Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Cathy Dennis -'Just Another Dream'

"The stars say you're my best lover
Matched up like sugar for a cake
They say our love could conquer anything
I'd always hide my feelings
Keep them so cool and so contained
This time it's something I just can't retain
Cos you give me a good vibe don't you know baby
You give me funky love, funky love
Could this be what love's all about baby
Or is it just another dream
Is this for real or is it just another dream"

Do you remember Cathy Dennis? She was a young singer who burst out of the UK around 1990 and hit the charts with a handful of hits before seeming to disappear. I say seems to because she has never actually left the music industry. She has simply opted for a career as an award-winning songwriter and producer instead. Who better to guide others than someone who has conquered Billboard's charts themselves, right?

Just how noteworthy is Cathy? Well in 2006 she was named the UK music business's Woman Of The Year. Not too shabby.

But for today, let's kick it back to when her hair was on fire, she looked great in a catsuit and her dance moves were pretty impressive too. "Just Another Dream" found its' way to number 9 on Billboard's Hot 100 and spent a few weeks in the second spot on the dance charts. Check it out below!

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Simply Red- 'Stars'

I wanna fall from the stars
Straight into your arms
I, I feel you
I hope you comprehend.

I'm going to be really honest here, I don't remember very much from 1991. I was 20 and it was most definitely not my best year that's for sure. I was juggling school, work, and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life and that day job, it really didn't help the quality of my life at all. It was an office (not so) affectionately known as "the smoke infested dungeon" because back in 1991 smoking inside of public places was perfectly legal and smoke, they did.

Twenty-five salespeople in one huge space cold calling hundreds of people each day, begging them to invest in five years worth of magazines.

Five magazines for five years. Obviously, that went really well. The same pitch call after call, half praying that the next person that answered didn't decide to do the math in your ear and point out that it was actually a $500 investment to paper that may not even exist in 5 years! Lousy job and most days ended with no commission and a massive headache from all of the smoke sitting in the air.

There were three side offices off of the main room and after about 6 months I was lucky enough to be bumped to a desk in one of them. The four people in each office were out of sight and out of managements' mind, so they usually forgot to listen to our calls. We also had a radio and believe me, besides having each other to talk to, that radio was the only other high point in the job. When you've got an office job it quickly becomes apparent just how repetitive regular radio is and back in 1991 the top 40 songs were played every 3.5 to 4 hours without fail. "Stars" by Simply Red was one of the last songs that I heard at the end of my shift every day for about two weeks leading up to when I told Hearst Corp exactly where they could stash their mags for good. 

The song, combined with quitting time always made me happy back then and now, it still puts a smile on my face for sure.

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Lisa Fischer - 'So Intense'

Daily Boom: Freestyle Friday- Corina- 'Whispers'

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia 2Pac - 'Brenda's Got A Baby'

"I hear Brenda's got a baby
But, Brenda's barely got a brain
A damn shame
The girl can hardly spell her name
(That's not our problem, that's up ta Brenda's family)
Well let me show ya how it affects the whole community
Now Brenda never really knew her moms
and her dad was a junky
Went in debt to his arms, it's sad
Cause I bet Brenda doesn't even know
Just cause your in the ghetto doesn't mean ya can't grow
But oh, that's a thought, my own revelation
Do whatever it takes ta resist the temptation"

I gotta tell ya, when Tupac Shakur first arrived on the scene back in the early 90's I wasn't really a fan. I mean, it was obvious that 2Pac was a masterful rapper and he clearly had an agenda and a message to deliver, but I just wasn't ready to "hear" him. I knew about the east coast west coast rap rivalry because I think even if you lived under a rock in West Virginia, it had still reached you. Names like 2Pac, Puffy and Biggie just weren't in heavy rotation for me.

I recently went back and started listening to Pac and Biggie's catalogs of music and discovered that I'm a fan, especially of the former. "Brenda's Got A Baby" was 2Pac's debut single and it introduced him to the world as a young man that not only understood the issues of teenagers but he had issues with those problems. He didn't understand why more men weren't taking responsibility for their actions.

In the 90's I was probably too young and oblivious to really get the fire and intelligence that motivated 2Pac, but I see it now. Check out the video for "Brenda's Got A Baby" below!

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Karyn White - 'Romantic'

"Take me in your arms, caress me gently
Oh, I can't get enough, ooh
Thrill me, say the word, I will surrender
To your poetic charm, oh

'Cause when the night falls
I hear seductive voices sing
Romantic songs of love
Let's get intimate

Turn the lights down
It's time to get romantic
(Do everything romantic now)
Light a candle
It's time to get romantic"

My introduction to Karyn White's "Romantic" came in the summer of 1991 in a department store. Back then the juniors department always had random tv's placed near the ceiling and MTV would play nonstop. I guess the music itself was supposed to improve your shopping mood and let's face it, that still does seem to somehow work. When is the last time that you were in a clothing store that didn't have some sort of dance music on?

Right?

It must put shoppers in a good mood and boost sales, otherwise it would be Marilyn Manson playing, no?

So anyway, back to Karyn. "Romantic" was an instant New Jack Swing dance floor classic. And the video? Totally slick. I always joke that you can tell a 90's video by the blue and brown tones in the lighting. While the song itself is politely about sex, the video was pretty classy for the early 90's. Chair dance and all. I stopped shopping on that day back in 1991 to watch, just like I stopped what I was doing the other day to watch it again. 

