“Moments of Genesis (1983) are as spooky and arty as those on Abacab — in particular, there’s the tortured howl of ‘Mama,’ uncannily reminiscent of Phil Collins’ Face Value, and the two-part ‘Second Home by the Sea’ — but this eponymous 1983 album is indeed a rebirth, as so many self-titled albums delivered in the thick of a band’s career often are,” (AllMusic).
“Here the art rock functions as coloring to the pop songs, unlike on Abacab and Duke, where the reverse is true. Some of this may be covering their bets — to ensure that the longtime fans didn’t jump ship, they gave them a bit of art — some of it may be that the band just couldn’t leave prog behind, but the end result is the same: as of this record, Genesis was now primarily a pop band. Anybody who paid attention to ‘Misunderstanding’ and ‘No Reply at All’ could tell that this was a good pop band, primarily thanks to the rapidly escalating confidence of Phil Collins, but Genesis illustrates just how good they could be, by balancing such sleek, pulsating pop tunes as ‘That’s All’ with a newfound touch for aching ballads, as on ‘Taking It All Too Hard.’ It has a little bit too much of everything — too much pop, too much art, too much silliness — so it doesn’t pull together, but if taken individually, most of these moments are very strong testaments to the increasing confidence and pop power of the trio, even if it’s not quite what longtime fans might care to hear.” Released as a single during the summer of 1984, the track got stuck at #50 on the pop chart but reached #11 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
“Taking It All Too Hard” starts in E major, with the chorus placed first in the lineup. At 0:36, the verse starts in E minor, but features unprepared shifts to A major via a syncopated kick at 0:51, C major at 1:02, and Ab major at 1:11. The bass line moves down a half step for the next verse. Collins’ vocal delivery on the verses is quieter, almost to the point of sounding like so much interior monologue. But then he shifts to a louder, more agitated sound as the chorus returns at 1:20. The patterns persist throughout.
Tag: 1980s
Gary Wright | Really Want to Know You
“Gary Wright, the spiritually minded singer-songwriter who helped modernize the sound of pop music with his pioneering use of synthesizers while crafting infectious and seemingly inescapable hits of the 1970s …” died last week at the age of 80. “… Along with his work with (George) Harrison, Mr. Wright was a session keyboardist for musicians like Harry Nilsson, B.B. King and Jerry Lee Lewis, and he continued to record solo albums,” (New York Times).
“Because he (was) the co-founder of U.K. progressive rockers Spooky Tooth and a close friend of George Harrison, many assume Gary Wright is English, but the performer was actually born in New Jersey,” (Rhino.com). “The Right Place was the singer-songwriter’s final album for Warner Brothers; the 1981 collection is sure to please ‘Dream Weaver’ fans. Like that iconic earlier hit, the album pairs Wright’s subtly philosophical lyrics with synthesizer-dominant arrangements that follow a strong groove (future Chicago drummer Tris Imboden keeps the beat here).”
“Really Wanna Know You” reached #16 in the US and #14 in Canada. It was his last charting hit in the US and was the 96th most popular tune in the US for the year, according to Billboard. The tune was co-written by Wright and Ali Thompson (who is the brother of Dougie Thompson, a member of the UK band Supertramp).
The tune starts in Db major, sounding at first like garden variety early-80s pop. After two verses and choruses, 1:09 brings a shift upwards to D minor for a more complex section that bears a closer resemblance to the more layered textures of his #2 hit “Dream Weaver” (1976). From 1:32-1:52, a mini-bridge takes us down a meandering path which settles us back into Db major. Going forward, the two keys continue to alternate.
Many thanks to our listener/reader from Brazil, Julianna A., for submitting this intriguing tune — her third contribution to MotD!
Theme from “Buckaroo Banzai”
From Genregrinder‘s review of The Advuentures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984): “Neurosurgeon. Physicist. Rock Star. Hero. Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) is a true ‘80s renaissance man. With the help of his uniquely qualified team, The Hong Kong Cavaliers, Buckaroo is ready to save the world on a moment’s notice. But after his successful test of the Oscillation Overthruster – a device that allows him to travel through solid matter – he unleashes the threat of “evil, pure and simple from the 8th Dimension”… the alien Red Lectroids. Led by the deranged dictator, Lord John Whorfin (John Lithgow), the Lectroids steal the Overthruster with the intent of using it to return to their home of Planet 10 ‘real soon!’ But, no matter where you go, there Buckaroo Banzai is… ready to battle an interdimensional menace that could spell doom for the human race.”
Was the movie a comedy, a sci-fi geekfest, or a fast-paced race-against-time thriller with sky high stakes? Yes. Was it so visually jam-packed with cutting-edge tech trinkets while simultaneously so light in plot continuity that it confused audiences? Also yes. But for audiences happy to see a movie with the look and feel of a cartoon book come to life — particularly one that featured an all-new universe where the effortlessly charismatic hero was somehow a top neurosurgeon by day and also a guitar-slinging rockstar by night — the movie was a cult hit. In addition to Weller and Lithgow, the cast’s other A-list actors include Ellen Barkin and Jeff Goldblum. Descriptions of the film pretty much can’t cut it, so watch the trailer, below!
