Mel and Kim - "Respectable"

In U.K, at the end of march 1987, it were the nice looking sisters Mel and Kim that got us dancing with their hit "Respectable".

But behind their success it's mainly their producers' success: Stock, Aitken and Waterman who marked the end of the eighties with several hits easily recognisable... They are the ones that will produce in 1988 the first hits from Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Rick Astley... and so many others... At that time, the music charts were "full" of their productions!

Mel & Kim's story quickly became very sad though... In 1990, Mel died of penumonia because she was very weakened already due to chemotherapy against a spin cancer!...

Kim tried a solo career with the help of her friend Craig Logan (ex-Bros bassist) She sang songs co-written with her sister that should have been on their second album... but her solo-career never really started...

Club Nouveau - "Lean on Me"

In the U.S., the last 2 weeks of march 1987, we discovered "Lean on Me" of Club Nouveau... This band made such a "career" that I was unable to find back their video... Though, I've found some "home-made" video on youTube using that song as sounddtrack... Don't ask me, who thos people are, I don't know but "thanks to them" we're now able to listen to that song again... and I'm quite sure, you'll remember that song:

Actually that song is again a cover of a "classic" song by Bill Withers (1972) and that since it has been covered several times by several singers or bands... So, there's no wonder if we do remember well of this nice little melody!

But regarding the band Club Nouveau, their career sums up to 7 singles (amongst which this one was the biggest hit) that came out between 1986 and 1992! This band was founded by Jay King after the split of his previous band: Timex Social Club. But quickly 3 other members left Club Nouveau to focus on producing other things... So, there's very few chance that Club Nouveau might be one of the 80's bands that regroup to make a new tour!

Huey Lewis & The News - "Jacobs Ladder"

On 14th march 1987 in the U.S., it's Huey Lewis & the News who reached the first place with "Jacobs Ladder". Well, ok, I know I'm too late to publish that post... but 20 years later, 1 week too late doesn't matter anymore, does it? Well, then quickly watch the video:

This californian band is probably much more successfull there in the U.S. than on this side of the ocean, and to be honest I don't remember this song "Jacobs Ladder"... But, they do have had some big successes in Europe... for instance, I'm sure you remember songs like "Stuck With You" and "Hip to be Square" in 1986, but most of all "The Power of Love" in 1985 because it was chosen as the soundtrack of "Back to the Future", huge popular succes starring Michael J.Fox.

So, to apologize for my late posting, I can't resist the pleasure to also show in here the "The Power of Love" video... Enjoy! ;-)

Boy George - "Everything I Own"

On 10th march 1987 in U.K. Ben E.King finally left his first place to the advantage of Boy George and his song "Everything I Own".

Well, when I say HIS song... actually it's a cover. The original version of the song was written by David Gates who sang it with his band Bread in 1972... This song already reached the 5th place on the famous American Billboard Hit100.
Since then, this song was sung by many artists: Jack Jones, Ken Boothe, Olivia Newton-John, N'Sync, Jude...

Ken Boothe's cover also stayed at he first place for 3 weeks on the U.K. charts in september 1974. So, the least I can say is that Boy George did take no big risk when he choosed that song to start his solo career... moreover the reggae mood of this song fits well with what made Boy George so popular in 1982 when he started with Culture Club and their famous "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"

P.S.: Videos shown here are not the original ones... Sadly enoug, I was unable to find those... Moreover, it looks like the end of the second video has been "hacked" by another video... So, I'll offer you a little game... Try to guess who's singing at the end of the second vido... But note that I don't have the answer, so I won't be able to tell you if you're right or wrong! ;-)

Elsa - "T'en vas pas"

I'm sorry for letting you without news for several days, but february 1987 was not a very active month regarding number ones in the U.K. and U.S. music charts... In U.K., Ben E. King stayed 3 weeks number one and in the U.S. it's even "worst" as Bon Jovi stayed 4 weeks at first place!

So, today I decided to let you know what was number one hit in... France! Why? First, because I'm a frenchspeaking guy from Belgium so, this is also part of my "culture"... Second, because I'm sure you could find the french singers quite "funny" to see and listen to...

Today, let me introduce you to a young and very romantic french singer aged only 14 at that time: Elsa. And this is probably her biggest hit, it's called "T'en vas pas" wich could be translated by "Don't go!"...

Maybe some english speaking people do know her though because she also sang some songs with Glenn Medeiros... but I'm not sure that was hits anywhere else than in France.

OR maybe you're a football fan and her face reminds you someone because she was for several years the girlfriend of world champion french soccer player: Bixente Lizarazu.

On the music point of view, she never really managed to lose that "young romantic girl" image she had... Luckily for her she's also acting in some french movies or tv-movies...

If you live outside France and heard about her, please let me know! :-)

Bon Jovi - Livin On A Prayer

In the United-States, only a week after having reached the top, Madonna has to leave her place to Bon Jovi and their hit "Livin on a Prayer". Don't laugh when you'll watch the video, at that time it was very "rock'n roll" to have long hair with "permanent wave"! Remember, the same kind of look was also the one used by Europe and their "Final Countdown"... :-))

"Permanent waves" or not, this song was a huge succes that stayed 4 weeks at number one position and also reachhed the 4th place in the U.K. charts...

For your information, Jon Bon Jovi (lead singer), didn't like that song and it's Richie Sambora (lead guitarist) that convinced him that the song was pretty good and deserved to be part of their second album "Slippery when wet"! Finally, that song became and still is one of their biggest hits, if not THE biggest... Well done Jon ! ;-)

In 2006, on VH1's website, people voted for the "100 biggest hits from the 80's", and guess who what? "Livin on a Prayer" reached the first place!

