"Summer Rain" by Belinda Carlisle

Glad you could join us, Dialophiles! 

Tonight, we delve into our vast musical archives, and dust off quite the interesting mid-tempo ballad from the lead vocalist of pioneering girl group The Go-Gos. There's a 100% chance of mid-year precipitation when you tune into the Dial for Belinda Carlisle's musings on "Summer Rain".  

Whispering our goodbyes... Waiting for a train
I was dancing with my baby... In the summer rain 

Belinda sings a story of a military wife longing for her soldier who has gone to war, as she recollects their last time together, dancing and professing their love for each other in the titular downpour.

Throughout the verses, the young soldier assures her that nothing will change, a sweetly reassuring sentiment that leads to a dramatic revelation in the third (and final) verse. 

Every time I see the lightning... Every time I hear the thunder...
Every time I close the window... When this happens in the summer...
Oh the night is so inviting... I can feel that you are so close...
I can feel you when the wind blows... Blows right through my heart. 

Yes, ever since that final day together, whenever rain squalls drift through the summertime night, Belinda's army widow is visited by the spirit of her fallen love. A romantic visitation from the other side, far removed from a haunting, Belinda's encounter carries no dread, just comfort as she knows her soldier loves and watches over her.

Summer Rain's portrayal of a romantic tragedy was a topic rarely heard in the top 40 since the melodramatic teenage death songs of the '50s and early '60s such as "Leader of the Pack", and "Last Kiss". The poetic lyrics, accentuated by a classical-styled string arrangement, and Belinda's wisftul and lovely vocals, make it clear she will derive some comfort from reconnecting with her soldier during those rainy summer nights.

Following her multi-platinum run in the Go-Gos, Belinda kicked her solo career into high gear with 1986's unforgettable #3 smash "Mad About You", and the hits kept coming through "Heaven Is a Place on Earth", "I Get Weak", and "Circle in the Sand".

This brought her to the release of her third solo LP, Runaway Horses, in 1989. Featuring famous contributors like George Harrison, Bryan Adams, and Bekka Bramlett, the LP peaked at #37 on the Billboard 200, and contained the bouncy #11 hit "Leave A Light On". "Summer Rain" was the second and final U.S. single from the LP, (other tracks were extracted in other countries), which became Belinda's final US top 40 appearance at US #30 in early 1990.

I've returned to Summer Rain multiple times over the year, as it's unique subject matter and beautiful melody captivates me.  Give it a spin, and see if Belinda and her spectral soldier doesn't do the same for you. 

Oh my love, it's you that I dream of... Oh my love, since that day…
Somewhere in my heart I'm always... Dancing with you in the summer rain.

"Angels at my Gate" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Good evening, Dialophiles! We’re delighted you saw fit to join us at this particular frequency tonight, so that we may introduce you to a fine obscurity from the discography of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, the mesmerizing “Angels at my Gate”. 

There's a finger on the dial, the lucky wheel goes round, Little Joker knows he can't escape. 

From the 1979 LP “Angel Station”, “Angels at my Gate” is far from a religious ode, instead serving as a cautionary tale against gambling addiction. Cleverly painted against a carnival backdrop, the protagonist (the “Little Joker” referred to above) finds the rush of winning untold riches to be irresistible, despite the tremendous danger to his financial security, and quite possibly, his sanity. 

Throw a seven down, place another bet, The joker laughs as the stakes get higher. 

Possessing a dark, plodding tempo, and peppered with synthesizer based sound effects, “Angels” creates an ethereal air of hopelessness, as Little Joker descends deeper into addiction and madness. Check the disturbing laughter played behind the “the joker laughs” lyric…

The memorable and rather cryptic chorus features a strange counting exercise, noting the number of angels observing the proceedings. Initially diminishing two-at-a-time, then increasing by nine, then reducing singularly once more.

The angels here likely serve as a metaphor for Little Joker's remaining funds as he looses, wins back a little, and looses some more; or its equally possible they represent ACTUAL angels, LJ's heavenly guardians if you will, and as they diminish in number, his risks increase. It's wisely left up to the listener to interpret. 

