song of the day – “It Must Be Love” | MADNESS | 1983.

When it comes to music, anyone who’s known me for any period of time knows my love for terrestrial radio, 80s music and my stance on (real) one-hit wonders.  Being a singles chart nerd here in America for 40 years (most of my life), I classify a (real) one-hit wonder as an act who has reached the BILLBOARD Hot 100 only once.  Throughout the three-and-a-half year history of this blog, I’ve often featured (real) one-hit wonders of the 80s, and I’ll feature another one soon.  There were nearly 500 of them; it will take awhile. 

But, as much as I’ve loved radio for the past 40 years, there are aspects of radio I’ve never cared for.  As outlined in one of my very first blog posts back in 2016 (“wouldn’t it be good,” after the 1984 song by (real) one-hit wonder, Nik Kershaw, https://foreveryoung80s.wordpress.com/2016/02/02/wouldnt-it-be-good/), I hit upon this very subject of radio stations and media outlets like VH1 “determining” what songs are worth remembering, and what songs get left behind, despite any imprint the songs that got left behind may have had on the singles chart.

10 years ago, VH1 did a bullshit show on the “Greatest One-Hit Wonders Of The 80s,” and if memory serves me right, nearly 75% of the list was inaccurate.  In response to this list, I put together a show called “Why I Wasn’t A One-Hit Wonder” on my STUCK IN THE 80s radio program. 

Not long after my “Why I Wasn’t A One-Hit Wonder” program aired in October 2009, I had the honor of interviewing the voice of The English Beat and General Public, Dave Wakeling (whose hit 1993 cover of The Staples Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” appeared on the show), we talked about this very topic, and I asked Dave if it bothered him that General Public, according to VH1, was referred to as a one-hit wonder (General Public was ranked No. 77 on VH1’s list, because of “Tenderness”):

“[VH1] asked me to be involved in that, and I sent them a list of [our] hits, and I was like, ‘Sadly, we can’t be involved in a one-hit wonder [show], can we?’  So, I told him that I thought they were barking up the wrong tree, and beating a dead horse, and it seems to be something, I think it stems more from VH1 than anything else, to try and marginalize or even ridicule the 80s somehow, and most of the people working on those damn programs weren’t even there; with their young sarcastic tones.  I put the guy in his place, frankly.  And, I said, ‘Even if I was a one-hit wonder, it’d be one more than you, mate, wouldn’t it?!’  Or, as my dad used to say, ‘Better to have been a has been than a never-bleeding wozzer!’”

My god, I love sharing that story.  It’s fucking beautiful, and it’s nice to know there are artists like Dave Wakeling who appreciate similar views of what does and does not determine a (real) one-hit wonder.  I imagine Barry Scott, legendary host of the long-running radio show, THE LOST 45s, would tend to agree.

Take another successful British act, Madness (on that 2009 VH1 list at No. 28, with “Our House”).  Between 1979 and 2008, the Ska/Popsters hailing from the Camden Town part of London) reached the Top 40 of the U.K. singles chart 29 times with 26 songs, with 15 songs reaching the Top 10 (one of them in two different chart runs; I’ll come onto that in a bit), and one No. 1 song – “House Of Fun,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 in the Spring of 1982.

Over here in America, Madness wasn’t as popular, but still managed to hit the BILLBOARD Hot 100 three times: “Our House,” which went to No. 7 in the Summer of 1983, “It Must Be Love,” and “The Sun And The Rain,” which reached No. 72 in early 1984.  In fact, “Our House” was part of a chart-setting record on the BILLBOARD Hot 100.  On the chart dated July 16, 1983, British acts shattered an 18-year-old record, by placing HALF of the Top 40 songs on the Hot 100 that week (the original 1965 record was 14).  And, out of those 20 songs on that July 16, 1983 chart, seven of the Top 10 songs that week were by Brits.  “Our House” was No. 8.  Absolutely impressive.  The Second British Invasion was in full swing, and Madness was a part of that.

The original 1981 U.K. single release of “It Must Be Love.”

In late November 1981, Madness (then featuring seven members) released a gorgeous stand-alone single called “It Must Be Love,” which later appeared on their No. 1 U.K. compilation, COMPLETE MADNESS, in April 1982.  “It Must Be Love” is actually a cover of a soulful, mainly-acoustic Pop song by British singer / songwriter / musician / poet, Labi Siffre.  It reached No. 14 in the U.K. in 1971.

