Greetings listeners! Me and Thomas Inskeep are back with the 10th episode of the Jheri Curl Chronicles podcast. Before we get started with this new episode, what say you backtrack and listen to the series’ other episodes, which you can find here and here.
While most of our episodes focus on songs that hit #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Hot R&B Singles chart in the ’80s, this is one of those “very special” episodes focusing on the #2 singles of 1982. We’ve got nine tasty treats for you this episode, so we run just a tad longer than usual. But I can virtually guarantee that you’ll enjoy every second!
Here are the nine songs covered in this latest episode:
“Truly” by Lionel Richie
“Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club
“You Dropped A Bomb On Me” by The Gap Band
“Mirror, Mirror” by Diana Ross
“Do I Do” by Stevie Wonder
“The Other Woman” by Ray Parker Jr.
“Mama Used To Say” by Junior
“Circles” by Atlantic Starr
and “777-9311” by Prince The Time
Along the way, we discuss:
-How schmaltzy is too schmaltzy, even for Lionel Richie? And why might Laura Branigan have harbored a grudge against Lionel?
-Did Tom Tom Club’s success take their original band, Talking Heads, to the proverbial “next level” commercially?
-Diana Ross’s long, LONG string of campy videos, which also includes this, this, and ESPECIALLY THIS.
-“Mirror Mirror”‘s co-writer, Michael Sembello, who not only fit perfectly in with the “bear” archetype, but was no stranger to camp himself.
-This single cover. Discuss.
-Is it me, or does “The Other Woman” give you the “Jessie’s Girl” feels? (not discussed in the podcast: do you think Michael Jackson and John Landis saw this video before they made “Thriller” or nah?)
-Ray’s smoldering sex appeal and general caddishness.
-British soul arrives in the ’80s courtesy of Junior, although it really didn’t. Billy Ocean hit the Top 5 with this classic first. Oops.
-Atlantic Starr’s revolving door of female vocalists.
-Why “777-9311” might be the best punk/funk single ever recorded, and Morris Day’s legacy as a “pussy hound”
and so much more.
Also, we give props to our opening and closing songs: “I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)” by the late Kashif and “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” by Michael McDonald.
You can give a listen to this episode via streaming on LibSyn. You can also listen in the player below, download the episode directly to your device, or subscribe to the Blerd Radio family on iTunes.
Please leave comments, tweet at us, and ask questions! If you have a question about ’80s R&B, hit us up and we may read your question on the air! Enjoy!
2 comments
John Hill says:
Dec 10, 2016
So much blasphemy going on in this podcast. To be clear, 1) “Gloria” is a classic song worthy of respect, and 2) “Genius of Love” is also a classic song worthy of respect. Now that I have those out of the way:
– I have a soft spot for “Truly”, and I have no doubt that Kenny Rogers’s success with “Lady” spurred releasing this as Lionel’s first solo single
– “Genius of Love” is the epitome of roller skating jams
– Thomas, I hope you also included the over-the-top “Chain Reaction” in your curated Diana video list
MJ says:
Dec 10, 2016
Now THAT is a classic campy and well-made Diana video.