|
|
Post by Dawn on Jul 15, 2003 7:33:01 GMT -5
These were the top 10 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart on July 15, 1989.
10. So Alive - Love & Rockets
9. The Doctor - Doobie Brothers
8. What You Don't Know - Expose
7. Miss You Like Crazy - Natalie Cole
6. Batdance - Prince
5. Baby Don't Forget My Number - Milli Vanilli
4. Toy Soldiers - Martika
3. Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals
2. Express Yourself - Madonna
1. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Simply Red
Any thoughts or memories of these songs?
|
|
|
|
Post by H2IZCOOL on Jul 15, 2003 8:33:47 GMT -5
Hey Dawn!
OK. This is scary. I only recognize two titles. My musical knowledge fell off exponentially beween '85 and '89.
The only song that I really know well is Baby Don't Forget My Number by whoever really sang it. I really don't like it much at all, and prefer Weird Al's parody Don't Forget My Plumber.
I'm familiar with If You Don't Know Me By Now from the early '70s by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. I know I heard a different version around '89 or so, and I'm assuming that was Simply Red. It wasn't bad, but I prefer the original.
As for the others, I'm familiar with several of the artists but not the titles (although I suspect if I listened to them, I'd recognize one or two.)
|
|
|
|
Post by m c dornan on Jul 15, 2003 12:06:50 GMT -5
Well,I'd gotten out of current music by this time I guess. I only like one song here,but I like that one a lot. "So Alive", by Love & Rockets.
"Good Thing" shows up occasionally on TV in a car ad.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ken on Jul 15, 2003 15:53:39 GMT -5
Hey Dawn:) There is only a couple of tracks here that I really like. We talked before about how terrible top 40 radio had become by this time. 10. I remember hearing this - it's ok - One of my buddy's was a big fan of their's and bought a few of the 12" singles. 9.Woo Hoo! Loved it when it came out , I bought the 45. 8.Never got into them 7.Natalie does have a good voice - I guess it's Ok. 6.Just terrible - what was Prince thinking ?  5.I never cared for them really even before all the hoopla over them lip synching. My apologies to Dave 4.I had a listen to it . I don't recall hearing this at the time at least I don't think so. It's ok . 3. I really got tired of The Cannibals very quickly. I heard She Drives Me Crazy so often that his voice started to grate on me. Not a fan even to this day. 2.Alright I guess I just wasn't much of a fan . A few of her early songs are alright though. 1. I thought Simply Red did a pretty good job , although of course there's nothing like the original. |
|
|
|
Post by Pete70s on Jul 15, 2003 16:43:25 GMT -5
Love & Rockets had the only song I really liked. One of the only, if not THE only true "Goth" band to ever hit the Top 10.
I didn't care for "Toy Soldiers" until I found out it was about heroin addiction. I used to date someone with a heroin problem, so the song kind of hit home.
Good Thing was OK in small doses
|
|
|
|
Post by Boogieman on Jul 15, 2003 18:17:50 GMT -5
1989 wasn't the greatest year for me. Ran out of college funds and had to drop out to work for (figuratively) peanuts, plus I was feeling the burn on the breakup of my first TRUE love relationship. And the music was going downhill. Not a wonderful year. But I do remember all of these songs  10. So Alive - Love & Rockets I really enjoyed this song at first and went out and bought it. Joined my large collection of cassette singles (R.I.P.). Only chart hit for this veteran British band. 9. The Doctor - Doobie Brothers Their glory years were past and this is mediocre at best. Don't hear this one anymore..I guess that's why. 8. What You Don't Know - Expose Like I mentioned the other day in a different thread, many of Expose's songs sounded the same. This one wasn't much different from "Point of No Return" or "Come Go With Me" from two years earlier. Not bad as far as dance tunes go but unoriginal, generic Miami Freestyle sound. 7. Miss You Like Crazy - Natalie Cole Strictly adult contemporary that probably wouldn't have cracked the Top 40 were it not for the success of "Unforgetable" and it's brilliant (for the time) gimmick of creating the illusion that she was singing a duet with her deceased father, Nat King Cole. 6. Batdance - Prince Love Prince, hate this song which was essentially quotes from the movie backed by a drum track and Prince mumbling R-rated words. Crap 5. Baby Don't Forget My Number - Milli Vanilli Least favorite of the singles from "Girl You Know It's True". I liked Milli Vanilli's music, whoever it really was. 4. Toy Soldiers - Martika Excellent song about heroin addiction, very finely written. Martika failed to have much of a career after this number one hit, unfortunately. 3. Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals Bouncy tune from Roland Gift and his band. They were on fire in 1989 and fell off the face of the earth. 2. Express Yourself - Madonna Continues her remarkable string of hits since winter '84. To date she had only missed the top ten once...with "Oh Father". Madonna was starting to use her deeper, throatier voice and abandoning the little-girl sound of earlier albums. 1. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Simply Red Nice attempt at outdoing Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes. Mick Hucknall has a powerfully soulful voice yet he's no Teddy Pendergrass. |
|
|
|
Post by djdave on Jul 15, 2003 20:21:23 GMT -5
Nice chart. Switching colleges at the time. Never liked the Natalie Cole tune, however.But cheesy dance music really prevailed! Such great beats by the likes of Expose, Milli Vanilli, Madonna, and especially the FYC--great Marvin Gaye inspired song! Martika and Simply Red had fine ballads, The first two songs rocked, especially the Doobies' comeback! That leaves that Prince anomaly. LOVED it at the time, but I haven't played it in ages.
