tunes, and then come visit us in Vegas once her show opens!

ORIGINAL POST, 5/23/11:

Image from Pat Benatar's Official Fan Club

For this week's Blast from the Past, I thought I'd go to one of my favorite 80s singers (or of any era, frankly), Pat Benatar. This isn't my first Benatar post over these past four years of blogging. But I think I'm due again. As I've said before, I think it's semi-tragic that Benatar's music seems to be pegged solely to the 80s, and that she didn't seem to be able to reboot her career, even though she did put out some good music in the 90s and the 2000s. I'd like to see her land a gig on Celebrity Apprentice or something, to boost her image, and get her a comeback!

Benatar had a lot of his songs, and a whole lot of well-known songs that weren't quite hits. Even though she was an MTV staple, she also had a lot of airplay on "album oriented rock" stations, where songs like Hell is for Children could make a name for itself even though it wasn't a single. So the following is a grouping of major hits, minor hits, and other songs that are just good. I'm limited by the YouTube and Daily Motion selections, but this is the top of that list.

Assholes on the Right (Rocky Mountain Mike Parody)

I don't usually run posts back-to-back from the same source. I make exceptions in the case of Rocky Mountain Mike's parodies. This one hits my sweet spot: politics, vulgarity and Pat Benatar! Shadows of the Night is my favorite song by Benatar, one of my very favorite artists. The Stephanie Miller Show may have to edit this clip down, but it is very funny and well done! Way to go, Mike!

Blast from the Past: Songs & Artists American Idol Should Cover

As I sat down for this week's edition of Blast from the Past, I thought about tying it to the Super Bowl (the game with the number that heralds my age every year. . .I'll be XLVI!!!).  But everyone is doing that this weekend. So, during my walk, I was listening to Pandora, and Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun came on. It's an 80s favorite, but have you ever listened not so much to the song, but to Cyndi's voice? There is real power there! And I got to thinking about songs and artists that the youngsters on American Idol ought to be covering, if they want to blow the judges away.

Now, I haven't watched every episode of the show, frankly having lost interest the year Paula Abdul left. So, some of these songs, and surely some of the artists have been done. Not the point. Put the nostalgia and the personalities. Listen to the voices here.



1. I'm Gonna be Strong, Cyndi Lauper - Girls may be her signature song, but take a listen to this one, the song that got her a recording contract. Close your eyes, and imagine if this voice hit that stage with no buildup.

2. Pavement Cracks, Annie Lennox - As half of Eurythmics, Annie is often remembered in the same category as Cyndi, with unusual hair, makeup and clothing. But she has a clear, unmistakable, beautiful voice.




3. Hard Candy Christmas, Dolly Parton - When Idol contestants try to do runs and trills, it usually seems like showing off, and seems forced. When Dolly does it, it sounds effortless and natural. I'm not a fan of her country music--for the most part--but there is no denying her talent.

4. Promises in the Dark, Pat Benatar - Pat is mostly remembered for her makeup, her leg warmers and other hideous 80s fashions. But she has an astonishing voice with a wide range, exhibited in a variety of genres. This one was chosen for its hard edge, but softness too.




5. Kissing a Fool, George Michael - George Michael has unfortunately been more well known in recent years as a tabloid fixture. But his voice combined with his good looks made for an amazing combination for a while in the 80s and 90s. He seemed to have a complex about the looks part, but the strength of his voice was never in doubt. Listen to this song--particularly the bridge--and imagine Idol judges heads exploding.

6. A Little More Love, Olivia Newton-John - ONJ has always been one of my favorites. Her beauty
was staggering back in the day, but her voice was so pretty and clear. Listen to this one, how in each chorus, she changes the note pattern, and yet is always in perfect pitch.




7. It Must Have Been Love, Roxette - Yes, your memories of Roxette are covered with cheese. But they're better than you remember. As proof, this song. Listen to lead singer, Marie Fredriksson. From the soft notes to the power belting, this would wow the judges.

8. Rockin' Back Inside My Heart, Julee Cruise - Best known for the theme from Twin Peaks, and her performances within the show, Cruise has a voice I once read described as "an angel on quaaludes." Idol might not be able to showcase a voice this unique. But imagine if this song came out of one of those young waifs!

And that will do it for me for now. I'm off to a Super Bowl party, and we'll have to see if I have any more blogging in me afterward! Either way, happy have a good week!

