Donna Summer - Bad Girls (1979)

Released: April, 1979 (Casablanca) Produced by: Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte Peak on the US Billboard 200: 1 (6 nonconsecutive weeks*) Peak on the CashBox 200: 1 (5 nonconsecutive weeks)

Side One	Side Two
Hot Stuff Bad Girls Love Will Always Find You Walk Away	Dim All the Lights Journey to the Center of Your Heart One Night in a Lifetime Can't Get to Sleep at Night
Side Three	Side Four
On My Honor There Will Always be a You On My Honour All Through the Night	Our Love Lucky Sunset People

*Bad Girls battled Supertramp's Breakfast in America album for the top spot during the summer of 1979 before Get the Knack was released.

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Billboard, May 5, 1979, p. 78

CashBox, May 5, 1979, p. 15

Robert Christgau (Village Voice)

You tend to suspect anyone who releases three double-LPs in eighteen months of delusions of Chicago, but Donna is here to stay and this is her best album. The first two sides, four songs per, never let up--the voice breaks and the guitars moan over a bass-drum thump in what amounts to empty-headed girl-group rock and roll brought cannily up-to-date. Moroder makes his Europercussion play on side four, which is nice too, but side three drags, suggesting that the rock and roll that surfaces here is perhaps only a stop along the way to a totally bleh total performance. Me, I still love my Marvelettes records. A-

ed. note: Mr. Christgau writes a C plus review then gives the album a grade of A minus? That's why I love the guy's reviews.

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U.S. Billboard charted singles:	Hot 100	Disco	R&B	AC
Hot Stuff	1	1	3
Bad Girls	1	1	1
Dim All the Lights	2	1	13	44
Walk Away	36		35

22nd Annual Grammy Awards
"Hot Stuff"	Best Female Rock Vocal Performance	Won
"Bad Girls"	Best Female Pop Vocal Performance	Nominated
"Bad Girls"	Best Female R&B Vocal Performance	Nominated
"Dim All the Lights"	Best Disco Recording	Nominated
Bad Girls	Album of the Year	Nominated

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To call this thing a concept album about prostitution might be a stretch, but let's go there anyway.  It's easier to call it a concept album about sex. I was twelve when this released so both sex and prostitution were things we didn't discuss at our house (I was a preacher's kid).  That made this forbidden music which made it that much more attractive to me, naturally.

"Ma’am, who is this Queen of Disco?" (SNL, 4/15/2000)

The first LP (sides 1 & 2) is a great stand-alone album that sees disco moving to a slightly harder sound - Giorgio Moroder sure knew what he was doing.  Tracks are carefully segued with no breaks just like a good DJ would mix it, so there's no need to skip any of those tracks.  In addition to the three hits ("Bad Girls," "Hot Stuff," "Dim All The Lights"), I'm particularly fond of "Journey to The Center Of Your Heart" and the funky chorus of "One Night In A Lifetime." We're not as lucky with side three which bogs down with ballads.  Not that Summer can't pull off a good ballad, but that's not why I buy her music.  Side four gets us back with a return to the more synth-oriented sound that hearkens back to "I Feel Love."  The album ends with the wonderful but overlooked "Sunset People."

I didn't own this album when it was released.  I mistakenly thought there wasn't much need to own it since I could hear the hit songs on the radio (bad pun intended). A single album (sides one and two with "Sunset People" subbed in for "Love Will Always Find You") would have easily rated a grade of A+, but I had to dock the thing a few points for side three.

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Note: much of this post's content has previously appeared on this blog. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Leslie Smith - Heartache (1982)

Released: June, 1982 (Elektra) Produced by: Peter Bunetta & Rick Chudacoff Peak on the US Billboard 200: Did not chart Peak on the Cash Box 200: Did not chart

Side One	Side Two
It's Something I'm on the Outside Looking In Before the Night is Over Don't Shut the Door (On My Love) Dream On	Nothin' You Can Do About It Love's a Heartache Do You Still Remember Me If You're in Love

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Billboard, June 5, 1982, p. 62

Billboard, June 12, 1982, p. 86

Note: a CD version was released in Japan in 2012 with the following cover:

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Just when I thought I've heard all the great releases of 1982, I'm hipped to yet another one. And I'm thankful for that. I can't remember exactly how I came across this gem, but I'm betting it had something to do with social media.