|
|
|
|
Post by Railyn on Jul 15, 2003 21:53:50 GMT -5
This was a good year for me. I officially became a world traveler.
10) LOVE this song. It's got a great sound and lyrics (I don't know what color your eyes are baby but your hair is long and brown)
9) I don't recall this one..
8) Not into this group. Their stuff all sounded alike.
7) Eh. Not crazy about this one.
6) I got caught up in Batman fever, had the Joker Converse sneakers, but got very tired of this one very quickly.
5) I liked Milli Vanilli. I agree with H2 and like Al's Plumbing Song a bit better (it combines this one and Blame It On The Rain).
4) Was never a big Martika fan.
3) Loved these guys and had the tape (with the Raw side and the Cooked side) but I got tired of them.
2) One of the few later Madonna songs I care for.
1) A good one, but I prefer Holding Back The Years.
|
|
|
|
Post by kathyb on Jul 15, 2003 23:54:56 GMT -5
So Alive--Really liked this song when it first came out. Went out and bought the CD without ever hearing any others songs from it. Haven't played the thing in years. LOL! The Doctor--Like it a lot. Catchy, upbeat tune. What You Don't Know--What I don't know, is this song. ;D Miss You Like Crazy--I'm trying hard to think of more of the song than just the title, but it ain't working.  Batdance--Never cared much for this. Prince has had WAY better songs. Baby Don't Forget My Number--Milli Vanilli's cd was one of the first ones I ever bought after my hubby and I bought our first cd player. Yes, I can admit it!  Toy Soldiers--Good message song. Martika just kinda disappeared off the face of the earth, didn't she? ;D Good Thing--So overplayed. Roland Gift's voice is annoying after awhile. I remember being at a comedy club back then, and the guy who was hosting the show threw a bunch of CD's into the audience. Wouldn't you know I caught the Cannibals CD. I think I listened to it exactly once. LOL! Express Yourself--Like Madonna. This is a good song from her. If You Don't Know Me By Now--Really never cared for this song. Didn't like the original, didn't like this cover. |
|
|
|
Post by SAT-I need more room!! on Jul 16, 2003 10:50:40 GMT -5
 YEESH! I think I just broke out in hives!! So Alive was a good tune. And I'll give honorable mention to Madonna, just because it's her. The rest..... You KNOW it's bad when Milli Vanilli ISN'T the worst artist on the list! (Simply Red has THAT award sown up)
|
|
|
|
Post by Dawn on Jul 16, 2003 19:32:39 GMT -5
Hey Dawn! OK. This is scary. I only recognize two titles. My musical knowledge fell off exponentially beween '85 and '89. The only song that I really know well is Baby Don't Forget My Number by whoever really sang it. I really don't like it much at all, and prefer Weird Al's parody Don't Forget My Plumber. I'm familiar with If You Don't Know Me By Now from the early '70s by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. I know I heard a different version around '89 or so, and I'm assuming that was Simply Red. It wasn't bad, but I prefer the original. As for the others, I'm familiar with several of the artists but not the titles (although I suspect if I listened to them, I'd recognize one or two.) Hey H2! I've never heard Weird Al's parody, but it sounds like it would be really humorous! His songs are always great fun to listen to. It's pretty likely the version of 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' you heard was Simply Red's. I agree that Harold Melvin's version was better. |
|
|
|
Post by Dawn on Jul 16, 2003 19:36:18 GMT -5
Well,I'd gotten out of current music by this time I guess. I only like one song here,but I like that one a lot. "So Alive", by Love & Rockets. "Good Thing" shows up occasionally on TV in a car ad. 'So Alive' is a pretty good song, but for some reason, it rarely gets radio airplay anymore. I remember that commercial! |
|
|
|
Post by Dawn on Jul 16, 2003 19:43:13 GMT -5
