We've gotta hold on to what we've got. It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not. We've got each other and that's a lot. For love we'll give it a shot.
"Livin' On A Prayer" is most definitely Bon Jovi's signature song, isn't it? I mean if you could only hear them perform one song live, wouldn't that be the one? It was the second single off of the band's epic 1986 release, Slippery When Wet. It also was their second number one song in a row. Those are the facts and statistics, which are all secondary to what this song is all about.
Thirty plus years after "Livin' On A Prayer's" release it's not just about Jon Bon's hair and the story of Tommy and Gina. Instead it instantly walks so many of us back in time to when passing exams and dating the right person were the biggest concerns. It takes me back to tenth grade when I lived in my jean jacket with my Walkman shoved in the pocket. Back to when I only thought that my life was complicated.
This song also shows how timeless a great rock anthem can be. Sure Bon Jovi has made a zillion more albums, but nothing compares to the very first time that you heard "Living On A Prayer", right?
I lose my cool when she steps in the room And I get so excited just from her perfume Electric eyes that you can't ignore And passion burns you like never before I was in search of a good time
Just running my game Love was the furthest Furthest from my mind
Billy Ocean's"Caribbean Queen" is one of the very last 45's that I bought before committing to cassette tapes. It was late 1984 and I was actually a little late to making a full conversion from vinyl. 8th grade had just started and my friends and I were all about bringing our music everywhere with us in a boom box so vinyl had to go. "Caribbean Queen" actually helped Ocean to breakthrough here in the states and it helped to kick off a string of hits that would help to make the artist a household name.
Billy Ocean has come a long way since his first release and now, more than 30 years later he releasedHere You Are: The Best Of. The album feature's Ocean's take on some of the classic songs that helped to shape him as a musician. It also includes a bonus disk with his classics like "Caribbean Queen", "Suddenly", "Get Out of My Dreams" and more. Check out the video that started it all for Billy Ocean!
For many of us life just seems a whole lot better when we're surrounded by sun, sand and of course a great big ocean. Salt life is a real thing and it has been featured in music videos almost since the very start of MTV. Some of the most memorable visuals by music artists have featured the ocean as a backdrop. Since it's the unofficial start of summer I thought it would be fun to revisit some old MTV favorites. Each of these videos has a beach theme and really stands out in my memory (hopefully yours too). So here we go and in NO particular order...
Debbie Gibson- "Only In My Dreams"
Every time I'm telling secrets
I remember how it used to be
And I realized how much I miss you
And I realize how it feels to be free
This was actually Gibson's debut single. It was released in late 1986 but was written by the then-young star herself two years earlier. The video was shot at Asbury Park beach in New Jersey and helped to launch Gibson's career.
Belinda Carlisle- "Circle In The Sand"
Sundown all around
Walking thru the summer's end
Waves crash baby, don't look back
I won't walk away again
Oh, baby, anywhere you go,
We are bound together
I begin, baby, where you end
Some things are forever!
This was released in May of 1988 with Carlisle singing as various layered beach scenes flashed behind her. This song came at a time when the former Go Go's front woman could do no wrong musically. She had a string of solo hits, including "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" and "Mad About You" that all charted well.
The Fat Boys- "Wipe Out"
For three years straight we toured the nation
When we get through we needed a vacation
We wanted to party and get a little rest
So we packed our things and headed out west
We got our surfboards took the beach ball out
Jumped in a limousine ready to "Wipe out"
The Fat Boys were a hip hop trio from Brooklyn that first emerged in the early 80's. Their 1987 cover of "Wipe Out" was one of the biggest songs of the summer and this video was in heavy rotation on MTV.
Huey Lewis And The News- "Stuck With You"
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I am happy to be stuck with you
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you
'Cause I can see, (I can see) that you're happy to be stuck with me
(yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you I'm happy to be stuck with you
Happy to be stuck with you.
What guy wouldn't want to be stuck on a deserted island with Keely Shaye Smith circa 1986? Huey Lewis was probably thrilled to get to play in the sun and sand with the then-model for hours while filming "Stuck With You". The song itself spent 3 weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 and the video was one of the biggest of the year. The desert island in this is actually about ten miles from Paradise Island in Nassau.
Bow Wow Wow- "I Want Candy"
I know a girl who’s tough but sweet
She’s so fine, she can’t be beat
She’s got everything that I desire
Sets the summer sun on fire
If you're going to have a one-hit-wonder then you can only hope that the video that accompanies it also leaves a lasting impression, right? Well, Bow Wow Wow managed to do just that with "I Want Candy". I think when a lot of us think of the song we instantly picture the band buried up to their necks in sand!
