You know, I'm a little surprised that there aren't more repeats from 1981's list.
#75: "Gloria" by Laura Branigan
Laura Branigan was a pop singer-songwriter. This was her biggest hit, staying on the Billboard charts for 36 weeks, then a record for a female artist, although she did have other top 10 songs such as "Self Control", "Solitaire", and the original version of "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You", as well as contributing to the soundtracks of Flashdance, Ghostbusters, and Baywatch. Sadly, she died at the age of 47 in 2004 from a cerebral aneurysm. Also, this song was in Flashdance, although it isn't on the soundtrack. Finally, this is a cover/translation, with the original being an Italian pop song by Umberto Tozzi in 1979.
This definitely sounds like a song from Flashdance. It has a very 80's synth line, and when it isn't playing the riff on a synth, it's playing it on a piano. It's high energy, but the musical line is a bit sparse, with only brief moments of guitar and a drum beat to break from the synth/piano monotony. The major contributor of energy in the song is Laura Branigan on vocals. She's clearly having a blast, and has a strong voice to back it up. She tends a bit close to monotone on the verses, but she shows a fair bit of power on the chorus.
There is a bit of ambiguity in the lyrics, but one thing that is clear is that the character portrayed in the lyrics is not entirely sympathetic. She's not interested in love, or romance. She's just interested in hooking up with a guy for money. Guys are into her games, and have stopped calling her, but she is convinced that everyone wants her.
This is a rather odd pop song, lyrically, in that the portrayed character is not sympathetic. That said, this is a surprisingly fun song to listen to. The music isn't very complicated, but it is quite catchy, and Laura Branigan's vocals really add to the song. If you want a song that is shallow fun, and don't mind lyrics that paint an unflattering picture, you could go much worse than this song.
#74: "Comin' In And Out Of Your Life" by Barbra Streisand
Not my first time reviewing a Barbra Streisand song, as she had 3 songs in the 1981 list. I don't remember any of them, although I vaguely recall disliking "Guilty".
Music opens with a light piano line that is...kind of boring. A drum beat with some light guitar comes in partway through the first verse, which gives the song some more energy, thankfully. It's still not all that interesting, musically. If you've heard any 80's ballads, there is nothing new in this song. Barbra Streisand actually has a decent voice, when she is singing low instead of going for the big power notes. Unfortunately, she goes for the big power notes a bit too often. It's never a good sign when I am bracing myself in advance to withstand the big notes. Her voice is just too sharp on the big notes, and it sounds like she is screaming in my ear. Not pleasant. Other than that, she's a decent singer.
This is a "woe is me, regretful breakup" song. She let the guy go, and she regrets it, and she hates the fact that he is no longer hers. She's constantly drifting in and out of his life, but it doesn't make things any easier on her, because of how much she wants to have him and hold him, even though she can't.
I did not care for this song too much. The music was boring when it wasn't bland, and Barbra Streisand's vocals were bland when they weren't ear-piercingly annoying. Add in lyrics that are nothing new, delivered in a laissez-faire manner, and you have a song that was...just not that good.
#73: "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
...You know, it almost feels redundant to review this song, as I think everyone's heard it. Still, it's on the list, and must be done.
It opens with a piano line that has become infamous as the standard of Pop Song Chords, along with a bass line. Later on, guitar kicks in, giving the song a different energy than the near-ballad opening. Overall, the music is quite solid, even without that awesome guitar solo. Vocally, Steve Perry is a really good vocalist. He has a higher pitch than many male vocalists, but it sounds completely natural for him, and he shows that his range is quite impressive as well, able to hold high notes with seemingly no effort.
Lyrically, this is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world. Wait, scratch that. Actually, this song is about a boy and a girl who grew up on different sides of the tracks, metaphorically speaking. They meet, hit it off, and eventually run off and elope. The moral? Don't stop believing, and your love will work out.
I don't think I'll be blowing anyone's mind when I say that I really, really like this song. Yes, it's a bit overplayed, but it is also an example of a song that is simple enough to not over-complicate itself, but manages to get everything right. The music is energetic, the vocals are quite strong, and the lyrics are sweetly motivational. Don't stop believing! Unless you are Tony Soprano.
#72: "Love Will Turn You Around" by Kenny Rogers
I do like Kenny Rogers. That's why I'm hoping this song is better than "Through the Years".
Music is a lot more country than his last song, not that that is a bad thing. The main instrument is a country guitar line, although there is some piano as well. Vocally, this is a bit more standard for Kenny Rogers. If you've heard "The Gambler", it's more of the same thing here. He has a clean tone, and sounds like he is singing directly to the audience, as if telling a story. Doesn't have a lot of range, but he makes up for it by having a decent amount of range.
