Don't Leave Me Hanging on the Line

We're going to leave our "Rod Stewart September" behind as we leave this great month and head to October but not before we leave you with Rod Stewart at his best... his hair is in peak condition and who else can wear a red tank top, yellow pants and a blue blazer and pull it off like nobody's business?... i was worried that he was going to stick his tongue in his guitarist's ear a few different occasions throughout the video, but he resisted and all for the love of, possibly my favorite Rod Stewart song, "Baby Jane"...

Rod Stewart - Baby Jane
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - Baby Jane lyrics

"Baby Jane"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Body Wishes
B-side "Ready Now"
Released 27 May 1983
Length 4:45
Label Warner Bros. Records
Writer(s) Rod Stewart

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #14
UK peak: #1

80's Television Before James Bond

Long before he took a swing at playing 007, Pierce Brosnan was perfecting his acting chops on a pretty enjoyable show along side Stephanie Zimbalist in a crime comedy drama called "Remington Steele"...

the intro...



that clumsy Laura Holt...



you should have buzzed...



Remington Steele

Genre Detective series
Created by Robert Butler
Michael Gleason
Starring Stephanie Zimbalist
Pierce Brosnan
Doris Roberts
Theme music composer Henry Mancini
Opening theme Remington Steele Theme
Ending theme *Title & Composer (Mancini?) Unknown*
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 5
No. of episodes 94 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Michael Gleason
Location(s) Los Angeles
Running time 60 minutes.
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run October 1, 1982 – February 17, 1987

We Were Cool on Craze

I always thought the lyric was "We were cool on Christ", so I learned something about the lyrics for today's post... today's featured artist is a British new wave musical group from England with a funny name... Early on the band summarized the definition of their band name as "perfect pitch" and later, on American Bandstand, they claimed it was the sound a guitar made... I will save you today from the totally annoying "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and go with my favorite Wang Chung song - "Dance Hall Days"...

Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days
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Lyrics | Wang Chung lyrics - Dance Hall Days lyrics

"Dance Hall Days"

Single by Wang Chung
from the album Points on the Curve
B-side "There Is a Nation"
Released January 1984
Format CD, LP, cassette
Genre Pop rock, New Wave
Length 3:58
Label Geffen Records
Writer(s) Nick Feldman, Jack Hues

Chart Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play #1
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks #8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #16
UK Singles Chart #21

80's Movie Weekend

In 1987, we saw the biographical release of "La Bamba" starring Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens. The drama is based on the real life events that affected the lives of the rock star, his half-brother Bob Morales, his girlfriend Donna Ludwig and the rest of their families.

Valens, Buddy Holly, and The Big Bopper were killed in an airplane crash during a snow storm on February 3, 1959 just as Valens career was starting to really take off

the trailer...



Oh Boy....



Oh Donna...




La Bamba

Directed by Luis Valdez
Produced by Executive Producer:
Stuart Benjamin
Producers:
Bill Borden
Taylor Hackford
and others.
Written by Luis Valdez
Starring Lou Diamond Phillips
Esai Morales
Rosanna DeSoto
Music by Los Lobos
Miles Goodman
Cinematography Adam Greenberg
Editing by Sheldon Kahn
Don Brochu
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) United States
July 24, 1987
Australia
September 17, 1987
Running time 108 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Gross revenue $54,215,416


I would argue that Valens biggest hit is probably the biggest non-English song of all-time in the U.S. It was a top 25 song back in 1959 for Valens, but went all the way to #1 when it was remade for this movie back in 1987. Here is the 3-time Grammy award winning American Chicano rock band Los Lobos with "La Bamba"...

Los Lobos - La Bamba @ Yahoo! Video

Lyrics | Los Lobos lyrics - La Bamba lyrics

"La Bamba"

Single by Los Lobos
from the album La Bamba Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side "Charlena"
Released 1987
Format CD single, 7"
Genre Latin/rock/pop
Label Warner Bros. Records
Writer(s) William Clauson
Producer Los Lobos

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1

Somebody Somewhere

Love the pants in this video... in fact, I'm wearing a pair just like it right now... as our Rod Stewart September rolls on the only thing is that Rod makes me sick with his constant bouncing up and down during this early early 80's video... here is "Passion"...