Duran Duran- "Rio"
Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande
While Duran Duran was picking up momentum in the early 80's their second studio album, Rio didn't really click here in the states- until their flashy video for the title song. "Rio" eventually became a visual example of all of the excesses that the decade became synonymous for. This features the band is slick suits speeding through the Caribbean on a yacht surrounded by beautiful women. Once the video was picked up by MTV then people realized what a great song this really was.
Britney Spears- "Sometimes"
Sometimes I run
Sometimes I hide
Sometimes I'm scared of you
But all I really want is to hold you tight
Treat you right, be with you day and night
Baby, all I need is time
Baby One More Time was the album that launched Britney Spears' career way back in 1999 and it just wouldn't have been complete without one sugary sweet ballad, right? "Sometimes" was met with mixed reviews in the spring of 1999. Even then not too many people were buying Spears as a virginal girl wanting to take things super slow with her squeaky clean guy but the beach-y backdrop is stunning.
Bon Jovi- "In And Out Of Love"
Young and wired
Set to explode in the heat
you won't tire
Cause baby was born with the beat
Do you guys even remember this video from 1985? I had actually forgotten it but it has to be included here because it features the original Jersey boys playing on the boardwalk and in the sands of Seaside Heights!
David Lee Roth- "California Girls"
Well, East coast girls are hip,
I really dig those styles they wear;
And the Southern girls with the way they talk,
They knock me out when I'm down there,
The mid-west farmers daugh-ters
Real-ly make you feel alright,
And the northern girls with the way they kiss
They keep their boyfriends warm at night.
Not long after leaving Van Halen in 1984 David Lee Roth returned to the airwaves with 1985's Crazy From The Heat. All four songs on the EP were covers of already established hits from the past. "California Girls" was kind of a no-brainer and the video loaded with chicks in bikinis became a summer staple.
Expose`- "Seasons Change"
Seasons change feelings change
It's been so long since I found you
Yet it seems like yesterday
Seasons change people change
I'll sacrifice tomorrow
Just to have you here today
In 1987 Expose` took their Miami freestyle sound and delivered it to the masses, with great success. Hits like "Come Go With Me" and "Let Me Be The One" landed in Billboard's top ten and solidified their run as a great dance band but that wasn't all that they were capable of. Their ballad "Seasons Change" earned the girl group their first number one single and just as the song was a bit of a departure, so was the video. Instead of being a flashy, fun live performance "Seasons Change" was set in a beach house. The girls are seen packing up their summer house while singing and eventually a run on the beach is of course in order.
Chris Isaak- "Wicked Game"
What a wicked game you played to make me feel this way
what a wicked thing to do to let me dream of you
what a wicked thing to say you never felt this way
what a wicked thing to do to make me dream of you
Take a sultry, haunting song, a topless Helena Christensen in Isaak's arms and film it in black and white. The result? Perfection, the kind that even 27 years after its' original release still makes you stop to watch.
Wreckx-N-Effect- "Rump Shaker"
All I wanna do is zoom-a-zoom-zoom-zoom
And a poom-poom - Just shake ya rump!
The year was 1992 and Teddy Riley's production and guest vocals made "Rump Shaker" a club classic for Wreckz-N-Effect. The visual of a hot chick walking in the sand playing a saxophone is probably still cemented in the minds of many men out there.
Madonna- "Cherish"
Cherish the thought
Of always having you here by my side
(Oh baby I) cherish the joy
You keep bringing it into my life
(I'm always singing it)
Cherish the strength
You got the power to make me feel good
(And baby I) perish the thought
Of ever leaving
I never would
This was the third single off of Madonna's 1989 Like A Prayer release. After two controversial songs in a row it was nice to see Madonna take on something as simple as love. Watching her play in the surf in "Cherish" was a nice reminder that while the diva was certainly issues-oriented, she still had a fun side.
Don Henley- "Boys Of Summer"
I can see you,
Your brown skin shining in the sun.
You got that top pulled down,
And that radio on, baby.
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong,
After the boys of summer have gone
Can you believe that this song is 32 years old? Well it is and I think that "Boys Of Summer" might be one of the most timeless videos around. The black and white imagery flashes through the different stages of a man's life, from boyhood to middle age adulthood and you can feel the major flashback unfolding in front of your eyes. This is undoubtedly one of Henley's best songs, don't you think?
There is just a sampling of some of the best beach videos in old school pop culture history. What are your favorites?
