Comments on: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 66 http://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/ your daily dose of pop culture Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: musicmanatlhttp://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-56562 musicmanatl Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:31:40 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-56562 Ray made a career out of copying other people's hits. He's said in interviews that he based "The Other Woman" on "Jessie's Girl". Perhaps his most obvious swipe is turning "Every Breath You Take" into "I Still Can't Get Over Loving You". I mean, he even includes the line "every step you take, I'll be watching you" in the lyrics!! I mean, come on. LOL I did think he was very talented, but I think he got lazy. Some of the later lyrics are really lame - "Jamie", anyone? He did better with R&B bubblegum like "Jack & Jill". <br><br>I still love "You Can't Change That" though. :) Ray made a career out of copying other people's hits. He's said in interviews that he based “The Other Woman” on “Jessie's Girl”. Perhaps his most obvious swipe is turning “Every Breath You Take” into “I Still Can't Get Over Loving You”. I mean, he even includes the line “every step you take, I'll be watching you” in the lyrics!! I mean, come on. LOL I did think he was very talented, but I think he got lazy. Some of the later lyrics are really lame – “Jamie”, anyone? He did better with R&B bubblegum like “Jack & Jill”.

I still love “You Can't Change That” though. :)

]]> By: musicmanatlhttp://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-56563 musicmanatl Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:27:18 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-56563 When Mica's CD was out, I read several comparisons between "My One Temptation" and Dionne Warwick's 1960s songs. I can definitely hear that. It's really a shame that Mica was a one-hit wonder. Her followup, "Breathe Life Into Me", is also very good. (And how many records say "get me pregnant now?" so directly?) :) When Mica's CD was out, I read several comparisons between “My One Temptation” and Dionne Warwick's 1960s songs. I can definitely hear that. It's really a shame that Mica was a one-hit wonder. Her followup, “Breathe Life Into Me”, is also very good. (And how many records say “get me pregnant now?” so directly?) :)

]]> By: musicmanatlhttp://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-56556 musicmanatl Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:25:41 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-56556 That's really funny - when Dave commented on the men hugging album cover, I immediately thought of "Waking And Dreaming" as well. I guess we should have known from that cover that he'd end up in Congress. :)<br><br>Helen Terry is a freakin' awesome singer! Her contributions to Culture Club were essential. I hear that she's now a production person for the BBC. I've been hunting for her one UK hit single but haven't found it on mp3 yet. That's really funny – when Dave commented on the men hugging album cover, I immediately thought of “Waking And Dreaming” as well. I guess we should have known from that cover that he'd end up in Congress. :)

Helen Terry is a freakin' awesome singer! Her contributions to Culture Club were essential. I hear that she's now a production person for the BBC. I've been hunting for her one UK hit single but haven't found it on mp3 yet.

]]> By: musicmanatlhttp://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-56555 musicmanatl Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:21:49 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-56555 I think 1983-1992 is a pretty accurate span for what we call '80s music. I might even argue for 1982. I think that "I Love Rock & Roll" was the first strike of '80s music, closely followed by "Don't You Want Me". Those two led the way for much more uptempo music than the top 40 had been seeing. <br><br>I can remember hearing "Don't You Want Me" for the very first time (in my college's bowling alley during bowling class!) and thinking, wow, this is really different and new wave. LOL I think 1983-1992 is a pretty accurate span for what we call '80s music. I might even argue for 1982. I think that “I Love Rock & Roll” was the first strike of '80s music, closely followed by “Don't You Want Me”. Those two led the way for much more uptempo music than the top 40 had been seeing.

I can remember hearing “Don't You Want Me” for the very first time (in my college's bowling alley during bowling class!) and thinking, wow, this is really different and new wave. LOL

]]> By: light74http://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-52029 light74 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:09:37 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-52029 i just wanted to know if there was anyway you could email me a copy of "one sunny day/ dueling bikes" bye ray parker Jr. and Helen Terry. i just wanted to know if there was anyway you could email me a copy of “one sunny day/ dueling bikes” bye ray parker Jr. and Helen Terry.

]]> By: light74http://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-40630 light74 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:09:37 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-40630 i just wanted to know if there was anyway you could email me a copy of "one sunny day/ dueling bikes" bye ray parker Jr. and Helen Terry. i just wanted to know if there was anyway you could email me a copy of “one sunny day/ dueling bikes” bye ray parker Jr. and Helen Terry.

]]> By: light74http://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-36523 light74 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:09:37 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-36523 i just wanted to know if there was anyway you could email me a copy of "one sunny day/ dueling bikes" bye ray parker Jr. and Helen Terry. i just wanted to know if there was anyway you could email me a copy of “one sunny day/ dueling bikes” bye ray parker Jr. and Helen Terry.

]]> By: breadalbanehttp://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-35990 breadalbane Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:16:15 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-35990 I feel compelled to point out the actual title of the song is "Get Started. Start A Fire" <br><br>That's right. The song title is two sentences, divided by a period. <br><br>I only bring this up because it's the only song title I can think of with this particular quirk. I feel compelled to point out the actual title of the song is “Get Started. Start A Fire”

That's right. The song title is two sentences, divided by a period.

