Guess what, listeners? It’s time for another Jheri Curl Chronicles podcast. In this episode, Thomas and I take a little break to discuss the #2 R&B singles of 1983! 11 songs are discussed, so we pack a lot into a little over an hour. Here are the songs that peaked at the penultimate position on Billboard‘s Top Soul Singles chart in 1983.
Evelyn King “Betcha She Don’t Love You”
The S.O.S. Band “Just Be Good To Me”
Midnight Star “Freak-a-Zoid”
Klique “Stop Doggin’ Me Around”
Sonny Charles “Put It In A Magazine”
Champaign “Try Again”
Lionel Richie “You Are”
Jennifer Holiday “I Am Love”
Irene Cara “Flashdance…What A Feeling”
DeBarge “I Like It”
Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson “Say, Say, Say”
Here’s how we’ll fill in the blanks on these singles (and so much more!):
-What the hell is Evelyn King wearing while performing “Betcha She Don’t Love You” on Soul Train?
-The S.O.S. Band’s career revival, courtesy of upcoming producers (and former members of The Time) Jimmy “Jam” Harris III and Terry Lewis.
-An ongoing theme this episode of strange/odd/real talk about relationships.
-Beats International’s slammin’ mash-up of “Just Be Good To Me” and “The Guns Of Brixton” by The Clash.
-Richard X and Kelis’s remake of S.O.S.’s “The Finest” AND his mash-up of Whitney Houston and Kraftwerk.
-How did “No Parking On The Dance Floor”, Midnight Star’s best known song, not even crack the top forty on Billboard’s Soul Singles chart upon release?
-Think it’s coincidence that Atlantic Starr released a song called “Freak-A Ristic” around the same time as “Freak-A-Zoid”? Why they hating?
-Klique’s affinity for Jackie Wilson covers.
-Who the hell is Sonny Charles, and how did he have a Number Two record with a song that neither of us remembers?
-Champaign’s career as the Air Supply of the R&B charts (this is not a diss) and their singer Pauli Carman’s amazing Jheri Curl.
-Other songs that fall into the easy listening soul category include The Pointer Sisters’ “Slow Hand”, which was remade into a country smash by Conway Twitty (who, according to Thomas, was the Teddy Pendergrass of country music).
–Lionel Richie’s upcoming tour, with opener (it feels weird for me to even type this) Mariah Carey.
-Jennifer Holiday having the soul sucked out of her on “I Am Love”.
-The Flashdance Soundtrack, and the hot bear-ness of Michael Sembello.
-Why the cover of Sembello’s debut album makes us wonder if there really is a chance for either of us to go back in time and boink him.
-Thomas doesn’t like either of Irene Cara’s soundtrack smashes, but he does like this song.
-More gushing over DeBarge, and the fact that El does NOT sing lead on their first hit.
-Clearly the better of the three Jackson/McCartney duets.
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Comments and questions are always welcome. Never hesitate to drop us a line, and thank you for listening!!
2 comments
John says:
Feb 21, 2017
I am SO far behind on these podcasts!
– My favorite by a mile on this list is the SOS Band. I don’t dislike any of them, although I’m sure I got sick of Say Say Say at some point. It’s still a jam to this day.
– Sentimental favorite goes to Champagne, who I actually heard a lot on the radio in Syracuse. To this day I focus instantly when I hear the song.
– Sembello TOTALLY could have gotten it. I actually remember seeing the AB performance and being transfixed.
– I think the Richard X/Liberty X song Thomas was talking about was “Got To Have Your Love,” a remake of the Mantronix song that boggles my mind how it only peaked at number 26.
MJ says:
Feb 25, 2017
That sounds like a different song (Richard X)…I LOVE that Mantronix song, so now I have to look for something else!