FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION !

     Hello friends! Today, I welcome you to a very special entry of the blog, the FIVE YEAR anniversary of Kyle’s Radio Dial, my modest little home on the interwebs!

Way back on December 27, 2011, I created a Facebook page entitled Kyle’s Radio Dial, in order to spotlight older songs that have been forgotten by radio, or were never played over the airwaves in the first place. My first entry was Mike Oldfield’s “Moonlight Shadow”, a 1983 UK top ten hit that never got the push it deserved here in the states, despite being a major hit nearly everywhere else.

Then, in March of 2012, I decided to graduate the Dial to this very blog, and I’ve touched on an average of 25 songs per year since then. This includes Lush’s “Ladykillers”, a ‘90s alt rocker that pokes fun at celebrity ex-boyfriends, Dan Seals’ “Bop”, a mid ‘80s country pop number in which an older gentleman implores his lady to join him on the dance floor as when they were younger, and “Romeo’s Tune” by Steve Forbert, a poetic early ‘80s soft rock hit from a singer that was considered to be the “next Dylan”. All of these tunes held the honor as the most viewed song on the blog for a period of time.

Other fun tracks include the video game tribute/parody “Space Invaders” by Uncle Vic, Al Stewart’s prog rock account of a haunted submarine entitled “Life in Dark Water”, Donna Summer’s new wave album cut “Highway Runner”, and cover tunes “You’re Only Lonely”, “Inside and Out”, and “Gimme Little Sign” as recorded by Schuler Fisk, Feist, and Danielle Brisebois, respectively.

For this article, I’ve pulled five songs that are probably my most favorite from that first year worth of blog entries. All of them were originally released in the ‘80s, the best decade for music ever! I’ll also provide a link to the original blog entry for your perusal, in addition to a YouTube window for listening and watching the tune, as always.

So without further ado, let the reminiscing begin!

RACHEL SWEET “VOODOO” (originally posted 5/19/12)

“VooDoo” could essentially be the “poster child” for the Dial, as I return to this track via my personal playlists more than any other song I’ve blogged about. Rachel’s tune has it all… it’s a catchy pop/rocker, it didn’t get a lot of airplay when it was new, and has pretty much been forgotten since its release.

I heard “VooDoo” on the radio once or twice back in ‘82, then it just disappeared until I rediscovered it in the early 2000s. I still cannot comprehend how this wasn’t a top 10 hit. It has a great Stevie Nicks style-vibe, a sexy chorus, and it doesn’t hurt that Ms. Sweet looks amazing in the music video… yet it was only a #72 hit. Criminal.

http://kylesradiodial.blogspot.com/2012/05/voo-doo-by-rachel-sweet.html



WHITNEY HOUSTON “MOMENT OF TRUTH” (originally posted 2/12/12)

This sweet mid-tempo love song from one of the greatest voices from the ‘80s was released as the B side to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody Who Loves Me”, and received modest radio airplay in certain markets (as in my home market of Washington DC), yet never charted on the hot 100 on its own. Curiously, Whitney’s 1987-1988 tour was named after the track, despite its non-hit status.

The song is quite obscure now, though it was released a second time on the B-side to Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” single in 1995. I think this would be a perfect tune for a young pop or soul singer to cover, and I’m surprised it hasn’t happened by now.

http://kylesradiodial.blogspot.com/2012/03/moment-of-truth-by-whitney-houston.html

THE MONKEES “HEART AND SOUL” (originally posted 3/25/12)

Hot on the heels of the Monkees’ unexpected MTV fueled revival in the mid ‘80s is this comeback single, which stalled at #87 in 1987 (funny how that worked out). Sure, it’s no “Last Train to Clarksville” or “Daydream Believer”, and it does lack the efforts of one Mike “wool hat” Nesmith, but it’s definitely a nice retro-ish slice of upbeat ‘80s pop rock with a touch of ‘60s style about it that should have charted higher.