Popped collars and skinny ties! I confess to wearing similar fashions in the early '80s (and, yes, there's photographic evidence).

I couldn't find much about Leslie Smith from online sources; as of this writing, Smith doesn't have a Wikipedia page (he's briefly mentioned on the page of Lester Abrams).  However, when I recently bought a copy of this LP, it included a press kit, click the thumbnail below to view a PDF scan of said kit.

So Smith was in a group called Crackin' in the mid-'70s - if you'll excuse me, I'll be venturing down that rabbit hole now. In the meantime, enjoy this excellent album:

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Spys - She Can't Wait (1982)

She Can't Wait
Spys

Written by: Spys Produced by: Neil Kernon Album: S·P·Y·S (EMI, 1982)

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At my buddy Jim's place in 1982, I saw the video for this song:

The video certainly wasn't in heavy rotation, but I liked the power pop I was hearing.  On my next trip to Sound Warehouse, I found the album, held it in my hands, and for some reason put it back in the rack (probably because of the unappealing album cover - I was 16, my standards were inexplicable).  My mistake.

Fast forward 33 years and the song somehow enters my subconscious again.  Thanks to streaming music and videos, I quickly become reacquainted through joyous, loud, repeated listenings.  I went to my crack staff and asked if the song had ever been released as a single.  They could find no evidence of a single release, with only one mention in Billboard magazine:

So no single release but a video was produced. How '80s!

How deep is this album cut?  I tried searching for lyrics online and couldn't find any. Anyhoo, this power pop gem is all about a girl who can't wait to see her Romeo (or any guy, for that matter). Ladies, this how guys would like for you to behave; however, my personal high school dating experiences prove otherwise <sad trombone sound>.  The bridge on this song could be stronger but that's picking at nits.  The guitar solo sounds like it's lifted straight from a Cars album.  I'm happy to rediscover this one (although my wife has already stated that she's tired of my "joyous, loud, repeated listenings."

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John Waite - White Heat (1982)

White Heat
John Waite

Written by: John Waite Produced by: Neil Geraldo Album: Ignition (Chrysalis, 1982)

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Not sure if this thing is really a "deep" album cut since it's the album's lead cut, but no matter.  This thing is high energy rock 'n roll and gets my blood pumping from the get-go.  And with the sweet piano and saxophone licks throughout, it embraced traditional rock instrumentation and steered clear of the synths that were ubiquitous on the radio stations of the time.  It rocks hard for 2 minutes then backs off and simmers a bit with more piano, guitar, and sax play.  Then the sixteenth notes on the snare drum work the piece back into a frenzy and we're off to back to the chorus, then a breakdown, before one more time through the chorus.  The whole thing stops suddenly and I'm exhausted from my awkward mix of air guitar/pogo dancing.

The Ignition album was Waite's solo debut after The Babys broke up in 1981.  The album was produced by Pat Benetar's guitarist/husband Neil Geraldo and while the album doesn't quite live up to the pedigree, it starts off with a fantastic one-two punch of this rocker followed by Waite's cover of Spider's "Change."

Lyrically, it's about a 16 year old kid picking up a hooker and while I can't publicly endorse such shenanigans, I will admit that those thoughts crossed this writer's mind when he was 16.  As such, this thing got a lot of playing time on the Markmobile's much-abused Pioneer deck back at that time.

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Pages - Interlude/It's Alright (1978)

It's Alright
Pages

Written by: "Interlude" written by Dave Grusin "It's Alright" written by Richard Page, John Lang, Jerry Manfredi, & Steve George Produced by: Bobby Colomby Album: Pages (Epic, 1978)

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I only recently discovered the wonderful pop music of Pages, first through their 1981 self-titled album, produced by Jay Graydon.  I came to this 1978 album (also self-titled) a few weeks ago and this pairing of tracks grabbed me from the first listen.  It's what I would call a "white boy attempt at gospel" and reminds me of something that might have been found on a Billy Joel album around the time (kinda like "Everybody's Has A Dream" from The Stranger, but better).

