FlinterFile: Tom Petty- Free Fallin’

Tom Petty released the album Full Moon Fever in 1989.

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FlinterFile: Tears For Fears- Woman In Chains

After the hit Sowing The Seeds Of Love, this song was released.

FlinterFile: Don Henley- New York Minute

In 1989, Don Henley released one of his best known solo hits.

FlinterFile: Simple Minds- Belfast Child

In 1987, there was a bombing in Enniskillen. A bomb of the IRA exploded during a Remembrance Day Service and killed 11 people. More than 60 people were injured.

FlinterFile: The Outfield- My Paradise

In the eighties there was a band from the UK which had no hits there, but did have some hits in the US.

FlinterFile: S’Express- Theme From S’Express

In 1989, the S’Express made their way out of the station, ready to ride! In the US number 91, in the UK number 1… The man behind the hit was a DJ, Mark Moore. He had the idea to make an eighties disco record. So what do you do?

FlinterFile: Stevie Nicks- Rooms On Fire

In 1989, Stevie Nicks released a magical song. The song was inspired by Rupert Hines, a producer who did something to Stevie Nicks.

FlinterFile: Arthur Baker & the Backbeat Disciples- The Message Is Love

In 1989, Arthur Baker released a remix of The Message Is Love. Al Green recorded it, after having a big hit with Put A Little Love In Your Heart (1988). Arthur Baker, who worked with artists like Afrika Bambaataa and New Order, remixed his song. The result was a number 38 hit in the UK, though it was a bigger hit in other parts of Europe, resulting in a number 4 hit in Austria, number 6 in Germany and number 12 in the Netherlands. Enjoy

Arthur Baker & the Backbeat Disciples (featuring Al Green)- The Message Is Love.

FlinterFile: Zeon Jones- Spin Me Around

In 1989, Adam Sieff wrote a song for Zeon Jones, as a song which would be happy and carefree, fitting the voice and personality of Zeon Jones. The song was recorded at the PRT studios, where Adam Sieff played the guitar, and Tim Goldsmith drummed. The horns were played by Guy Barker, Pete Beachill and Phil Todd. It all provided the right atmosphere that was intended. Zeon Jones recorded the vocals, Dolette McDonald and Tessa Niles sang the backup vocals, and the track was ready for release… Polydor loved it, but there was one thing they wanted to have changed: the bass line. Del Taylor took the song to the Netherlands, recording a different bass line with a Dutch session musician, and it would be a big hit, reaching number 13 in the Netherlands. Enjoy

Zeon Jones- Spin Me Around

(Many thanks to Adam Sieff for providing the information for this post)

 

FlinterFile: Rob ‘N’ Raz & Leila K.- Got To Get

In 1989, Leila K was introduced to the music scene. She was discovered by the duo Rob ‘n’ Raz (Robert Watz and Rasmus Lindwall), who offered her a contract. Together they made several songs, until Leila K decided to go solo in 1991 and then she had a hit with Open Sesame. Together they scored a number 8 hit in the UK and even number 2 in the Netherlands. Enjoy

Rob ‘N’ Raz & Leila K- Got To Get

Song of the day: Roachford- Cuddly Toy

In 1989, Roachford released their second song. This song was the first hit for them, though it had to be helped being a hit. With the first release, it was number 61 in the UK. When it was re-released, one year later, it was a number 4 hit in the UK and number 25 in the US. Enjoy

Roachford- Cuddly Toy

Song of the day: Fine Young Cannibals- Good Thing

In 1989, the Fine Young Cannibals had two number 1 hits in the US. She Drives Me Crazy and Good Thing. After that, the group stopped making albums. As they were in the picture, quite some compagnies wanted to profit from them. One of them was Honda, who wanted them to remake the video with their scooters instead of Vespas (they didn’t). In the UK, it was a number 7 hit. Enjoy

Fine Young Cannibals- Good Thing

Song of the day: Tears For Fears- Sowing The Seeds Of Love

A worldwide hit in 1989, with a number 1 position in Canada, a number 2 position in the US and a top 5 position in the UK. According to Roland Orzabal, one of the people in the duo Tears For Fears, this was the most political song they ever recorded. It refers to Margaret Thatcher, who then just had another re-election. Orzabal was not very happy about this, he was working-class. He also refers to Paul Weller, who made political songs with the Jam, but with the Style Council these had faded. A great song, enjoy

Tears For Fears- Sowing The Seeds Of Love

Song of the day: Poco- Call It Love

For the history of the band that made the song of today, we have to go back to 1968. The group Buffalo Springfield, which would record their final album, was about to split up. Richie Furay, Neil Young, Jim Messina decided to make a new band, called after a cartoon figure: Pogo. They would record several albums in the years following, but the big success would come in 1977, but this hit sort of slipped from one of their later albums. It was released in 1989, produced by Richard Marx and actually was the reunion of quite some old members, who had left the band in the past years. Enjoy

Poco- Call It Love

Song of the day: Swing Out Sister- You On My Mind

A song which makes me happy! On the edge of the eighties, in 1989, this song was released. It was the lead single of the second album by Swing Out Sister, Kaleidoscope World. The band has existed since 1985 and they already had had success with the song Breakout. For the second album, Martin Jackson left the band, who later worked for Frank Zappa. Swing Out Sister then had two members, namely Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell. Enjoy

Swing Out Sister- You On My Mind

Song of the day: Lois Lane- It’s The First Time

I woke up this morning with the total lyrics of this song in my head, including the music and the intro. I have strange moods, sometimes, and I can’t tell why it was just this song. However, their album, which is on CD at home, is a very good album, although it only has 6 songs on it. One of these songs, the first one, is the song which was one of their biggest hits. In the nineties, they had another big hit, but they never had as much success as with their first album, which featured a lot of hits. Enjoy

Loïs Lane (In America Loïs L.)- It’s The First Time

Song of the day: Gladys Knight- Licence To Kill

It has been some time since we had a nice James Bond Title Song as Song of the Day. And therefore, I went into the dusty archive (meaning just pulling a CD from the shelf) to see which song was the victim/lucky one. We’ve had some already, and some artists too, but this was never featured. A decent theme song, but the James Bond (Timothy Dalton) was not really my taste. Okay, I’ve to admit: I’m a big fan of Roger Moore as James Bond, and after that Sean Connery. My favourite person in the whole series is Q, and not the new Q, but the real old one. The first one, who had great gadgets. Nice fact is that John Cleese also played Q, but that was the last decent Q. Enough about James Bond, enjoy

Gladys Knight- Licence To Kill

Song of the day: John Hiatt- Have A Little Faith In Me

Last song of the eighties today! And what a song: the simplicity of the song is the power of the song, and because of its simplicity, it still is a song which has a lot of power. The piano, together with his rough voice, is all the song needs. It was written when John Hiatt had a difficult time and wanted to hear that someone had a little faith in him. And I guess everyone needs to hear that sometime.

John Hiatt- Have A Little Faith In Me

Song of the day: Kaoma- Lambada

Songs with a dance with them always work out very well. Take for example The Ketchup Song of yesterday, the Macarena (who doesn’t know how to dance the macarena?), and the song of today. It was a big eighties summer hit which made the Lambada popular again. It was released in 1989, and in 1990 two movies were released, both based on the lambada.

The two kids playing in the music video both started a musical career after the success of Kaoma’s Lambada, but I don’t know if they ever have made hits…

Today the song by Kaoma is in the spotlights:

Kaoma- Lambada