Rod Stewart - Passion
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - Passion lyrics

"Passion"

by Rod Stewart
from the album: Foolish Behaviour
released: 1980

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5

Move Out, Don't Mess Around

When I first saw today's group and the title of the song, I thought that I had never heard of either, but I found out I was wrong on both counts... Today's group formed in late 1981 by former Depeche Mode songwriter Vince Clarke (synthesizer) and English singer Alison Moyet (vocals)... They broke up in 1983. Shortly after, Moyet pursued a solo career while Clarke founded Erasure... here is the short lived band known as Yazoo and #1 dance club hit "Situation"...




Lyrics | Yazoo lyrics - Situation lyrics

"Situation"
Single by Yazoo
from the album Upstairs at Eric's
B-side "Only You" (7")
Remix (12")
Released 1982
1990
Format 12" maxi, 7" single
CD maxi (1992)
Recorded 1981
Genre Synthpop, New Wave
Length 2:22
Label Mute Records
Sire Records
Writer(s) Alison Moyet
Vince Clarke
Producer Eric Radcliffe
Daniel Miller
Vince Clarke

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #73
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play: #1

80's Dating

You might have seen today's video on the Pop Candy blog if you check out Whitney Matheson's work... it was so classic I had to post it here... you can just tell from the dress and hairstyles that it is so 80's... check out this 80's dating montage...

Dating Montage
Uploaded by smithy00101. - Watch original web videos.

You Got Me Never Knowing if I'm Coming or Going

Today's Rod Stewart feature in our "Rod Stewart September" is an excellent duet with Ronald Isley... their voices suit each other and plus this was an Isley Brothers' hit back in the 60's... Rod brought it up to date and helped make it a big hit for him in late 1989... here is "This Old Heart of Mine"...

Rod Stewart - This Old Heart Of Mine
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - This Old Heart Of Mine lyrics

"This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)"
Single by Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley
from the album Storyteller - The Complete Anthology: 1964–1990
Released 1989
Format CD single
Genre Adult contemporary
Length 4:12
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Holland-Dozier-Holland
Sylvia Moy
Producer Bernard Edwards and
Trevor Horn

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10

Don't Get Me Wrong if I'm Looking Kind of Dazzled

A happy Monday to you as The Excellent 80's brings you the second top 10 hit from Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders, here is the jangly and popish sound of their hit song "Don't Get Me Wrong"

THE PRETENDERS-DON'T GET ME WRONG
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Lyrics | Pretenders lyrics - Don't Get Me Wrong lyrics

"Don't Get Me Wrong"

Single by The Pretenders
from the album Get Close and The Singles
B-side "Heart of Darkness"
Released August 5, 1986 (UK)
March 23, 1987 (US)
Recorded The Record Plant, Hereford, England (September-December 1985)
Genre Rock
Length 3:48
Label Sire Records
Writer(s) Chrissie Hynde
Producer The Pretenders

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10
UK peak: #10

80's Movie Weekend - R.I.P. Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze passed away on Monday at the age of 57, and his contributions will be sorely missed... here in The Excellent 80's we've already featured his hit "Dirty Dancing" and the song "She's Like the Wind"... and also one of his earlier films, "Red Dawn"... In between his hits "Dirty Dancing" and 1990's "Ghost," Swayze had what is now a cable hit as the character James Dalton in 1989's "Roadhouse"... R.I.P. Patrick, you will be missed...


the trailer...



a good ol' fashioned bar fight!



and all of you Swayze fans out there, just remember, that "Pain Don't Hurt"...



Road House

Directed by Rowdy Herrington
Produced by Joel Silver
Written by Story:
David Lee Henry
Screenplay:
David Lee Henry
Hilary Henkin
Starring Patrick Swayze
Kelly Lynch
Sam Elliott
Ben Gazzara
Kevin Tighe
Red West
Kathleen Wilhoite
Sunshine Parker
Tito Larriva
Marshall R. Teague
Terry Funk
Music by Michael Kamen
Willie Nile (co-composer)
Cinematography Dean Cundey
Editing by John F. Link
Frank J. Urioste
Distributed by United Artists
Release date(s) May 19, 1989
Running time 114 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $10,000,000 (estimated)
Gross revenue $30,050,028 (USA)
Followed by Road House 2: Last Call

As an added bonus and reminder of Swayze's sense of humor, here is Swayze in a classic SNL skit from 1990 with Chris Farley...