The gambler and the clown, without a safety net, Balancing unsteady on a wire. 

Never released as a single, “Angels” received next to no radio airplay, and thus, achieved no billboard chart position. Given the unique musical vibe and topic the song possesses, it’s not a huge surprise that it wasn’t selected to compete against the disco-laden playlists of 1979s top 40 stations.

Today, the Earth Band is best remembered for their iconic chart topping Springsteen cover “Blinded by the Light”... you know, the one that everyone mishears (and incorrectly sings) as “Wrapped up like a douche”, when the real line is “Revved up like a deuce”. Manfred Mann, the bandleader here, also hit the U.S. top 40 with his self-named beat pop band from the '60s, scoring big with Berry & Greenwich's “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”, (#1 for 2 weeks in 1964), and Dylan's “Mighty Quinn” (#10 hit in '68).

On a personal note, back in the late 90s, I worked with a Russian gentleman named Denis, who introduced me to his two favorite prog rock LPs, Mike Oldfield's “Crises”, and “Angel Station”. Now, I'm sharing these very albums with my 7 year old, and he is fascinated by the complex musical themes, especially the numeric chorus of “Angels”.

So thanks Denis, where ever you are, for inspiring this Radio Dial entry, and thanks to Manfred Mann for crafting such an awesome song dealing with such an atypical topic, and for doing so quite memorably, at that.

58, 56, 54... Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58... Good angels at my gate.

TWO-FER TUESDAY: The Bird and The Bee, and Mandy Moore

Hey, what's goin' on, Dialophiles?

Tonight’s post can best be enjoyed when experienced by two loyal Radio Dial fans simultaneously… why? Because it’s a special edition of Two-Fer Tuesday! Instead of two songs associated with the same act, tonight the Dial brings you two jazz-influenced covers of early '80s pop hits. A double bill, if you will!

The first tune on the docket tonight is "Kiss on My List", as recorded by indie pop duo The Bird and The Bee.

Formed in 2006 and featuring vocalist Inara "the Bird" George, along with multi-instrumentalist Greg "the Bee" Kurstin, The Bird and The Bee formed due in part, to a common love of jazz standards. Since then, the duo has released three LPs, including their 2010 release Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates, which also features their takes on hits like "Private Eyes" and "Rich Girl". 

In turning the original 1981 Hall & Oates smash into a dreamy electropop/jazz hybrid, Inara and Greg expose a sense of playful sexiness largely hidden in the iconic top 40 classic.

When they insist on knowing my bliss… I tell them this…
When they want to know what the reason is…
I only smile when I lie, then I tell them why…
Because your kiss, your kiss, is on my list…

Now, the other half of tonight’s musical pairing brings us to Mandy Moore's take on Joe Jackson's piano ballad, "Breaking Us in Two". Joe's original peaked at #18 in 1983, the second single from his iconic Night and Day LP which also contained his #6 hit "Steppin' Out".

Mandy's rendition is extracted from her 2003 LP Coverage, a covers album featuring a rather mature and diverse selection of songs from artists such as Carly Simon, XTC, Elton John, and Joan Armatrading.

Moore's "Breaking…" possesses a relaxing, jazzy quality... successfully distancing the singer from her teen pop beginnings.  While the arrangement mimics the Jackson original rather closely, the instrumentation has been beautifully embellished with sitar, vibraphone, and even a glockenspiel. Then there’s the way Mandy’s silky vocals glide over the lyrics in a way that Joe’s never could... simply breathtaking.

Don't you feel like trying something new? 
Don't you feel like breaking out or breaking us in two.

You don't do the things that I do... You want to do the things I can't do... Always something breaking us in two. 

We here at the Dial always enjoy discovering and sharing fresh interpretations of classic tracks. Keep it tuned here for more of the same, in addition to even more underplayed hits of the past. Thanks for listening… and watching… and reading!