Girl, you must resist Don't let him squirm his way into your heart No, girl, I must insist You've got to stop the fool before he starts Just remember how he was so untrue With all the tacky things he did to you No need to signify 'cause he's not worth your time You need to find someone that's true to you.
Do you remember Pebbles (AKA Perri Reid, the ex-wife of LA Reid)? She is currently an Atlanta-based minister, "Sister Perri" and before that she sizzled in the music industry for putting together a little girl-group known as TLC. Yeah, that chick. Before all of those things she had her own recording career back in the late 80's to the early 90's and her work was all over the charts. In the fall of 1987, Pebbles "Girlfriend" was pretty much my anthem. I was 16, in 11th grade and just about every friend that I had was dealing with a cheating boyfriend. "Girlfriend" was basically early Sister Perri preaching at us all to move on and find a better dude.
Apparently my friends and I weren't the only ones that appreciated Pebbles insight because "Girlfriend" made it to #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 and did really well on the dance charts, as well as in the UK. I actually can remember listening to Open House Party with my tape recorder ready so that I could grab this song, hopefully without too much interruption by John Garabedian. You guys know what I'm talking about, right? How you would wait all day for a song only to have a DJ talk into the beginning & cut off the ending?
Anyway, I watched the "Girlfriend" video again this morning for the first time in forever and it still resonates. I can see Sister Perri in the making here. I also do remember a second video that got a lot of play on MTV. It was the dance remix that featured more of The Deele (LA Reid and Babyface's group from back in the day before they were worth a mint) rapping in the background.
I was having a conversation with someone about music the other day and they said that if they never heard another Journey song for the rest of their lives they'd be okay with that. It made me think a little and I realized that people do seem to have a kind of black or white reaction to the band. It's love or hate ( not even touching the debate over Steve Perry on vocals vs. anyone else) and I suspect it's based on the overkill of songs like "Don't Stop Believin'", "Lovin', Touchin' Squeezin'" and "Faithfully".
I mean, we do realize they had several albums filled hits, right? Journey's catalog of music is massive and filled with a lot of really great songs. I can remember being about ten years old and listening to "Who's Crying Now" on my little transistor radio and being blown away by the vocals. Check out the live clip below and then tell me how much you hate Journey. I dare ya.
I think between late 1983 and 1984 it was absolutely impossible for MTV to play for more than an hour without showing a Billy Idol video. "Rebel Yell" became an instant anthem and Idol's classic sneer and bad boy demeanor made "Eyes Without A Face" equally popular. But "Flesh For Fantasy"? That was my favorite. Probably because it was edgier and the video featured some (barely dressed) bad ass dancers. The fact that my bible thumping mother thought that Idol was the devil in black leather only made me like him even more.
I love the fact that even 30 years later you can still catch Idol rocking out, lip curl and all. What song is your favorite?
I was on Facebook yesterday and saw a posting that reminded me of a long forgotten song. "C'Mon and Get My Love" was the track that introduced us to Cathy Dennis way back in 1989.
This thing was a club kid's dream and Dennis had a string of hits off of her Move To This album, all in a pretty similar vein. She released a follow up a few years later and then appeared to disappear from the charts. While she's not front and center onstage now Dennis has actually had an extremely successful career writing and producing pop songs. She is responsible for penning such tracks as Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and Britney Spears "Toxic".
Dennis has worked with just about every major pop princess within the last 15 years, but check her out here in her video debut.
Step by step, oh, baby, gonna get to you, girl Step by step, oh, baby, really want you in my world Step! Hey, girl, in your eyes I see your picture of me all the time Step! And, girl, when you smile you got to know that you drive me wild Step by step, oh, baby, you're always on my mind Step by step, oh, girl, I really think it's just a matter of time.
Let's kick this week off with a great dance track by New Kids On The Block. Even if you weren't a fan of bubble gum pop there is probably one song by this iconic boy band that you did secretly like and it might have been "Step By Step". The guys first broke through in 1988 with songs like "Please Don't Go Girl" and "Hangin' Tough" which helped them to develop a rock solid screaming teen girl fan base in record time. By the time "Step By Step" was released in the spring of 1990, NKOTB were already bonafide superstars.
This song takes me back to that window of time just after high school when I was trying to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. While lost in that confusion I was a die-hard fan of USA network's Dance Party USA. The teen dance program taped about an hour away from me and on a few cool occasions my friends and I piled into an old car and drove to the studio to be guests on the show. As big as NKOTB was in my hometown, it was nothing compared to the love for the boy band that this entire group of kids felt. Maybe it was because the guys had been guests on the show quite often and that strengthened the appeal, but when you walked in you were clearly on NKOTB turf and that was fine with me.