The theme, which played under the movie’s closing credits, features the high-pitched three-note call of Buckaroo’s abovementioned overthruster (first heard at 0:26 as the theme starts), which was so centrally important to the plot that it should have been listed in the credits itself. After a start in A major, 1:04 brings a shift to Eb major for the B section. The modulation is ushered in by sudden shift to a I minor chord and then a V chord in A major just before the key change. So somehow, the improbable modulation feels more like a gentle exhale down a half-step to the new Eb tonic than a jarring shift. The overthruster’s call chimes in often as the two sections alternate again throughout. At 3:24, the regal fanfare which brings the theme to an end still features the now-iconic three-note chirp.
for Roger
Rick Astley | Whenever You Need Somebody
“(Rick Astley is the) British baritone behind some of the most impeccably crafted pop hits of the ’80s, including ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ and ‘Together Forever.’ Wielding a rich, deep voice, Rick Astley became an overnight sensation in the late ’80s with his well-crafted dance-pop,” (AllMusic). “… (While) Astley’s often captivating debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody (1987) … (featured) high-tech production (that) is very ’80s, Astley’s soul/pop/dance music approach is very much a production of the ’70s — sort of the Average White Band meets Philly soul/disco meets Tom Jones … this CD proved Astley to be a welcome addition to the British R&B scene.”
“Whenever You Need Somebody” is the second track on Astley’s 1987 debut album of the same name; it was the album’s second track, appearing after the smash hit “Never Gonna Give You Up,” the song that much later launched a thousand “RickRolls.” The track wasn’t released as a single in the US, but went top 10 through much of Europe and reached #1 in Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland. However, on the importance of the US to his career, Astley reports ” …a lot of my favorite singers came from America, and I use the term ‘taught me to sing.’ But I think I’m not alone in saying a lot of R&B and soul records, like Luther Vandross, James Ingram, those records were what I was trying to emulate in my way. I was doing it in a northern English, red-haired, freckly sort of way,” (USAToday).
After a intro in Bb, the verse follows a mini-AABA format, dividing its time between B minor and Db minor (for the “B” section, 0:35 – 0:43). The chorus moves back up to Bb major at 0:52 and stays there during the bridge. The pattern continues from there. Astley’s towering, nearly vibrato-free vocal is utterly unmistakable from the first few notes.
Culture Club | Miss Me Blind
“For a time England’s biggest pop sensation, heralded in America as leaders of a second British Invasion, Culture Club capitalized on Boy George’s outrageous nightlife cross-dressing and aimed-to-shock intelligence to slip their mushy mainstream soul-pop into respectable homes the world over,” (Trouser Press). “Phenomenology aside, the foursome never sounded anywhere near as bizarre as they originally appeared …
Dropping the silly “white boy” crypto-sociology that threads through the first album, Colour by Numbers gets right to the business at hand, which is the creation of irresistible pop hits in a variety of molds. And in that regard, the album is a real success … prominently features singer Helen Terry, who provides a powerful foil to George’s smooth crooning.”
One of the band’s most successful singles was 1984’s “Miss Me Blind,” a soul-inflected, danceable pop hit. With songwriting credits split among all four members of the band, the track hit #5 on the US Hot 100 and #6 on the Canadian pop charts. Built in G minor overall, the early bridge (2:14 – 2:30) shifts to E minor before returning to the original key. Culture Club seemed to largely avoid over-indulgence in synthesized textures, instead maintaining a focus on the human voice (both George’s and Terry’s). As a result, many of the band’s tunes seem a bit less dated than others of the same vintage.
Theme from “Pee Wee’s Playhouse”
Paul Ruebens, a one-of-a-kind actor and comedian and creator of the 80s hit television show Pee Wee’s Playhouse, passed away over the weekend. “Pee-wee’s Playhouse debuted in September of 1986 and ran five seasons and 45 episodes,” (80sXChange.com). “It aired on Saturday mornings on CBS as one of the few live-action shows among mostly cartoons. (It featured) the iconic Pee Wee Herman character alongside all of his friends and neighbors. Pee-Wee’s Playhouse was designed as an educational yet entertaining and artistic show for children, but the show quickly acquired a dual audience of kids and adults.
… One of the musicians who provided music for the show was Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo who most remember for their biggest hit “Whip It”. Since Devo, Mothersbaugh has developed a successful career writing musical scores for film and television and that really started after he worked on Pee-wee’s Playhouse. In film, he went on to work frequently with filmmaker Wes Anderson, scoring four of his feature films … Mothersbaugh was tasked with writing the opening theme song for Pee-wee’s Playhouse … (the theme) introduces us to most of the other characters and really sets the tone for the fun, colorful show … The opening prelude theme is an interpretation of Les Baxter’s ‘Quiet Village’. The Pee-wee’s Playhouse theme song was actually performed by Cyndi Lauper imitating Betty Boop” with a side order of Edith Bunker. Lauper was credited as Ellen Shaw.
