Yesterday, I was suddenly reminded of an 80s era American new wave band I hadn't thought about in years. I'm talking about 'Til Tuesday, fronted by Aimee Mann. I think it was because "Voices Carry", a song about infidelity and hiding it, was featured on SingSnap yesterday.
Wow... this brings back memories...
As I listened to this old song from the middle of my adolescence, I was reminded of another one they did that I liked even more.
Aimee Mann was quite the sexpot in the 80s.
I'll admit I didn't pay a lot of attention to this Boston based new wave band when they were popular, but their music takes me back to high school every time. High school wasn't a horrible time for me, but I've had better years. I still like the music, though. It makes me feel young.
Interesting that I'd think of them 30 years after they broke up... I still think their songs sound great, even today. Some bands age better than others. Aimee Mann is now a solo artist. I need to check out more of her work. Hell, I didn't even know she grew up in Chesterfield County in Virginia, winding up in Boston because she briefly attended Berklee College of Music. She's supposedly one of the best songwriters around.
Those of you who have seen my main blog may know that I've recently been binge watching Family Ties. When the show was at its most popular, the character Alex P. Keaton (played by Michael J. Fox) was dating Ellen Reed (played by Tracy Pollan-- his now wife of thirty years and mother of his four children). Alex and Ellen were an item for about two years or so. In the 1980s sitcom world, that was a really long time... long enough for them to have a love theme.
Alex and Ellen get close for the first time.
Alex and Ellen slow danced to the song "At This Moment" by Billy Vera and the Beaters. The year was 1985, and it became a hit. But "At This Moment" was actually released in 1981 by a Japanese label that eventually went under. The Japanese label, Alfa, had signed Billy Vera and the Beaters and released a live album they did at West Hollywood's Roxy back in 1981. The single, "At This Moment" peaked at #79 at the end of 1981. Another single by the band, "I Can Take Care of Myself" was the band's first top 40 hit (at #39, no less), but for the life of me, I don't remember ever hearing it.
Billy Vera belts out "At This Moment".
Although Billy Vera and the Beaters are still playing, to my knowledge, this was the band's one big hit. And it became a hit because a producer from the show Family Ties happened to hear Billy Vera and his band play it at a club in Southern California. They used the song on the show; it became a huge hit several years after its initial release; and even today, it sounds pretty good.
"I Can Take Care of Myself"... I don't remember this. It sounds a little like a white soul version of "The Best of My Love" by the Emotions, at least at the beginning of the song.
This is a pretty good band and Billy Vera has a great voice. Unfortunately, I think he might be a victim of video killing the radio star. I hate that youth and good looks are so important in the entertainment industry. Ah well...
"At This Moment" has the distinction of bringing back a hilarious memory I shared with my sister, Becky. She's very good at making up new song lyrics and she did so with that song...
What did you think I would say at this moment?
When you're standin' there before me... with blood in your eyes?
You look like you've been drinkin'...
And I know I've been thinkin'... I wanna break up with you...
There was more to her version, but the first verse was the funniest. I may have to finish it myself today, if I can't think of something else to write about.
Yes, another mid 80s band I had long forgotten about. They had a gem of a hit in their song "Your Love". People loved it.
More edgy rock. I think it's good, but it's totally 80s.
Unlike The Hooters, The Outfield comes from Britain. Unlike most British bands, they experienced success in the United States, but not in their homeland. Interestingly enough, though they are Brits, their band is named after baseball. They initially called themselves The Baseball Boys, kind of as a joke, but fan response was favorable. Given that they sounded very American, it seems fitting that they'd call themselves The Outfield. However, despite their baseball inspired name, they didn't actually know much about baseball until they came to the States.
Here's another hit by The Outfield, "Since You've Been Gone".
"Say It Isn't So" reminds me a little of Big Country, another band that was popular in the mid 80s.
Hell, they are still kind of appealing thirty years later, even though I'm probably only saying this because I'm older than hell now. I see that songwriter and bassist John Spinks, died of liver cancer the same day my dad died, on July 9, 2014. That's too bad. He was just 60 years old.
Wow... here's a band I haven't thought of in decades. The Hooters had a popular album out when I was about 13 or 14. It spawned several hits. Then they kind of disappeared. For some reason, their song "And They Danced" popped into my head this morning and I felt compelled to buy new music... well, old music that is new only because I just now bought it.
The Hooters are from Philadelphia, but they are especially popular in Europe... or, at least they were thirty years ago. This band has been in existence since 1980 and is apparently still around today. But they hit the height of their popularity in 1985 or so.
This is a blast from the past...
The energy of "And We Danced" was very popular in the mid 80s. The hard rocking guitars and harmonicas were appealing to people my age back in the day. I listen to it now and still think it sounds good, if not a little reminiscent of McDonald's ads of the time. I went looking to see if I could find the ad I'm thinking of, but it doesn't appear to be on YouTube.
"Day by Day"
This music kind of reminds me of Growing Pains. We all miss the days when Kirk Cameron was cute and cool and all the girls had a crush on him. Now he's a fundamentalist Christian asswipe. Too bad.
I do remember liking "Where Do The Children Go"...
Wow... thirty-two years have flown by. I'm older than dirt. While I'm thinking about it, I will post about another forgotten 80s era band...