Who was your favorite member of New Kids On The Block? Come on, we both know that you really did have one! In case you need a refresher, check out the video below and report back!
I was in 7th grade during the summer of Purple Rain and I remember it well. It was that rated R movie that none of us were allowed to see so we absorbed every possible detail from television, MTV and magazine articles. Back in the 80's (you know, when everything wasn't just the click of a mouse away) we cut everything about our favorites out of the newspaper or any magazine that we could find. My friends and I were divided down the middle, either you loved Prince or you loved Michael Jackson- it couldn't be both. I was a Prince girl and built my magazine cut out scrapbook accordingly. And the music truly did directly influence everything back then. If you loved Prince then you represented with your purple on the daily. Most Prince fans loved Madonna equally, especially when they toured together so it was a mix of purple lace hair bows, crosses and purple jelly bracelets all summer long.
That summer ended up being the very best one of my childhood and the Purple Rain was always part of the soundtrack. My friends and I spent hours at the kitchen table together glued to a boom box waiting for a chance to call in to Q-102 (THE station to listen to) to try and win a copy of the soundtrack. None of us won a Prince album but we did score theBoss, Steve Perry, Chaka Khan and a few others. Music was absolutely everything back then, especially when you were at the mercy of a DJ or MTV to play it for you.
It took me years to really understand that Prince was more than the freaky guy in purple with perfect eyeliner, that he was a musical genius. I had a friend absolutely obsessed with him and he spoon fed me various Prince facts while we worked together. By the time "Batdance" came along I understood what I was really listening to and came to expect nothing short of amazing-ness from him.
In the last 30 years so many other artists have come and gone as my taste has shifted and changed over the years. I can honestly say that I like a little bit of everything (minus country) but so few bring to the table what Prince has. I mean, how many on Billboard's charts can play 27 instruments? Yeah, none. How many currently rocking in the top ten will be relevant in 30 years? Maybe 1 or 2 right, maybe? Or maybe none at all.
Today's artists aren't built for the kind of longevity like Prince, David Bowie or even Glenn Frey. They don't bring all of those elements to the table and that has only made the loss of these icons feel that much heavier on our hearts. Prince himself confirmed years ago that there really is a vault filled with his unreleased music. There are albums from Prince & the Revolution and also a few with The New Power Generation. Perhaps part of what makes him so iconic is the fact that he was thinking beyond his life here. He was not only making sure that he wouldn't be forgotten, but he left new music behind so that his presence would be felt in a new way after the fact.
If you manage to catch any of Prince's live performance videos on YouTube before they are pulled down, pay attention to the details. Every single second is choreographed and means something. Amazing how we notice all of the details after the fact, isn't it? Like the fact that there is a purple heart behind Prince on the cover of the Purple Rain album. I never noticed that before this week.Hard to believe that it was 33 years ago this week that Prince topped the charts for the very first time with "When Doves Cry".
Darkness Imprisoning me All that I see Absolute horror I cannot live I cannot die Trapped in myself Body my holding cell
Landmine Has taken my sight Taken my speech Taken my hearing Taken my arms Taken my legs Taken my soul Left me with life in hell
1988 brought with it an onslaught of hair bands that took turns dominating the charts. If you weren't an actual fan then being able to distinguish between Whitesnake, Europe and Skid Row was probably damn near impossible. Each power group a lineup of hot men with better hair than most of the girls that I knew. Metallica had been toiling in the hard rock ranks for years but it was the final single off of their fourth album that was a total breakthrough.
"One", an anti-war song skyrocketed into MTV's heavy video rotation almost immediately with a video that alternated between scenes of a supposed war vet sent home to die and actual footage from the 1971 anti-war film Johnny Got His Gun. The strong lyrics along with the black and white visuals helped Metallica to win the very first Grammy in 1989 for a Best Metal Performance.
This is one of those songs that always gives me chills and it's beyond words live.
Being an unapologetic vinyl junkie I was eventually going to get my hands on Garbage's 20th Anniversary remastered double album set. It took me awhile but my copy finally arrived this weekend and I have to say, it's most definitely worth every penny. The album art, lyrics sheets and detailing alone really does up the quality and really, who doesn't love colored vinyl?
(Photo: Twitter)
I'll admit, it has been a minute since I've listened to Shirley Manson and the guys and I really don't know why. Their tracks really do stand the test of time and are pretty ageless. I love music that you can't easily put a date on and that is Garbage to a tee. It might be a new song (new music, please???!!) or it could be a decade or two old, it's hard to tell.