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar's Christmas in America

Blast from the Past: Pat Benatar

Image from Pat Benatar's Official Fan Club

For this week's Blast from the Past, I thought I'd go to one of my favorite 80s singers (or of any era, frankly), Pat Benatar. This isn't my first Benatar post over these past four years of blogging. But I think I'm due again. As I've said before, I think it's semi-tragic that Benatar's music seems to be pegged solely to the 80s, and that she didn't seem to be able to reboot her career, even though she did put out some good music in the 90s and the 2000s. I'd like to see her land a gig on Celebrity Apprentice or something, to boost her image, and get her a comeback!

Benatar had a lot of his songs, and a whole lot of well-known songs that weren't quite hits. Even though she was an MTV staple, she also had a lot of airplay on "album oriented rock" stations, where songs like Hell is for Children could make a name for itself even though it wasn't a single. So the following is a grouping of major hits, minor hits, and other songs that are just good. I'm limited by the YouTube and Daily Motion selections, but this is the top of that list.

Blast from the Past: Albums to do Chores by

My idea for this post came from trying to pick a CD to listen to while I did some chores around the house on Sunday. I know, how old school is listening to CDs, and all the way through! Most of the time, I listen to the CD jukebox on random, or make a play list on my computer (which has a blue tooth connection to my stereo). I have an iPod, but I've never found much use for it. Anyway, sometimes, I just want to listen to one artist, and I want a nice and simple "play all," rather than picking out tunes.

If you've ever done this, you might find that it isn't as easy as you think. Unless you're playing a greatest hits compilation, it's a rare album that is good all the way through. But there are several "go tos" I have that feature no songs that need to be skipped. Here are selections from my favorites:






1. Out of Time by REM (1991) - I picked Shiny Happy People, but every song on this album is a good one, from Radio Song to Losing My Religion to the instrumental End Game.
2. Cosmic Thing by The B-52's (1989) - Roam is one of two big hits (the other being Love Shack), but any track from this album (Junebug, the title track Cosmic Thing and Deadbeat Club) is just as kicky and fun.
3. Xanadu (Soundtrack) by Olivia Newton-John & ELO (1980) - Yes, it's from one of the worst movie musicals of all time (but a guilty pleasure, and hey, they made a Broadway musical out of it!), but I love the soundtrack to this day. The mix of Electric Light Orchestra and ONJ are a nice contrast, and they come together at the end. And did you know that Fee Waybill of The Tubes is the singer of one track?
4. Private Dancer by Tina Turner (1984) - There's not a bum track on this one, which is amazing. Consider that Tina Turner hadn't had a hit in many years, and that--if legend is to be believed--this album was sort of slapped together. It was Tina's big comeback, and she deserved it.
5. Diva by Annie Lennox (1992) - The lead singer of Eurythmics never sounded better than on this solo album. My favorite track--Little Bird--wasn't a hit here, and I can't find a usable version to post. No matter though, because every track is a classic. This one, Why? is one of the biggest hits from the album.
6. Get Nervous by Pat Benatar (1982) - The amazingly talented (and under appreciated Benatar has a lot of good music, and more hit songs than you remember. Get Nervous has a big hit (Shadows of  Night), a couple of minor hits (Looking for a Stranger and this one, It's a Little Too Late), not to mention favorites like the title track. Benatar is one of the more deserving singers to have a comeback, in my opinion.

Those are some of my favorite non-"best of" albums to play all the way through. Others include "Once More with Feeling. . ." (Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast soundtrack), Dangerous (Michael Jackson) and Grease (Soundtrack). For best ofs, you can't beat Journey, Blondie, The Bangles, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Mama Cass, and of course ABBA (Gold I & II). And now that you can see what a big, old, gay guy I am, I'll call it quits. Happy Monday!

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

With apologies for the Dennis Miller interlude. . .

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar's Christmas in America

Blast from the Past: Classic MTV Videos

When I needed an idea for this week's installment of Blast from the Past, my friend Tracy suggested early MTV videos.  Since the MTV Video Music Awards just happened, and MTV doesn't play much in the way of actual music anymore, I thought perfect! Plus, I was the perfect age (class of 1984) for the original incarnation of Music Television, and it was highly influential in my generation's pop culture.  So, let us begin. . .








