This post is for Mike! Mike had commented on my last entry that I hadn't written about Cyndi Lauper, who was an important fixture on the '80s scene. Well, when I was in 5th grade, she released the album "She's So Unusual." The year was 1984 I believe. I absolutely LOVED that album and listened to it over and over. That was about the time when I think I was first allowed to have slumber parties, which were SO much fun. Yup -- just invite a handful of your closest (girl) friends over, have pizza, snacks, put the records on, and dance and sing (or lip sync) into the wee hours. Sleeping bags were there, but not really for sleeping -- more for giggling and storytelling in the dark. Boy, those were some fun times. It was just after we had started band, so all of my closest girlfriends were in band with me. Good times! Needless to say, my "She's So Unusual" LP was full of skips -- you know, from when you're dancing around and the needle skips and scratches across the vinyl.
Ancient Artifact - Corded Telephone
Anyway, this song is so notorious. I read that this video won the very first award for best video by a female artist on the 1984 MTV Video Music awards. I am not surprised. I probably watched the show, too. I remember waiting anxiously every year for it. Seems that around that time, Cyndi Lauper and Madonna were neck and neck competitors. Newsweek thought that Cyndi would eclipse Madonna, who they called the "Trash Heap Queen." Ah, yes, well, Madonna was also queen of re-invention and crafty marketing, so I think she gained more notoriety and sold more records, but Cyndi was always my idol. Her hair was just so amazing with its flaming red color (along with all the other colors throughout time). The video is terrific, too. I think I read somewhere that Cyndi's mother is in all of her videos, and it's true. Her mom always looked so kind and endearing. Captain Lou Albano played her father, and the video is one giant feel-good dance party. In fact, at the end of the video, she brings all of Manhattan into her bedroom for a dance party. I know it isn't all of the city, but it seems like it to her parents. I love the part where the guy comes in with flowers looking for her. He says, "Cyndi? Cyndi?" You can really see him mouth the words. Then, as was the case in the '80s, we see Captain Lou peeking through the keyhole to see what's going on in there. The vision of Cyndi and the boy embracing makes him irate, he opens the door, and everyone falls out. It's pretty funny. But, I really think aside from the guy mouthing "Cyndi," my favorite part is the telephone sequence. Remember telephones with cords? Amazing. I also think this is a perfect video in the midst of all the "binders full of women" satires. Yup, this is one video binder full of women. So, Governor Romney, if you are looking for some female "folks," call Cyndi!
This evening I was looking for an '80s song with a saxophone solo -- only because I just felt like hearing some good ol' '80s style pop sax. Seems like every song in the decade had saxophone, but when I looked up a list on Songfacts, I was quite disappointed. Seemed like the list was way too short. Somehow, I stumbled on to Time (Clock of the Heart) by Culture Club. This tune has a huge sax solo which I had forgotten about, so bingo -- I fulfilled my wish. I had guesstimated that the song was released in 1985, but boy was I off. It was released in 1982, which meant I was pretty young. In fact, it was my pre-clarinet time, and I think I was in the third grade. That all may seem inconsequential, but it helps make sense of my perspective. I remember when Culture Club came out in the U.S., and they seemed really different. Boy George was a guy? Woman? We didn't really know. Funny thing was, it didn't seem to matter back then. There were plenty of male rock and pop singers wearing make-up, and that was alright. They looked good. Boy George wore a bit more color, and I guess we knew he was a guy, but he was a pop singer, so really, rules didn't exactly apply.
Anyway, I listened to the song this evening and couldn't believe how
awesome the bass guitar line was in this. How could I have missed this
all these years? Well, as mentioned, the song came out before my
clarinet playing, so I wasn't really keen on things like that. In fact,
a "bass line" would have been completely foreign to my ears and musical
knowledge at that time. Now, it is certainly prominent, and it's a
darn good one. I also like the synthesized strings in the beginning
with a touch of bells. I bet Culture Club could perform with a live
orchestra, and this would sound terrific. It's hard to put your finger
on just what makes British music from this time so distinctive, but I
think it's difficult because the music seems to have a mix of so many
stylistic elements. The vocal harmonies (complete with back-up singers)
seem to hint at R&B style, and the relaxed strings are almost
reminiscent of '70s dance music. And, of course, the saxophone solo
definitely gives it a Top 40, pop feel. I really like this song,
regardless of everything that one might think about the group now -- and
Boy George. The lyrics are pretty straightforward, too. Sounds like
it's about a relationship that didn't work out, but the cool bass line
makes it seem all okay. "And time makes lovers feel, like they've got
somethin' real..." Yeah! You know how much I love when song lyrics
include words like "lovers" and "romance" or "romancing." It's all so
glamorous and unrealistic for regular speech. Thank goodness for the
'80s... Gotta love those clocks in the video, too. Swatch watch,
anyone? Let me grab my three and put them all on the same arm ;)
These little plastic watches were so expensive, but we had to have them!