10 years after the original, the Madness version of “It Must Be Love” reached No. 4 on the U.K. singles chart, becoming their eighth-consecutive Top 10 hit there.  In 1983, in an attempt to get the U.S. further interested in Madness after the No. 7 Hot 100 success of “Our House,” Geffen Records released a compilation with some of their more popular U.K. songs released from 1979 through 1982 (oddly enough, one of their most-famous songs, “One Step Beyond…” was not represented).  Though the compilation was well-reviewed, had some success on the BILLBOARD album chart, and I happily bought the album, it sadly did not have the effect the band was hoping for.

However, the success of “Our House” in America did not stop the success of Madness here.  While still in the Top 40 with “Our House,” “It Must Be Love” debuted on the BILLBOARD Hot 100 in late August 1983 at No. 85.  About a month later, “It Must Be Love” became the second American Top 40 single by Madness.  It spent five weeks in the Top 40, peaking at No. 33 for two of those weeks in October 1983.  Madness would reach the Hot 100 one more time, in early 1984 with the aforementioned “The Sun And The Rain.” 

Back in the U.K., Madness continued to be successful, so much so in fact that their 1992 compilation album, DIVINE MADNESS, also reached No. 1 on the U.K. album chart, and got the band back together after a six-year break.  It also brought back reissues of three of their Top 10 hits, the most-successful reissue being “It Must Be Love,” which this time reached No. 6 on the U.K. singles chart 11 years after the original release hit No. 4.

The 1992 U.K. reissue of “It Must Be Love,” featuring a still from the music video on the cover.

Formed in 1976, Madness is still together today, with their 12th studio album, CAN’T TOUCH US NOW, released in October 2016, and their most-recent compilation, 2017’s FULL HOUSE: THE VERY BEST OF MADNESS.  Both albums were certified Silver in the U.K.

The full album cover art for 2016’s CAN’T TOUCH US NOW.

Maryhope and I have loved Madness for a long time, with “It Must Be Love” a lovely favorite we treasure.  And though the last time I heard “It Must Be Love” on terrestrial radio was either on my WMPG radio show or Maryhope’s, I’d like to think that it’s being played somewhere on the dial where Madness is not regarded as an American one-hit wonder.  And if there is such a place like that in America which exists besides the community radio confines of Portland, Maine, well, it must be love, right?

The cover art for the U.S. release of “It Must Be Love.”

“As soon as I wake up / Every night, every day / I know that it’s you I need / To take the blues away / It must be love, love, love / It must be love, love, love / Nothing more, nothing less / Love is the best…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmezIIrFQmY

Madness, 1983.

song of the day – “The Bottom Line” | BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE | 1985.

“The horses are on the track…”

In September 1983, with what was prolly the beginning of the end for The Clash, Mick Jones, the legendary band’s lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist and songwriter since their inception in 1976, was fired from the band.  Punctuality (or lack thereof) was a prominent factor in his dismissal from The Clash. 

Not long after getting booted from “the only band that mattered,” Mick Jones did something that prolly felt natural for him – he helped start another band – General Public, which was founded with The English Beat’s Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger, from the ashes of that band, which broke up in 1983.

But, the association Mick Jones had with General Public was quite short-lived.  Although his name is featured on the credits of General Public’s debut album, …ALL THE RAGE (he did play guitar on “Tenderness,” “Never You Done That” and at least three other songs), Mick left during the recording of the album.  I think had Mick stayed with Dave and Roger and General Public, it would have been quite interesting and amazing.  But, I can’t be mad at Mick and forgive him for leaving because…

…in 1984, Mick went on to co-found the Post-Punk, Alt-Dance band, Big Audio Dynamite, with film director Don Letts, who had previously directed a number of Clash videos and later the 2000 Clash documentary, WESTWAY TO THE WORLD, which picked up a Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Long Form Video.

The first album for Mick’s third band in two years, the appropriately-titled THIS IS BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE, was released in October 1985, interestingly enough, the month before the release of CUT THE CRAP, the last album by The Clash, which most folks thought was, well, crap (save for tracks like “This Is England”).

When ROLLING STONE’s David Fricke reviewed CUT THE CRAP in January 1986, THIS IS BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE got mentions as well: “If CUT THE CRAP is a cheat, then Mick Jones’ new band Big Audio Dynamite is an unexpected gamble.  ‘That old time groove is really nowhere,’ Jones shrugs in ‘The Bottom Line,’ brusquely dismissing [Joe] Strummer’s retropunk didacticism.  Instead, he continues, ‘I’m gonna take you to part two,’ which on THIS IS BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE is an intoxicating subversion of Eighties dance-floor cool with SANDINISTA!’s dub-funk turmoil…  THIS IS BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE hardly transcends the Clash’s finest hours, but for Jones it is a new beginning.  With CUT THE CRAP, one might well wonder if Joe Strummer’s at the end of the road.”  David was right – The Clash broke up in early 1986.  Many folks, yours truly included, thought they had already broken up long before then.