And the music video, in which Davy, Micky, and Peter are frozen solid in the ‘60s, thaw out, and desperately try to get jobs as musicians in the ‘80s, is pretty amusing as well. It would have been interesting to hear the guys re-record this using a straight up 1960s arrangement like their more familiar material, but I’m sure this will never happen this late in the game.

http://kylesradiodial.blogspot.com/2012/03/normal-0-intribute-to-recently-departed.html





KURTIS BLOW “I’M CHILLIN’” (originally posted 6/24/12)

One of the few hip hop songs covered on the dial, this old school rap track features fun boasting lyrics and one of the earliest pro-female hip hop rhymes… “TO diss a female is a low down shame, but you suckers make the records ‘cuz you wanna get fame.” and a chorus that awesomely borrows The Transformers theme jingle.

Hardly any early hip hop tracks crossed over to the hot 100 back then (even Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s pioneering “The Message” only peaked at US #62 in ’82), and Kurtis’ 1986 go-go influenced jam is no different, achieving no hot 100 position at all! I listened to this one on the school bus through my Walkman quite a lot back in the day as well. You know, ‘cuz I was chillin’.

http://kylesradiodial.blogspot.com/2012/06/im-chillin-by-kurtis-blow.html



BANANARAMA “A TRICK OF THE NIGHT” (originally posted 11/1/12)

Bananarama had an interesting chart history in the states… Three top tens (“Cruel Summer” #9 / ‘84, “Venus” #1 / ‘86, and “I Heard A Rumour” #4 / ‘87), but their other ten U.S. released singles faltered outside the top 40. This was one of those that didn’t scale the charts, landing at a weak #76 in 1987.

It should have been a much bigger hit with those classy three voice harmonies, smoky jazz club vibe, and lyrics regarding a man who seeks fortune in the big city, only to run into some hard times. Considering that “Trick…” closely followed the release of the aforementioned smash “Venus”, it’s amazing that this follow up single didn’t become more popular.

 

http://kylesradiodial.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-trick-of-night-by-bananarama.html

Of course, ALL of the songs that have earned the Dial’s spotlight are worth another listen, even if they aren’t directly addressed here. I invite you to peruse the back archives when you get a chance (from the “Blog History” heading on the right hand side of the main page), and maybe you’ll rediscover your new favorite song!

I’ll be taking January off for a much deserved New Year’s rest, but The Dial will return in February, with an article about the evolution of the “oldies radio” format as I interpret it. I’ll also be featuring three songs that were considered “oldies” back when I was a kid; a late ‘50s pop number, a ‘60s folk rocker, and an early ‘70s soul classic. Just reaching back a little further into the archive than I typically do, in order to mix things up a bit.

So, from all of us here at the Dial, Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and any joyous Holiday salutation that applies to you, including having an incredible Festivus for the rest of us! We wish you happiness, prosperity, and the discovery of great music in the new year!

Kyle’s Radio Dial… The more you listen, the more you REMEMBER! 



"Downtown Venus" by P.M. Dawn

   Hello friends, I’m proud to say that this review is a bit of milestone – it’s my one hundred and fiftieth blog entry! Yep, 150! Thanks for allowing me to take you on this musical journey as I root around in my song collection, bouncing around genres and years, spotlighting tracks that I enjoy. Hopefully a few of the tunes I’ve reviewed have become favorites of yours as well.

Tonight’s addition to the Kyle’s Radio Dial canon is a mid ‘90’s pop/hip hop track, which, at its root, is a late ‘60s hard rock classic. Get ready for “Downtown Venus” by P.M. Dawn!

“I’m Downtown Venus… and I’m trying to be by myself…
Habitual dreamers… and no one dreams enough to get me home…”

P. M. Dawn, the duo of brothers Attrel “Prince Be”, and Jarrett “DJ Minute Mix” Cordes, is a group that is hard to pigeonhole. They are typically categorized as a hip hop group, but they are so much more, drawing from influences ranging from soul to jazz, rock to dance, new wave to new age, psychedelia to folk. Probably the best term I’ve heard applied to them is “alternative hip hop”, as they were among the groups that were an alternative to the Gangsta Rap, East vs West coast, Parental Advisory label hip hop crowd that dominated the genre for so long.

