Boom Radio: Top Songs From 1978

 

80s Throwback: Culture Club - 'Time (Clock of the Heart0

Sometimes you don't remember the first time you heard a song because of where you were going. You remember it because of everything that was happening around you. For me, that's Culture Club's “Time (Clock of the Heart).”

I was shopping for jeans one evening in a store called Jean King inside a strip mall. Nothing particularly exciting was happening. I was doing what little kids do: wandering around looking for something to wear, probably trying on more jeans than I intended to buy.

And then the weather changed. Outside, a huge thunderstorm had rolled in. You could hear the rain absolutely pouring onto the roof of the strip mall. That steady, heavy whoosh of water was loud enough that it became part of the soundtrack inside the store. Every now and then there was the rumble of thunder, and inside we were all temporarily stuck in this strange little bubble of fluorescent lights, clothing racks, and music. And then I heard it.

“Time (Clock of the Heart)” was released in 1982, right around the time Culture Club was becoming one of the biggest acts in the world. The group had already given us “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” and it didn't take long before Boy George became one of the most recognizable faces in popular music.

 “Time” wasn't trying to be a huge dance-floor anthem. It was softer, more vulnerable, and almost strangely intimate. There was something about the combination of the gentle rhythm, the strings and Boy George's voice that made the song feel like a confession.

The song became a major hit in the U.K. and eventually reached the Top 5 in the United States. More importantly, it became one of those songs that seemed to live beyond the moment. You could hear it on the radio years later and instantly remember exactly what the early ’80s sounded like.

And then came “Karma Chameleon.”

That song would become the giant Culture Club signature, complete with its unforgettable video and bright, colorful imagery. But I've always thought “Time (Clock of the Heart)” deserved to sit right alongside it. That's part of what made Culture Club so fascinating. They could be colorful and flamboyant one minute and incredibly tender the next. Boy George had a visual presence that was impossible to ignore, but underneath all of it was a vocalist who could deliver vulnerability without making it feel forced.

They gave us something catchy enough to sing along with while quietly sneaking an emotional punch into the lyrics. I think that's why “Time (Clock of the Heart)” has aged so well. It's not tied to a particular hairstyle, fashion trend or piece of technology. The production certainly places it in the early ’80s, but the emotion is timeless.

Boom Radio: The Top Songs of 1984

 

80s Throwback: Little River Band - 'Night Owls'

 

By the time this Australian band released the song in 1981, they had already established themselves as one of the most reliable hitmakers in the world of soft rock and adult contemporary music. But “Night Owls” had a slightly different feel. It was smooth, sophisticated, and just a little mysterious. It had that late-night energy that made you want to turn up the volume and let the song take you somewhere. And that bassline? Come on!

There was something about the sound of Little River Band that always made them stand out. They could deliver a beautiful ballad, a polished pop-rock tune, or something with a little more groove, and somehow it all worked. Their harmonies were tight, the musicianship was impressive, and they had a knack for creating songs that felt both incredibly polished and completely effortless.

“Night Owls” was released as the title track from their 1981 album of the same name, and it became another major hit for the group, climbing to number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

Not bad for a band that had already given us songs like “Reminiscing,” “Lady,” and “Lonesome Loser.”

But what I love about “Night Owls” is that it doesn't feel like it's trying too hard. It has that cool, slightly funky rhythm that makes it different from some of the band's more traditional soft-rock material. There's a little bit of mystery in the arrangement, a little bit of nighttime romance, and just enough groove to make it impossible to sit still.

It was also the kind of song that fit perfectly into the early ’80s. Disco was evolving, pop music was changing, and the radio was becoming this incredible mix of rock, R&B, new wave, and adult contemporary. Little River Band managed to fit comfortably into that musical landscape without losing their identity.

And let's talk about the video for a minute. The early ’80s were such a wonderful time for music videos. Everything looked a little dramatic, a little moody, and occasionally a little cheesy by today's standards. But that's part of the charm, isn't it? Give me those vintage production values, those hairstyles, and that unmistakable early-MTV atmosphere any day of the week.

Little River Band may not always get the same attention as some of the other big names from that era, but their music has held up remarkably well. “Night Owls” is proof that a song doesn't need to be loud or flashy to make an impression. Sometimes, all it needs is a great melody, a killer groove, and the right atmosphere.

So, if you're up late tonight, take a little trip back to 1981. Turn down the lights, turn up the radio, and let Little River Band remind you why the night owls had some of the best music around.

