You've brought my world to an end Love takes its victim and leaves its remains My broken heart has died in vain Tell me why have we forsaken the dreams we had The pain makes it so hard to understand You're a lifetime ago but a memory away And I'll love you till my resurrection day Love kills the fire's gone Dying embers still remain Love kills and now you're gone Girl, I'll never be the same again
I'm going to be honest here, saying that I don't remember Vinnie Vincent Invasion's "Love Kills" is an understatement for me. It was released back in 1988 on the A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master soundtrack and pooped up in an episode of MTV Classic'sMetal Mayhem this morning. Vincent started the group back in 1984, after finding fame as a member of KISS. In 1986 he hired Mark Slaughter to handle the lead vocals and the group then had a few successful tracks.
Anyway, I stumbled onto this video this morning and was struck by just how good 22-year-old Slaughter (looked) sounded here. He later went on to find success with his own band, Slaughter, into the 90's. In the years since "Love Kills" the group obviously disbanded but the guys have continued rocking out individually. Check out the video below, do you remember this one?
Hang on to your hopes, my friend That's an easy thing to say, but if your hopes should pass away Simply pretend That you can build them again Look around, the grass is high The fields are ripe, it's the springtime of my life Ahhh, seasons change with the scenery Weaving time in a tapestry Won't you stop and remember me
Not every cover of an already popular hit works even if it's performed by a big name. Just ask Taylor Swift about that recent Earth, Wind & Fire cover. But when it does work, it usually helps to spin the song in a completely different direction, one that introduces it to a new audience.The Bangles version of "Hazy Shade of Winter" did exactly that. It was released in 1987 as part of the Less Than Zero soundtrack, but if you were a longtime Bangles fan, then you knew that they had been playing the song live since the early 80's.
The song, originally done by Simon and Garfunkel back in 1966, has a great arrangement that allows each of the ladies to shine- something that was important to them at the time. They also filmed a slick futuristic video to go along with it and that gave the song an even sharper edge. The Bangles spent the mid-80's fighting for the same band credibility that the men were being given because they could rock out just as much as the guys. "Hazy Shade of Winter" seemed to really be a breakthrough for them.
For the record, I'm not so old that I remember the cult classic hit when it first rolled into a limited number of theaters. No. But it does take me back to my freshman year of high school.
Up until then my knowledge of Rocky Horror was limited to the fact that our local shopping mall movie theater showed it every Saturday night and honestly, I only knew that because it was listed on the big sign out front. It was the very last thing listed and it seemed like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" always seemed to be missing a letter.
In ninth grade, my homeroom was in one of the main freshmen art rooms and it was like nothing I had ever seen before. While I've mentioned my dad's love/obsession with music and how that influenced me, my mom's creativity also rubbed off. She was always an artist of some sort. I actually remember her being in art school when I was in preschool and going to the library with her every week. She would check out books on commercial art while I got... whatever and then we would go for lunch at a little drugstore luncheonette nearby. I still remember looking at copies of our daily newspaper to find my mom's drawings. Way back in the 70s and early 80s store advertisements were drawn and she used to do the ads for women's wear. She also had a perfume ad that was used for a major campaign and I remember her working on a greeting card line that featured a little girl with a magical purse.
So anyway, back to me. I was raised surrounded by art supplies and creativity so walking into this classroom was surreal. Real talk, it was probably pretty shitty if you weren't into art. It was the size of about three classrooms put together and we sat at huge wooden tables that seated 8 people. The tables were coated in paint, pastel, and every other medium available. There was artwork from floor to ceiling, no lie. Mr. Kingsley put things up really high to dry and while it looked like a disaster I don't think he ever actually lost anything. I ended up having him for art, which I chose as an elective so that meant I spent 90 minutes in his class twice a week.
It was in his class that I got to know a girl named Kim. I had known her for a few years but never spent any real time with her until 9th grade. She and I were the only girls at our table and as luck would have it, all eight of us really were into art, so it was cool right from the start. It was early 1986 and after a few months together we had all really bonded. Mr. Kingsley, well he was a trip. Super quiet and always wore a layer of guyliner. He smoked in his closet and let the guys chew (remember when THAT was popular???) as long as they hid their spitters if the principal walked in. As long as we did our work he left us alone and encouraged us to talk from bell to bell.