This collection offers up all of Garbage's top songs like "Stupid Girl", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Queer" and more. The only thing missing is actually one of my very favorites- "Cup of Coffee". I'm actually not sure why that didn't make the cut so rather than being predictable and going with one of Garbage's critically acclaimed videos, here's "Cup of Coffee" instead.
Way back in 1992 En Vogue dropped a little ditty in our laps that spent the rest of the year pretty much dominating Billboard's charts and radio airwaves. Funky Divas came out of the gate with the well-produced "Never Gonna Get It" and it offered up the kind of video that even now, 25 years later, I can easily visualize. Slick, sharp, great vocals and stunning videos. En Vogue was everything that a girl group aspires to be. I could ramble on forever but instead, I'll just hand you the music. Check out Funky Divas below!
You can catch En Vogue performing live at the 2017 Summer Spirit Festival.
"Take me by surprise Look into my eyes And show me that Your love is real"
Remember back in the day when a great club song would get stuck in your head from the first spin? Dino (AKA Dean Esposito) had one of those in 1989. "I Like It" was that track. You could dance to it and whenever it came on you ended up in a better mood by the time it ended. Dino's career as a performer only last for a few years but he has remained active in the music business by writing and producing for other artists, such as Sheena Easton.
Dino is also connected to the music industry via his wife, Caroline Jackson. If her name doesn't ring a bell the fact that she's one of the original Cover Girls should help jog your memory. She currently performs at various freestyle shows across the country with the rest of the OCG.
Anyway, back to Dino. How much do you still love this song?
She's so fly, she'll drive you right out of your mind
Steal your heart when you're blind
Beware she's schemin', she'll make you think you're dreamin'
You'll fall in love and you'll be screamin' dreamin'
One of my favorite groups from the New Jack Swing era is Bell Biv DeVoe, If you remember, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe decided to branch off from their success as members of New Edition and BBD was born. Their debut album Poison made a pretty big splash back in 1990 and had a few singles that landed in the top ten on Billboard's Hot 100. The first track, also titled "Poison" was a huge hit thanks to MTV showing heavy rotation favor on the video. Check it out below. I'm pretty sure that you'll remember this one!
Catch Bell Biv Devoe live at the 2017 Summer Spirit Festival
I tend to go out of my way to choose songs that aren't in heavy rotation on every 80's radio station across the U.S. just to keep things fresh, but I think given the loss of Prince last week, it's only right to revisit some of his stuff. The Bangles "Manic Monday" was originally written by him and obviously Prince knew exactly what he was doing when he gave it to this great girl band.
I have to admit, I had completely forgotten about Lisa Fisher's "How Can I Ease The Pain" until MTV Classic played it's stunning video the other day. Whatever I was doing at the time, I stopped to watch every second of it. This, is easily one of the very best ballads of the 90's. When it was released back in 1991 Fisher kind of skyrocketed to success. She was the IT girl and was expected to follow "How Can I Ease The Pain" with years of equally gut-wrenching ballads. Her Grammy win for the track only reinforced that notion.
So where has Fisher been for the last 25 years? The answer is everywhere. She has toured, dueted and provided backing vocals for Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan... you get the idea. She also does tour on her own and sounds even better live. Few songs from the 90's connect with heartbreak quite like "How Can I Ease The Pain".
For many of us life just seems a whole lot better when we're surrounded by sun, sand and of course a great big ocean. Salt life is a real thing and it has been featured in music videos almost since the very start of MTV. Some of the most memorable visuals by music artists have featured the ocean as a backdrop. Since it's the unofficial start of summer I thought it would be fun to revisit some old MTV favorites. Each of these videos has a beach theme and really stands out in my memory (hopefully yours too). So here we go and in NO particular order...
Debbie Gibson- "Only In My Dreams"
Every time I'm telling secrets
I remember how it used to be
And I realized how much I miss you
And I realize how it feels to be free
This was actually Gibson's debut single. It was released in late 1986 but was written by the then-young star herself two years earlier. The video was shot at Asbury Park beach in New Jersey and helped to launch Gibson's career.
Belinda Carlisle- "Circle In The Sand"
Sundown all around
Walking thru the summer's end
Waves crash baby, don't look back
I won't walk away again
Oh, baby, anywhere you go,
We are bound together
I begin, baby, where you end
Some things are forever!
This was released in May of 1988 with Carlisle singing as various layered beach scenes flashed behind her. This song came at a time when the former Go Go's front woman could do no wrong musically. She had a string of solo hits, including "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" and "Mad About You" that all charted well.
