"The Dream Is Still Alive" by Wilson Phillips

     Hey friends! It’s time for the Dial to fine tune another signal containing a great tune that is rarely heard on terrestrial radio nowadays. Released as a single in 1991, its California girls Wilson Phillips, and "The Dream is Still Alive"!

"Not so long ago, we were so in phase… you and I could never forget the days…"

Wilson Phillips, the vocal trio comprising of three daughters of famous 1960s’ pop and rock musicians, (Sisters Carnie and Wendy Wilson are the daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, and Chynna Phillips is the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips’ of The Mamas & the Papas), were introduced to the music loving public in early 1990.

Their platinum debut album, the self-titled "Wilson Phillips", contained five pop and adult contemporary hit singles. Three of those, "Hold On", "Release Me" and "You're in Love", all reached the peak position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "Impulsive" reached US #4, and the fifth and final single "The Dream..." reached a respectable #12, the lowest peak of all the singles, but overall, still a decent chart showing.

"The Dream…" was followed up by the band’s cover of Elton John’s 1973 #2 smash "Daniel". The remake was not included on their debut LP, but instead featured on the 1991 "Two Rooms" LP, a tribute to the songwriting team of Elton and Bernie Taupin. Wilson Phillips’ Elton cover hit US #7 on the A/C charts, but did not cross over to the hot 100.

"But then the fire seemed to flicker… cold wind came and it carried us away… But we’ll get it back someday, baby."

Lyrically, "The Dream"’s first verse deals with a dying romance and the desire to recapture what had made the love so strong early on, while the second verse deals with the 1960s and the social revolution of that era. As the song wraps up, the focus returns to that of the couple from the beginning of the song. I interpret this to mean that the couple were young and newly in love in the ‘60s, probably united by shared social concerns of the time, but by the ‘90s, their romance was fading. The song is the woman’s plea to regain what they shared together, in those earlier years.

Carnie leads off the first verse, and is then joined by her sister Wendy and friend Chynna on additional verses and during the chorus. There’s not really a lead vocalist here, as the ladies operate as a group and complement each other’s vocals to produce this radio friendly melody.

I was all about Wilson Phillips in the early ‘90s. Their harmonies are divine, and their soft rock melodies strongly echo the influence of not only their famous fathers’ respective groups, but also ‘70s singer/songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, and Dan Fogelberg.

Plus, I had a serious crush on Wendy. There, I said it.

"Not so long ago, in a purple haze… people dreamed out loud, they were not afraid."

However, I wonder if there was a Wilson Phillips backlash of any type. They were certainly omnipresent at the time on radio, MTV, and VH-1, with their four huge hits (and the moderate hit of "The Dream") being released over a year and a half long spread following the debut LP’s release. They were nominated for multiple Grammies (Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and Song of the Year for "Hold On"), and also two American Music Awards, but they did not win any of those. They did win a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 single of the year, however, for "Hold On".

The ladies were all over the place in 1990 and 1991, and while I certainly didn’t mind, in hindsight, I could see that the overexposure may have hurt the act, making people less receptive to a follow up album. Indeed, only two modest hits charted from the 1992 release of the second LP "Shadows and Light"… the ballad "You Won't See Me Cry" reached #20, and the uptempo "Give It Up" which peaked at #30. Quite a departure from the smash hits of their debut.

Not to mention, Shadows and Light’s mature, darker tone and lyrics deviated from the upbeat positive ‘70s pop styled feel of their debut, which likely turned off fans of the debut LP. The group disbanded shortly after this, but they reunited in 2004 and released the covers LP "California" in which they tackled classic songs by the likes of the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, and Linda Ronstadt.

So take a trip back to the sunny sounds of early ‘90s adult contemporary pop with Wendy, Carnie, and Chynna, as they explain via song why "The Dream is Still Alive". And be sure to stay tuned for more great tunes from radio’s past right here on Kyle’s Radio Dial, where the dream for rediscovering great classic songs is always alive!

"The dream is still alive, after all this time. The flame keeps on burning. The dream is still alive, the one of you and I. And my heartache is healing…"

 



A RADIO DIAL EXTRA: "Last Time for Everything" by Brad Paisley

    Hey friends! Despite our largely “retro-leaning” propensities here at the Dial, on occasion, a recent song will unexpectedly sneak into our playlist. Such tunes are then granted the spotlight via a Radio Dial Extra! So without further ado, it’s time to listen to Brad Paisley’s “Last Time for Everything”!

From last year’s Love and War LP, “Last Time...” was a modest success on the US country charts at #26, but it barely made a dent in the pop world, only “bubbling under” at #20 below the hot 100… which is essentially position US #120.

“Last Time” is a laid-back and moving song acknowledging that life constantly changes. It makes a point that we rarely recognize the final time that we are doing something that matters to us, and that the event in question will soon become a happy memory.