1. "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles - I don't think this song made much of a splash on radio at the time, but it was the very first video played on MTV in 1981.
2. "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits - MTV goes meta. A tv-ready video with Sting in the background crooning "I want my MTV!"
3. "Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar - I love Pat Benatar, but even I have to laugh at her dancing in this one.
4. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper - Cyndi (much like Pat) got unfairly pigeonholed as an 80s act, thanks in large part to this iconic video.
5. "Centerfold" by J. Geils Band - This one was a biggie. And I'll never forget the snare drum full of milk.
6. "The Warrior" by Scandal- Patty Smythe with weird makeup in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian future. . .with hot guys.
7. "Black or White" by Michael Jackson - By the 1990s, MTV was already well on its way to ditching music videos as a format (which still makes no sense to me). Leave it to Michael Jackson to revitalize the medium with this clip, at least for a while.
8. "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood - But we've got to go back to the 80s, for one of the earliest cases of  censorship on MTV.  Here's the banned version that you probably don't remember.

I'm thinking this set is going to need a sequel. . .

Cyndi Lauper Speaks!

I can't say how much I love Cyndi Lauper.  For me, there are four popular artists of the eighties who seem to have gotten largely stuck there, unfairly (the others being Pat Benatar, George Michael and Olivia Newton-John).  All of these artists are amazing talents, and all have been shunted into nostalgia. No fair, man.

But Cyndi is the one who I really connect with.  Not only is she amazingly talented, but her political outlook matches mine to a "T."  Here is Cyndi, in her own words.

Pat Benatar's Love is a Battlefield LITERALLY.

Pat Benatar is one of my favorite acts of the eighties, right on through to today. She's one of the most underrated singers of her generation, who sadly has yet to mount a successful comeback (though I've enjoyed her later efforts very much). One of my best friends, Kardinal, is even a bigger fan than I am, so this post is for her most of all.

I first noticed "literal videos" several months ago with a riff on Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart. It was hilarious, and very well done. Several other attempts have come and gone, but none as good as that one. This take on Benatar's Love is a Battlefield comes close. The singing is pretty bad, but the commentary is great. Especially when Benatar and her crew start to dance. . .

Pat Benatar and Blondie Touring Together

I found this ad at Kenneth in the (212), a site known for the blogger's Debbie Harry fandom. I'm a fan of Harry and Blondie, but really like Pat Benatar. I've lamented here on the blog about Benatar's lack of success staging a comeback, despite stellar music. So, I was very happy to see this development.

I've been to several of Benatar's concerts (always co-billed with her husband, Neil Gerardo) with Stupid Monkey Planet's wife, Mrs. Monkey. While always enjoyable, there is a certain sameness to the concerts. The playlist is juggled to accomodate new songs, but there have been no real surprises. A double-bill with Debbie Harry/Blondie could be just what the doctor ordered.

And unlike Kenneth, I kind of dig the artwork!

"Call Me Invincible" is kind of cute, but I might have gone with, "Heartbreaker of Glass". . .no, theirs is better.

UPDATE: I just realized that Kenneth used that idea already. So how about "One Way or Another, We Belong?" "Atomic Anxiety?" OK, maybe not.

More at: KennethInThe(212)

Careers Cut Short Redux: Olivia Newton-John

Photo from My Lifetime

I haven't done one of these for a while, but the home-made MP3 CD I was playing in my Jeep today landed on three different songs by Olivia Newton-John, and it reminded me of this series. I featured--back in the early days of this blog--a series of posts about musicians whose careers were tragically cut short. Don't get me wrong, they're still celebrities, but they never recaptured the massive fame they once had.

The previous entries included Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael and yes, Olivia Newton-John. All of these pop stars had a stunning stream of hits, and all have equally stunning voices. Benatar had the rocker thing, Lauper had the "new-wave" thing, Michael had the "ambiguously gay" thing, and Newton-John had the Madonna/whore complex.

When I was a little kid, Olivia Newton-John was a country star. Which was confusing, because I knew she was an Australian. And also, her "country" songs were also mostly top 40 hits. From If You Love Me Let Me Know to I Honestly Love You, she was a sweetie-pie, absolutely pure as the driven snow. And she rode that image to Grease, which turned her from a goody-two-shoes to a hot mama. She came out with Totally Hot, an album with racy photos that drove my step-dad bananas. And she followed that with first, Xanadu, where she reverted to pure, and then Physical, when she got a little trampy again. But after that, things went sour.