Talk we did. Kim's obsession was The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She talked about it nonstop and was super excited because her mother was allowing her to go to the midnight showings at the mall each week. Since she was able to go Kim decided to dress up as her favorite character, Columbia. Back in the 80's not only did people go to the movie every week but they also dressed up and reenacted it in front of the screen and Kim was picked to be our theater's unofficial official Columbia.
She would take pictures every weekend and bring them into art class on Monday to show us. I have to wonder if she still has a stack of those photos and if so does she crack them out to show her kids now? Anyway, after months of hearing about Columbia and Magenta and Riff Raff, a few of us decided to go to the show with Kim. That was a one-time thing because none of us really saw what it was that kept Kim running back for more, but Rocky Horror gave this girl life all the way through high school.
I shared a lot with my table mates in that art class. On the good days we won the coin toss and controlled the radio, dissected Heather Locklear's marriage to Tommy Lee, and counted down until we weren't freshmen anymore. On the bad days, we cried over a classmate's death in a car accident, fought over art supplies, and vented about real-life problems at home. On one particularly bad day in January of 1986 we, like the rest of the school, had our classroom television tuned to the live launch of the Challenger Space Shuttle. It was the first time that a teacher was chosen to go into space, making it a groundbreaking mission. When the Challenger broke apart a little over a minute into its launch our whole class screeched, a sound that seemed to echo through the entire school.
That old art classroom may have been the messiest in the school, but looking back it kind of feels like one of the most valuable spaces in the building. Those walls, to this day, hold an awful lot of personal history for thousands of kids that have passed through over the years. Make-ups and break-ups, secret revelations, historical moments in American history, oh and of course, tons of creativity and the birth of a few very successful artists as well. I used to think that Mr. Kingsley was just flying by his ass and doing the bare minimum to keep his job. Now I get what he probably did decades ago. The very best thing that he could do was to create a space for kids to come and just "be" for a while. Rocky Horror Picture Show and all.
I still can't believe it's more than 40 years old. I'm thinking it's time to take another look at the flick to see if my impression has changed. God only knows what seeing the real Columbia in action will remind me of!
I'm waiting for the right moment to come So I can thank you for all the tender love you've given to me
If you were listening to American Top 40 on your radio 37 years ago this week then one of the songs that you might have been waiting to record was the Force MD's "Tender Love". It was sitting in tenth place on Billboard's Hot 100 after becoming one of the best songs to come out of the Krush Groove soundtrack. Those are the details but if you were a teen then you knew this song because it was THE love song of the moment. "Tender Love" generated lots of dedications (remember when that was actually a thing?) from the left coast to the right and to this day it's easily recognized the minute it begins to play.
The Force MD's first connected in Staten Island back in 1981 and despite having some old school hip hop roots it was their ballads that really brought them success. The band was also considered to be very early pioneers of the New Jack Swing movement that really took off in 1990. Sadly, three of the group's original members died of various causes in the late 90's. The remaining members put out their last Force MD's album in 2000.
Check out "Tender Love" below. I promise that you're going to remember it.
You have to believe we are magic Nothing can stand in our way You have to believe we are magic Don't let your aim ever stray And if all your hopes survive Destiny will arrive I'll bring all your dreams alive
It has been a really long time since I've watched Xanadu. I was almost ten when it was first released in theaters back in 1980 and at the time I was kind of obsessed with Olivia Newton John. I loved Grease, had several of her albums and even begged my mom to buy an issue of TV Guide because she was on the cover. While Xanadu, with its pretty far out magical concept wasn't exactly a hit in theaters, the soundtrack was golden.
If Olivia wasn't singing on a track then it was meticulously handled by ELO and the result was fantastic. So many good songs came out of this film that it made a whole new generation take a look at Xanadu, this time on Broadway. While it was once a little embarrassing to admit that you loved Xanadu, it is now considered a cult classic. I know I was thrilled to find a pretty clean copy of the soundtrack while hunting for albums at a recent record fair. Check out the full album below. Pretty cool, isn't it?
