80s Throwback: The Boys Club - 'I Remember Holding You'

 

Some songs just disappear from the conversation, and that's a shame because they deserve to be remembered. The Boys Club's "I Remember Holding You" is one of those forgotten gems from the late '80s that rarely gets mentioned anymore, even though it came within one spot of topping the charts.

Released in 1989, "I Remember Holding You" climbed all the way to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, proving that there was still plenty of room for polished pop ballads as the decade was winding down. Of course, the fact that the song came packaged with two photogenic guys in a slick, MTV-friendly video certainly didn't hurt its chances. If you were a teenager in 1989, chances are you remember seeing the guys looking like they stepped straight out of a Chess King catalog.

What many people don't realize is that The Boys Club wasn't really a traditional band. It was largely a studio creation assembled around the song itself. While the duo did make a handful of promotional appearances, particularly on the West Coast, they never became a full-fledged touring act. That probably explains why they quickly faded from view despite having one of the biggest pop hits of the year.

Still, there's something undeniably charming about "I Remember Holding You." It's a song built on lush keyboards, soaring harmonies, and just enough heartbreak to make it stick with you long after it's over. It's the kind of power ballad that perfectly captures the polished sound of late-'80s Top 40 radio, right before grunge and New Jack Swing changed everything.

And then there's the video.

Like so many clips from the era, it feels like a time capsule. The perfectly styled hair, oversized jackets, dramatic close-ups, and soft-focus cinematography scream 1989 in the best possible way. Even if you don't remember every lyric, chances are the video will instantly transport you back to afternoons spent watching MTV after school.

"I Remember Holding You" ended up being The Boys Club's one and only major hit, making them a true one-hit wonder. But that's okay. Sometimes one great song is all you need to leave your mark on pop music history.

I still think this is one of those "lost" '80s tracks that deserves another listen. Every time it pops up on one of my playlists, I'm reminded just how strong the songwriting was, and how many terrific songs from that era have quietly slipped through the cracks.

Daily Boom Lost Hits: A'Me Lorain- 'Whole Wide World'

"I always love a little mystery
But now the tensions killing me
No place left for words to hide
I never thought it could be quite so tough
Lips once sealed are splitting up
There ain't no secrets to outshine, father time."

I can remember walking into a Listening Booth store in the middle of my local mall and flipping through their one rack of 12" dance mixes of freestyle/house music and finding a copy of A'Me Lorain's "Whole Wide World". I bought that and a copy of Lisette Melendez's "Together Forever" and felt like I hit the music lottery. Back in 1990, in the middle of suburban Pennsylvania, club music was a novelty rather than a standard. I was 90 minutes from Philly, two hours from NYC and basically just far enough out for stores not to carry a whole lot of dance stuff. 

I was still glued to Dance Party USA and my friends from the series so I knew what was popping in the clubs. I found a way to get my hands on Judy Torres and Coro even if I had to order it. But A'Me Lorain was an unexpected find and I played this record into the ground. She is still around, in case you were wondering. She dropped a dance track last spring that didn't do much chart-wise, in spite of getting a bit of club play. You can check it out here.

In the meantime, revisit "Whole Wide World"!

Daily Boom 80's Lost Hit: Bardeux - 'When We Kiss'

"There`s a real fine line
Between love and hate
And I`m not the type
To just sit and wait
I`ve made up my mind
I can`t wait for you anymore"

Ya know that one song that you remember so well years (okay decades) later that no one else can recall? Bardeux's "When We Kiss' fits that bill for me. I have never mentioned it to another soul that has any idea what I'm talking about and if I play it for them, they still don't remember it. Bardeux was actually a dance duo from OC, Stacy "Acacia" Smith and Lisa "Jaz" Teaney (at least on this song), who released their first album, Bold As Love in 1988.

While Bardeux is often described as a one-hit-wonder, they actually had a few singles that charted on Billboard's Hot 100 and they did really well on the dance charts during their short time together. I've always loved "When We Kiss' because it's almost more of a spoken word song than anything else and that really made it stand out back in 1988. Check it out below. Do you guys remember Bardeux?

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Regina- 'Baby Love'

"Boy, there's no one home tonight
The timing could be right
To forget the rules
We're out of school until tomorrow
Now, if only you would stay
There's so many games we'd play
Why should we pretend to be just friends
When we could be so much more"

I love when I'm reminded of a song that I've completely forgotten about. Regina's "Baby Love" was one of those. I was watching Totally 80's on Classic MTV the other day when this track came on and I instantly remembered it. "Baby Love" made me think of summer and when I looked it up my memory was right. It was a super popular track in the summer of 1986. One of those songs that were on the radio every couple of hours and you knew all of the lyrics to it even if you didn't like it.