After a 30 second string introduction, the piano and vocal enter.  The verse has a beautiful melody over a simple, stepwise bass pattern, but the song really kicks in with the gorgeous chorus sung by a female voice.  Then, as if it wasn't good enough already, we're treated to a sweet saxophone solo from Michael Brecker, who keeps playing for the remainder of the track.

The lyrics simply depict a man pleading with his woman to stay and tell him everything is alright.  And she does.

I can't get this song out of my head.

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Simple Minds - Somebody Up There Likes You (1982)

Somebody Up There Likes You
Simple Minds

Written by: Simple Minds Produced by: Peter Walsh Album: New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (A&M, 1982)

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I couldn't tell you why, but out of all the great songs on this album, I've always gravitated towards this simple, repetitive, moody, instrumental soundscape.  There's not much too it, not even noodling solos over the chords - the main feature seems to be the chord progression itself.

From the Simple Minds website:

The song was based around the Mahler Chords, an idea Charlie [Burchill] developed whilst jamming in a Fife farmhouse for the New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) album.

"We had words for Somebody Up There Likes You but we took them off - we felt that the music spoke more than the words did. Up until then, Simple Minds always had this ambient side" - Jim [Kerr], Sunday Herald interview, 2008.

I have no idea what "Mahler Chords" they are referencing.  If you have any insight, please comment below.  In the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy.

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Manhattans - Kiss and Say Goodbye (1976)

Kiss and Say Goodbye
b/w Wonderful World of Love

Released: April 1976 (Columbia) Written by: Winfred "Blue" Lovett Produced by: Manhattans Production, Inc & Bobby Martin Album: Manhattans

U. S. Billboard Charts:
Hot 100	1
R&B	1
Adult Contemporary	12

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Recorded in Philadelphia with MFSB as the backing band, this is a fantastic slow jam.  I love this song from the spoken intro to the smooth ever-so-slightly-out-of-tune doo-wop harmonies. A simple break up song, but oh so well done.  Pleading, soulful vocals over an insistent, pulsing string hook.  To my memory, this was the first song I'd heard with a spoken word intro:

This has got to be the saddest day of my life
I called you here today for a bit of bad news
I won't be able to see you anymore
Because of my obligations, and the ties that you have
We've been meeting here everyday
And since this is our last day together
I wanna hold you just one more time
When you turn and walk away, don't look back
I wanna remember you just like this
Let's just kiss and say goodbye

Then, after all that bass voice goodness, we're treated to a beautifully subtle, falsetto voice that grows in intensity for the next 3 minutes.

#1 for two consecutive weeks in July of 1976.   Selling over two million copies, the single earned double-platinum single certification.  I've listened to it so many times, I can easily sing all the parts.  I can picture me sitting in the back of the family station wagon, singing along with the radio.  I'm sure my mother thought that was hilarious, but to her credit, she never told me to shut up while I was singing (which was often).

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Note: this is the longer album version

Raydio - Jack and Jill (1977)

 Jack and Jill
b/w Get Down

Released: 1977 (Arista) Written by: Ray Parker, Jr. Produced by: Ray Parker, Jr. Album: Raydio

U. S. Billboard Charts:
Hot 100	8
R&B	5

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A childhood favorite.  I had no idea who Ray Parker, Jr. was and was unaware of his guitar prowess.  I just loved the synth/clavinet backing tracks.  Heck, I even liked the intrusive background exclamations at the end of each line of the verse (Jack!!) and would love to sing along with that mess.  That singing must have been very disturbing to anyone within earshot.  The brief synth solo is perfect.  This song was always a welcome respite from the 120 bpm disco music that dominated the airwaves back then.

Of course, the content of the song has little to do with the nursery rhyme other than borrowing the names Jack and Jill.  Simply put, Jack needs some lovin', he's not getting it from Jill (who is working late to support Jack, I'm guessing), so he goes down the hill to look for another woman.  It's a timeless tale, unfortunately.

On a side note, Raydio is one of the better band names of the time. 

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