Hey Dawn:) There is only a couple of tracks here that I really like. We talked before about how terrible top 40 radio had become by this time. 10. I remember hearing this - it's ok - One of my buddy's was a big fan of their's and bought a few of the 12" singles. 9.Woo Hoo! Loved it when it came out , I bought the 45. 8.Never got into them 7.Natalie does have a good voice - I guess it's Ok. 6.Just terrible - what was Prince thinking ? 5.I never cared for them really even before all the hoopla over them lip synching. My apologies to Dave 4.I had a listen to it . I don't recall hearing this at the time at least I don't think so. It's ok . 3. I really got tired of The Cannibals very quickly. I heard She Drives Me Crazy so often that his voice started to grate on me. Not a fan even to this day. 2.Alright I guess I just wasn't much of a fan . A few of her early songs are alright though. 1. I thought Simply Red did a pretty good job , although of course there's nothing like the original. Hi Ken!  Except for a few of the songs, there's not much on this chart I care for either. This was definitely not the best time for top 40 radio. 'The Doctor' is probably my favorite from this list. It sounds so much like the Doobies circa 1973! LOL about 'Batdance'!  I agree, it's horrible. I'm the same way about 'She Drives Me Crazy'. I literally can't stand to listen to it anymore - it drives ME crazy! |
|
|
|
Post by Dawn on Jul 16, 2003 19:49:08 GMT -5
Love & Rockets had the only song I really liked. One of the only, if not THE only true "Goth" band to ever hit the Top 10. I didn't care for "Toy Soldiers" until I found out it was about heroin addiction. I used to date someone with a heroin problem, so the song kind of hit home. Good Thing was OK in small doses I didn't realize 'Toy Soldiers' was about heroin addiction - that's interesting. It kind of puts the song in a new light. 'Good Thing' wasn't bad at the time, but it's been very overplayed over the years. |
|
|
|
Post by Dawn on Jul 16, 2003 19:59:55 GMT -5
1989 wasn't the greatest year for me. Ran out of college funds and had to drop out to work for (figuratively) peanuts, plus I was feeling the burn on the breakup of my first TRUE love relationship. And the music was going downhill. Not a wonderful year. But I do remember all of these songs 10. So Alive - Love & Rockets I really enjoyed this song at first and went out and bought it. Joined my large collection of cassette singles (R.I.P.). Only chart hit for this veteran British band. 9. The Doctor - Doobie Brothers Their glory years were past and this is mediocre at best. Don't hear this one anymore..I guess that's why. 8. What You Don't Know - Expose Like I mentioned the other day in a different thread, many of Expose's songs sounded the same. This one wasn't much different from "Point of No Return" or "Come Go With Me" from two years earlier. Not bad as far as dance tunes go but unoriginal, generic Miami Freestyle sound. 7. Miss You Like Crazy - Natalie Cole Strictly adult contemporary that probably wouldn't have cracked the Top 40 were it not for the success of "Unforgetable" and it's brilliant (for the time) gimmick of creating the illusion that she was singing a duet with her deceased father, Nat King Cole. 6. Batdance - Prince Love Prince, hate this song which was essentially quotes from the movie backed by a drum track and Prince mumbling R-rated words. Crap 5. Baby Don't Forget My Number - Milli Vanilli Least favorite of the singles from "Girl You Know It's True". I liked Milli Vanilli's music, whoever it really was. 4. Toy Soldiers - Martika Excellent song about heroin addiction, very finely written. Martika failed to have much of a career after this number one hit, unfortunately. 3. Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals Bouncy tune from Roland Gift and his band. They were on fire in 1989 and fell off the face of the earth. 2. Express Yourself - Madonna Continues her remarkable string of hits since winter '84. To date she had only missed the top ten once...with "Oh Father". Madonna was starting to use her deeper, throatier voice and abandoning the little-girl sound of earlier albums. 1. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Simply Red Nice attempt at outdoing Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes. Mick Hucknall has a powerfully soulful voice yet he's no Teddy Pendergrass. It definitely sounds like that wasn't a very good year for you. I can relate - it was pretty bad for me too. I was thinking the same thing about Expose as I was typing the list up! Except for the ballads, their songs were pretty much interchangeable. I think you're right about why 'Miss You Like Crazy' was so successful. It's not bad, but not outstanding, by any means. 'Batdance' is just terrible. He has so much talent, and yet he squandered it on this song. I think Madonna sounded best with her deeper voice. When she sings in her lower register, it gives her songs a lot more emotion and impact, IMO. |
|
Except for a few of the songs, there's not much on this chart I care for either. This was definitely not the best time for top 40 radio.