The Cordes brothers are best remembered for their top 10 hits “Looking Through Patient Eyes”, “I’d Die Without You”, and “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss”, the latter of which topped the US Pop charts in ’91, and featured a notable sample of Spandau Ballet’s 1983 hit “True”.

“Downtown Venus” was the lead single from P.M. Dawn’s 1995 Jesus Wept album, peaking at #48 on the US Hot 100. Interestingly, it also made a modest showing on the US Billboard Modern Rock tracks, at number 39, but no appearance on the R&B chart.

“I’m Downtown Venus… and they’re trying to divine myself…
And they keep saying… You could be into you, but you don’t know what you’re like…”

Based around an instantly recognizable sample of Deep Purple’s 1968 rock classic “Hush”, “Downtown Venus” presents a story of a female character whom is suffering from depression, low self-esteem, and quite possibly multiple personality disorder (“I’m failing to entertain all of myselves.”).

“Venus” notes that those who try to help and enlighten her say that the first step toward improving her circumstance is to recognize her own self-worth. (“They keep saying… you could be into you, but you don’t know what you’re like”). My suspicion is that “Venus” is a prostitute, as she mentions having misdemeanors, and the name “Downtown Venus” certainly lends itself to a lady of the night.

But then again, maybe my interpretation is off, as I have to consider that a male vocalist is singing these lyrics. Sure, he could simply be providing the voice for this downtrodden woman, but perhaps if HE really IS the Downtown Venus as he states, then maybe the character is actually a transgendered individual, stuck between what he wants to be and what society expects of him. Wow, this song is deeper than I thought!

The music video doesn’t seem to offer many clues, being largely a band performance on an elaborate futuristic set, but there are several cut away scenes involving an angel-like woman in outer space, lots of infinity symbols, and a few moments in which it’s not quite clear what the participants are actually engaging in… so who knows? I imagine this is one of those songs that is best left to the individual listener’s interpretation.

“I could be into me, but I don’t know what I’m like…”

On a side note, The Jesus Wept LP also contains a very interesting cover medley entitled “Fantasia’s Confidential Ghetto”. This musical cornucopia begins with Prince’s “1999”, then melts into the Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime”, and ends up at Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut”. Clever samples of Three Dog Night’s “Mama Told Me Not to Come” and “Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla” (from the pronoun sequence of School House Rock!) are woven throughout the piece for a true musical melting pot of pop influences!

Sadly, Prince Be passed away on June 17, 2016 due to kidney disease. He was young, only 46. Another musical talent lost this year. I won’t list those who have left us in 2016, as there’s been lots of attention given to this topic already elsewhere on the net… let’s just say that I hope that 2017 isn’t as somber a year for the music industry and fans alike.

Coming up for the next entry on the Dial, I’ll hand pick and re-spotlight some of my favorite cuts from the very first year of my blog postings!

Kyle’s Radio Dial… the MORE you listen… the MORE you remember!

 

 

 

 

 

"This Is Me" by Dream

    Hey friends, I have something to confess. In the late 90s, I went through a “pure pop” phase. Songs by N*Sync, the Backstreet Boys, the Spice Girls, Britney, Christina, Mandy,  and All Saints were as much of my playlists as were classic 70s and 80s hits by Abba, The Eagles, Foreigner, Michael Jackson, and Cyndi Lauper. I enjoyed the happy upbeat feel of these 90s pop acts, and the contemporary popular sounds they brought to the table.

 

By the time Y2K was over and done however, I found myself growing tired of most of the “current day” popsters. But even as I largely returned to my retro-listening habits, one then-new pop act caught my ear, and to this day, 16 years later, I still frequently return to one of their tunes in particular. That song is entitled “This Is Me”, and the act bringing it to you on the Dial, is Dream.

 

“She stole your heart… only did it because she could...

Chewed you up and spat you out... bad girl never was no good."