The Fat Boys- "Wipe Out"
For three years straight we toured the nation
When we get through we needed a vacation
We wanted to party and get a little rest
So we packed our things and headed out west
We got our surfboards took the beach ball out
Jumped in a limousine ready to "Wipe out"
The Fat Boys were a hip hop trio from Brooklyn that first emerged in the early 80's. Their 1987 cover of "Wipe Out" was one of the biggest songs of the summer and this video was in heavy rotation on MTV.
Huey Lewis And The News- "Stuck With You"
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I am happy to be stuck with you
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you
'Cause I can see, (I can see) that you're happy to be stuck with me
(yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you I'm happy to be stuck with you
Happy to be stuck with you.
What guy wouldn't want to be stuck on a deserted island with Keely Shaye Smith circa 1986? Huey Lewis was probably thrilled to get to play in the sun and sand with the then-model for hours while filming "Stuck With You". The song itself spent 3 weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 and the video was one of the biggest of the year. The desert island in this is actually about ten miles from Paradise Island in Nassau.
Bow Wow Wow- "I Want Candy"
I know a girl who’s tough but sweet
She’s so fine, she can’t be beat
She’s got everything that I desire
Sets the summer sun on fire
If you're going to have a one-hit-wonder then you can only hope that the video that accompanies it also leaves a lasting impression, right? Well, Bow Wow Wow managed to do just that with "I Want Candy". I think when a lot of us think of the song we instantly picture the band buried up to their necks in sand!
Duran Duran- "Rio"
Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande
While Duran Duran was picking up momentum in the early 80's their second studio album, Rio didn't really click here in the states- until their flashy video for the title song. "Rio" eventually became a visual example of all of the excesses that the decade became synonymous for. This features the band is slick suits speeding through the Caribbean on a yacht surrounded by beautiful women. Once the video was picked up by MTV then people realized what a great song this really was.
Britney Spears- "Sometimes"
Sometimes I run
Sometimes I hide
Sometimes I'm scared of you
But all I really want is to hold you tight
Treat you right, be with you day and night
Baby, all I need is time
Baby One More Time was the album that launched Britney Spears' career way back in 1999 and it just wouldn't have been complete without one sugary sweet ballad, right? "Sometimes" was met with mixed reviews in the spring of 1999. Even then not too many people were buying Spears as a virginal girl wanting to take things super slow with her squeaky clean guy but the beach-y backdrop is stunning.
Bon Jovi- "In And Out Of Love"
Young and wired
Set to explode in the heat
you won't tire
Cause baby was born with the beat
Do you guys even remember this video from 1985? I had actually forgotten it but it has to be included here because it features the original Jersey boys playing on the boardwalk and in the sands of Seaside Heights!
David Lee Roth- "California Girls"
Well, East coast girls are hip,
I really dig those styles they wear;
And the Southern girls with the way they talk,
They knock me out when I'm down there,
The mid-west farmers daugh-ters
Real-ly make you feel alright,
And the northern girls with the way they kiss
They keep their boyfriends warm at night.
Not long after leaving Van Halen in 1984 David Lee Roth returned to the airwaves with 1985's Crazy From The Heat. All four songs on the EP were covers of already established hits from the past. "California Girls" was kind of a no-brainer and the video loaded with chicks in bikinis became a summer staple.
Expose`- "Seasons Change"
Seasons change feelings change
It's been so long since I found you
Yet it seems like yesterday
Seasons change people change
I'll sacrifice tomorrow
Just to have you here today
In 1987 Expose` took their Miami freestyle sound and delivered it to the masses, with great success. Hits like "Come Go With Me" and "Let Me Be The One" landed in Billboard's top ten and solidified their run as a great dance band but that wasn't all that they were capable of. Their ballad "Seasons Change" earned the girl group their first number one single and just as the song was a bit of a departure, so was the video. Instead of being a flashy, fun live performance "Seasons Change" was set in a beach house. The girls are seen packing up their summer house while singing and eventually a run on the beach is of course in order.
Chris Isaak- "Wicked Game"
What a wicked game you played to make me feel this way
what a wicked thing to do to let me dream of you
what a wicked thing to say you never felt this way
what a wicked thing to do to make me dream of you
Take a sultry, haunting song, a topless Helena Christensen in Isaak's arms and film it in black and white. The result? Perfection, the kind that even 27 years after its' original release still makes you stop to watch.
Wreckx-N-Effect- "Rump Shaker"
All I wanna do is zoom-a-zoom-zoom-zoom
And a poom-poom - Just shake ya rump!
The year was 1992 and Teddy Riley's production and guest vocals made "Rump Shaker" a club classic for Wreckz-N-Effect. The visual of a hot chick walking in the sand playing a saxophone is probably still cemented in the minds of many men out there.
