Friday, January 08, 2016

Friday 80s Flashback for January 8, 2016

DC Comics Super Powers Calendar: January 1988 (via Andertoons.com)

[This Week in 1988] -- Looks like I'm starting 2016 rather similarly to 2015: I missed posting a Flashback last week! So sorry. What with holiday stuff, traveling, and a brand new job, I'm starting the year with a jam-packed schedule. But I'm posting 80s material for you now, so cheer up. Remember last January, when I told you that 2015's day/date combinations matched up with those of 1981 and 1987? Well, the leap year of 2016 is a dead ringer for that of 1988. So, I'll be dipping into the chart history of the 80s for more than a few posts this year. Like today. I'm re-visiting the top three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending January 9. Before we get to the top tunes, it is interesting to note that two of the three artists ruling the chart at the outset of 1988 are no longer with us. (And if we expanded beyond the top three into the top ten, we would find two more artists who are no longer with us: Michael Jackson and Michael Hutchence).

Do you remember what topped the Billboard Hot 100 a mere 28 years ago this week? When you're ready to be reminded, you can read and hear more after the break!  




Flashback #1"Oh but I | Need some time off from that emotion | Time to pick my heart up off the floor."

We start this weekend off with the #3 song on the US Billboard Hot 100: "Faith" by George Michael. It was the second single released from George Michael's 1987 album of the same name, and it entered the charts in October of 1987. "Faith" spent a total of 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, four of which in the #1 slot (12/12/1987 through 1/2/1988). It has since become one of Michael's most endearing (and enduring?) songs, and it's popularity has extended into other media. Remember how, a mere two decades later, Michael's tunes were used for a little show called Eli Stone? Maybe this will jog your memory. Anyway, here is the US version of the "Faith" music video:




Flashback #2"It's gonna take time | A whole lot of precious time."

Like "Faith," our second Flashback of the day was also released in October 1987. And it also peaked at #1 in 1988. However, at this point in the calendar, it was perched in the #2 position. I'm talking about George Harrison's recording of "Got My Mind Set On You." This was a cover tune recorded for Harrison's 11th studio album, Cloud Nine (1987). The song was written by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962. Quick note: Harrison's version was more commercially successful than Ray's version. I'm no expert, but the music video might have helped. I mean, it has a taxidermied rodent of some sort (ground hog? prairie dog?) playing saxophone through a tobacco pipe! How could Ray ever compete with that? 




Flashback #3"I get so emotional, baby | Every time I think of you."

Here we are. It's the final Flashback of the day, and it's the #1 song for the week of 1/9/1988: "So Emotional" by Whitney Houston. It was the third single released off her second solo album, Whitney (1987), and her sixth consecutive #1 single. She was a freaking hit machine in the latter half of the 80s! Whitney would go on to log more #1 hits, but she would never again achieve a string of consecutive hits like this. The music video was filmed at Lehigh University's Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, during her 87-88 tour. 




Once again, I remind you that the rule of three applies when doing Flashbacks. As I've made my three offerings, that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the archives. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

And if you are on Twitter, and feel so inclined, please +K my influence in Music on @klout.

I'll see you in seven!

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