Great Rock Albums of 1984: Randy Newman- Trouble in Paradise

 

Forget Toy Story, forget his controversial 1977 hit, "Short People," my favourite Randy Newman song has always been "I Love LA," which is the opening track on his album "Trouble in Paradise." Released in 1983, this album didn't come to my attention til the following year, courtesy of MTV, which is why I'm posting it here.

Alert, "Trouble in Paradise" is not an album for hardcore metalheads. Randy has always been a piano player and a very good one to say the least. His chops can be heard all throughout the album. However, there is one guitar solo on it. It appears on the track, "The Blues," and is played by Steve Lukather of Toto fame. An additional bonus to this song is that he duets with Paul Simon on it and both do a fine job.

Many of Randy Newman's songs have an air of humour about them. With this album, "Same Girl" and "My Life is Good" are good, funny tracks and I have always been tickled by some of the lyrics in "Miami." "Miami, Blue day, best dope in the world and it's free." However, he has a serious side. To my knowledge, the track "Christmas in Capetown" was the first song to talk about the Apartheid in South Africa. He deserves full kudos for that. "Real Emotional Girl" is more of a serious ballad as well.

Many guest artists appear on "Trouble in Paradise" including the two who appear on the track, "The Blues." Of all the tracks, I do love the backing  vocals from Jennifer Warnes, Wendy Waldman and Linda Ronstadt on "I'm Different." For me, while Randy is his normal self on the song, it's the backing vocals from these three ladies who really make this song shine for me. Definitely the second best track on the album.

Track Listing:

1. I Love LA
2. Christmas in Capetown
3. The Blues
4. Same Girl
5. Mikey's
6. My Life is Good
7. Miami
8. Real Emotional Girl
9. Take Me Back
10. There's a Party at My House
11. I'm Different
12. Song for the Dead

[caption id="attachment_3816" align="aligncenter" width="267"] Randy Newman[/caption]

Randy Newman- vocals, piano

Steve Lukather- guitar

Jennifer Warnes- vocals

Don Henley- vocals

Larry Williams- horns

Steve Madalo- horns

Jon Smith- horns

Ralph Grierson- piano

Neil Larson- piano

David Paich- keyboards

Michael Boddicker- keyboards

Nathan East- bass

Jeff Porcaro- drums

Larry Castro- percussion

Paulinho Da Costa- percussion

Christine McVie- backing vocals

Wendy Waldman- backing vocals

Lindsey Buckingham- backing vocals

Bob Seger- backing vocals

Linda Rondstadt- backing vocals

Rickie Lee Jones- backing vocals

Paul Simon- vocals on "The Blues"

Waddy Watchell- guitar

I won't say that "Trouble in Paradise" is a great album to mellow out to but it does have its moments there. While Randy Newman is not as zany as Weird Al Yankovic, there is a good deal of humour if you listen for it. It's a good album just to sit back and enjoy.

Next post; The Cars- Heartbeat City

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: Weird Al Yankovic- In 3D

 

Michael Jackson did two things in 1984 which rose him up a few points in my estimation, both of which were linked to his top selling song, "Beat It." First, when accepting a Grammy for the song, he had the decency to include Eddie Van Halen in his list of thank yous. After all, it was Eddie's guitar solo on the song the reason why metalheads, bought the single. The other act was to allow Weird Al Yankovic to record a parody of "Beat It" called "Eat It." That would be Weird Al's best known single and even charted in the UK and it helped his 1984 album, "In 3D" become his biggest album. In fact, he was allowed to use many of the same dancers Michael Jackson used in the "Beat It" video for "Eat It."

Weird Al Yankovic has always been known for his parodies of other great songs and there are plenty of those on "In 3D." His second single from the album, "I Lost on Jeopardy" is a parody of the Greg Kihn Band's 1983 hit, "Jeopardy" as well as making fun of the TV game show of the same name. I do wonder how many people went on game shows and looked stupid on national television. Greg Kihn makes an appearance in the video for this song. "King of Suede" parodies the classic from The Police, "King of Pain" and is about a clothing store owner. "Rocky XIII" is a funny parody of Survivor's hit from the film "Rocky III" "Eye of the Tiger" about how Rocky Balboa gives up boxing to be delicatessen owner. I love the lyrics: "It's the rye or the kaiser, it's the thrill of one bite." A lesser known track but one of my favourite is "The Brady Bunch," a parody of the Men Without Hats's only hit, "Safety Dance." It is believed that from the lyrics, Weird Al didn't care too much for the 1970s American sit com his song is named after.