No, that’s not Terence Trent D’Arby standing next to a seated Mick Jones.  That’s film and video director, DJ, musician and B.A.D. co-founder Don Letts.

But, with songs like “E=MC2,” “Medicine Show,” “C’Mon Every Beatbox” and “BAD” (featured in the 1986 John Hughes classic, FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF), Big Audio Dynamite and THIS IS BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE were thriving.  The album was certified Gold in their U.K. homeland, and reached the Top 10 in New Zealand.

The first single released from the album (and the only song on the album solely written by Mick Jones) was “The Bottom Line.”  It was also the first song by B.A.D. that made me fall in love with the band, though not until 1987, when one of my (future) best friends, Michael, introduced me to them.  “The Bottom Line” did not fare well in the U.K. (where it reached a surprising No. 97 chart peak), but it was a Top 40 hit in Australia, New Zealand and BILLBOARD’s Dance chart.

There were at least a couple of different remixes for “The Bottom Line,” and though I enjoy the U.S. 12” mix by Rick Rubin, I have always favored (and will always prefer) the original and glorious 8-minute, 40-second U.K. 12” Remix.  Not only does it mirror the 4:35 album version, but when the album version is ready to cut out, in the U.K. Remix, Mick and Co. actually DO take you to Part Two (“I’m gonna take you to, I’m gonna take you to part two, part two…”)

Nearly 32 years after its release, it’s interesting how the song’s lyrics could still apply today:

“A dance to the tune off economic decline / Is when you do the bottom line / Nagging questions always remain / Why did it happen and who was to blame

“When you reach the bottom line / The only thing to do is climb / Pick yourself up off the floor / Don’t know what you’re waiting for

“They’ve been doing it down at the zoo / And I can show ya here’s what to do / All of the States and over UK / Even the Soviets are swinging away…

“So when you reach the bottom line / The only thing to do is climb / Pick yourself up off the floor / Anything you want is yours…”

Apart from a 2011 reunion, Big Audio Dynamite (and later, the successful Big Audio Dynamite II) stopped years ago, but Mick (who turns 62 in June 2017) is still keeping busy, performing in recent years with the live band for the popular U.K. Alt-Rock / Electronica band, Gorillaz, and on albums for Alt-Rockers, The Wallflowers, and Algerian singer, Rachid Taha (who released a brilliant Arabic cover of “Rock The Casbah” in 2004).

All these years later, my bottom line on “The Bottom Line” is that it’s still so infectious (especially the original 12” U.K. Remix) and amazing to dance to or listen to in the car, or anywhere.  And, if for some Godforsaken reason you have never heard this song, click on the link to the original video below, or take the next 10 minutes, find the link to the original 12” U.K. Remix and get ready to move.  It may not be that “new dance that’s going around” anymore, but “when the hits start flying,” you’re GONNA get down.  And then you’re gonna “pick yourself up off the floor” and do it again…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V5Zoe84BjE

song of the day – “Mirror In The Bathroom” | THE ENGLISH BEAT | 1980.

This is my first blog post after a longer-than-expected 13-day absence, and a belated tribute to the late, great Saxa, the Jamaican saxophonist extraordinaire best known for his work with The English Beat, and who died on May 3, 2017 at the age of 87 (the day after my last blog post).

Born Lionel Augustus Martin, Saxa was part of the first wave of Ska, playing sax with Jamaican artists like Prince Buster and Desmond Dekker.  At almost 50 years old, Saxa joined The English Beat to record their first single, a kick-ass, 1979 Ska / New Wave cover of “Tears Of A Clown,” the 1970 No. 1 hit on both sides of the Atlantic by Smokey Robinson And The Miracles.

Following the breakup of The English Beat in 1983, Saxa remained connected with the band’s offshoots, playing on efforts by General Public (with Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger) and Fine Young Cannibals (with Andy Cox and David Steele), and formed The International Beat with original English Beat drummer, Everett Morton.

The International Beat (with Saxa right in the middle)…

In my November 2009 interview with Dave Wakeling, the voice of The English Beat and General Public, I asked him, with Ska originating in Jamaica, did he have a favorite Jamaican musician, and he didn’t hesitate to name Saxa, who, according to Dave, “taught me so much about music; not about how to play music, but about the art of connection, the spiritual quality of transmitting messages.  He helped put it into hard focus for me, so I knew why I was doing this.”