 

A quartet of female vocalists based in Los Angeles, California; Holly, Melissa, Diana, and Ashley harmonize very smoothly here, and sing at a subdued level when compared to some of their contemporaries like Mariah and Christina. While Dream certainly sings in the style of R&B influenced teen pop, there’s no over-the-top fluttering melismas here. Overall, “This is Me” has a definite light-"Genie in a Bottle" vibe, which makes sense, as one of the authors of This is Me, Pamela Sheyne, was also a co-author of Christina’s Grammy winning debut single.

 

Lyrically, “This is Me” offers a young woman’s declaration of love and devotion to her new beau. The dreamy relaxing melody, along with the layered and complimentary harmonies, give the song a tender and sweet vibe, as the girl reassures her guy that while he was hurt in the past, his heart is safe with her now.

 

“Baby I would never do that… ‘cuz I love you faithfully...

But your suspicious mind thinks I'm gonna repeat her story..."

 

About the only thing I could do without is the tune’s coda… a spoken “Get a Grip!” Sure, maybe the guy is being really whiny about not wanting to be hurt again (which would understandably frustrate her and eventually provoke a snarky response), but it seems out of place given that the song’s entire 3:12 run time portrays her to be reassuring, sympathetic and caring. But I’ll look past that…

 

Taken from the group’s 2000 debut LP It Was All A Dream, and following the lead single “He Loves U Not”, (US #2, US R&B #15, UK #17), “This is Me” peaked at #39 on the Hot 100. Well… sort of. As it turns out, the song that actually charted at #39 is properly called "This is Me Remix", but instead of enhancing some beats and adding some loops while leaving the basic structure of the song intact (which many remixes tend to do), this version is a completely different song from the album cut.

 

The remixed version only retained a portion of the album version’s chorus, discarding the remainder of the song, and rebuilding it with a new melody, new lyrics, an unnecessary rap section, and a music bed sampling Bob James' "Take Me to the Mardi Gras". It doesn't even share the same relaxed vibe as the album cut, replacing the soothing soft soulful pop of the original with a sort of Euro-funk jam.

 

Hence, I prefer the original LP version.

 

“It’s makin’ you crazy, makin’ you a wreck...

Makin' you follow me, makin' me a suspect."

 

I realize this is manufactured pop, written by professional songwriters, managed by a known music star (Puff Daddy), and targeted towards TRL watching teens, and there was certainly a ton of “me too” style songs and acts in the  late ‘90s teen pop boom. But Dream’s “This Is Me” has always impressed me as possessing a class and elegance in a genre that didn’t typically aspire to those loftier qualities.

 

I played it for my nearly 5 year old daughter recently, and now she asks for “This is Me” as we drive to school in the morning, played alongside her favorite tracks by Survivor, Tom Petty, and Glenn Frey. Hey, she’s a chip off the old Dial!

 

So give Dream’s ode to devotion and reassurance a listen, and be sure to keep your ears to the Dial for the next overlooked track from the past! Kyle’s Radio Dial… The more you listen, the MORE you remember!

 

“You wanna trust me but you don’t know how...

I'm never gonna mess around, let you down, can't you see?

That was her... and baby, this is me."

 

 

 

 



The work of Simon Le Bon - "Election Day" by Arcadia, and "Meet El Presidente" by Duran Duran

     Hello friends! Today, November 8, 2016, is our Presidential Election here in America. In celebration of this important day, the Dial is beaming you an election themed “Two Fer Tuesday” piece, featuring the music of ‘80s icon Simon Le Bon, and his groups Duran Duran and Arcadia. Thinks there’s no connection between a British new romantic rocker and our election process? Read on, for our look at Arcadia’s “Election Day”, and Duran Duran’s “Meet El Presidente”!

“Kind of look to the day… opening eyes impale neon flickers…

She moon, she turning away… the city’s her slave but he’s cheating his mistress…”

An offshoot project comprised of Le Bon and his fellow Duran Duran mates Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor, Arcadia only released one album, 1985’s So Red the Rose, the lead single of which was “Election Day”. An upbeat slice of new wave synth pop that also featured Jamaican lyricist Grace Jones on spoken dialogue, this was by far Arcadia’s most successful single, peaking at US #6, UK #7, and the top of the singles chart in Italy.