Paisley mentions various moments in his life, and by extension, the listeners… such as waking up at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning to check out what goodies Santa brought, wearing a tux in a high school gym, and fishing with his grandfather.

The music video is a treasure trove of great ‘80s references including an appearance from The Ghostbusters’ “Ecto 1”, and multiple elements from “Back to the Future”. Also the current popular series “Stranger Things” is referenced multiple times (which itself is a tribute to the 80s), along with a very cool extract of a 1981 Sony Walkman TV commercial., and the whole thing is memorably topped off by a cameo from KITT and “Michael Knight” himself, David Hasselhoff – yes, THE HOFF is in this video!!! How awesome is that?!?

Brad’s lyrics also contain shoutouts to departed musical icons Glenn Frey and Prince, showing that their music mattered to Paisley as much as it did the rest of us. Additionally, he mentions “Little Jimmy on the Opry stage”, a reference to Jimmy Dickens, a pioneering country music star who was a close friend of Brad’s. One additional ‘80s reference I noticed may be completely unintentional, but to my ears, the main guitar riff sounds like a country pop interpretation of Christopher Cross's 1980 yacht rock classic "Sailing".

“Last Time” is a wonderful, under-appreciated tune, which deserved to do much better on the charts than it did. Brad brings a true country sound to the table here, much more than any of the lame “bro country” acts out right now – That’s right, I’m looking at YOU Florida Georgia Line!

Give Paisley’s tune a listen and the video a look see, and see if it doesn’t give you the feels like it does me.

“Last call, last chance, last song, last dance… sometimes you just don’t know when that’s gonna be… hold me baby give me a kiss… like tonight is all there is… ‘cause there’s a last time for everything.”

 

 

 

 





"In Between Days" by The Cure

     How you doin’, friends? We’re feeling a little melancholy here at the Dial, and we’re not sure why. So we’ve decided to listen to a selection from an act that just may be "the cure" for what ails us. Stay tuned for college rock pioneers The Cure, and their classic single "In Between Days"!

"Yesterday I got so old, I felt like I could die... Yesterday I got so old, it made me want to cry."

Released in July 1985 as the lead single from The Cure’s sixth LP "The Head on the Door", the band’s line up at this point (which tended to fluctuate dramatically over the years), was Porl Thompson on guitar, Simon Gallup on bass, drummer Boris Williams, keyboards courtesy of Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst, and of course, vocalist Robert Smith, whom has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.

"In Between..." is a song about a love triangle of sorts… Robert’s character has left his true love for somebody else, but has since come to the realization that the other person is standing "in between" him and his true love, whom he longs to reconcile with.

I’ve heard the Cure’s music referred to as "happy sad", which makes sense, especially regarding this song. Smith’s remorseful and introspective lyrics are contrasted against the upbeat, whimsical bouncy pop sound of the music. Featuring complex layered guitar and keyboards, along with Smith’s signature 6 string bass playing, The Cure is often thought of as "goth", but they really have created their own unique blend of new wave, post-punk, and new romantic, which tended to be the Cure’s M.O. for much of their output. I find it lovely.

"Go on go on, just walk away… go on go on, your choice is made…"

"In Between…" is significant chart-wise as it is The Cure’s first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the tune barely made a dent, stopping at position #99! I guess the U.S. wasn’t quite ready for Robert’s goth-inflected pop just yet, though the band scored well with the tune in the UK at #15. Oddly enough, it danced its way to #39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, but made NO appearance on the U.S. Modern Rock chart, which is unbelievable to me.

Of course, bigger hits were on the way for the band, with their iconic tunes "Just like Heaven" (#40/1987), "Lovesong" (#2/1989), and "Friday I'm in Love" (#18/1992) only a few years away.

There appears to be some confusion as to the appropriate way to spell the title, as the alternate spellings of "Inbetween Days" (strung together), "In-Between Days" (hyphenated), and "In Between Days" (with a space) appear on various releases by The Cure, sometimes using alternate spellings in different places on the same album or CD! Since the single shows "In Between Days", that’s what I am personally going with. Also that spelling just looks correct. But unless Robert can give me some feedback, I guess it will remain unclear what the official song title is.

"Yesterday I got so scared, I shivered like a child… Yesterday away from you, it froze me deep inside."

Since its 1985 release, Robert Smith’s ode to yearning for one’s true love has been covered by artists as varied as Ben Folds, Kim Wilde, Superchunk, Face to Face, and Korn, via an unplugged performance that paired Korn frontman Jonathan Davis with Robert Smith on vocals.

So, now the fog has lifted, and we are feeling a little better here at the Dial. It seems that Smith’s blend of melancholy lyrics and musical whimsy was indeed the cure for our blues. Check it out below, and be sure to stay tuned to the Dial for more forgotten tracks from radio’s past!

"And I know I was wrong, when I said it was true, that it couldn’t be me and be her in between… without you… without you."