There’s not a whole lot of songs out there that you can recognize by the opening drumbeat. However, you know “Higher Love” is playing the second you hear John Robinson’s virtuoso solo. Robinson was the former drummer for Rufus, and he also played on Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You”, so the man obviously knows how to open a song.
Speaking of Rufus, this song gets some extra flavor enhancement from the one and only Chaka Khan. The diva sings background vocals and delivers a sassy vamp at the end (“braaaaaang me a higher love!”). The song’s good without her, great with her.
Then there’s Steve Winwood himself. Already a twenty-year music veteran, this song broke Winwood’s solo career wide open, becoming the first of his two #1 hits. Winwood’s high pitched, soulful wail sounds positively joyful on this song. This was one of several songs (Mr. Mister’s “Kyrie” immediately comes to minds) that were hits in the Eighties and had strong spiritual (if not overtly religious) overtones.
In February 1987, “Higher Love” took home the Grammy for Record of the Year, becoming one of the few even remotely decent songs to take home that prize during the decade. Here’s a quick run through Grammy’s “Record(s) of the Year”
1980: “Sailing” by Christopher Cross
1981: “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes
1982: “Rosanna” by Toto
1983: “Beat It” by Michael Jackson
1984: “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” by Tina Turner
1985: “We Are the World” by USA for Africa
1986: “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood
1987: “Graceland” by Paul Simon
1988: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin
1989: “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler
Only one other song from this list appears on my countdown. Take a stab at who it might be.
Bars and clubs all across the country promote their 80’s nights every weekend. As a fan of 80’s music, you would think I would want to hit the 80’s nights and enjoy the sounds. You thought wrong! Because the dim-witted DJ’s refuse to play anything out of the ordinary because the paying customers don’t want to think outside the box. We’ve all been reading Mike Heyliger’s outstanding Infatueightes countdown to know there are more than just the same 40 danceable tunes that came out of the 80’s. Isn’t it the DJ’s job to inspire with new sounds and different beats?
Don’t they get tired of spinning “Come On Eileen” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me” on a constant basis? I get frustrated when I hear the opening notes to the same tunes, so much I want to find a stick and repeatedly hit the DJ over and over and over again for having no sense of originality. It pains me when I request a song from Dokken, and they don’t even know what I’m talking about. I’m not saying the DJ even has to play obscure songs that you read about in my Out There! column. Mix it up! I envy these guys and girls, don’t they realize they have the best job in the world?
Here are some examples of songs we hear all of the time that need to be removed from the weekly playlist immediately, or else we still continue to dumb down the musical educations of future generations!
Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
Now look, I’m a huge Leppard fan, maybe one of the biggest Def Leppard fans on the planet. Pour Some Sugar was one of my favorite songs until I’ve heard it replay thousands of times over the years at dance clubs and bars. Does the DJ realize there are other fast-beat songs/hit songs on the same album (Hysteria)? Why not think outside the box and play Animal? That will get people singing along. “An I Want, An I Need, An I Love, Animal! C’mon, I just got that stuck in your head. You telling me if you were drunk and you heard this anthem, you wouldn’t start shaking about. Can’t we give some loving to some other pop metal bands like Ratt and Poison as well. And I don’t mean hearing “Nothing But A Good Time” which is another bar staple.
Livin’ On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
Do the 21 year olds understand that this song has overstayed it’s welcome? It’s a fun song to dance to with a group of friends, this I understand. But aren’t there a whole slew of songs from the 80’s just like this from corporate rock giants such as REO Speedwagon and Journey? Wouldn’t “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” be a song to huddle up with your buddies and belt out the worlds. “Some day love will find you,break those chains that bind you..” You know the rest. Guitars and keyboards just like the Bon Jovi classic, c’mon DJ, put that record on.
Come On Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
You know when the opening of this song comes on, people are getting ready to throw up their legs and pretend they are a Rocktette. Do aye do aye do aye do aye YAY! Ugggh! Can’t we maybe replace with a fun 80’s tune from a similar band like Men At Work or Madness? How about “House of Fun”, it could work and get people lifting their legs in the air? You know, I haven’t heard “Who Can It Be Now” at a bar in a few years, this might just work also.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston
Another R&B 80’s staple that is sometimes played more than once in the night. Is it supposed to automatically remind the girls that there are tons of meat int the bar and they need to dance with some of them? How about “The Neutron Dance” by the Pointer Sisters? I’ve always defended this song as a classic dance hit that hasn’t aged one bit. I never understood why I have never heard this song ever at a club. It has a great beat, is totally familiar to the naked ear, and heck, the DJ can even work up some new steps and create a new dance sensation to compete to the Electric and Cha Cha Cha slides.
Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield
The DJ always has to include the 80’s pop rock tune. Another great tune, but does it need to be played every time? There are other pop/rock songs just as good. How about something from J. Geils Band? “Love Stinks” or “Freeze Frame”?
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
You know it’s not a true 80’s night without this staple. Doesn’t the DJ realize there are plenty of syntho-pop songs that would work so “Tainted Love” can be played every fifth night instead of every night. How about some lesser-known gems like “Space Age Love Song” from A Flock Of Seagulls or “Love Plus One” from Haircut 100? A lot of bands experimented with synthesizers in the 80’s, is “Tainted Love” the only one that still works? I think not.
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
I know, I know, it’s the popular tune for all the girls out there. But if Girls want to have so much fun, how about kicking off the shoes to “Girls” by Dwight Twilley (if you don’t know this one, you will in a future Out There! column) or “Valley Girl” by Frank Zappa?
And the list goes on and on. The clueless DJ’s need to do their homework. Watch old MTV clips on youtube, do some research on Wikipedia, sample songs on iTunes, read this blog!! Play some more Rick Astley! Play some more Human League! Play some more A Flock Of Seagulls! Play some Romeo Void or Yaz! Play some more lesser known hair-metal bands. Play something else off of AC/DC’s Back In Black besides “You Shook Me All Night Long”! Hell play more Michael Jackson and Madonna, just play different songs you don’t hear on a constant basis! Because the next time I hear “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey even if it’s remixed with a dance beat, I’m gonna drop my pants and pee all over the DJ’s equipment!
Oh how I miss the Culture Club! Although come to think of it, they could have used some lessons as well!!
“Our…house…is a veryveryvery fine house!” Don’t you love that song?!!
PSYCH!! I’m not talking about the crappy TV show with Wilford “Diabeetus” Brimley, Chad Allen and Shannen Doherty (pre-Brenda) either.
Today’s entry comes from the ska/pop giants from the U.K. called Madness. Admittedly, until very recently (like in the past year recently), I didn’t know much about these fellas except for their association with the two-tone moment (I guess that explains the checkerboard design of a lot of their records…wait, that was The Specials. My bad.) and the fact that their lead singer is named Suggs. Yes, Suggs. Granted, that’s not his real name, but still. Seriously. Who names themselves “Suggs”? What exactly is a “suggs”?
Anyhow, a year and a copy of Madness’s “Ultimate Collection” later, I’m fond of more than one song by this band and if you’re an Eighties’ music fan, you should probably be too. At the very least, you should be madly in love(like me) with this song, which is absolutely fantastic. From the peppy horns (and tasteful strings) to Suggs’ baritone croak to the awesome opening 45 seconds or so before the vocals kick in (easily one of the decade’s ten best song intros), this is good shit, mister. It’s also a bit atypical of much of Madness’s previous work, with a more pronounced pop/rock sensibility.
And the chorus! Simple and catchy, folks. You’ve gotta love it! Enjoy!