Patrick Swayze - Chippendale
Uploaded by tressage. -

Some Guys Have All the Luck

How much do you think today's "Rod Stewart September" video cost? 100 bucks? 200? I like the song, but man I couldn't watch this video through more than once back when it came out and still bores me to tears today... though I like Rod's red shoes in the video, whomever thought "let's shoot 4 minutes of Rod dancing around with various backgrounds and call it good" should not have been doing music videos... anyway, here is "Some Guys Have All the Luck" (and my apologies for not finding a better embeddable video of it... i hate when the music and video don't go together properly)...

Rod Stewart - Some Guys Have All The Luck
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - Some Guys Have All The Luck lyrics

"Some Guys Have All the Luck"

by Rod Stewart
from the album: Camouflage
released: 1984
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10

Get Your Booty on the Floor Tonight

Hip hop was bursting onto the scene hard by 1989, and this song was the first "house song" to break into a mainstream international hit... Technotronic was a studio-based Belgian music project formed by Jo Bogaert (alias Thomas DeQuincey) in 1988 and this became their signature song in 1989... "Pump Up the Jam"...

Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam
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Lyrics | Technotronic lyrics - Pump Up The Jam lyrics

"Pump Up the Jam"

Single by Technotronic
from the album Pump Up the Jam: The Album
Released 1989
Genre Dance
House
Hip house
EBM
Length 3:39 (Single Mix)
Label ARS Entertainment Belgium
Writer(s) Manuela Kamosi, Thomas De Quincey
Producer Thomas de Quincey

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2
UK peak: #2

You Could Have a Big Dipper

A weird song, a weird video... definitely did not like this as well as the masses because this song and video raked in all kinds of awards back in the day and hit #1 in Canada and the U.S. and was top five in the UK... it's the former Genesis lead singer Peter Gabriel with "Sledgehammer"...




Lyrics | Peter Gabriel lyrics - Sledgehammer lyrics

"Sledgehammer"

Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album So
Released April 1986
Format 7", 12", CD
Recorded 1985
Genre Funk rock, soul
Length 5:16
Label Geffen
Producer Daniel Lanois

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
UK peak: #1

Early in the Morning I Can't Sleep

You can get arrested for this Rod! Our Rod Stewart Septemeber rolls on with Rod taking a page out of Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Rear Window"... in this video, Rod plays a peeping tom and photographs a lovely young woman whom he fancies after no doubt... another one of my top 5 Rod Stewart songs, here is "Infatuation"...

Rod Stewart - Infatuation
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - Infatuation lyrics

"Infatuation"

by Rod Stewart
from the album: Camouflage
released: 1984

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #6
UK peak: #27

I Don't Want No Other Love

The Excellent 80's has already posted Cheap Trick's #1 hit ballad "The Flame" and today this was their follow up to that song - an Elvis Presley remake of the song "Don't Be Cruel"... this version will never be mistaken for the original by any means, but the song was a top 10 hit for the rock band formed back in the early 70's... here's Cheap Trick...




Lyrics | Cheap Trick lyrics - Don't Be Cruel lyrics

"Don't Be Cruel"

by Cheap Trick
from the album: Lap of Luxury
released: 1988

80's Movie Weekend

This weekend's 80's movie flashback is appropriate because it ties in with our "Rod Stewart September" that we are in the midst of here on this blog... at one time or another, every recording artist does a song for a movie and this was Rod's biggest movie song hit... it's the 1986 comedy starring Robert Redford, Darryl Hannah, and Debra Winger - "Legal Eagles"...

the trailer...



Darryl Hannah being all artsy and playing with fire...



Here is that hit Rod Stewart song for you... it's "Love Touch"...