It's not just famous songs that come under the comic roast of Weird Al. He parodies other subjects as well. The second track, "Midnight Star" takes the rip out of grocery store tabloids. However, some of the headlines he mentions for his tabloid, "Midnight Star" aren't too far fetched in the real ones. I do remember headlines like, "They're Keeping Hitler's Brain Inside a Jar," "Aliens From Outer Space are Sleeping in My Car" and "The Ghost of Elvis is Living in My Den." Another of my favourites is "That Boy Could Dance" which is about a nerdy geeky loser who is a great dancer, so all his shortcomings are overlooked. Trust me, the song is much funnier that my attempt to explain it here. Then there is the Bob Marley influenced reggae track, "Buy Me a Condo" which is about a Jamaican boy who wants to come to America and live a middle class existence. Even my least favourite track on the album, Mr Popeil is funny. Probably because I remember all the Popeil adverts for things like the Ginsu Knife and the Pocket Fisherman.

In 1981, there were two singles called "Stars on 45" and "Stars on 45 II." The former took Beatles' songs and made a medley out of it. The latter did the same with Beach Boys songs. So what Weird Al did was to take classic rock songs and make a medley out of those but instead, set to polka music. Some great rock classics like "Smoke on the Water" and Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" get the polka treatment.

When I bought this album and saw the track listing, I thought the closer, "Nature Trail to Hell," might be a parody of the AC/DC classic, "Highway to Hell." Instead, it lambastes blood and gore horror films. "Nature Trail to Hell" to quote the song, is about "A homicidal maniac who finds a cub scout troop and hacks up two or three in every scene." This was particularly relevant at the time because "Friday the 13th Part 4" was in the cinema then. You know, the one advertised as the film where Jason meets his grisly end. Well done by Al, it makes a fantastic closer.

Track Listing:

1. Eat It
2. Midnight Star
3. The Brady Bunch
4. Buy Me a Condo
5. I Lost on Jeopardy
6. Polkas on 45
7. Mr Popeil
8. King of Suede
9. That Boy Could Dance
10. Rocky XIII
11. Nature Trail to Hell

[caption id="attachment_3006" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Weird Al Yankovic[/caption]

Weird Al Yankovic- vocals, synthesizer, accordion, piano

Jim West- guitar

Steve Jay- bass, banjo, talking drums

John 'Bermuda' Schwartz- drums, percussion

Rick Derringer- guitar, mandolin

Weird Al Yankovic hit the big time 1984 with this album, "In 3D." I dare anyone to listen to this album and not laugh their heads off at least one song. For me, it's nearly all of them. Anyone who doesn't find any part of this album funny, then they have no sense of humour.

Next post: Randy Newman- Trouble in Paradise

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Go Gos- Talk Show

 

Cause and effect here: From what I remember, the third album from The Go Go's received hardly any radio airplay although the first single, "Head Over Heels" got a decent video play on MTV. That is the effect, the cause was because I think "Talk Show" is the best of their three albums in the early 1980s. They had matured as a band by this album and while the music is still in the pop-rock, new wave vein, their playing had really improved and why it's my favourite Go Go's album.

Of all five ladies who comprised the band, the one whose musicianship really struck me was that of lead guitarist Charlotte Caffey. I'll be the first to admit that she doesn't hold a candle to Girlschool's Kelly Johnson in the female lead guitarist sweepstakes, she does some okay solos on the tracks. "Turn to You," "Beneath the Blue Sky" and "You Thought." She also plays keyboards and her best efforts if probably on "Head Over Heels." Fair play, Caffey is a very underrated musician for sure. Speaking about underrated, I think that drummer Gina Schock is much better drummer than what she's given credit for. All drummers reading this are welcome to comment here.

Actually, I think "Talk Show" is heavier than their previous albums, "Beauty and the Beat" and "Vacation." The songs I mentioned in the previous paragraph are all fairly hard. Not metal but they are hard enough to be a step up, "Turn to You" especially. "I'm the Only One" is even harder though. It almost explodes onto you at the beginning and that is kept up throughout the song making it the hardest rock song on the album. Plus, it has Caffey's best guitar solo. Okay, it's my favourite track on the album. "Capture the Light" is pretty good as well and "Mercenary" is a cool closer that gives further support to my feelings in Gina Schock's drumming.