Ben E. King - Stand By Me

It's no surprise that on Valentine's Day's week, it's a great love song that reached the top of the U.K. music charts! What might be a bit more amazing, is that it's not a new song but a pretty old one as its original release dates from 1961 or more than 25 years sooner! This song is Ben E. King's "Stand by Me".

So, how this song that already reached the U.S. top 10 in 1961, did to reach the top back in 1986 ?!? "Simply" because it was chosen as the theme song for Rob Reiner's movie "Stand by Me"... But it's also because that song has become a "classic" and is now part of our collective memory. Many covers of this song have been released (though King's stays the best one!), in 1975 for instance, John Lennon released his cover. Others like U2 performed the song in their tour, once, for their show in Philadelphia, they even sang it in duet with the boss itself: Bruce Springsteen!

In 1999, BMI named it as the 4th most performed song of the 20th century, with about 7 million performances!!!...

Madonna - Open Your Heart

First week of february in 1987, in the U.S., it's Madonna that reached the top of the charts with her song "Open Your Heart" that entered the charts end of '86. This song is the third realeased as a single from her album "True Blue" right after "Papa don't preach" and "True Blue". The video, filmed by the famous french director Jean-Baptiste Mondino, was nominated 3 times at the MTV Video Music Awards, so, you guess this one deserves to be watch again...

Nevertheless, as with a lot of Madonna's videos, not everybody was pleased... Some people were outraged at seeing a kid entering a strip-club and being kissed by Madonna at the end!

20 years later, I'm afraid those kind of people died since then, just by viewing all that we can see on videos today! :-))

Aretha Franklin & George Michael - I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

What's happening when a popstar sings a duet with a soul music living legend? Well, that produces a legendary hit for sure! That's what happened in UK first week of february 1987 with Aretha Franklin and George Michael's "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" .

Though Aretha Franklin seems to be a bigger music legend than George Michael (everyone probably knows her biggest hit "Respect"), this duet was the first and only one time that Aretha reached the first place in the UK charts.

On the other hand, after "Careless Whisper" in 1984 and "A Different Corner" in 1986, this was already the third number one in a row from George Michael , and he'll have several others later on...

That song already reached the top of the US charts but a bit later... It entered the charts at place 59th then it needed 9 weeks to reach the top on 18th april 1987.

For your information only, that song was co-written by Dennis Morgan and Simon Climie who'll also know his hour of success in 1988 with his band Climie Fisher and their breakthrough hit "Rise to the Occasion".

Billy Vera and the Beaters - "At This Moment"

In 1987, number 1 this week in the US charts was Billy Vera and the Beaters with the song "At this Moment". Don't ask me what it was, I have no clue! But here is a live version of it:

YouTube was forced by MTV to remove its video, so the only video I found is one sung by Tom Jones and actually that's at least as good! Click the following link to watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEnqHAELL94

Though I might be wrong, I'm quite sure this song never reached Europe and even in the US, its success was not that easy...

Actually the song was written in the seventies already, but no one wanted to record it! The song was only recorder 10 years later and even then it stay quite unknown... So how come this song finally reached the top?!? Thanks to television's magic!

In 1982 started the show that will reveal Michael J.Fox : "Family Ties". The success of this show will grow up from year to year until 1989. One day the producer asked to use the song in one of the episodes... In 1986's first show, the song is used where Michael J.Fox loses his girlfriend... and that's exactly what the song is about! NBC received tons of mails asking details about that song. And that's the way this song finally hit the top of US charts.

Nevertheless, this success didn't really help Billy Vera and the Beaters to become real big stars... Since then, they continue to do what they were doing before and that they really like, I mean play in L.A. area clubs where they still have their loyal lovers...

Steve "Silk" Hurley - "Jack Your Body"

Last week in januray '87 and first week in february '87, Steve "Silk" Hurley was number one in UK charts... Who? Steve "Silk" Hurley and his hit "Jack Your Body". The best is probably to watch the sample below to see if it's remind you something...

Even if this song might appear insignificant, that was quite a "revolution" as it was the first "house" song to reach the top of the charts and this opened the way for the next music style: "acid music"...

If, as for me, this name doesn't ring a bell, we probably have some excuses as this was Steve's unique big hit... But Steve was and still is first and foremost a great DJ... What he does best are remixes and arrangements on others' songs... And on that side of the job, the least we can say is he worked with the best! Just have a look at some stars he worked for: Michael Jackson ("Jam", "Remember The Time") - Prince ("Get Off") - Janet Jackson ("Runaway") - Madonna ("Take a Bow") - Mary J.Blige - Jennifer Lopez - and many others...

So, it's a good name to recall to show-off as an expert at your next party! :-))

"New" videos now available!

YouTube is really amazing! It really looks like all the greatest hits from the eighties can be found there...

I've updated all my old posts to add the videos I was talking about. I've added around 15 of them and I've really had a good time watching and listen to those!

I hope you'll enjoy the ride too... and from now on, I'm looking forward to help you remember number ones from 1987!

What's new in here ?!?

Soooooooooooo I'm finally back to this blog more than a year after my last post!

What happened during that year... well, lot of things of course, but there are 2 things that make me coming back to this blog:

- The new and improved Blogger version.
- The ability to post YouTube videos on this blog.

Those 2 things should greatly improved this blog, our memory might forget some songs or videos but it seems that all of them can now be found on YouTube... So stay tune, and this time I hope, I'm back for good! :-)

Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me"

Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls"

Shakin's Stevens' "Merry Christmas Everyone"

Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love (Grammy Awards 1986)