This song is, surprise surprise, about love. What he's saying is that you can have everything planned out, and know exactly what you are going to do, and then love comes in and turns you around. It's not saying whether that's a good or a bad thing, but simply that it happens.
I definitely like this song more than "Through the Years", but it's a little too similar to "The Gambler". The lyrics are different, and one of the strong points of the song, but both the music and singing are nearly identical to that song. It's not a bad thing, but I like to see artists take risks, break away from the formula a bit, not rewrite the lyrics and perform the same song again. Bit of a shame, because the lyrics really are quite interesting.
#71: "It's Gonna Take A Miracle" by Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams is an R&B/soul singer, and she's had a fair bit of success in her career. She's won 4 Grammies (Best Female Soul Gospel Performance for "I Surrender All" and Best Duo or Group Gospel Performance for "They Say" in 1987, Best Female Soul Gospel Performance for "I Believe in You" in 1988, and Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for This Is My Song in 1999). She's been nominated a total of 12 times for Grammies, and has had 3 top 10 singles, with this being the only one of the 3 to not top the charts at some point.
Music opens with a very 60's Motownesque line. It is on the slower side, with a soft piano line with drums and a soft bass line. The music sets the tone nicely, but the strength of the song is in Deniece's vocals. She has a younger sounding voice, but rather than sounding immature, it gives her a more youthful sound, partially because she knows how to properly use the big notes, and is able to showcase her vocal power in a way that doesn't compromise the more gentle vocals in the other parts of the song.
This is a love song. The singer is telling her guy that it's gonna take a miracle to make her fall in love with someone else, because she is crazy about the target of her affections.
This song is simple, and perhaps a bit too much of a 60's throwback at times, but I enjoyed it. The instruments are classic Motown, and the lyrics are the simple sort of lyrics that worked well with Motown, but the strength of the song really is Deniece Williams. She knows when to show gentle tenderness, and when to let loose with the vocals, in order to make the emotional impact of the song as genuine as possible. It's a very solid song.
Well, that list was pretty good. Had a few good songs in them.
Previously: #80-76 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.857862-1982-Billboard-Top-100-80-76]
Next: #70-66 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.858903-1982-Billboard-Top-100-70-66]
#75: "Gloria" by Laura Branigan
Laura Branigan was a pop singer-songwriter. This was her biggest hit, staying on the Billboard charts for 36 weeks, then a record for a female artist, although she did have other top 10 songs such as "Self Control", "Solitaire", and the original version of "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You", as well as contributing to the soundtracks of Flashdance, Ghostbusters, and Baywatch. Sadly, she died at the age of 47 in 2004 from a cerebral aneurysm. Also, this song was in Flashdance, although it isn't on the soundtrack. Finally, this is a cover/translation, with the original being an Italian pop song by Umberto Tozzi in 1979.
This definitely sounds like a song from Flashdance. It has a very 80's synth line, and when it isn't playing the riff on a synth, it's playing it on a piano. It's high energy, but the musical line is a bit sparse, with only brief moments of guitar and a drum beat to break from the synth/piano monotony. The major contributor of energy in the song is Laura Branigan on vocals. She's clearly having a blast, and has a strong voice to back it up. She tends a bit close to monotone on the verses, but she shows a fair bit of power on the chorus.
There is a bit of ambiguity in the lyrics, but one thing that is clear is that the character portrayed in the lyrics is not entirely sympathetic. She's not interested in love, or romance. She's just interested in hooking up with a guy for money. Guys are into her games, and have stopped calling her, but she is convinced that everyone wants her.
This is a rather odd pop song, lyrically, in that the portrayed character is not sympathetic. That said, this is a surprisingly fun song to listen to. The music isn't very complicated, but it is quite catchy, and Laura Branigan's vocals really add to the song. If you want a song that is shallow fun, and don't mind lyrics that paint an unflattering picture, you could go much worse than this song.
#74: "Comin' In And Out Of Your Life" by Barbra Streisand
Not my first time reviewing a Barbra Streisand song, as she had 3 songs in the 1981 list. I don't remember any of them, although I vaguely recall disliking "Guilty".
Music opens with a light piano line that is...kind of boring. A drum beat with some light guitar comes in partway through the first verse, which gives the song some more energy, thankfully. It's still not all that interesting, musically. If you've heard any 80's ballads, there is nothing new in this song. Barbra Streisand actually has a decent voice, when she is singing low instead of going for the big power notes. Unfortunately, she goes for the big power notes a bit too often. It's never a good sign when I am bracing myself in advance to withstand the big notes. Her voice is just too sharp on the big notes, and it sounds like she is screaming in my ear. Not pleasant. Other than that, she's a decent singer.