Rod Stewart - Love Touch
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - Love Touch lyrics

"Love Touch"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Legal Eagles Soundtrack
and Every Beat of My Heart
B-side "Heart Is on the Line"
Released 1986, 1993
Length 4:03
Label Warner Bros. Records
Writer(s) G. Black, Michael Chapman, Holly Knight

Chart (1986) Peak position

UK Singles Chart #27
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #6
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock #26

Legal Eagles

Directed by Ivan Reitman
Music by Elmer Bernstein
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) June 18, 1986
Running time 116 min
Language English

Think I'm Going Down to the Well Tonight

I'm going to drink til I get my fill... one of my top three favorite Springsteen songs for you to kick off the weekend with... his pitching motion is lacking, but any former athlete (myself included) can totally relate to this song, because your glory days of playing will pass you in the wink of a young girl's eye... I love the Graig Nettles reference at the end of the video in Bruce's "loss" to San Diego... have a great weekend and check out the Boss and reflect back on the 80's and your own "Glory Days"...

Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days
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Lyrics | Bruce Springsteen lyrics - Glory Days lyrics

"Glory Days"

Single by Bruce Springsteen
from the album Born in the U.S.A.
Released May 13, 1985
Format 7" single
Recorded April or May 1982
Genre Rock
Length 4:15
Label Columbia Records
Writer(s) Bruce Springsteen
Producer Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Well, another NFL season kicks off tonight with the Tennessee Titans and the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, and I for one will be tuning in. Here's a pretty cool clip from CBS' 1989 NFL Today show, which was in its' 15th season at the time... Go Steelers!

May The Good Lord Be With You Down Every Road You Roam

Today's Rod Stewart feature is one of those timeless classics that you still hear all the time on adult contemporary radio stations and still makes the old long for youth... a rewrite of a Bob Dylan song, here is "Forever Young"...

Rod Stewart - Forever Young
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - Forever Young lyrics

"Forever Young"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Out of Order
Released 1988
Genre Rock
Writer(s) Jim Cregan, Kevin Savigar, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart
Producer Rod Stewart, Andy Taylor

80's Television - There's No Place Like Home

And there wasn't no place better than 227 back in the 80's as The Jeffersons former housekeeper, Marla Gibbs, had herself a hit sitcom around the apartment building 227... and remember what a big star Jackee' was back then? It took me this intro to remember, but I do remember catching some of these episodes and semi-enjoying them between 1985-1990... don't forget about Grandma Pearl and basketball playing Calvin either!

the intro to 227...



here's a "minisode" which condenses one episode down to about 5 minutes...



Cast of 227 TV Show
Mary Jenkins - Marla Gibbs
Lester Jenkins - Hal Williams
Rose Lee Holloway - Alaina Reed-Hall
Sandra Clark - Jackee (Harry)
Brenda Jenkins - Regina King
Tiffany Holloway - Kia Goodwin
Pearl Shay - Helen Martin
Calvin Dobbs - Curtis Baldwin
Alexandria DeWitt - Countess Vaughn
Eva Rawley - Toukie A. Smith
Julian C. Barlow - Paul Winfield
Dylan McMillan - Barry Sobel
Travis Filmore - Stoney Jackson
Warren Merriwether - Kevin Peter Hall

# of episodes: 227

Top 20 Ratings Info for 227 Series
1985-86 - 1st Season - Ranked #20
1986-87 - 2nd Season - Ranked #14

Location(s) Washington, D.C.
Running time 30 Minutes
Production company(s) Embassy Television (1985-1988)
Columbia Pictures Television (1988-1990)
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run September 14, 1985 – May 6, 1990

I Should Have Known Better

I have a power ballad for you today, and one that is considered one of the top 10 power ballads of the 80's... and the video is not half bad either as David Coverdale employs his once upon a time wife Tawny Kitaen for more sexy dancing in "Is This Love?"...

