The Jheri Curl Chronicles podcast is back after a 6 week siesta! Join Mike Joseph (me) and Thomas Inskeep as they chat about every single to hit #1 on Billboard’s R&B charts in the 1980s.

This episode contains a double dose of Prince, as we discuss his first two chart-toppers of the decade, “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy”. Of course, both songs come from the Academy Award-winning soundtrack to the film “Purple Rain”, and as appropriate for Oscar season, we go deep on the 1985 ceremony.

The 1985 Oscars nominated an additional THREE songs featured in this podcast, including Deniece Williams’ “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”, Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters”, and the eventual winner, Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called To Say I Love You”. The other two #1s featured in this podcast-that have no movie tie-ins whatsoever-are O’Bryan’s “Lovelite” and Billy Ocean’s “Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)”

Also, you guys totally need to see this.


Ray Parker Jr. performs Ghostbusters at the… by DwightBranden

As is common with the JCC podcast, sidebars abound. Among the other topics covered: Thomas’s love for Foreigner’s “Waiting For A Girl Like You”, the defense of Stevie Wonder’s post-“Woman In Red” work, Don Cornelius’s considerable influence in the music industry, the awesome 2-CD hits package on Deniece Williams that BBR Records recently released, and so much more.

Check the show out in the player below. You can also access the show by streaming it on Liberated Syndication, you can download the show to your device, or you can subscribe on iTunes (and let us know what you think by leaving a comment!)