"You met your match when you met me I know that you will disagree it's crazy But opposites attract you'll see And I won't let you get away so easy
The love you save may be your own Can't fight this feeling, aren't you tired of being alone You won't admit it but you know it's true It's not a secret how I feel when I stand next to you"
In August of 1987, Madonna crashed and burned onscreen in a little gem called "Who's That Girl". The film originally was supposed to be titled Slammer and I can remember there was a lot of build up all summer long because well, it was Madonna. Casting her wasn't enough to save the movie but the soundtrack? Well, that handed us a few classic dance songs that still sound pretty great.
"Who's That Girl" was the first single, dropped in advance of the movie and went to number one on Billboard's Hot 100. It was followed by one of my very favorite Madonna dance floor classics, "Causing a Commotion". I remember the song just kind of appearing out of nowhere and it was super catchy. Every soundtrack is ultimately bought because of that one song that makes you have to have it and this was that song. It topped the dance charts and went to number two on Billboard's Hot 100.
The song itself was written towards the end of Madonna's marriage to Sean Penn, a union plagued by his violent outbursts and clashes with the paparazzi. Based on what MTV and magazine articles said (no internet yet, remember?) their relationship seemed chaotic and complicated, kind of like this song. Check it out!
"Only when I'm dancing can I feel this free At night I lock the doors, where no one else can see I'm tired of dancing here all by myself Tonight I wanna dance with someone else"
I thought we would kick this morning off with a great classic Madonna song. "Into the Groove" was by many considered to be her first real, bonafide hit. The track was featured on the Desperately Seeking Susan soundtrack and probably one of the best parts of the entire film. The summer of 1985 was all about Madonna and we were all heading to the theater's to catch her performance beside Rosanna Arquette. Not too long ago I happened to get my hands on a copy of the Rolling Stone issue that was devoted to Desperately Seeking Susan and everything else that Madonna had going on back then.
So much nostalgia in that one photo right there, isn't there?
"Into the Groove" became a dance anthem for an entire decade and it certainly transcended the film that featured it. The video also inspired a generation's fashion sense. Even at 14, black lace, crop tops and kitten heels were part of my wardrobe. Check out the video below. How long has it been since you've seen Desperately Seeking Susan?
I'm waiting for the right moment to come So I can thank you for all the tender love you've given to me
If you were listening to American Top 40 on your radio 35 years ago then one of the songs that you might have been waiting to record was the Force MD's "Tender Love". It was sitting in tenth place on Billboard's Hot 100 after becoming one of the best songs to come out of the Krush Groove soundtrack. Those are the details but if you were a teen then you knew this song because it was THE love song of the moment. "Tender Love" generated lots of dedications (remember when that was actually a thing?) from the left coast to the right and to this day it's easily recognized the minute it begins to play.
The Force MD's first connected in Staten Island back in 1981 and despite having some old-school hip hop roots it was their ballads that really brought them success. The band was also considered to be very early pioneers of the New Jack Swing movement that really took off in 1990. Sadly, three of the group's original members died of various causes in the late '90s. The remaining members put out their last Force MD's album in 2000.
Check out "Tender Love" below. I promise that you're going to remember it.
"You met your match when you met me I know that you will disagree it's crazy But opposites attract you'll see And I won't let you get away so easy
The love you save may be your own Can't fight this feeling, aren't you tired of being alone You won't admit it but you know it's true It's not a secret how I feel when I stand next to you"
In August of 1987, Madonna crashed and burned onscreen in a little gem called "Who's That Girl". The film originally was supposed to be titled Slammer and I can remember there was a lot of build up all summer long because well, it was Madonna. Casting her wasn't enough to save the movie but the soundtrack? Well, that handed us a few classic dance songs that still sound pretty great.
"Who's That Girl" was the first single, dropped in advance of the movie and went to number one on Billboard's Hot 100. It was followed by one of my very favorite Madonna dance floor classics, "Causing a Commotion". I remember the song just kind of appearing out of nowhere and it was super catchy. Every soundtrack is ultimately bought because of that one song that makes you have to have it and this was that song. It topped the dance charts and went to number two on Billboard's Hot 100.