90s Nostalgia: Shai - 'If I Ever Fall In Love'

"The very first time
That I saw your brown eyes
Your lips said hello and I said hi
I knew right then you were the one
But I was caught up
In physical attraction
But to my satisfaction
Baby you were more than just a face"

There are certain groups from the ’90s that make you stop and wonder, Whatever happened to them? Not because they were forgettable, but because they seemed to have everything going for them. The talent, the looks, the sound, and that special something that made you believe they were destined for a much bigger place in music history. Shai was one of those groups for me.

The quartet came together in the early ’90s, right around the time R&B was serving up some of the smoothest harmonies, sweetest slow jams, and most memorable love songs of the decade. Then, in 1992, Shai arrived with a song that immediately demanded attention. If I Ever Fall in Love.

Oh, that song! Just the title alone takes you right back to an era when a great vocal group could make a lasting impression without needing a complicated production or a million-dollar video. Sometimes all you needed were beautiful harmonies, a heartfelt melody, and a group that knew how to blend their voices. Shai had all of that.

The title track from their debut album, If I Ever Fall in Love, became a massive hit, climbing all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the kind of breakthrough that made you think this group was going to be around for a very, very long time. And honestly, why wouldn't you think that?

Their first three albums produced songs that found their way onto the charts, proving that Shai wasn't simply a one-hit wonder. There was genuine talent there, and they seemed to fit perfectly into the R&B landscape of the early and mid-’90s.

That was also a pretty incredible time for vocal groups. Boyz II Men, Jodeci, Silk, and countless others were giving us songs that could soundtrack everything from a first crush to a late-night drive. Shai belonged in that conversation. But somewhere along the way, the momentum seemed to fade.

After 1996, Shai largely disappeared from the mainstream music radar. There wasn't the kind of extended run many of us expected after such a strong debut. One minute, you were hearing their music and seeing their videos, and the next, you were wondering why they weren't still a bigger part of the R&B conversation.

It's funny how that happens in music. A group can have the talent, the chemistry, and the potential to go much further, and yet things just seem to fizzle out. Sometimes there are behind-the-scenes reasons, lineup changes, or shifts in the music industry. Other times, fans are simply left wondering what might have been.

And let's be honest: the original Shai had the full package. They were talented, they were handsome, and they were incredibly marketable. They had a sound that fit the times and a song that remains instantly recognizable to anyone who lived through that era.

If you look up Shai today, you'll find that the name still pops up from time to time, with performances and appearances here and there. But the group has gone through changes, and the lineup is no longer the original quartet that captured our attention in 1992.

Check out Shai's video for “If I Ever Fall in Love” below!

Boom Radio: Drop The Beat Playlist

 

90's Nostalgia: Saigon Kick- 'Love is on the Way'

"Time of season
Wipes the tears
No rhyme or reason
No more fears
All the dreamin'
Is far behind
You are here now
Everything's alright"

Is Saigon Kick one of the most underrated bands of the late '80s and early '90s? Their fans would probably say, absolutely.

Formed in 1988, Saigon Kick spent a few years building their following before finally breaking through in a big way with their 1992 ballad "Love Is on the Way." The song climbed all the way to No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the chart position almost doesn't tell the whole story. "Love Is on the Way" was everywhere. Radio stations played it constantly, MTV gave it plenty of love, and suddenly this hard-rocking band had a gorgeous acoustic ballad that seemed to connect with just about everybody.

You probably know the song within the first few seconds. That guitar comes in and, before the vocals even start, there's a good chance your brain has already gone, Oh yeah… THIS song. Technically, Saigon Kick gets tossed into that giant musical filing cabinet labeled "One-Hit Wonders." And I suppose that's fair if we're talking strictly about major Billboard hits. But there's a problem with that label. It can make you forget that there was an actual band behind the song.

Recently, I realized something kind of embarrassing: despite knowing "Love Is on the Way" for decades, I had never actually sat down and listened to an entire Saigon Kick album. So I fixed that and I gave The Lizard a shot, and honestly? There's a lot more going on there than the one song most of us remember. It's a reminder that sometimes we hear one massive song from a band, file them away in our musical memory and never bother to dig any deeper.

And every once in a while, when we finally do, we discover that we missed something pretty damn good. Saigon Kick may forever be associated with "Love Is on the Way," but that doesn't mean they only had one song worth hearing. Thirty-plus years later, the band is still part of the conversation, and that alone says something.

Boom Radio: 80s Synth Pop Classics

 

80's Throwback: Thompson Twins- 'Doctor Doctor!'

