Was Luther Vandross the premier “love song” singer of his generation? I think if you look a little closer, you might realize that Luther’s most affecting vocal performances were not so much love songs as they were songs of lost love, unrequited love, or straight up loneliness. This holds true especially when you look at… Read More “A House Is Not A Home” by Luther Vandross (1981)
There aren’t too many divorce songs floating around in the pop single universe, so that’s one thing that makes James Taylor’s “Her Town Too” (a duet with singer/songwriter/Eagles associate J.D. Souther) special. The song is sung from the perspective of a friend who is watching the female half of a couple get ostracized from her… Read More “Her Town Too” by James Taylor & J.D. Souther (1981)
“Heartbeat” was not a ginormous hit upon its 1981 release. It peaked at #6 on Billboard’s dance chart and #10 on the R&B list, and didn’t cross over at all. Back in the days when smashes could be regional, though, “Heartbeat” lit up the dance floors and airwaves in New York City (thanks to DJ… Read More “Heartbeat” by Taana Gardner (1981)
He is clearly a complicated fellow. “He’s The Greatest Dancer” finds Kathy Sledge absolutely enamored with a man she spots in the crowd at a club. Not only does he have a slammin’ body (one that would shame Adonis, as a matter of fact), but he wears the hottest designer clothes (Halston, Gucci, Fiorucci) and,… Read More “He’s Just A Runaway” (Sister Sledge, 1981)/”He’s The Greatest Dancer” (Sister Sledge, 1979)
I’m pretty sure we’ve already had a “Prince’s B-sides were better than most people’s A-sides” discussion somewhere before, right? So no need for me to go that route again. As Prince was on the verge of breaking through in the UK with the Dirty Mind LP, Warner Brothers released “Gotta Stop” in that territory. It… Read More “Gotta Stop (Messin’ About)” by Prince (1981)
“Give It To Me Baby” is a monster, a classic Rick James party jam. It starts off with a thunderous bass before launching into a whomping funk groove. The King of Punk Funk is in full “I’m Rick James, bitch!” mode here, bellowing “I’ll make you holler you’ve had enough!” However, considering the preceding lyrics… Read More “Give It To Me Baby” by Rick James (1981)
Duran Duran are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet, which is a fucking travesty. Although they are still derided (by some?) as a “video band”, the fact of the matter is that they’ve lasted for nearly forty years, and beauty fades over four decades. Underneath the perfect hair, pouty expressions and… Read More “Girls On Film” by Duran Duran (1981)
The key word here is passion. There’s so much passion in this duet that it practically drips off the record as it spins. And like many of the best soul duets, “Fire And Desire” feels cinematic, with a plotline that could fit neatly into a film or a soap opera. “Fire And Desire” finds Rick… Read More “Fire And Desire” by Rick James & Teena Marie (1981)
“Don’t You Want Me” is one of those songs that could be the plot of a movie…a movie that could potentially end in disturbing fashion. As I’ve grown older and understood relationships more, I’ve figured out how factual the story arc of “Don’t You Want Me” can be. By the time a relationship ends, usually… Read More “Don’t You Want Me?” by The Human League (1981)
Luther’s first official solo album, Never Too Much, is a great album. Luther was pretty well-formed for a debut artist; but of course he’d had ten years of experience behind some of the greats (Bowie, Midler, Chic) and released two albums as a member of the band Luther. So he wasn’t really a debut artist.… Read More “Don’t You Know That?” by Luther Vandross (1981)
Five Star Jamz 