Track Listing:

1. Head Over Heels
2. Turn to You
3. You Thought
4. Beneath the Blue Sky
5. Forget That Day
6. I'm the Only One
7. Yes or No
8. Capture the Light
9. I'm With You
10. Mercenary

[caption id="attachment_2299" align="aligncenter" width="401"] The Go Go's[/caption]

Belinda Carlisle- lead vocals

Charlotte Caffey- lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Jane Wiedlin- rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Kathy Valentine- bass, backing vocals

Gina Schock- drums, percussion, backing vocals

It is possible that "Talk Show" being my favourite Go Go's album was why they broke up after it. I hope it's not the case but after 1984, the Go Go's would be no more. Lead singer, Belinda Carlisle would have a successful solo career towards the end of the decade, (I'll cover those albums in due time) and Jane Wiedlin would have a couple of hits but for me, she'll always be Joan of Arc in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Still, the end of the road for a band that was just discovering how good they could be.

Next post: A Poll

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Pretenders- Learning to Crawl

 

Normally, I tend to go off artists who have too many commercial radio hits, especially if they altered their sound in order to gain that commercial airplay. Fortunately, I can't say the same for The Pretenders with their album, "Learning to Crawl." There are a good number of songs on this album which I remember getting a good amount of play on radio and more so on MTV. Some even breached the Top 40! Do you know what the best part is? The Pretenders made little or no change to their sound. They simply did what they did so well on their first two albums and in my not so humble opinion, they did it better on "Learning to Crawl."

Let's start with the songs we do know. "Middle of the Road" was the first single I remember hearing when the album was released in January, 1984. At this stage in my life, I was becoming very politically aware and found myself seeking out music with political overtones. While The Pretenders aren't really a politically motivated band, the lyrics of "Middle of the Road" did get my attention. Also the fact that it's a good straight forward rocker and very worthy to be the opener.

Although it was released as a single in 1982, (see my posts on one hit wonders of 1982), "Back on the Chain Gang" was included on the album. Even more reason for me to like it and what's more, they didn't change the song for the album. It's still my all time favourite Pretenders song of all time. I was surprised to see that the ballad like, "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" only reached 83 on the US charts. I did remember hearing it a lot at the time and it often gets used in romantic films.

One song that I can identify with more and more theses days is "My City Was Gone." On this song, Chissie Hynde laments how her home town of Akron, Ohio has changed beyond recognition. I can feel for her on this one. Since I've been living in the UK, every time I return to New Jersey for a visit, I see that it has changed. At first, it was just less woodland and like in the song, more shopping malls. However, the arrow through my heart happened in 2001 when I went to my childhood stomping ground of Wildwood. All my favourite amusements, especially the walk through pirate ship, were gone and replaced by go-cart tracks. It was then I realized my childhood had died. During the same visit, I discovered the woods I used to build forts in, (that's dens for my UK readers), was bulldozed down for new housing. So Chrissie, I can feel for you on that song.

Now for the non hits. I say non hits but there is a definite, I heard this before feel whenever I listen to "Time the Avenger" and "Show Me." I'm talking about those songs themselves, I can't remember hearing either one anywhere else but the album but they give me the feeling otherwise. The band goes a little country with "Thumbelina." I was used to frequent a bar that had live country music back then because it was staggering distance from my house and that song wouldn't have been out of place if had been played there. "I Hurt You" is a solid song and the closer, "2000 Miles," does get some airplay around Christmas time.

Track Listing:

1. Middle of the Road
2. Back on the Chain Gang
3. Time the Avenger
4. Watching the Clothes
5. Show Me
6. Thumbelina
7. My City Was Gone
8. Thin Line Between Love and Hate
9. I Hurt You
10. 2000 Miles

[caption id="attachment_3795" align="aligncenter" width="295"] The Pretenders[/caption]

Chrissie Hynde- lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica

Robbie McIntosh- lead guitar, backing vocals

Malcolm Foster- bass, backing vocals

Martin Chambers- drums, percussion, backing vocals

Additional Musicians

Billy Bremner- lead guitar on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City was Gone," rhythm guitar on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Tony Butler- bass on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City Was Gone

• Andrew Bodnar- bass on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Paul Carrack- piano, backing vocals on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Three weeks into 1984 and things were starting off very well musically for this year. The "Learning to Crawl" album from The Pretenders was part of that.

Next post: The Go Gos- Talk Show

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com