Pop Shots – A Look At The Charts … From 35 Years Ago

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week I’m hopping into my time machine again, this time setting the coordinates for 35 years ago this week.

Touching down in May of 1988, I hear a little bit of everything, as there was the usual mix of pop, rock, and R&B on the chart, as well as era specific genres like freestyle, and go-go. So let’s get into it!

Of course, since this is Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

1. Terence Trent D’Arby – Wishing Well

 

Terence Trent D’Arby was a talented artist, and if you don’t believe me, just ask the man himself. D’Arby was once quoted as saying his debut album, Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby, was more important than The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!

D’Arby now goes by the name Sananda Maitreya, and while his old name is gone, there’s no word on if he’d use a “Wishing Well” to wish away his Beatles comment. 

10. Samantha Fox – Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)

 

When Samantha Fox teamed up with Full Force we were given this freestyle classic that doubled as an important PSA regarding the needs to naughty girls.

As an aside, the editor in me would like to point out naughty girls need proper punctuation, too. Where’s the comma, Samantha Fox? Where’s the comma?

12. INXS – Devil Inside

 

Here’s a solid life rule – if you have the opportunity to play some INXS, play some INXS.

Michael Hutchence’s time with us was far too short, but he lives on forever as one of the most iconic frontmen of all-time.

15. Billy Ocean – Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car

 

For the record, while “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” is a fantastic song, it doesn’t work all that well as a pickup line unless you’re actually Billy Ocean.

Don’t ask how I know this.

17. Pebbles – Girlfriend

 

For a few years in the late ‘80s / early ‘90s Pebbles was a fixture on the radio with songs like “Girlfriend,” which was at #17 this week, “Mercedes Boy,” which was also on this chart, debuting at #77, and “Giving You the Benefit.”

Her musical career, however, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her remarkable life.

Pebbles has been married five times, including to famed record executive L.A. Reid, and baseball speedster Otis Nixon. She also experienced a major transformation that began in the late ‘90s when she underwent a religious conversion, changed her name to Sister Perri, became an ordained minister, and founded Women of God Changing Lives Ministries.

All that, and she still has plenty of years left to continue to fill her Wikipedia page!

30. Belinda Carlisle – Circle in the Sand

 

Whether as the frontwoman of The Go-Go’s, or as a solo artist, Belinda Carlisle gave us hits. When it comes to her solo career she’ll always be remembered for “Heaven Is a Place on Earth,” but she has a number of other classics in her catalog, as well, including “I Get Weak,” and “Circle in the Sand.”

I also feel like “Circle in the Sand” might have been the blueprint for the Robin Sparkles parody “Sandcastles in the Sand.” I wonder if anyone from HIMYM could confirm that for me.

35. Brenda K. Starr – I Still Believe

 

If you want to see an interesting generational divide, ask a group of people who they remember singing “I Still Believe.” My generation will likely say Brenda K. Starr. The generation after mine will likely say Mariah Carey.

Interestingly enough, Mariah was a backup singer for Brenda, and it was Brenda who recorded a demo of Mariah’s work, and gave it to Tommy Mottola.

With that in mind, I feel like this song deserves its own documentary. There have to be some other music nerds out there who would go for that.

36. Debbie Gibson – Foolish Beat

 

When “Foolish Beat” hit #1 in June of ’88 it made the then 17 year old Debbie Gibson the youngest person to write, produce, and perform a #1 single entirely on their own.

All these years later she’s still the youngest woman to achieve the feat!

42. Al B. Sure! – Nite and Day

 

If you were making mixtapes for girls back in 1988, you absolutely waited all day by the radio to make sure Al B. Sure!’s “Night and Day” would be included.

In addition to making R&B jams, Al B. Sure! is also the owner of perhaps the most famous unibrow in R&B history!

45. E.U. – Da Butt

 

While go-go music was extremely regional, the Washington D.C.-based genre experienced a few national breakthroughs, including Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers’ “Bustin’ Loose,” and the E.U. (aka Experience Unlimited) classic “Da Butt.”

A subgenre of funk, go-go songs had the feel of extended jam sessions led by fantastically talented drummers. Unfortunately, while incredibly fun, and always danceable, they were often left out of radio playlists due to being significantly longer than R&B songs.

Personally, I feel the genre deserves a comeback. I mean, who doesn’t like to have fun?

54. Midnight Oil – Beds are Burning

 

Australian politics never sounded so good!

Yes, that’s right, “Beds are Burning” is a phenomenal rock song about Aboriginal land rights Down Under.

Do you know how hard it is to create a song about local politics that ends up connecting with the entire world? Midnight Oil are legends for being able to do that.

59. Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me

 

One of the best rock songs of the ‘80s, “Pour Some Sugar On Me” has also become synonymous with the phrase, “Coming to the stage …”

I don’t think I need to go into any more detail about that, because you know exactly what I’m talking about!

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.