This song peaked at number 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 and paved the way for Regina to have a string of hits on the dance charts in the mid-'80s.

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Jane Child - 'Don't Wanna Fall In Love'

"Ain't no personal thing, boy

But you have got to stay away

Far, far away from my heart, my heart

Don't you know what your kiss is doing

Let me tell it to you from the start, boy

I don't wanna fall in love

No, no

Love cuts just like a knife"

Do you remember Jane Child? She was one of the earliest shooting stars of the 90's that seemed to have a long career ahead of her. Child's look caught attention because no other woman on the top 40 charts was rocking a shaved head, braids and a nose ring. Her first single, "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" was a total bop. It was on in the car, it was on in the grocery store, it was on in your doctor's office. It followed you everywhere and that wasn't a bad thing. We were coming off of hair bands and New Jack Swing had its' finger on just about everything else so Child was really a breath of fresh air.

Unfortunately, she's considered a one-hit wonder by most, but Child does have three albums out there so if you still love this song, then check the rest of her archive.  You remember this one, right?

Daily Boom 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 around? Their fans like to think so. After forming back in 1988 the band finally made a huge breakthrough with their 1992 hit ballad, "Love is on the Way". It made it to number 12 on Billboard's Hot 100 but more importantly, the song got tons of airplay across the country.

Technically, "Love is on the Way" is considered a one-hit-wonder but the band is still around, thirty years after the fact. I realized that I had never listened to a full album of Saigon Kick's and so I gave The Lizard a shot. You should too,  it's definitely worth a spin. In the meantime, here's "Love is on the Way".

Are you like me? Do you recognize this song a few seconds in, whenever you do hear it?

Daily Boom Freestyle Flashback: Noel - 'Silent Morning'

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Boys Club- 'I Remember Holding You'

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Boy Meets Girl - 'Waiting for a Star to Fall'

"I hear your name whispered on the wind

It's a sound that makes me cry

I hear a song blow again and again

Through my mind and I don't know why

I wish I didn't feel so strong about you

Like happiness and love revolve around you

Trying to catch your heart

Is like trying to catch a star

So many people love you baby

That must be what you are"

The video to Boy Meets Girl's "Waiting For a Star to Fall" was on tv this morning and while it's not a song that I often think of, it's one that drags me back to a point in time. This was one of those songs that you couldn't escape during the summer of 1988. It was on in the car. On in the grocery store. On in the mall. And, that was a good thing because it just made your life a bit better whenever you heard it. Great melody, great lyrics written and performed by a then-happily married couple. It was all good and whenever I heard the song I wanted a little piece of that "all good-ness".

The story behind "Waiting For a Star to Fall" is interesting because Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill originally wrote it and submitted it to Whitney Houston's people. They passed on it but Belinda Carlisle's people grabbed it up and literally made her record it. She hated the song and fought hard to keep it off of her album.

At that point, Rubicam and Merrill decided to record it themselves and then added it to their second Boy Meets Girl album. The result? A smash hit and the group's ONLY hit so in the end, they must have been glad that no one else ended up using their song.

Check out the video below. The little blonde girl is actually Rubicam and Merrill's daughter!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Murray Head - 'One Night In Bangkok'

"One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster

The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you're lucky then the god's a she
I can feel an angel sliding up to me."

You may not remember the name Murray Head, but you'll definitely remember the one-hit-wonder that he sang on in 1985. "One Night In Bangkok" was part of the Chess musical that came out after its' concept album took off. Murray was simply a British actor that was brought in to read the lyrics and probably never anticipated the song being so well-received. Check out the video below. Of course you remember this, right?

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Wreckx-N-Effect- 'Rumpshaker'

Daily Boom 80's Lost Hit: Bardeux - 'When We Kiss'

"There`s a real fine line
Between love and hate
And I`m not the type
To just sit and wait
I`ve made up my mind
I can`t wait for you anymore"

Ya know that one song that you remember so well years (okay decades) later that no one else can recall? Bardeux's "When We Kiss' fits that bill for me. I have never mentioned it to another soul that has any idea what I'm talking about and if I play it for them, they still don't remember it. Bardeux was actually a dance duo from OC, Stacy "Acacia" Smith and Lisa "Jaz" Teaney (at least on this song), who released their first album, Bold As Love in 1988.