Following Saxa’s passing, there was a great piece online about him written by Bill Pearls on BrooklynVegan.com, who said that Saxa’s “melodic style was a crucial part of The Beat’s sound – maybe the MOST distinctive part.”  I agree with that.  There are so many Beat songs with his signature saxophone sound that you wouldn’t hear on anything else at the time that featured a sax. 

The first English Beat song showcasing Saxa that comes to mind for me is “Mirror In The Bathroom,” the third of five singles released from their brilliant 1980 debut album, I JUST CAN’T STOP IT. 

“Mirror In The Bathroom” became the band’s third consecutive Top 10 hit in their U.K. homeland, reaching No. 4 on the U.K. singles chart, and No. 22 on BILLBOARD’s Dance chart, (a special 12” single with “Hands Off…She’s Mine” and “Twist And Crawl”). 

The cover art for the “Mirror In The Bathroom” European 7″ single.

As I’ve prolly stated here before, I was very late in getting to know The English Beat, and I think (the memory is a bit fuzzy here) my first introduction to “Mirror In The Bathroom” was as part of a pivotal scene in the excellent 1997 John Cusack film, GROSSE POINTE BLANK. 

In that same 2009 interview with Dave Wakeling, I asked him about it, and what it was like to have a filmmaker want to use his music for a film: “It’s thrilling, John Cusack and John Hughes used a lot of [our] tracks over the years.” 

Long before it was used in several films, “Mirror In The Bathroom” helped propel I JUST CAN’T STOP IT to a No. 3 peak on the U.K. album chart (and was certified Gold there).  It was also ranked No. 3 in the NEW MUSIC EXPRESS (NME) “Singles Of The Year” list, and author Gary Muholland featured it in his fantastic 2002 book, THIS IS UNCOOL: THE 500 GREATEST SINGLES SINCE PUNK AND DISCO.

After Saxa’s passing, Dave Wakeling posted on Facebook, “Thank you for your pure melody, your insights on music, love and life, and for your constant kindness to me.  You now deserve to take your place as Top Tenor, First Chair, in St Peters Archestra, just as you had practiced for your whole life.”

I’ve enjoyed the work of so many saxophonists since I started really getting into music in 1979, but Saxa was in a class all by himself.  And, as a new 50-year-old myself, for him to join an upstart Ska / New Wave band at almost 50 years old is mighty impressive, much like Saxa himself. 

R.I.P. Saxa, and many, many thanks… 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHWrmIzgB5A

song of the day – “Save It For Later” | THE ENGLISH BEAT | 1982.

If my math is correct, tonight (9.7.2016) will mark the seventh time I’ve seen The English Beat perform in Portland, Maine since they started coming here a week after my interview with Dave Wakeling in November 2009.  I’ve never seen a recording act perform as many times.  It’s funny, because I never saw The English Beat (let alone knew about them) when they were around in the late 70s and early 80s.  Now, I couldn’t imagine being without their music and not seeing them every chance I get.  Last year was the only time I’ve missed their Portland show, and that’s only because I found out about it too late.

The English Beat (as they are known here in America) started out in Birmingham, England in 1978, as a New Wave / Ska band, but with a marriage of Pop, Soul, Punk and Reggae.  Pretty impressive.  The band was well-represented with the wonderful Dave Wakeling (vocals and guitar), Ranking Roger (vocals), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass), Everett Morton (drums) and Saxa (real name Lionel Augustus Martin) on, of course, saxophone.

Oddly enough, there’s been more compilation albums released with The English Beat’s music than actual studio albums, but I tell you, all of their original studio albums – 1980’s brilliant I JUST CAN’T STOP IT, 1981’s WHA’HAPPEN? and 1982’s SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE – are all pretty damn special.

I can’t remember if it was the 1997 John Cusack film, GROSSE POINTE BLANK (with “Mirror In The Bathroom” featured in a pivotal scene in the film) that reignited my interest in The English Beat, but I do know from there, they and their music were always welcomed on the show. 

Back in 2009, I was the longtime Music Director for WMPG community radio in Portland, Maine (in addition to hosting my volunteer radio show, STUCK IN THE 80s).  I got word that The English Beat’s upcoming appearance to Portland and the opportunity for an interview with Dave Wakeling (the voice of The English Beat and General Public) came up, and I, of course, was very interested.

Dave Wakeling, photographed for ROLLING STONE in 2012.

