Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 123
Chart Week: February 4, 1984 Song: “Break My Stride” – Matthew Wilder Chart Position: #5, 21st week on the chart. Peaked at #5 for three weeks. Nearly five weeks into the new year without any RFTS entries. Trust me, it’s been keeping me awake at night. Fortunately, during the countdown I listened to last week, Matthew Wilder’s biggest (but not…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 122
Chart Week: December 11, 1982 Song: “The Look Of Love (Part 1)” – ABC Chart Position: #20, 14th week on the chart. Peaked at #18 for three weeks in January 1983. As a true music geek, sometimes it really pisses me off when a band’s best song was not their biggest hit. I realize this is purely subjective; who am…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 121
Chart Week: December 1, 1984 Song: “Valotte” – Julian Lennon Chart Position: #18, seventh week on the chart. Peaked at #9 the week of January 12, 1985. When Julian Lennon released his first album in the fall of 1984, there was no mistaking his genetics. His voice was eerily similar to that of his late father. Hell, I was 13…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 120
Chart Week: November 2, 1985 Song: “Lovin’ Every Minute Of It” – Loverboy Chart Position: #9, 11th week on the chart. This was its peak. First off, shout out to my brother-in-music E$ for messaging me when he heard this song on an old AT40 while driving through Iowa recently. Astute listeners may recall that I heard my first throw-back…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 119
Chart Week: September 24, 1983 Song: “It’s A Mistake” – Men At Work Chart Position: #38, 13th week on the chart. Peaked at #6 for two weeks in August. What clichés about Eighties music jump into your head the quickest? Big hair and spandex? Synthesizers? Gender ambiguous British men in suits wearing more makeup than your mom? Artists with little-to-no…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 118
Chart Week: September 8, 1984 Song: “Sunglasses At Night” – Corey Hart Chart Position: #9, 16th week on the chart. Peaked at #7 the week of September 1. Every era of music has its own unique set of identifiers that some listeners use to immediately discredit and dismiss a song. Two entries ago, I discussed string sections in Seventies rock.…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 117
Chart Week: August 30, 1986 Song: “Dreamtime” – Daryl Hall Chart Position: #23, 5th week on the chart. Would peak at #5 the week of October 4. Through the history of pop music, there has been a natural career progression for lead singers of successful bands: once your group peaks, hit the eject button and record a solo album. Sometimes…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 116
Chart Week: August 20, 1977 Song: “Telephone Line” – Electric Light Orchestra Chart Position: #16, 11th week on the chart. Peaked at #7 for two weeks in September and October. When I dove into this countdown last Saturday I was interested to see what it had to offer. Would a particular song jump out and lead to my next RFTS…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 115
Chart Week: August 14, 1982 Song: “And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going” – Jennifer Holliday Chart Position: #26, 7th week on the chart. Would peak at #22 for three weeks. One aspect of the pop chart that messed with my head when I was young was how songs that were huge hits on the genre charts would…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 114
Chart Week: August 5, 1978 Song: “Love Will Find A Way” – Pablo Cruise Chart Position: #9, 10th week on the chart. Peaked at #6 the week of August 26. There are many factors that go into determining my favorite musical years. Clearly the songs are the biggest factor. It is a huge bonus if most of the best tracks…