White snake - is this Love
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Lyrics | Whitesnake lyrics - Is This Love lyrics

"Is This Love"
Single by Whitesnake
from the album Whitesnake
Released 1987
Format Vinyl LP
Cassette
CD
Recorded 1986
Genre Hard rock
Length 4:42
Label Geffen
Writer(s) David Coverdale
John Sykes
Producer Mike Stone
Keith Olsen

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2
UK peak: #9

80's Movie Weekend

This weekend's 80's movie flashback takes us back to 1987... Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito, Anne Ramsey, and Kate Mulgrew make for an outstanding cast and one very funny movie... Owen and Larry set out to "Throw Momma From the Train"... check out some funny scenes below...

I hope you don't get an enormous headache in your eye...



Kate Mulgrew going overboard...



This is cousin Patty. You don't have a cousin Patty! You lied to me!



Owen brought me the unsalted nuts!



Throw Momma from the Train

Directed by Danny DeVito
Produced by Larry Brezner
Written by Stu Silver
Starring Danny DeVito
Billy Crystal
Kim Greist
Anne Ramsey
Kate Mulgrew
Music by David Newman
Release date(s) December 11, 1987
Running time 88 min
Language English

You Don't Need No Baggage, You Just Get On Board

Rod Stewart in his early beginnings was part of the Jeff Beck Group, but after years as a successful solo artist he reunited with his old buddy Jeff Beck, who was one of the three noted guitarists of the Yardbirds (the others being Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page) for this excellent remake of a Curtis Mayfield song - "People Get Ready"...

People Get Ready Jeff Beck Rod Stewart
Uploaded by avajra. -

Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - People Get Ready lyrics

"People Get Ready"

by Rod Stewart & Jeff Beck
from the Jeff Beck album: Flash
released: 1985

We Started Dancing and Love Put Us Into a Groove

And being in a groove is a good thing... today's artist had some hits throughout her career but is largely regarded as a "one-hit wonder"... here is Shannon with "Let the Music Play"... is that Robert Townsend she's dancing with towards the end of the video?

Shannon - Let The Music Play
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Lyrics | Shannon lyrics - Let The Music Play lyrics

"Let the Music Play"
Single by Shannon
from the album Let the Music Play
Released 1983
Format 7", 12"
Genre Dance
Latin freestyle
R&B
Label Mirage/Atco/Atlantic Records
Writer(s) Chris Barbosa
Ed Chisolm
Producer Mark Liggett
Chris Barbosa

Chart (1983) Peak position
U.S. Charts #8
UK Charts #14
R&B Charts #2
Dance Charts #1

Midnight, Gettin' Uptight, Where Are You?

If you indeed are creeping around my blog at the midnight hour then I hope you enjoy this rocker, because I sure do... she could sing the alphabet and as long as she was doing it with a rock edge in tight leather and with those smokey eyes, I'd still watch... she's now 51, but I bet Joan Jett still rocks a crowd... here is "I Hate Myself for Loving You"...

Joan Jett - I Hate Myself For Loving You



Lyrics | Joan Jett lyrics - I Hate Myself For Loving You lyrics

"I Hate Myself for Loving You"

Single by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
from the album Up Your Alley
Released 1988
Genre Hard rock
Length 4:07
Label Blackheart Records
Writer(s) Desmond Child, Joan Jett

Certification #8 Billboard Hot 100[1]

Young Hearts Be Free Tonight

Time is on your side... don't let 'em push you around... don't let 'em change your point of view... Mr. Rod Stewart burst onto America's radar in the early 70's and throughout the decade with songs like "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" "Hot Legs," "You Wear It Well," and "Maggie May"... He got his start in the Jeff Beck Band and the group Faces, but by the time MTV rolled around, Stewart was in top solo form, and for most of the 80's, received a lot of air play with numerous hits... The Excellent 80's is dubbing this a "Rod Stewart September" and we're kicking it off with one of my favorite Rod Stewart songs "Young Turks"...

Rod Stewart - Young Turks
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Lyrics | Rod Stewart lyrics - Young Turks lyrics

"Young Turks"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Tonight I'm Yours
Released 1981
Format 7", 12"
Recorded 1980
Genre Soft rock, New Wave
Length 5:01
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Rod Stewart, Carmine Appice, Duane Hitchings, Kevin Savigar
Producer Jim Cregan, Rod Stewart

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5
UK peak: #11