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Pop Rock Nation

Category: Music

  • The Infatueighties Countdown: #102: “Talking in Your Sleep”

    Chances are that if you’re aware of who The Romantics are, it’s either due to this song or “What I Like About You”, a song I guess I was too young to latch on to when it was originally popular (well, there’s also the fact that it wasn’t that big a hit initially). Regardless, despite the fact that “Talking in Your Sleep” was a significantly bigger hit, “What I Like” has had the more lasting influence thanks to being played at sports events and in commercials constantly. Which kinda sucks, because “Talking in Your Sleep” is a much better song (although “What I Like About You” does have the awesome harmonica solo).

    The cover of The Romantics\' 1983 album \"In Heat\", which contained the hit single \"Talking in Your Sleep\".

    I guess this is where power-pop meets the dance floor. I dig the chiming guitars and the killer bassline (and the lyrics were very easy to remember for a 7-year old), and of course you’ve gotta love the echo effect that comes at the end of every line during the verses. Plus, it’s extraordinarily easy to dance to…this was right at the beginning of the post-“Beat It”/Duran Duran phase when songs like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Out of Touch” had crunchy guitars and danceable grooves…and according to Wikipedia, it actually hit #1 on Billboard’s Dance Music chart. Thanks, again, Wikipedial

    I will say, though, that I don’t remember ever seeing the video until looking for a YouTube clip this morning, and…wow. All I can say is “wow”. The chicks in nighties, the bad special effects, the lead singer’s hair (what hell??)…it’s almost too much to take. So delightfully Eighties.

    Apparently, a British group named Bucks Fizz covered the song shortly after The Romantics’ version became a hit. The versions are reasonably similar (down to the echo in the verses), but The Romantics’ version has a bit more kick to it. You’ve also got to give The Romantics’ props for using live drums, while the Fizz version appears to rely on a $10 Casio drum machine. Judge for yourself.

  • Yahoo! Presents The Top 20 Albums of All Time…For Real!

    Yahoo!’s music coverage generally leaves a lot to be desired. Their writers are unnaturally obnoxious (even for music crit-types), and they are in the unfortunate position one of my least favorite music writers as one of their main contributors (and because I have a job to protect, I won’t mention his name in public. Besides, he’s not worth it). However, this list of the Top 20 albums of all time was pretty interesting, and I kind of like the method by which this list was created.

    Of course, everyone and their mother can make a list and call it “The Top 20 Albums of All Time” (hey, anyone been reading my list of the 105 Greatest Singles of the Eighties??), but the list compiled by Robert of the Radish (dude, you couldn’t think of a better name) is certainly one of the most scientific lists of this kind.

    Robert took personal opinion out of the equation completely, instead basing his list on several factors: critical acclaim, actual sales figures, Grammy award love (probably the weakest part of his argument, considering that there have been several bands universally acknowledged as the best at what they do that have never won a Grammy…Led Zeppelin and The Who among them, although it doesn’t look like that affected Led Zep too much), and the most interesting component to my eyes, staying power as judged by the average price and availability of used copies of the CD. I found this interesting mainly because I frequent more than my share of used record stores. I’ve shopped for used music in at least five states, and I can say with some authority that there are certain popular titles that you will see in abundance in just about every used record store in America (he mentions Hootie & The Blowfish’s “Cracked Rear View”. I’ll see him and raise him one Matchbox 20’s “Yourself or Someone Like You”, thank you very much), and some that you never see anywhere (ever seen a Beatles studio non-compilation album in a used record store for less than 8 or 9 bucks, if at all? Don’t think so).

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  • The Infatueighties Countdown: #103: “Easy Lover”

    I would imagine that back in the Seventies, if you’d have told the average rock music fan that the heavily falsetto-ed lead singer of Earth Wind & Fire would be recording music with the drummer from Genesis, you would get a ton of quizzical stares. By 1984, the idea of that happening didn’t seem so farfetched-especially since EWF’s Philip Bailey had already launched a solo career with 1983’s “Continuation” and Genesis’s Phil Collins had moved from behind the drum stool to become the band’s lead singer. Oh, and there’s also the fact that Collins borrowed EWF’s horn section for portions of his first solo record, 1981’s “Face Value”. In the vein of other ebony/ivory duets like “Say, Say, Say”, “Yah Mo B There” and…uh, “Ebony & Ivory” came “Easy Lover”, a song that trumps (almost) all of the aforementioned superstar pairings.

    The cover of Philip Bailey\'s \"Easy Lover\" 45 (featuring Phil Collins)

    Turns out Bailey’s voice is pretty well-suited for punchier, rock-etched tunes in addition to his band’s sumptuous ballads and slick funk jams. Some guys have all the luck. Collins-who was mere months away from becoming ubiquitous thanks to “No Jacket Required”-pulls out a legitimately soulful vocal here. Plus, that huge drum sound that marks just about everything Collins produces had yet to become boring yet.

    And you’ve gotta love the silly video. Makes you wonder why Collins never made it as an actor. Hey, if Bob Hoskins and Kevin Spacey can score roles…

    Lyrically, the song is just one bro looking out for another bro. “Dude, that chick is dangerous, watch out!”. I figure one Phil was just checking for the other Phil’s best interests. It’s doubtful that Bailey would want Collins for himself. Although, with that falsetto…

    The song peaked at #2 in early 1985, giving Bailey his last Top 10 hit either with his band or as a solo artist, while reaching #3 on the R&B charts, giving Collins the first of two Top 10 R&B hits (“Sussudio” peaked at #8 the following summer).