Dave and I spoke on Monday, November 16, 2009, for nearly a half-hour on subjects from Margaret Thatcher, the 1981 British documentary DANCE CRAZE, I.R.S. records, the late, great John Hughes and his massive record collection, VH1 and much more.

The “much more” part of the interview included a conversation on covers, a subject I’m fascinated with.  The English Beat has released a number of successful cover songs, from their U.K. Top 10 covers of Smokey Robinson and The Mircales’ “Tears Of A Clown” (No. 6, 1979) to Andy Williams’ “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” (No. 3, 1983; their biggest U.K. hit), and General Public released their 1994 cover of The Staple Singers’ No. 1 hit, “I’ll Take You There” (No. 73 U.K., No. 22 Hot 100, No. 6 BILLBOARD Modern Rock, No. 1 BILLBOARD Dance).

I asked Dave if there were any covers he hadn’t covered yet but would like to, and he almost instantly mentioned “Here Comes My Baby,” a song written and recorded by Cat Stevens in 1967, but was popularized by the English band, The Tremeloes, that same year.  That version reached No. 4 in the U.K. and No. 13 on the BILLBOARD Hot 100.  Dave even sang a little bit of the song during the interview, and I’ve been waiting for him to release a version ever since.  I may get my wish – I believe it’s included on the upcoming album by The English Beat featuring Dave Wakeling – HERE WE GO LOVE – scheduled for release sometime in 2017.  Maybe he’ll sing it tonight!

The U.S. version of the single.

We also talked about covers other artists have done of songs by The English Beat or General Public, like Pete Townshend’s 1985 cover of  “Save It For Later” (from The English Beat’s 1982 album, SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE), and I asked Dave what that is like for him:

“It’s got to be about one of the proudest moments you could ever have, you know?  I used to sit and thrill to The Who when I was a kid.  So, to have somebody of that stature cover one of your songs – and Pearl Jam covered a bit of [“Save It For Later”] in their ‘Better Now,’ because it’s basically the same song, I believe, and Robert Plant had it as his song of the year, which was stunning to me.  Johnny Marr had it as his favourite song of the 80s, which I still haven’t recovered from that one.  So, those sort of things do mean a lot, especially when they’re artists that had really affected you, you know.”

Well, Dave Wakeling and The English Beat have really affected me.  As I’ve mentioned on the bloggy thing here before, there’s just something about being at an English Beat show that moves me – the energy, the skanking, the music – and when they play “I Confess” (prolly my favorite song of theirs), I close my eyes and somehow I feel a peace I can’t really describe in a blog post, and I don’t feel it anywhere else but their live shows.

After that first show in 2009, I got to meet Dave Wakeling on the tour bus, and at the time, I was 80 pounds heavier and wearing a wool sport coat, black shirt and a two-tone (black and white checkered) tie.  Dave loved the look of the tie, and I said, “I’ll tell ya what I’m gonna do – I’m going to give you the tie right off of my shirt.”  Dave appreciated the gesture, signed everything I brought with me (including a flier for the show that was signed, “Save it for later Ron!”), and gave me the T-shirt I’m wearing to the show tonight. 

Dave Wakeling (who makes his home in California these days) is the kind of guy who doesn’t forget his friends or his fans.  All these years later, he still hasn’t forgotten.  The love between Portland, Maine and The English Beat featuring Dave Wakeling is quite mutual and then some.  “Save It For Later” wasn’t one of their biggest hits, but it’s truly one of their best, and like the Dave and the band, it’s aged well, and is one of many songs I’m looking forward to skanking to tonight…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bM0wVjU2-k

song of the day – “Beat’s So Lonely” | CHARLIE SEXTON | 1986.

Today, Saturday, August 6, 2016, is the seventh anniversary of the passing the brilliant writer / producer / director / 80s film hero and a personal hero of mine, John Hughes.  John was in NYC when he died of a heart attack at the far too young age of 59.

Over the past 20 years on my little 80s radio show, STUCK IN THE 80s (on WMPG community radio in Portland, Maine), there have been various tributes to John and the music from his films.  On the Sunday following his passing in 2009, I vowed to dedicate a show every August as a tribute to John.  On Sunday, August 7, 2016, it will be my eighth and last John Hughes tribute on STUCK IN THE 80s and WMPG.

One song that has made it on to nearly every tribute show I’ve done for John is a song that appeared in a brief but pivotal scene in 1987’s SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL (which John wrote and produced), and wasn’t on the soundtrack – “Beat’s So Lonely” by Charlie Sexton.