After Xanadu the movie bombed (though the soundtrack did very well), she followed with Two of a Kind, a movie with John Travolta. It bombed too. Then Soul Kiss, a sort of concept album, playing up her sexiness bombed. Then, a cancer scare, a divorce, the disappearance of her boyfriend. She became tabloid fodder. She's been in a few small movies (loved her in Sordid Lives the movie and the series). But no hits. None at all. And I wonder why?

Cher made innumerable comebacks. Elton John, Rod Stewart, Bette Midler. . .all have had comebacks, and/or Las Vegas shows. Why couldn't Olivia? It isn't fair. And it's overdue.




#1 - Xanadu - This was the infectious theme song from the disasterous roller-disco/muse film. It's become a Broadway musical in the mean time, and has garnered a "so bad, it's good" reputation. The song is still guaranteed to fill a dance floor.

#2 - Summer Nights - One of the best (and most successful) songs from Grease. I won this record in a "sock hop" in junior high school, believe it or not.

#3 - Let Me Be There - This was one of the early ones, and it demonstrates Olivia's beautiful voice, and beautiful face. Man, she's pretty. And can you imagine if you could transplant this performance to American Idol? They'd totally plotz.

#4 - A Little More Love - This song, from Totally Hot, is one of my very favorites. I included it for the American Idol comment from above. Olivia mastered the "runs" and changeups favored by Idol stars without making them cliche or trite. She managed to change each chorus, hitting different notes, going from melody to harmony. I just love it.

And here's a bonus, the theme song from Sordid Lives, It's a Bitch

The 80s Curse, Pt. 1: Pat Benatar

Photo from source, Wikipedia

The eighties were good to a lot of musical groups, with the advent of MTV (a channel that used to feature mostly music). Even marginal acts could make a name for themselves if they had a catchy video. But some of the best acts seemed to get trapped in the 80s, no matter how good they were.

One of those is Pat Benatar. I've been a fan of hers since around 1979, but her career really caught fire in the early to mid 80s. Pat's roster of hits would be enviable to almost any performer, but strangely, she never managed to mount a decent comeback. I've had the pleasure to catch Pat and her husband/producer, Neil Giraldo in concert a number of times. Living in Las Vegas has its benefits.

She's only had a couple of albums out in the last dozen years, but I was pleased to add both to my collection. Innamorata is a pleasure from start to finish (almost; the last track drives me a little buggy!). And the most recent CD I'm familiar with, GO had a number of good songs, but was a little to hard-edged for radio, apparently. Other releases have tended to be compilations, relying on past glories. And those glories are pretty spectacular. But I'll never figure out how Cher, Madonna and others have managed to have several comebacks, and Pat Benatar doesn't merit one. She deserves another "shot!"




1 - We Belong (1984) - I wanted to post the earlier We Live for Love, which really showed Pat's vocal range. She doesn't try to reach for these notes in concert anymore, but how amazing that she ever could! For some reason, We Belong always comes to my mind with We Live for Love, so here it is instead. Plus, it was a bigger hit.

2 - Love is a Battlefield (1983) - Ok, so she can't dance, so what? This is probably one of the most famous songs from her hit collection, and definitely one of the bigger video hits. And I love that oddly-paced back beat. Go, Neil!

3 - Shadows of the Night (1982) - Awesome. Love the a capella intro, and just about everything about it.

4 - I Shall Believe (With Sheryl Crow) - Post-80s clips seem to be hard to come by (which is the point of this post), but here is something more contemporary.

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar's Christmas in America

I'm going to try to put together a few new Holiday Cheer posts over the next couple of weeks. But I put up quite a few last year, and as you know, this "Christmas Special" stuff is perennial. And were you reading this blog a year ago? I thought not. So, without further ado. . .

[Original Post]

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar Christmas in America

The criminally underrated Pat Benatar happens to have a fantastic Christmas song. She's at the top of my favorite singers list. And this song should even please the right-wingers! I think the overt patriotism is due to its production right after 9/11.

Oh, and that dude with Pat is her husband and producer, Neil Geraldo. They've been married forever, and in recent years he seems to always get equal billing. Whatever, it's great stuff. Enjoy.

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar Christmas in America

The criminally underrated Pat Benatar happens to have a fantastic Christmas song. She's at the top of my favorite singers list. And this song should even please the right-wingers! I think the overt patriotism is due to its production right after 9/11.

Oh, and that dude with Pat is her husband and producer, Neil Geraldo. They've been married forever, and in recent years he seems to always get equal billing. Whatever, it's great stuff. Enjoy.