I only bring this up because it's the only song title I can think of with this particular quirk.

]]> By: tdolbyfanhttp://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-35929 tdolbyfan Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:00:39 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-35929 If you need help with that Alan Parsons guide, I own all there studio albums. If you need help with that Alan Parsons guide, I own all there studio albums.

]]> By: sneezebaghttp://popdose.com/bottom-feeders-the-ass-end-of-the-80s-part-66/comment-page-1/#comment-35695 sneezebag Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:04:26 +0000 http://popdose.com/?p=25418#comment-35695 A lot of derision has been heaped upon Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" for being a rip-off of "I Want A New Drug". I'd like to think that a pro like Ray knew his music history a little deeper than the previous autumn, when "Sports" came out. My guess is that he was *subconsciously* updating - and cheapening - that killer soul-funk groove by the Bar-Kays known as "Soul Finger" (# 17, Aug. 1967). I mean, the lift is virtually note-for-note, right down to the children shouting "soul finger!!!" Never mind that the Bar-Kays tune is an instrumental. It stands up perfectly well without dopey lyrics about bustin' dopey ghosts. Throw in a video with inappropriate actors providing "cameos" as they intone the song/movie title, and you have a good example of the hubris that caused pop music to move away from whatever dignity it once had toward the dumpster of artlessness it's in now.<br> I should mention that I like Ray Parker, Jr. Seriously. He always seemed quite a bit sly and smarter than most funkateers and he could get a line like "Makes me wanna grab my git-tar, and play with it all night long" into the top five. But Ray sorta jumped the shark after this one. Too bad, because after listening to the songs offered here, he still had more decent stuff left in him. Problem is, even though "Ghostbusters" was a number one, you don't want to be caught with it blaring out of your open car windows at a red light. You'd probably feel a bit like Judge Reinhold in pirate gear.<br> "Soul Finger" is another story. I can never play it just once, and I'd play it for anyone interested who doesn't know it. Hell, if you're gonna be Otis Rdding's touring band, you'd better be tough, not cute. I had only a hazy memory of their song from some beat-up old Atlantic compilation ("Super Hits" probably) that I had as a kid, so when "Ghostbusters" was a hit, I didn't even notice the steal. Seven years later when I bought the Stax box, and the Bar-kays came on, it stopped me dead in my tracks.<br> Thanks for giving props to the Alan Parsons Project. I've been into them since grade school, but only since getting the new remastered cds have I truly appreciated them. Classic bottom feeder from the seventies would be "What Goes Up" (#87, sept 1978) from the album "Pyramid". Best heard with the preceding instrumental "Voyager". What pristine sound. What a band. What a producer. <br> <br> I love this column. I'ts almost as addictive as collecting records. A lot of derision has been heaped upon Ray Parker Jr.'s “Ghostbusters” for being a rip-off of “I Want A New Drug”. I'd like to think that a pro like Ray knew his music history a little deeper than the previous autumn, when “Sports” came out. My guess is that he was *subconsciously* updating – and cheapening – that killer soul-funk groove by the Bar-Kays known as “Soul Finger” (# 17, Aug. 1967). I mean, the lift is virtually note-for-note, right down to the children shouting “soul finger!!!” Never mind that the Bar-Kays tune is an instrumental. It stands up perfectly well without dopey lyrics about bustin' dopey ghosts. Throw in a video with inappropriate actors providing “cameos” as they intone the song/movie title, and you have a good example of the hubris that caused pop music to move away from whatever dignity it once had toward the dumpster of artlessness it's in now.
I should mention that I like Ray Parker, Jr. Seriously. He always seemed quite a bit sly and smarter than most funkateers and he could get a line like “Makes me wanna grab my git-tar, and play with it all night long” into the top five. But Ray sorta jumped the shark after this one. Too bad, because after listening to the songs offered here, he still had more decent stuff left in him. Problem is, even though “Ghostbusters” was a number one, you don't want to be caught with it blaring out of your open car windows at a red light. You'd probably feel a bit like Judge Reinhold in pirate gear.
“Soul Finger” is another story. I can never play it just once, and I'd play it for anyone interested who doesn't know it. Hell, if you're gonna be Otis Rdding's touring band, you'd better be tough, not cute. I had only a hazy memory of their song from some beat-up old Atlantic compilation (“Super Hits” probably) that I had as a kid, so when “Ghostbusters” was a hit, I didn't even notice the steal. Seven years later when I bought the Stax box, and the Bar-kays came on, it stopped me dead in my tracks.
Thanks for giving props to the Alan Parsons Project. I've been into them since grade school, but only since getting the new remastered cds have I truly appreciated them. Classic bottom feeder from the seventies would be “What Goes Up” (#87, sept 1978) from the album “Pyramid”. Best heard with the preceding instrumental “Voyager”. What pristine sound. What a band. What a producer.

I love this column. I'ts almost as addictive as collecting records.

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