In his early days, the San Antonio, Texas native was taught (along with his brother Will) how to play guitar by the “Godfather of Austin Blues,” W.C. Clark.  In 1982, not quite 14 years old, “Little Charlie” Sexton played a number of dates with the Joe Ely Band after that band’s guitarist broke some bones in his hand.

Charlie’s impressive guitar work was already legendary, especially for such a young man, and in 1985, then just 16 years old, he released his first album, PICTURES FOR PLEASURE.  On the album, Charlie Sexton merged Rock and Blues with New Wave, and instantly drew comparisons to David Bowie and Billy Idol (Keith Forsey, Billy’s longtime producer and collaborator – and the man who scored the John Hughes classic, THE BREAKFAST CLUB – produced PICTURES FOR PLEASURE).

The lone single from the album, “Beat’s So Lonely,” debuted on the BILLBOARD Hot 100 in mid-December 1985 and took its time climbing the chart, reaching the Top 40 two months later.  In early April 1986, (and a statistic only a singles chart nerd like myself can prolly appreciate), a then-17-year-old Charlie Sexton spent his third week at No. 17 (in its 17th chart week on the Hot 100) with “Beat’s So Lonely.”  And, after that, for 24 years, Charlie Sexton was a (real) one-hit wonder of the 80s.

Then, in 2010, following the devastating Haiti earthquake, Charlie appeared on a cover version of Leonard Cohen’s eternal “Hallelujah” with Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris on the HOPE FOR HAITI NOW compilation, to benefit those affected by the earthquake. “Hallelujah” was one of 19 performances from the live telethon, which also included folks like Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Madonna, Bono, The Edge and Stevie Wonder.  That version of “Hallelujah” reached No. 13 on the BILLBOARD Hot 100 and was the most-downloaded song from the album.

Charlie Sexton and David Bowie on stage together, 1987.

Charlie Sexton has released a total of four albums between 1985 and 2005, but he’s remained busy.  He performed in the brilliant 1991 Ridley Scott film, THELMA & LOUISE, and contributed to the soundtrack.  He was also a guitarist for Bob Dylan’s backing band from 1999 to 2002, and again from 2009 to 2012. 

To this day, Charlie continues to perform, supports other musicians such as Eric Clapton and Spoon, and has even done some more acting, appearing in the 2014 Richard Linklater film, BOYHOOD, nominated for six Academy Awards and picking up a win for Best Supporting Actress, Patricia Arquette.

Charlie Sexton, in a scene from the 2014 film, BOYHOOD.

And on this day, yeah, the beat is lonelier without John Hughes around, but every time I play songs like Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” Oingo Boingo’s “Weird Science,” “Pretty In Pink” by The Psychedelic Furs, “Tenderness” by General Public, “If You Were Here” by Thompson Twins, OMD’s “If You Leave” or this gem by Charlie Sexton, I know the beat of John Hughes is still there, and as long as people keep playing the music from his films, and watching those amazing films, the beat will always be there, and maybe, not so lonely…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCRtHVEroQ0

song of the day – “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” | a-ha | 1986.

Over the course of the 20 years I’ve been on the air with my little 80s radio show, STUCK IN THE 80s (on WMPG-FM community radio in Portland, Maine), I’ve advocated for those many recording acts who had the one big hit in America and continue to be labeled as “one-hit wonders,” though they had more than one chart hit on the BILLBOARD Hot 100. 

There were nearly 500 artists during the Fall of 1979 through the end of 1989 who really did hit the Hot 100 only the one time.  I call them “(real) one-hit wonders of the 80s,” and I like to try and feature one every week on the blog. 

There are several recording artists remembered for the “one BIG hit” here in the U.S. who actually had more than one Top 40 hit on the Hot 100 and are STILL considered one-hit wonders (thanks to folks like VH1), including Eddy Grant, The Outfield, John Waite, Information Society (who had 2 Top 10 hits), General Public, Quarterflash, ’til Tuesday, Neneh Cherry (another artist with 2 Top 10 hits) and the Oslo, Norway band, a-ha. 

Vocalist Morten Harket, keyboardist Magne Furuholmen and guitarist Pål Waaktaar-Savoy formed a-ha in 1982, and on their first album, 1985’s HUNTING HIGH AND LOW, and their second attempt at making the song “Take On Me” into a hit, their lives as they knew it would never be the same again.  “Take On Me” was a massive hit in Norway and beyond, reaching No. 1 in 10 countries worldwide (including the U.S.), and the Top 10 in another 8 countries, and parent album, HUNTING HIGH AND LOW, was a global hit as well.

I adore “Take On Me” and its sensational and creative video, and have for many years, but it was the follow-up single, “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.,” that made a-ha a part of my life for all-time.

