Comments on: CHART ATTACK! #23: 3/14/92

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:01:36 +0000

‘Tis true nowadays, Dw, although Williams’s scandal happened in the summer of ‘84, and her first album wasn’t released until ‘88. But if you want to count the guest-star appearance that Williams made on the Loni Anderson-Linda Carter show "Partners in Crime" in the fall of ‘84, be my guest.

By: Dw Dunphy

Dw Dunphy — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:53:20 +0000

I tend to blame Williams for the latest development in publicity, being how actors and musicians let their private lives and scandals be known to the public only weeks before their movie or CD debuts. Think about the real high-profile controversies lately, then tie in the release dates to the celebrities. You’ll be amazed.DwD

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:28:37 +0000

Thanks, Lyle! I’m glad you liked it. I didn’t mention the Miss America scandal because Williams had already made people forget about it somewhat with her first album in 1988, which contained hits like "Dreamin’" and "The Right Stuff." Her career trajectory is pretty remarkable when you think about it; you could argue that she’s the most easily identifiable Miss America of all time, yet she stepped down when the scandal erupted and was expected to fade into obscurity shortly thereafter.

By: Lyle

Lyle — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:59:46 +0000

Great Chart Attack. I laughed out loud several times. I have to admit I really liked all these songs back then (but don’t remember Mr. Big). "Diamonds and Pearls" was one of the first CDs I bought, way back when I joined the RCA/BMG Music Club. And I thought the Vanessa Williams hit was a great redemption for her loss of the Miss America crown. (You remember that, don’t you?).

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 21:15:26 +0000

Yeah, Benny and Joon didn't come out until the spring of '93, and that summer the song seemed to be everywhere, but it's from an album that came out in '88. Between '88 and '93 the Proclaimers gained some sort of following; I'm just not sure how big it was. Their first album since '88, Hit the Highway, came out in '94, and I wonder if there was pressure from Chrysalis for the Reid twins to FINALLY produce a new album and do something with the momentum they'd gotten from Benny and Joon. Hit the Highway had some good songs, but no one seemed to buy it, and then the Proclaimers didn't put out another album until 2001. But since then, surprisingly, they've been more prolific, with albums in '03 and '05.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:52:32 +0000

I recall Ed and Steve of BNL being huge Proclaimers fans waaay before they made any kind of dent on the U.S. charts…

By: Dw Dunphy

Dw Dunphy — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:51:27 +0000

Which is to say, Aye Would Wolk Fave Honedred Mails.

By: Dw Dunphy

Dw Dunphy — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:50:24 +0000

If I recall correctly. The Proclaimers were out with that album for quite awhile and got nothing for it. It wasn’t until the inexplicable tie-in with Johnny Depp flick "Benny And Joon" that the song really took off (if, again, my memory is correct)…

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:43:50 +0000

Heather, it sounds like you had a lot of the same CDs as my brother in ‘92. He’s five years older than me and therefore was in college at the time. When exactly did the Proclaimers start becoming popular over here in the States0? Yes, "I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)" was a huge hit in ‘93, five years after its original release, but my brother already had "Sunshine on Leith" in ‘91 (still three years late at that point). Were the Proclaimers slowly gaining prominence on college radio at the time?

By: JT

JT — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:57:48 +0000

J – Amy R.A.Y. Two CDs you’ll know – Roll the Bones and "The Passage of Time" The latter has this very excellent version of "Bring it on Home" on it, as well as keyboard "Daniel."