I saw you there, just standing there

And I thought I was only dreaming, yeah

I kissed you then, then once again

You said, you would come and dance with me

Dance with me, across the sea

And we could feel the motion of a thousand dream Doctor, doctor, can't you see, I'm burning, burning?

Oh, doctor, doctor, is this love I'm feeling?

I often say that 1984 was one of the best musical years of my life. Seriously, think about what was happening. Within the span of just a few months, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Cyndi Lauper and countless others were pouring out of boom boxes and car radios while completely changing what pop music, and the people making it, looked like.

The music was bigger. The fashion was louder. The hair was, well… the hair was something else. And right in the middle of all that glorious ’80s chaos were the Thompson Twins.

The Thompson Twins had already established themselves as one of the more interesting new wave acts of the era, but 1984 was really their moment. Their fourth album, Into the Gap, gave us several hits and turned the group, led by Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie, into bona fide MTV-era stars.

And while there were plenty of songs to choose from, my favorite has always been “Doctor! Doctor!. Those giant synthesizers. That unmistakable new wave pulse. The slightly dramatic vocals. It sounded futuristic without ever losing that wonderfully strange charm that made so much ’80s music special.

90's Nostalgia: The Scorpions -'When You Came Into My Life'

You make me dream

By the look in your eyes
You give me the feel, I've been longing for
I wanna give you my soul
All my life
Cause you are the one I've been waiting for
I've been waiting for so long
When you came into my life
It took my breath away
And the world stopped turnin' round
For your love

I can't tell you exactly where I was the first time I heard When You Came Into My Life, but I can tell you how it felt. That's the funny thing about music. We don't always remember the date, we don't remember what we were wearing or what was happening around us. But somehow, years later, we can hear the opening notes of a song, and we're right back there. That's what this song does for me.

The Scorpions have given us plenty of songs that are impossible to forget. Rock You Like a Hurricane is practically stamped into the DNA of '80s rock. No One Like You takes me right back to MTV, big hair and an era when a guitar solo could practically stop traffic. And Still Loving You remains one of those power ballads that could make an entire room go quiet.

But When You Came Into My Life always felt different. It wasn't trying to be the biggest song in the room. It was simply beautiful. Maybe that's why I've always had a soft spot for it.

Listening to that 2013 unplugged performance all these years later makes it even more special. There's something about hearing a legendary rock band strip everything down and simply perform. No massive production. No need to prove anything. After all the hits, all the albums, all the tours and all those years of Rock You Like a Hurricane, the Scorpions still knew how to whisper.

Boom Radio: Gold Dust Women

 

90's Nostalgia: Cause & Effect - 'You Think You Know Her'

"Like children
Rarely seen and never heard
Emotion
Bare your soul you'll never learn
But don't ask why
And you won't get lied to
Speak to her softly
It's something you get used to
You think you know her
But you never really lived a life without her"

The 80s may have been the decade that gave us the full-blown synth-pop explosion, but if you thought the sound disappeared when the calendar flipped to 1990, think again.

The synthesizers kept humming. The drum machines kept clicking. And every now and then, a band would come along that sounded just familiar enough to make you remember exactly why you fell in love with the genre in the first place.

That’s where Cause & Effect comes in.

I vaguely remember discovering this group around the beginning of the 90s and immediately thinking, Wait a minute… why does this remind me so much of New Order? And honestly, that wasn't a bad thing.

There was that same cool, electronic pulse, the hypnotic synth lines and that slightly detached vocal delivery that made so much of the best ’80s alternative and dance music feel like it belonged in some futuristic nightclub at 2 a.m. But Cause & Effect seemed to push things just a little further. Their sound felt a bit more progressive, a little darker and very much at home in the changing musical landscape of the early ’90s. Then came “You Think You Know Her.”

Released in 1990, the song found its way onto dance floors and into the ears of anyone still craving that electronic magic. It eventually reached No. 38 on Billboard’s Club Play chart, which certainly wasn't a massive chart breakthrough.

But charts don't always tell the whole story, because sometimes there's a song that simply sounds right.

“You Think You Know Her” was one of those songs for me. It had that infectious electronic groove that made you want to turn up the volume and let it play. It wasn't trying to reinvent music. It didn't need to.

And isn't that one of the best things about digging through old music? You stumble across something you haven't heard in decades and suddenly you're transported right back to another time. Maybe it's a club. Maybe it's a car ride. Maybe it's a record store or a radio station playing something just a little outside the mainstream.

Cause & Effect may not have become household names, but “You Think You Know Her” feels like one of those wonderfully forgotten pieces of the early ’90s that deserves to be rediscovered.

Boom Radio: Brit Rock Playlist