This Night Ranger tune from 1983 is undoubtedly one of THE absolute best '80s anthems. I can't believe I haven't already posted about it, but there's no time like the present -- especially since it's late at night and the song is by Night Ranger ;) Anyway, this song was written by the band's drummer, Kelly Keagy, about his younger sister. She was 10 years younger, and so he wrote about how she was growing up so fast -- just like the lyrics say. Yeah, I can understand this since I have two siblings who are much younger. So, this particular tune is poignant and sweet, or maybe bittersweet. It's hard to watch your little sister or brother grow up, but hey, what better way to express yourself than in song, right? This song has such a beautiful piano intro, and the vocals are strong and clear. As we get further along toward the chorus, the guitar comes in with a kind of "motoring" pulse accompanied by the drums, and then bam! "You're motoring...what's your price for flight...in finding Mister Right...you'll be alright tonight." I have to say, that is right on. It gets everyone up and rocking, but I have to say that this part of the song was kind of ruined for me with "Boogie Nights." You know the scene I'm talking about? The drugged up crazy dude playing air guitar and singing to this? Well, I am going to listen to this song over and over and push that image further and further away!
The video for this tune is also nicely produced and goes well with the song's lyrics. I always wonder, though, why is it that high school always looks so much cooler on film? Whether it's a movie, television show, or music video, I tell you -- high school in those arenas looks so much more exciting and glamorous than mine ever was. Oh well. I guess if I really use my imagination, I can think of my high school days in slow motion or some other cinematic way to make it better. Well, no motoring for me when I was that age. I took the bus and spent my nights at home playing clarinet -- oh, and listening to '80s music :)
Well, it's pretty late here in Becky's World, but I wanted to make sure to write this evening. I am trying to get back into the habit of writing daily. So, I think I can just sneak in if I type pretty fast!
This weekend, I found an entertainment news page on the web that had excerpts from Rod Stewart's new book. Unfortunately, I am not sure of the title, but it's his memoir. In the article I read, there were several snippets of Rod discussing the women in his life, including his first and second wives. The excerpts in his article ended with him meeting Rachel Hunter, who was his third wife. He talked about all the women he romanced -- and how he just couldn't seem to stop, no matter how hard he tried or how much he loved his wives. Well, I guess I can't say I feel badly for him, but if he was really that weak, I guess maybe... Anyway, we know his discography is huge and spans several decades. I thought it would be nice to look at "Broken Arrow," which was written by Robbie Robertson in 1987 and recorded by Stewart in 1991. Low and behold, I found out yet again that I had the wrong lyrics in my head all these years. I thought he sang, "Who else is gonna bring you, a broken arrow...who else is gonna bring you, a bottle of wine..." Yeah, but the end of the second line is "who else is gonna bring you, a bottle of rain." Well, now I am not sure what to think. A bottle of rain? Still sounds overall like a love song. You know, typical scenario -- he's deeply in love with a woman, he wants to breathe when she breathes, he'll get to her if he has to crawl, he can't be held with these iron walls... You get the point even with me taking bits and pieces of the lyrics and putting them together. Since it's Robertson's song, it is definitely different in a poetic sense, but I think it matches Rod's persona and artistic style just perfectly. Check out the video above -- you'll notice Rachel Hunter there. So, maybe this all came together as he was falling for her (I've lost track). Whatever the case, great song, nice video, and kudos to Mr. Stewart on this cover. Nicely done.
Okay, I realize I am delinquent again in my blogging. Bad, bad Becky... I have no excuse. In fact, I blog for my company every week -- four blogs in fact. I think that's why I get so pooped out by the time I get home. What's funny is that I started that part of my job because of this blog, so... I better get back to this!
Anyway, I have wanted to write about Survivor's "The Search is Over" for quite some time. It is truly a beautiful song, and the more I listen to it, the more I like it. I thought the lead singer had written it, but it turns out that Jim Peterik did. I didn't know much about Jim, so I did a bit of research. Of course, I came across his Facebook page and several photos with Mindi Abair, which made me very jealous. I am a single reed player, too, but I will probably never have the chance to hob-nob with rock royalty like she does now. Alas, I will get over my jealousy. There's still time. Ann Wilson plays flute, and I work for a flute company, so...
Anyway, back to the song. Can you believe that for the longest time, I had the wrong lyrics in my head? Yeah, amazing, I know. Just kidding. I think by now we all know that this often times happens to me. In this tune, I always thought at the chorus Jamison sang, "I was living for Audrey...." I thought, "Well, who's Audrey?" Then, I realized it was, "I was living for a dream..." A ha! The search was over for the lyrics! Now it all made sense. The song is about a man who is searching for love just about all over the place when it really was in front of him the whole time. Yup, he had a very good female friend whose love and devotion he took for granted so to say. He really considered her to be "just a friend" and not a "girlfriend." Finally, he realized she was "the one," and the search was over! Just like that! And, even to this very moment in time, I find myself correcting another lyric. Yup -- "taking on the world...that was just my style." I always thought the lyric was "taking our love away...that was just my style." Wow. Living for Audrey and taking our love away? Sheesh. I'm glad I listened to this a few more bazillion times. I hope, at least, that I have listened to it more times than the man in the song searched for love...