Nick Rhodes explained in a November 24 1985 Chicago Tribune article that the song is about making decisions, both the right choice for a positive change, and the way that a lack of courage causes positive decisions not to be made.

However, for years, I believed the song to be about a feeling of disgust and helplessness felt by the populace toward the government, culminating in an assassination attempt on a government official by the singer. This was all due to a misheard line in the chorus… “Pull my SHOT off and pray”.

Turns out, the line is actually, “Pull my SHIRT off and pray”. So, where Le Bon was simply stating that that the summer is hot, and he needs some relief, for years I thought something much more disruptive was about to go down. Hey, I heard what I heard, and even now I still think that maybe the whole “summer is hot” idea is a metaphor for serious political stress.

“I pull my shirt off and pray… we’re sacred and bound, to suffer the heatwave…

Pull my shirt off and pray… we’re coming up on re-election day”





    Next the Dial turns its receivers to spotlight a lesser hit from Simon, recorded with his more iconic group Duran Duran, 1987's “Meet El Presidente”. The third single pulled from the Notorious LP, following the title track and “Skin Trade”, “Meet El…” did alright in the UK by reaching #24, but struggled greatly stateside, only managing #70.

“Miss November Tuesday, bend your rubber rules…

Take your time but don’t take off your high heel shoes…”

The lyrics relate the tale of a political figure’s mistress, and how she holds power over the adulterer. He tries to placate her by buying her cruises, as she dresses in revealing clothing and always makes herself available to him, not only to further her own power hungry goals, but also to camouflage her disgust at her own situation. As Le Bon pointedly sings… “Hell hath no fury like a young girl’s ego”. (Dig the percussion on that line!) The song concludes by stating that she has a gun, so this young woman is very aware that she can destroy this figure’s career and indeed, his life, with either a public admission of their relationship, or a well-timed bullet.

Despite the provocative subject matter, “Meet El…” came at the beginning of a chart slump for the band, as no additional singles were issued from Notorious, and only 1988’s “I Don’t Want Your Love” (from the Big Thing LP) charted highly on both sides of the Atlantic in the following several years.

It wasn’t until their unexpected comeback, 1993’s Duran Duran (The Wedding Album), which contained the monster classics “Come Undone” and “Ordinary World”, that Duran Duran were returned to pop prominence, albeit briefly.

Could this be considered pretentious art rock? Yeah, probably, but it’s still great. Sure, the song is nowhere near as iconic as “Hungry Like the Wolf”, “Rio”, or “The Reflex”, and it leans more toward dance funk, not the synth heavy new wave they are primarily known for, but it still possesses that Duran Duran quality that we’ve all come to expect. So sit back and enjoy it… because the Dial knows best.

By the end of our own Election Day, America and the rest of the world will meet our new “El Presidente”. I'm not for political commentary here, I’m just enjoying the music, and trying to make it relate, however loosely. Though I think a lot of folks might have preferred it if Simon Le Bon had been a choice for pres, I'm just sayin'.

So until the next time the Dial turns its signal to a forgotten classic from the past... Good night ever'body!

“She's on the case at dinner time... she's on the evening news...

And if you dare step out of line... you're going to be abused.”





"The Bunyip (Bunyip Moon)" from the Dot and the Kangaroo movie soundtrack

   Howyadoin' friends! Today, the Dial brings you a quick review, extra special like, for Halloween times! Allow us to present a spooky little tune from the soundtrack to the 1977 animated film “Dot and the Kangaroo”… “The Bunyip (Bunyip Moon)”

 

“Oh the Bunyip’s very bad… and the Bunyip’s very bold… and they tell me that the Bunyip’s now a thousand years old…”

 

“Dot and the Kangaroo” combines traditional animation with stock footage of Australian scenery and animals, and tells the story of a little girl named Dot and a friendly kangaroo whom helps her communicate with the other wild animals and learn about the delicate balance of nature.