The song itself was written towards the end of Madonna's marriage to Sean Penn, a union plagued by his violent outbursts and clashes with the paparazzi. Based on what MTV and magazine articles said (no internet yet, remember?) their relationship seemed chaotic and complicated, kind of like this song. Check it out!
It has been more than 38 years since a little ditty called "Footloose" arrived in theaters. The year may have been 1984 but I actually remember the build up and excitement surrounding it as if it were yesterday. I was in 7th grade and my friends and I were obsessed with everything and anything connected to this important contribution to pop culture history.
I still have the soundtrack on vinyl and gave it a spin today. I think "Footloose" remains one of the best soundtracks ever because it's one of the few that you really can listen to all the way through.
One of the things that I remember best from the summer of 1987 was the release of Dirty Dancing. Somehow, in spite of the internet not being around to generate tons of buzz, the advance promotion for this film was crazy. By the time August 16th rolled around everyone and their posse of friend's was dying to buy a ticket to what would become one of the most iconic film's of the decade. Check out the memorable closing scene below and then scroll through the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. So many great songs came from this movie!
"You work all your life for that moment in time, it could come or pass you by
It's a push-shove world, but there's always a chance
If the hunger stays the night
There's a cold kinetic heat, struggling, stretching for the beat
Never stopping with her head against the wind"
I really appreciate one-hit-wonders. I like the fact that these little songs by people that we've usually never head of, can collectively make such a huge impact. Then they keep it too. A great one-hit-wonder now will be, not only remembered in thirty years, but it might also be getting pretty decent airplay as well. In 1983, the Flashdance soundtrack was loaded with goodies that fell into this category.
Michael Sembello's "Maniac" might be the best song on the soundtrack. Full of so much energy- and that's before you see the video that's mostly ripped straight from the film. Jennifer Beals (or her body double) dances her ass off to the hard driving synth. I watched the movie for the first time in decades recently and I was happily surprised by how good it still is. Flashdance has 35 years worth of hype attached to it and I think that it really does live up to it.
"Maniac" is the kind of song that just makes you feel good when you hear it. Sometimes it really is that simple and that's all that a one-hit-wonder really needs. Check out the video below.
You've brought my world to an end Love takes its victim and leaves its remains My broken heart has died in vain Tell me why have we forsaken the dreams we had The pain makes it so hard to understand You're a lifetime ago but a memory away And I'll love you till my resurrection day Love kills the fire's gone Dying embers still remain Love kills and now you're gone Girl, I'll never be the same again
I'm going to be honest here, saying that I don't remember Vinnie Vincent Invasion's "Love Kills" is an understatement for me. It was released back in 1988 on the A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master soundtrack and pooped up in an episode of MTV Classic'sMetal Mayhem this morning. Vincent started the group back in 1984, after finding fame as a member of KISS. In 1986 he hired Mark Slaughter to handle the lead vocals and the group then had a few successful tracks.
Anyway, I stumbled onto this video this morning and was struck by just how good 22-year-old Slaughter (looked) sounded here. He later went on to find success with his own band, Slaughter, into the 90's. In the years since "Love Kills" the group obviously disbanded but the guys have continued rocking out individually. Check out the video below, do you remember this one?
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.
If you leave, don't leave now Please don't take my heart away Promise me just one more night Then we'll go our separate ways With hours left time on our sides Now it's fading fast Every second every moment We've got to--we've gotta make it last
It's gotta be a strange twist of fate Telling me that Heaven can wait Telling me to get it right this time Life doesn't mean a thing Without the love you bring Love is what we've found The second time around
Do you remember when Olivia Newton John and John Travolta teamed up onscreen a second time and the result was nothing like the critical acclaim that Grease received? The film, Two Of A Kind was released in late 1983 and while everyone loved Newton John and Travolta together years earlier, this movie bombed pretty badly. Critics and fans alike weren't buying the far-fetched plot line of 4 angels persuading God not to wipe out the planet earth in favor of a do-over. Even Newton John and Travolta couldn't save this one.
What was good from Two Of A Kind is the soundtrack. "Twist Of Fate" was the first single off of it and it helped Newton John's hot streak to continue. It was a top 5 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 and it quickly became the most memorable part of Two Of A Kind. Check out the video below. This was when Newton John was still working hard to escape her good-girl image.