“The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” was the third single overall released from HUNTING HIGH AND LOW, but the second single from the album released worldwide.  It made its way onto the BILLBOARD Hot 100 the end of November 1985 and debuted in the Top 40 in January 1986.  It climbed steadily until pausing at No. 20 for a week in late February 1986, and spent 17 weeks on the chart.  The trio would make one more appearance on the Hot 100, with 1986’s “Cry Wolf,” which reached No. 50.

Though I was disappointed in the Stateside chart performance of “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.,” I took comfort in the fact it was well-received around the world, reaching the Top 10 in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Holland, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the BILLBOARD Dance chart.  In Ireland and the U.K., where “Take On Me” had stopped at No. 2, “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” reached No. 1 in both of those countries, which was indeed validating, not only for the band, but also for my love of the song.

The video for “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” starts as a epilogue to the “Take On Me” video, where an animated Morten Harket realizes he can’t stay in the world of his young love interest, and heads back to the comic book world where he came from.  The video then turns into an impressive performance piece, set in a former English Gothic church (still owned by the Church of England), loaded with very interesting European mannequins (which are WAY different than your run-of-the-mill American mannequins).

The editing of this video is magnificent.  Just setting up the hundreds of mannequins in the church as an orchestra, chorus, and patrons must have taken many hours if not days.  Also validating in my love for this song and its video is that, in a year where “Take On Me” won 6 MTV Video Music Awards, the video for “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” deservedly won the band 2 more: Best Editing and Best Cinematography.  It remains as one of my all-time favorite videos.

a-ha is still around today, and in their native Norway, every studio album they released between 1985 and 2005 reached No. 1 on the Norway album chart.  And, their most recent albums, 2009’s FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN, and 2015’s CAST IN STEEL, reached No. 2. 

I know everyone has their own opinions on what or what not constitutes an artist being a one-hit wonder.  American radio stations, DJs and venues like VH1 have a stranglehold on which songs they think people should remember over others.  Luckily, WMPG is not one of those stations, and I sure as hell am not one of those DJs.  Yes, I realize there is a whole other world going on that has much more important issues than whether or not someone was a one-hit wonder.  But, in the world in which I live and breathe every day of my life – the 80s music world – a-ha is NOT a one-hit wonder.  And “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” is my proof…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3ir9HC9vYg

song of the day – “Tenderness” | GENERAL PUBLIC | 1984.

It’s kind of odd now to think that, in 1984, my knowledge of Dave Wakeling consisted of the General Public songs “Tenderness” and “Never You Done That.”  “Tenderness” was a Top 40 hit on the BILLBOARD Hot 100 in 1985, and I owned the 12” single featuring dance remixes of both songs (originally from the album, …ALL THE RAGE). 

25-and-a-half years after “Tenderness” was released, in November 2009, I found myself interviewing Dave Wakeling for my little WMPG radio show, STUCK IN THE 80s, just a week before he and The English Beat were gracing Portland, Maine for the first time, and in honor of the band’s 30th anniversary.  If you would like to hear my 2009 interview with Dave Wakeling, here’s the link that will take you there (ba-da-ba-buh-duh):

http://198.171.51.40/archivefiles/ronraymond.htm

One of the things Dave and I talked about was how his music was incorporated into the films of two 80s heroes named John – Cusack and Hughes.  Sadly, John Hughes had passed away just 4 months prior, at the young age of 59. 

John Hughes had a lot of respect for cool music from the 80s, and I asked Dave if he had met John Hughes, and he told me how John went backstage during the General Public tour to say hello, stretched his hand out to Dave and said (of “Tenderness”), “Anybody who’s got the balls enough to put a bassoon in a pop song and get away with it is a man I need to meet.” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XegL32Btzs

Dave Wakeling also told me about John Hughes’ enormous record collection (God, how I would have loved to have been there to see that!), and when John died in August 2009, Dave told me he dedicated “Tenderness” from the stage to John that night (I would have liked to have been there too).

With the exception of last year (2015), I have seen Dave and The English Beat perform in Portland, Maine every year since 2009.  For a band I was late getting into, I’ve now seen them more than any other band or singer.  There’s just something about being there – the energy, the skanking, the music – and when they play “I Confess” (prolly my favorite song of theirs), I close my eyes and somehow I feel a peace I can’t really describe in a blog post, and I don’t feel it anywhere else but their live shows.  Really hope they come back this way again later this year!!