Madonna- "Cherish"
Cherish the thought
Of always having you here by my side
(Oh baby I) cherish the joy
You keep bringing it into my life
(I'm always singing it)
Cherish the strength
You got the power to make me feel good
(And baby I) perish the thought
Of ever leaving
I never would
This was the third single off of Madonna's 1989 Like A Prayer release. After two controversial songs in a row it was nice to see Madonna take on something as simple as love. Watching her play in the surf in "Cherish" was a nice reminder that while the diva was certainly issues-oriented, she still had a fun side.
Don Henley- "Boys Of Summer"
I can see you,
Your brown skin shining in the sun.
You got that top pulled down,
And that radio on, baby.
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong,
After the boys of summer have gone
Can you believe that this song is 32 years old? Well it is and I think that "Boys Of Summer" might be one of the most timeless videos around. The black and white imagery flashes through the different stages of a man's life, from boyhood to middle age adulthood and you can feel the major flashback unfolding in front of your eyes. This is undoubtedly one of Henley's best songs, don't you think?
There is just a sampling of some of the best beach videos in old school pop culture history. What are your favorites?
This festival looks great doesn't it? Babyface, BBD, En Vogue and Common all in one place at the same time is in itself well-worth the cost of admission. You can grab tickets here. Check out the playlist below, it's a great way to start your day and it'll make you want to check out this lineup live!
And like an answer from above you came into my life
And showed me one thing for sure
With love nothing is certain
You got to go for it when you feel it
Everybody, everybody needs somebody to love
And I choose you, baby, so let's
Make that move right now, baby
You only go out once in a lifetime
Make that move right now, baby"
There are a handful of dance songs that instantly put me in a good mood and Shalamar's "Make That Move" is one of them. I used to go to my grandmother's ever Saturday morning and while there I'd end up watching Soul Train. I'm not sure if I actually remember Jody Watley as a Soul Train dancer but even as a kid I knew that's where she cut her teeth on a national level, so I've always affiliated Shalamar with the classic dance show.
"Make That Move" has every element of disco in it that made me obsessed with the music in the first place and this performance is as fantastic now as it first was way back in 1981. Enjoy!
This past Saturday afternoon was spent
like so many others before it, in one of my very favorite places on
earth. As I left the car and started to walk down a familiar street
in what has been dubbed "The Coolest Small Town In America"
I felt an excitement bordering on anxiety running through my
veins. I can't quite reach the front door fast enough, yet once I'm
three steps from the shop I instinctively slow down because I don't
want to seem too anxious. I open the door, step inside and
immediately calm down. I smell musty old vinyl records, incense
burning and I hear the old floor boards shifting beneath my feet. It
could be a hot summer day in 2017 or one back in 1987. Time is
irrelevant because either way, I'm home.
When I was a little girl way back in
1970-something I would spend plenty of time with my dad while my mom
worked nights. He worked for an up-and-coming rock radio station and
so much of my time with him revolved around music. Visiting his
friends while they were on air. Opening big boxes of brand new albums
and previewing them on the spot or running to a newsstand every
Friday to grab one of the only copies of Billboard magazine that they
would get in each week. Saturday afternoons were spent in a record
store- at first the little hole in the wall and then eventually in a
bigger chain. The smaller shops were always the best and before I
could even read I was flipping through albums and analyzing cover
art. Dad would be talking music with his buddies and I would be
running stuff by Blue Oyster Cult over to him because I loved the
colors of visuals
These trips went on for years until I
was way too old and far too cool to be caught dead with a parent.
Then I went to the record store by myself to buy a mixture of hair
band and freestyle dance music on cassette. Everything from
Whitesnake to Expose` was bumping through my Walkman and I never left
the house without some sort of music on me. It was my happy place, my
escape and my salvation I'll wrapped into one four minute and thirty
second song after another. Music was my normal and for years it never
really occurred to me that it was actually a gift and a language that
not everyone else spoke.
As I stand in front of tables full of
vinyl, I'm at peace. The kind that my dad must have felt all of those
years ago. The kind that you can't talk yourself into, it's either
gut level there or it's not. As I pour over bin after bin, all of my
real life problems seem to know better than to cut in. I'm left
present in the moment and somehow connected to all of the positive
things that come from melodies, harmonies and deep lyrics. Things
like hope, faith, connection, joy and a reminder to my dark little
heart that there is still an enormous amount of good in this world.