 

“Bunyip” plays during a sequence in the film depicting a legendary Australian cryptid. Described as being partly animal and partly bird, the creature has a simplistic, yet brutish, humanoid shape, spotted skin and a large mouth with nasty teeth. The bunyip can change its shape, and spends much of its time chasing Australian natives, drawn here as cave painting styled men.

 

The song opens with melodic and menacing piano work, and features the spine tingling roar of the titular beast throughout. Written by Bob Young and John Palmer, I haven’t determined if Young and Palmer are the singers here, or if it is sung by some unnamed performers, as the credits of the film only identify Young and Palmer as the composers. This may end up being an Australian mystery, much like the bunyip itself.

 

“The bunyip’s always nasty… and the bunyip’s very mean… it’s the most unpleasant monster… that you’ve ever seen…”

 

I’ve been told the movie was aired frequently on HBO in the early 80s, but I didn’t learn of it until about 10 years ago, when a coworker told me of the bunyip song that scared her as a kid. Ever since then, I’ve been fascinated with the creepy tune and animation, and I can be found humming the song throughout the year, not just during Halloween… even though it clearly fits quite nicely into the season of ghosts and goblins.

 

So take the time to send a chill up your spine, and listen to the tale of the bunyip. I recommend a dark room, perhaps while a cold fall wind is whistling outside the window. See if it taps into your childhood fears… and Happy Halloween from Kyle’s Radio Dial!

 

“So you better come home quickly… and you better hide very soon…

For the bunyip’s going to get you… in the bunyip… moon.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I Beg Your Pardon" by Kon Kan

    Hello friends! Today, we dust off a single that was all over the pop and dance airwaves in the late ‘80s, but now is quite the rare occurrence to hear on terrestrial radio. Get ready to step out on the dance floor with Kon Kan and “I Beg Your Pardon”!

 

“There once was a time, and there once was a way…

We had something going and to my dismay…

Attention to me seemed to drift thought I don’t know where…”

 

Recorded by the enigmatic “Kon Kan”, (a quirkily-spelled abbreviation for “Canadian Continent”), and comprising of Barry Harris and Kevin Wynne, Kon Kan specialized in synthpop dance tunes, and enjoyed several hits in their native Canada. However, only their debut single made a splash outside of the Great White North.

 

Peaking at US #15, UK #5, and Canadian #19 in 1988, and pulled from the LP Move to Move, "I Beg Your Pardon" is a tune that could only have come out of the ‘80s. A hi-energy dance track with a fun upbeat vibe yet cold and distant vocals, Kon Kan derived inspiration from the Pet Shop Boys, which is most obvious in Kevin Wynne’s “Neil Tennant-style” emotionless singing.

 

“And when we’re alone seems there’s nothing to day…

I bring up the topic, you push it away…

You say that you do, but I think it’s just you don’t care…

Why do I feel you’re using me?”

 

And, as was the nature of much dance pop at the time… this thing is loaded with samples. The most recognizable was the unlikely use of the bridge section of Lynn Anderson's 1970 country crossover smash "Rose Garden". Barry and Kevin even named the track after the first line in the chorus of Lynn's song, even though the Anderson vocal sample stops short of her actually singing the famous "I Beg Your Pardon" line.

 

Other samples cobbled together here include Silver Convention’s 1976 smash “Get Up and Boogie (That’s Right)”, GQ’s 1979 hit “Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)”, and tracks from post-punkers Tones on Tails, Italian pop singer Spagna, and the opening bars from the theme to The Magnificent Seven.

 

“If that’s how you want it, that’s how it’ll be…

There’s no use in trying or making you see…

That love don’t come easy, you don’t know what it’s about…”

 

Kon Kan’s original lyrics, (those that are not sampled, that is) reflect a man confronting his significant other on a perceived disinterest in their relationship. He basically gives an ultimatum… if he isn’t the right one, then they should never cross paths again. The “Rose Garden” bridge can actually be interpreted as the response from his lover, asking the guy to relax and enjoy each other’s company during the time they share together. For years, I’ve always thought that the original lyrics (sans samples) would work well in a non-dance pop tune, perhaps one with more of a hard rock bite.