This is a "woe is me, regretful breakup" song. She let the guy go, and she regrets it, and she hates the fact that he is no longer hers. She's constantly drifting in and out of his life, but it doesn't make things any easier on her, because of how much she wants to have him and hold him, even though she can't.
I did not care for this song too much. The music was boring when it wasn't bland, and Barbra Streisand's vocals were bland when they weren't ear-piercingly annoying. Add in lyrics that are nothing new, delivered in a laissez-faire manner, and you have a song that was...just not that good.
#73: "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
...You know, it almost feels redundant to review this song, as I think everyone's heard it. Still, it's on the list, and must be done.
It opens with a piano line that has become infamous as the standard of Pop Song Chords, along with a bass line. Later on, guitar kicks in, giving the song a different energy than the near-ballad opening. Overall, the music is quite solid, even without that awesome guitar solo. Vocally, Steve Perry is a really good vocalist. He has a higher pitch than many male vocalists, but it sounds completely natural for him, and he shows that his range is quite impressive as well, able to hold high notes with seemingly no effort.
Lyrically, this is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world. Wait, scratch that. Actually, this song is about a boy and a girl who grew up on different sides of the tracks, metaphorically speaking. They meet, hit it off, and eventually run off and elope. The moral? Don't stop believing, and your love will work out.
I don't think I'll be blowing anyone's mind when I say that I really, really like this song. Yes, it's a bit overplayed, but it is also an example of a song that is simple enough to not over-complicate itself, but manages to get everything right. The music is energetic, the vocals are quite strong, and the lyrics are sweetly motivational. Don't stop believing! Unless you are Tony Soprano.
#72: "Love Will Turn You Around" by Kenny Rogers
I do like Kenny Rogers. That's why I'm hoping this song is better than "Through the Years".
Music is a lot more country than his last song, not that that is a bad thing. The main instrument is a country guitar line, although there is some piano as well. Vocally, this is a bit more standard for Kenny Rogers. If you've heard "The Gambler", it's more of the same thing here. He has a clean tone, and sounds like he is singing directly to the audience, as if telling a story. Doesn't have a lot of range, but he makes up for it by having a decent amount of range.
This song is, surprise surprise, about love. What he's saying is that you can have everything planned out, and know exactly what you are going to do, and then love comes in and turns you around. It's not saying whether that's a good or a bad thing, but simply that it happens.
I definitely like this song more than "Through the Years", but it's a little too similar to "The Gambler". The lyrics are different, and one of the strong points of the song, but both the music and singing are nearly identical to that song. It's not a bad thing, but I like to see artists take risks, break away from the formula a bit, not rewrite the lyrics and perform the same song again. Bit of a shame, because the lyrics really are quite interesting.
#71: "It's Gonna Take A Miracle" by Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams is an R&B/soul singer, and she's had a fair bit of success in her career. She's won 4 Grammies (Best Female Soul Gospel Performance for "I Surrender All" and Best Duo or Group Gospel Performance for "They Say" in 1987, Best Female Soul Gospel Performance for "I Believe in You" in 1988, and Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for This Is My Song in 1999). She's been nominated a total of 12 times for Grammies, and has had 3 top 10 singles, with this being the only one of the 3 to not top the charts at some point.
Music opens with a very 60's Motownesque line. It is on the slower side, with a soft piano line with drums and a soft bass line. The music sets the tone nicely, but the strength of the song is in Deniece's vocals. She has a younger sounding voice, but rather than sounding immature, it gives her a more youthful sound, partially because she knows how to properly use the big notes, and is able to showcase her vocal power in a way that doesn't compromise the more gentle vocals in the other parts of the song.
This is a love song. The singer is telling her guy that it's gonna take a miracle to make her fall in love with someone else, because she is crazy about the target of her affections.
This song is simple, and perhaps a bit too much of a 60's throwback at times, but I enjoyed it. The instruments are classic Motown, and the lyrics are the simple sort of lyrics that worked well with Motown, but the strength of the song really is Deniece Williams. She knows when to show gentle tenderness, and when to let loose with the vocals, in order to make the emotional impact of the song as genuine as possible. It's a very solid song.
Well, that list was pretty good. Had a few good songs in them.
Previously: #80-76 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.857862-1982-Billboard-Top-100-80-76]
Next: #70-66 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.858903-1982-Billboard-Top-100-70-66]