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: R.E.M. - 'Losing My Religion'

"That's me in the corner

That's me in the spotlight

Losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don't know if I can do it

Oh no I've said too much

I haven't said enough"

If you're an R.E.M. fan, "Losing My Religion" probably helped you to become one. Back in 1991 the Indie alternative band had a huge underground following but it was this unexpected hit that made them a mainstream sensation. The video went a long way in helping to boost the band as it was nominated for numerous awards. "Losing My Religion" was also nominated for several Grammy's.

You know how at different times certain songs really click with whatever you have going on in your personal life? Well when this first came out I was dealing with a bunch of religious conflicts within my family and so it just hit a really deep nerve for me. Looking back so many years later the video is strikingly beautiful, don't you think?

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Vanessa Williams- 'The Comfort Zone'

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Karyn White - 'Romantic'

"Take me in your arms, caress me gently
Oh, I can't get enough, ooh
Thrill me, say the word, I will surrender
To your poetic charm, oh

'Cause when the night falls
I hear seductive voices sing
Romantic songs of love
Let's get intimate

Turn the lights down
It's time to get romantic
(Do everything romantic now)
Light a candle
It's time to get romantic"

My introduction to Karyn White's "Romantic" came in the summer of 1991 in a department store. Back then the juniors department always had random tv's placed near the ceiling and MTV would play nonstop. I guess the music itself was supposed to improve your shopping mood and let's face it, that still does seem to somehow work. When is the last time that you were in a clothing store that didn't have some sort of dance music on?

Right?

It must put shoppers in a good mood and boost sales, otherwise it would be Marilyn Manson playing, no?

So anyway, back to Karyn. "Romantic" was an instant New Jack Swing dance floor classic. And the video? Totally slick. I always joke that you can tell a 90's video by the blue and brown tones in the lighting. While the song itself is politely about sex, the video was pretty classy for the early 90's. Chair dance and all. I stopped shopping on that day back in 1991 to watch, just like I stopped what I was doing the other day to watch it again. 

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Color Me Badd- 'I Adore Mi Amore'

Daily Boom Lost Hit: The Cover Girls - 'Don't Stop Now'

Daily Boom's Freestyle Friday: Lisette Melendez- 'Together Forever'

"I've seen us come together in my dreams
And felt the kiss that makes me love you
Enough to see us through
It took some time to feel the way I feel
That's why I know I'm here forever
And you will always be there"

If you've been reading DailyBOOM for any length of time then you already know that I consider Freestyle Friday a bit of an institution. I love that Latin freestyle has been kept alive and well since it first broke through in a major way back in the 80's. Then, groups like Expose, The Cover Girls, and Sweet Sensation helped to bring freestyle music to Billboard's Hot 100. They all got serious radio play so even if you didn't know who was singing, you certainly knew the songs and I'll bet that you still do.

The late 80's brought the rise and decline of hair bands and as we rolled into the 90's grunge and alternative music reigned. Freestyle music really took a back seat to the moodier stuff but a few artists did make enough of an impact in spite of that, to do well. Lisette Melendez was one of them. She spent a few years putting together her debut album, Together Forever, and by the time it was released in 1991 people were ready to dance again.

 A few songs off of the album were huge hits in the clubs and the title track cracked the top 40 on Billboard's Hot 100. I can't think of a better way to start your FRiday than to remind you of a song that will make you dance. TGIF indeed. Check out "Together Forever" below!

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Rhythm Syndicate- 'P.A.S.S.I.O.N.'

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Erin Cruise- 'Cold Shower'

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Queen - 'The Show Must Go On'

Empty spaces, what are we living for
Abandoned places, I guess we know the score
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore
The show must go on

"The Show Must Go On" is probably one of my most favorite songs by Queen. It was recorded in 1990 at the height of Freddie Mercury's battle with full blown AIDS and there was concern that he wouldn't be able tp actually hit the necessary high notes. While the rest of the band may have thought that he was too weak to actually perform it Mercury knew better and pulled off the tough vocals in spite of his fading health. The song itself is filled with innuendo about Mercury's health and how change was pretty imminent. 

The press had speculated that the legendary front man was ill but no confirmation of Mercury's HIV-positive status was ever given until the day before his death in 1991. "The Show Must Go On" was also released in 1991 and the video that accompanies it features the band performing together at various gigs over the years. Check out the late, great Freddie Mercury and the rest of Queen below.

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Black Sheep- 'The Choice Is Yours'

Daily Boom's Freestyle Friday: Lisette Melendez- 'Together Forever'

"I've seen us come together in my dreams
And felt the kiss that makes me love you
Enough to see us through
It took some time to feel the way I feel
That's why I know I'm here forever
And you will always be there"

If you've been reading DailyBOOM for any length of time then you already know that I consider Freestyle Friday a bit of an institution. I love that Latin freestyle has been kept alive and well since it first broke through in a major way back in the '80s. Then, groups like Expose, The Cover Girls, and Sweet Sensation helped to bring freestyle music to Billboard's Hot 100. They all got serious radio play so even if you didn't know who was singing, you certainly knew the songs and I'll bet that you still do.

The late '80s brought the rise and decline of hair bands and as we rolled into the 90's grunge and alternative music reigned. Freestyle music really took a back seat to the moodier stuff but a few artists did make enough of an impact in spite of that, to do well. Lisette Melendez was one of them. She spent a few years putting together her debut album, Together Forever, and by the time it was released in 1991 people were ready to dance again.

 A few songs off of the album were huge hits in the clubs and the title track cracked the top 40 on Billboard's Hot 100. I can't think of a better way to start your Friday than to remind you of a song that will make you dance. TGIF indeed. Check out "Together Forever" below!

Currently Booming: Warrant - Live in Nakano Sun Plaza Hall, Tokyo 1991 [Full Concert]

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Madonna- 'Rescue Me'

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Tara Kemp -'Hold You Tight'