My dad taught me how to dig for album
gold and how to find comfort in something that is always, without
fail, there for each and every one of us. That need to belong and fit
in somewhere- it's always in the music. Most importantly, he showed
me the natural connections that form while looking for that elusive
record. The reality is anyone hanging over a bin of vinyl for more
than five minutes will intuitively understand how at least part of my
brain works, without us ever having a conversation. So why not have
that conversation? Music solidifies things before people even
exchange first names.
I know that vinyl has become the cool"
thing again and I love the fact that my teenagers are spinning
records even more than they are using a streaming service. I just
hope that once the trend cools off and Urban Outfitters stops pushing
the same record player in 25 colors, the love of vinyl continues with
a bunch of beautiful young faces to nurture it.
As a parent you instinctively
understand that it's your job to provide for and teach your kids the
things that they need to be decent and successful adults. As an older
parent that has settled into life, I understand now more than ever
that the biggest gifts that I have to give generally don't include a
monetary price tag. When I watch my kids flip through albums now I
wonder if years from now, they'll really get "it". Have I
unknowingly lead them towards a lifetime of emotional understanding
just as my father did me? No matter what your heart needs, it's in
the music, so you might as well dig in.
There was a point in time when I was in tenth grade where I couldn't escape Motley Crue, nor did I want to. I probably saw the Video for "Home Sweet Home" a thousand times in 1985 and my reaction was always the same. I stopped whatever I was doing to watch it as if I'd never seen it before. It's not like they were MY group and like I had a low key obsession with them because I didn't. But I loved Theatre of Pain and at the time I appreciated every cut off of the album.
I wasn't alone either. Not only were the boys extremely popular but they really did help to usher in the whole hair band thing. Groups like Motley Crue helped to grab our attention and then Def Leppard, Whitesnake, RATT and a bunch of others helped to hold it. The video for "Home Sweet Home" features a look at life on the road for the band back in 1985 and it gave the MTV generation a clue about just how many people were being turned on to the idea of glam rock- enough to drop money on tickets. Check it out below. Do you remember the first time you saw it?
See that guy up there? Well my teenage self was pretty obsessed with him. David Coverdale first formed Whitesnake in the late 70's after fronting Deep Purple for several years. They released a handful of albums but it was Whitesnake's 1987 self titled release that ultimately turned them into a household name. Songs like "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love" soared to the top of Billboard's charts and Whitesnake was considered to be one of the best bands to come out of the 80's hair band era, mainly because they could really play.
I still remember the first time I saw this group on Headbanger's Ball (don't lie, you watched that show too). "Still of the Night" was the very first single off of Whitesnake's self titled effort and it was like nothing else from that era. The first two minutes absolutely kicked ass but when it slowed down I was totally sucked in. I also realized that Coverdale only had to mumble the words "ohhh baby" and I was a goner.
Has anyone else ever played their bass onstage with a bow? Not that I can remember but that effect helped to propel "Still of the Night" onto the list of top rock songs of all time. The video introduced us to the hotness of Coverdale and also one of the most popular video chicks of all time, Tawny Kitaen. Truly something for everyone in today's throwback clip so enjoy it!
I can't stop the feeling I've been this way before But, with you I've found the key To open any door I can feel my love for you Growing stronger day by day, An' I can't wait to see you again So I can hold you in my arms
While the 80's launched synth rock and the careers of icons such as Prince and Madonna it also gave us some pretty magical hair bands, didn't it? I know that you all still (maybe secretly) love your glam rockers because posts featuring them both here and on Boom's Facebook page tend to do really well. There's no shame in my game either because I have no problem admitting that at least one headbanger song turns up in my playlist each and every day.
Back in the 80's bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Dokken andWinger were smart because each and every album included at least one power ballad. If the female audience wasn't into the blaring guitars then these guys hooked them anyway, one love song at a time. I think we all had our favorites and one glimpse of Whitesnake's "Is This Love" video made me not only fall in lust with the song, but also with David Coverdale. It was a dreamy song and even Coverdale's future ex-wife Tawny Kitaen romping around couldn't kill the vibe. In fact it actually MADE it for every guy that I knew. This song prompted me to buy Whitesnake's self-titled release and the cassette lived in my Walkman for years I think. While my friends had Def Leppard and Motley Crue hanging in their lockers mine was devoted to Coverdale (he may still have a spot on my office wall but that's a totally different story).
I mean, to this day you can't deny the hotness. Also to this day, Whitesnake's 1987 release is by far one of the best records to come out of the 80's. "Still Of The Night" is pretty legendary amongst every guitarist I've ever talked to. Do your self a favor and revisit the album if you haven't listened in awhile. In the meantime, check out the stunning Mr. Coverdale below!