The frenetic theme bounces along, following a classic (if sped up) songwriting template during its 90-second length. After a few verses, a bridge unfurls at 0:43, leading into a half-step key change at 1:06 for the final verse and ending tag.
Aretha Franklin | Freeway of Love
“Freeway of Love” (1988) “was written by Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen,” (Songfacts). “Walden is the guy you call when you need to produce a diva: he has written and produced hits for Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Diana Ross. When we asked him about the one song that had the greatest impact on his career, he told us it was ‘Freeway of Love’ by Aretha Franklin … This is one of the most famous driving songs of all time,” but Franklin wasn’t a driver!
“Aretha Franklin has an astonishing 20 #1 R&B hits – more than any other artist – and this song was the last of them. It was also a huge pop hit and revitalized her career. When she recorded her Who’s Zoomin’ Who? album, she hadn’t been in a studio in two years, and hadn’t had a Top 10 on the Hot 100 since ‘Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’ in 1973.” Bruce Springsteen’s saxophone player Clarence Clemons played on this track, which was also produced by Walden. The tune won Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, as well as reaching #3 on the US pop charts and topping the Hot Black Singles chart for five weeks.
Spin‘s Armond White put the track into context within Franklin’s long career: ” … a highway of life song, proclaiming Aretha’s longevity … confirms her as the mother/master of much that is current. She’s still the Queen of Soul.” A whole-step modulation holds off until 3:40 — nearly the end of the tune.
Steps Ahead | Self Portrait
“Steps Ahead is an American jazz fusion group (which) arose out of spontaneous sessions at Seventh Avenue South, a jazz club in New York City owned by saxophonist Michael Brecker and trumpeter brother Randy Brecker,” (AllAboutJazz). Fully deserving of the term “supergroup,” the band’s “shifting roster has included vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, saxophonists Michael Brecker, Bob Berg, Bendik Hofseth, Bill Evans, Ernie Watts, and Donny McCaslin; pianists Don Grolnick, Eliane Elias, Warren Bernhardt and Rachel Z; guitarists Mike Stern, Chuck Loeb, and Steve Khan; bassists Eddie Gomez, Darryl Jones, Tony Levin, Victor Bailey, Richard Bona, and Marc Johnson; and drummers Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Steve Smith, and Dennis Chambers. Steps Ahead was active during the 1970s and 1980s, intermittently during the 1990s, and reunited for concerts in the mid-2000s.”
“Released in 1984, Modern Times … was a radical departure from their self-titled debut,” (JazzMusicArchives). “Unlike the first album’s mostly acoustic textures, Modern Times is a high-tech, futuristic, jazz-of-tomorrow fusion masterpiece … Strong compositions, impassioned performances, and early DDD production are married to otherworldly yet urban atmospheres to create one of the best albums any of these distinguished players has ever appeared on. “Self Portrait” (is a) classic Mainieri composition: long-lined unforgettable melodies, loud/soft contrasts, quirky bridges, outstanding solos over synth splashes, and sudden endings.”
Starting in D major, this 1986 live version of “Self Portrait” shifts into D minor between 1:14 – 1:39 before returning to the original key; the two keys continue to alternate throughout the tune. This particular gathering of the band, perhaps its quintessential lineup, featured Michael Brecker on tenor sax; Mike Mainieri, vibes; Darryl Jones, bass; Mike Stern, guitar; and Steve Smith, drums.
for Mark
New Kids on the Block | Please Don’t Go Girl
“This is the song that put New Kids on the Block on the map and got their career started in a big way,” (Songfacts). “This song was fronted by Joey McIntyre, who was the youngest member of the band. Ten years later, the song was covered by Aaron Carter, who was 11 years old at the time.
(The track) was written and produced by New Kids guru Maurice Starr, who not only controlled their business affairs, but also their music. Most of the ballads Starr wrote for the boy band find them singing directly to the girl, professing their love. Starr used a similar formula in his work with New Edition” a few years earlier. Both groups were Boston-based.
When Hangin’ Tough, NKOTB’s second album “came out in 1988 … the video for the single ‘Please Don’t Go Girl’ was released to BET and Starr focused on Black radio stations, where he had connections from his days with New Edition,” (Biography.com). “But then a Florida pop radio station started playing ‘Please Don’t Go Girl.’ The requests poured in, and plans for promoting the album shifted. New Kids on the Block had found the young girls who would make up their devoted fan base. After a tough beginning, they were on their way to stratospheric success.”
Along with New Edition, NKOTB and its hits like “Please Don’t Go Girl” set the template for subsequent boy bands NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and many others. The track features a textbook half-step key change at 2:44 as the bridge transitions into the chorus.
Holier Than Thou (from “Nunsense”)
*This is the fifth and final installment of a week-long series featuring songs from the 1985 Off-Broadway musical Nunsense*
“Holier Than Thou” is a gospel-infused number that brings the show to a rousing finish. There are four half-step modulations over the course of the song; beginning in C, it modulates to Db at 2:09, then up to D at 2:53, to Eb at 3:59, and finally lands in E at 4:16.
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