 

Kon Kan only recorded three LPs before breaking up in 1994. Their second biggest hit, “Puss N Boots / These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” (US #58) mined a similar synth pop vein, and incorporated elements of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’”, and Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”.

 

So I invite you to give Kon Kan’s lone US top 40 entry a spin, and see if it triggers a distant memory of the late 80s for you! Maybe high school? College? Dance clubs? Drop me a line and let me know! Kyle’s Radio Dial… The MORE you listen… the MORE you remember!

 

“Smile for a while and let’s be jolly… love shouldn’t be so melancholy…

Come along and share the good times while we can…”







"High on You" by Survivor

    Hello friends, it’s time once again to kick off a month with another memory jogging spotlight from the Radio Dial! For the start to October, we turn our attention to a top 10 hit from Chicago, IL based Survivor, and their mid ‘80s classic “High on You”!

 

"There you stood… that’ll teach her... to look so good and feel so right. Let me tell you ‘bout the girl I met last night…”

 

Survivor, an ‘80s classic rock mainstay,  features lead vocalist Jimi Jamison, bassist Stephan Ellis, and drummer Marc Droubay, with lead guitarist Frankie Sullivan and keyboardist Jim Peterik. Frankie and Jim are the songwriting team behind “High on You”, and many of Survivor’s other hits.

 

Reaching #8 on both the Hot 100, and the US Mainstream Rock charts in 1985, “High On You” was taken from Survivor’s 1984 LP Vital Signs, which also contained the power pop hit “I Can’t Hold Back” (#13), the tender ballad “The Search Is Over” (#4), and the minor entry “First Night” (US #53). Vital Signs leaned strongly toward the pop spectrum of rock, smoothing out the rougher sound of their earlier hits like “Poor Man’s Son”, and “Eye of the Tiger”, while staying firmly rooted in a “Journey meets Bryan Adams” arena rock sound.

 

A song about the intense attraction that results when two soulmates meet each other, the lyrics of “High on You” feature cinematic imagery like crashing crowds, secret sins, complete intoxication, and screaming in the night, culminating rather grandly in the refrain…

 

“Talkin’ to myself… runnin’ in the heat… begging for your touch in the middle of the street”

 

I was but a lad of eleven years old when this song was a hit, several years out from my own first love, so even though I understood the words to the song, I didn’t really understand them from a life experience standpoint. In fact, lines like “Now I’m screaming in the night” made me question whether EVERYBODY experiences over-the-top dramatic symptoms like that in EVERY romantic relationship.

 

Of course, I soon came to learn that the song was metaphorical, explaining the “in love” euphoria in terms of a drug high, and most of us, no matter HOW deep in love we are with another person, probably are NOT screaming in the night OR begging for their lovers’ touch in the middle of the street. However, I believe it was Bryan Ferry who taught us that “Love is the Drug”, so maybe there is something more to that metaphor after all.

 

Considering that some of my earliest impressions of romance was gleaned via listening to my Mom’s record collection which largely consisted of charming, but saccharine-sweet love songs by the likes of The Carpenters, Barry Manilow, and other sensitive pop stars, “High on You” was rather instrumental in making me view romantic relationships in a different light at the time.

 

I’d also like to point out that the thinly veiled double meaning of the line

“Let me tell you about the girl I HAD last night”

wasn’t lost on me entirely, either. Yes sir, “High on You” made me think about lots of things back then.

 

“Piercing eyes… like a raven… you seemed to share my secret sin…

We were high before the night started kickin' in..."

 

And so, I still return to this forgotten top 10 hit today, and consider it among my favorite Survivor tracks. Last month, I happened to catch it on the radio, after not hearing it over the airwaves since at least the 90s. I knew right away that this great track deserved the Radio Dial’s spotlight.

 

Check it out, and drop me a line if it brings back some happy ‘80s memories for you!

 

KYLE’S RADIO DIAL – The more you listen… the MORE you remember!

 

“I can’t stop thinkin’ about you girl… I must be living in a fantasy world… I’ve searched the whole world over… to find a heart so true… such complete intoxication… I’m high on you!”