Last week I recounted side one from a recently repaired tape, one that I'd recorded in our campus radio station one Saturday afternoon in very late '85 or very early '86 but had broken at least twenty years ago. What joys await us on side two?
Tracey Ullman, "They Don't Know"
In many ways a straightforward cover of Kirsty MacColl's original. Given that I'm such a Kirsty stan, it may be surprising that I like Ullman's version better--the singing is just plain brighter, though MacColl's swirling, gauzy backup vocals also add immense value.
Journey, "The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love)"
I've never bothered to try to rank how I feel about Journey's output--if I wanted to be snotty, I might say, "Who would?"--but if pressed I'd easily place this one in their top 10, possibly even top 5. A bit of internet sleuthing seems to indicate it's the only song they recorded/released between the reigns of Gregg Rolie and Jonathan Cain at keyboard.
Heart, "If Looks Could Kill"
We now enter the four-song stretch of the tape that has never really left my head. 'Twas a blast to hear it again for real.
I was, as some folks like to say now, today years old when I learned this song was originally a dance number by Pamela Stanley. Ann Wilson adopts much of Stanley's phrasing but of course dials it all the way up to eleven on the intensity scale. I completely get why the suits at Capitol wanted to farm out the majority of the songwriting duties as a condition to signing Heart to a deal; I'm just glad they got to rock out a little in this new phase of their career. "If Looks Could Kill" would be the fifth and final single from Heart, reaching #54 in August of '86.
One potential downside of playing cuts from LPs when mixtape recording at the radio station is that you might not fade out one turntable fast enough as you set the other a-spinnin'. That happened here, as we get the opening synth chords of "What About Love" just as...
Kate Bush, "Running Up That Hill"
...enters the scene. C'est la vie.
I'm probably a little too pleased with myself these days for loving this one from the very start, waiting literally decades for others to catch up. On the other hand, I know that James was a fan of Stranger Things, and it makes me more than a trifle sad to recognize he passed away just weeks before that show led to its massive resurgence.
Marshall Crenshaw, "Little Wild One (No. 5)"
Downtown was the second Crenshaw album I purchased, and probably not coincidentally is my second-favorite of his disks. I don't think I knew there was an actual video for this song until putting this post together.
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, "Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon"
One of those tunes that sounded like nothing else on the charts when it hit in late 1976. Even though I liked it lots in real time, I'm pretty certain I didn't get the 45 until sometime well into my college days. Just for kicks I'm embedding a vid with the album version of the song.
Don Henley, "All She Wants To Do Is Dance"
Likely played from my copy of Building the Perfect Beast. I've long been aware that Patty Smyth and Martha Davis are singing backup but hadn't realized we're also in the presence of Toto's Steve Porcaro and David Paich here.
The Moody Blues, "Meanwhile"
A longtime favorite from Long Distance Voyager. Some commenters on YouTube wonder why this wasn't released as a single; on reflection, I see their point, particularly given that "Talking Out of Turn" was put out on 45.
Truth be told, there was probably an overwrought moment or two in the early-to-mid 80s when I had LDV playing and felt a bit like the protagonist in "Meanwhile."
Tommy Shaw, "Remo's Theme (What If)"
From my 45, not the station's. I truly don't understand how this energetic, anthemic piece didn't climb higher than #81 on the Hot 100. The lackluster vid, attempting too hard to tie in to box-office flop Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, certainly didn't help, though.
Howard Jones, "What Is Love?"
Preach it, Brother Jones: "Maybe love is letting people be just what they want to be."
Identified this as one of my ten favorite tunes of '84 back in the day, a call that's held up exceptionally well.
Al Stewart, "The Palace of Versailles"
My memories of visiting Versailles in the summer of 1994 center on two things: 1) room after room of obscene opulence, and 2) the lovely, expansive grounds. That may have helped me better understand why Stewart used it a touchpoint for his take on the aftermath of the French Revolution.
U2, "'40'"
Started the tape with the opening track of their most recent record, ended it with the closer from the album that turned me on to them. Made a fun juxtaposition when I listened to the tape in my '86 Camry--if I didn't eject quickly enough (or had listened to side two first for some reason), I heard Bono and the boys back-to back on its two-way cassette deck.
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