I even contributed to the PledgeMusic fundraising campaign for HERE WE GO LOVE, The English Beat’s first album of new material since 1982’s SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE, which is scheduled for release later this year (this month?  around my birthday?  maybe? that’d be a swell birthday gift!).  

“Tenderness,” today’s “song of the day,” was a great introduction for me to Dave and General Public, and ultimately, The English Beat.  “Tenderness” spent a tender week at No. 27 on the BILLBOARD Hot 100 in mid-February 1985, and hung around the chart for more than 4 months.  It also reached No. 15 on BILLBOARD’s Dance chart.  “Never You Done That” appeared on the other side (I consider the 12” single I own as a double-A-sided single, because both songs are so amazing), and “Never You Done That” actually charted a bit higher on the Dance chart than “Tenderness,” though just missing out on the Hot 100.

On the 12” single to “Tenderness,” the top reads, “Words like conviction can turn into a sentence.”  Well, for me, words like “conviction” can also describe how I feel about Dave Wakeling, The English Beat and General Public.  “Tenderness” works too…  

wouldn’t it be good.

To borrow from Nik Kershaw’s 1984 gem of a song, wouldn’t it be good to be on your side (or my side) of the subject of one-hit wonders?  What do you think of when you think of a one-hit wonder?  You think of a band or a singer who had one big hit, and that’s it, right?  What 80s one-hit wonders come to mind right away for you?  a-ha?  Falco?  Men Without Hats?  Eddy Grant?  Information Society?  The Outfield?  ’til Tuesday?  Madness?  For the record (no pun intended), NONE of these acts were one-hit wonders here in America.  In fact, every one of the acts listed above had multiple Top 40 hits, and in some cases, multiple Top 20 hits on the BILLBOARD Hot 100. 

Well, if you’re surprised that the artists listed above had more than one hit, don’t blame yourself; most people feel that way.  It’s not at the fault of the people, it’s radio stations and media outlets like VH1 who, over the years, “determine” what songs are the ones worth remembering, and what songs get left behind, despite what imprint they may have left on the singles chart.  And I love radio.  

In 2009, VH1 did a show on the “Greatest One-Hit Wonders Of The 80s,” and I responded with a show on STUCK IN THE 80s, titled “Why I Wasn’t A One-Hit Wonder,” featuring hits by artists listed above and other artists who appeared on VH1’s list like Thomas Dolby, John Waite, Devo, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, A Flock Of Seagulls and Dead Or Alive.  I don’t know who put this bullshit list together for VH1, but if I recall, nearly 75% of the list was inaccurate.

Later that year, in advance of their first Portland, Maine show, I had the amazing opportunity to interview Dave Wakeling, the voice and force behind The English Beat and General Public.  Knowing General Public had more than one hit (“Tenderness” in 1984 and their brilliant cover of The Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” in 1993), I had played “I’ll Take You There” on my “Why I Wasn’t A One-Hit Wonder” show, and asked Dave if it bothered him that General Public, according to VH1, was referred to as a one-hit wonder (“Tenderness” was No. 77 on the list):

“[VH1] asked me to be involved in that, and I sent them a list of [our] hits, and I was like, ‘Sadly, we can’t be involved in a one-hit wonder [show], can we?’  So, I told him that I thought they were barking up the wrong tree, and beating a dead horse, and it seems to be something, I think it stems more from VH1 than anything else, to try and marginalize or even ridicule the 80s somehow, and most of the people working on those damn programs weren’t even there; with their young sarcastic tones.  I put the guy in his place, frankly.  And, I said, ‘Even if I was a one-hit wonder, it’d be one more than you, mate, wouldn’t it?!’  Or, as my dad used to say, ‘Better to have been a has been than a never-bleeding wozzer!’”

Between late 1979 and the end of 1989, there were nearly 500 (real) one-hit wonders of the 80s.  Once a week, prolly on Mondays, I’ll feature a (real) one-hit wonder of the week.  For me, being the chart nerd I am (I have warned you of this), a (real) one-hit wonder was a artist that reached the BILLBOARD Hot 100 just one time, whether it was a No. 1 hit, like M’s “Pop Muzik,” a Top 10 hit like Soft Cell’s cover of “Tainted Love,” a Top 40 hit like Laid Back’s “White Horse,” or a song that just squeaked into the Hot 100 at No. 96, like “The Only Way Is Up,” by Yazz & The Plastic Population, a song that actually spent 5 weeks at No. 1 in the United Kingdom.  And with nearly 500 (real) one-hit wonders of the 80s (including the aforementioned Nik Kershaw), I could do this as a weekly feature for many years to come.  Stay tuned…