While Bardeux is often described as a one-hit-wonder, they actually had a few singles that charted on Billboard's Hot 100 and they did really well on the dance charts during their short time together. I've always loved "When We Kiss' because it's almost more of a spoken word song than anything else and that really made it stand out back in 1988. Check it out below. Do you guys remember Bardeux?

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: The Breakfast Club - 'Right On Track'

"Gonna make a move that knocks you over
Watch this turn one's gonna put you away
But I'm doing my very best dancing
Every time you're looking the other way
I could move out to the left for a while
I could slide to the right for a while
I could get up and back
Right on track
But is right on track
Is that gonna get you back"

I'm kind of surprised how much airplay that The Breakfast Club's "Right On Track" still gets. Or I was until I did a little bit of reading. I remember the song well because it got constant radio playback in 1987. It was that perfect dancey synth that was everywhere at the time. While it seems like this song was just another one-hit-wonder, it was created by a group that was together for 11 years. The Breakfast Club first formed back in 1979 and in its' earliest years it included Madonna in the lineup. She was dating Dan Gilroy, the lead singer at the time. His brother Ed Gilroy and Angie Smit rounded out the first lineup. Madonna eventually left and I love the fact that the group found success a few years later, without her. They were even nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy in 1988 which speaks to their success.

The Breakfast Club did put out several songs and had a second album that was shelved for nearly 30 years. Percolate was eventually independently released in 2016 with minimal fanfare. That may have been a bit of a disappointment for them, but they'll always have this great song that many people still seen to love. Check out the video for "Right On Track" below!

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Digable Planets - 'Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)'

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Robbie Nevil - 'C'est La Vie'

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: J.J. Fad- 'Supersonic'

"We're J.J. Fad and we're here to rock
Rhymes like ours could never be stopped
See, there's three of us and I know we're fresh
Party rockers, non-stoppers, and our names are def"


 I love a one-hit-wonder that everyone knows and I'm pretty sure that "Supersonic" classifies as one of those, right? The song was first put out in 1985 by q quintet called  J.J. Fad (Just Jammin' Fresh and Def) and the song stalled out. Half of the group left over money issues but the other two ladies, Juana Burns (MC J.B. ) and Dania Birks (Baby-D) decided to hang in there. They were later joined by Michelle Franklin (Sassy C) and decided to rerecord and release "Supersonic" in 1988, this time as an A side.

This time around the song took off.  A little known fact- N.W.A. and Dr. Dre were given credit on J.J. Fad's first album for their involvement. It took three years for the ladies to release a sophomore effort because N.W.A. found their own success and were busy touring themselves. J.J. Fad eventually left the music business to raise families but returned a few years ago. You can currently catch them performing on a string of old school tours. I saw them live a year or so ago and their "Supersonic" is probably tighter now than ever!

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Paul Hardcastle - '19'

Daily Boom Lost Hit: A'Me Lorain- 'Whole Wide World'

"I always love a little mystery
But now the tensions killing me
No place left for words to hide
I never thought it could be quite so tough
Lips once sealed are splitting up
There ain't no secrets to outshine, father time."

I can remember walking into a Listening Booth store in the middle of my local mall and flipping through their one rack of 12" dance mixes of freestyle/house music and finding a copy of A'Me Lorain's "Whole Wide World". I bought that and a copy of Lisette Melendez's "Together Forever" and felt like I hit the music lottery. Back in 1990, in the middle of suburban Pennsylvania, club music was a novelty rather than a standard. I was 90 minutes from Philly, two hours from NYC and basically just far enough out for stores not to carry a whole lot of dance stuff. 

I was still glued to Dance Party USA and my friends from the series so I knew what was popping in the clubs. I found a way to get my hands on Judy Torres and Coro even if I had to order it. But A'Me Lorain was an unexpected find and I played this record into the ground. 

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Regina- 'Baby Love'

"Boy, there's no one home tonight
The timing could be right
To forget the rules
We're out of school until tomorrow
Now, if only you would stay
There's so many games we'd play
Why should we pretend to be just friends
When we could be so much more"

I love when I'm reminded of a song that I've completely forgotten about. Regina's "Baby Love" was one of those. I was watching Totally 80's on Classic MTV the other day when this track came on and I instantly remembered it. "Baby Love" made me think of summer and when I looked it up my memory was right. It was a super popular track in the summer of 1986. One of those songs that were on the radio every couple of hours and you knew all of the lyrics to it even if you didn't like it.

This song peaked at number 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 and paved the way for Regina to have a string of hits on the dance charts in the mid-'80s.

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Jaya- 'If You Leave Me Now'