Friday 80s Flashback for May 28, 2021

[Memorial Top Ten] -- Monday, 5/31/2021, is the last Monday in May and is therefore the date on which we observe Memorial Day here in the States. So, as of today, many are in Memorial Day Weekend mode. Looking at the weather, there might be fewer cookouts in this particular area, but grilling isn't the primary function of this holiday weekend. Of course, remembering 1980s tunes isn't the primary, or even the tertiary, function of the holiday either, but we on the Bookended crew have to work with what we've got. 

Anyway, back in 1981, Memorial Day was Monday, May 25. So, that year, the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend was Friday, May 22. And while I could have looked to see what records were released just before the holiday weekend, I figured it might be more of a treat to see what was aleady topping the charts as of the end of that week: Saturday, May 23. These would, of course, be the songs blaring from many a radio at more than one point that weekend. Fortunately, I was able to get the top ten list from both Billboard and Top 40 Weekly. And I compiled them into a YouTube playlist! 

Do you know what song topped the Billboard Hot 100 this holiday weekend in 1981? Maybe even more important, do you know which of these tracks still rank highly in my list of all-time favorites? 

Flashback: Billboard Hot 100, Top 10 for May 23, 1981 

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Counting down from #10 to #1, here are the songs that are embedded in the video playlist:

10. “Watching The Wheels” — John Lennon

9. “Too Much Time On My Hands” — Styx

8. “Sukiyaki” — A Taste Of Honey

7. “Living Inside Myself” — Gino Vannelli

6. “Take It On The Run” — REO Speedwagon

5. “Medley” — Stars On 45

4. “Angel Of The Morning” — Juice Newton

3. “Just The Two Of Us” — Grover Washington, Jr.

2. “Being With You” — Smokey Robinson

1. “Bette Davis Eyes” — Kim Carnes

And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Note: Image of the 5/23/1981 Billboard Magazine is from WorthPoint.

GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE Trailer (2021)

Will definitely be watching this when it is released on Netflix!

Friday 80s Flashback for May 21, 2021

[Dregs of the Earth] -- Tomorrow (May 22, 2021, as I write this) -- would have been my father's 75th birthday. I say "would have" because he passed away due to complications with his second bone marrow transplant eight years ago. Some of you may recall reading updates about Dad's final journey, which started around the middle of March 2013 and ran through to his death on May 4, just a few weeks shy of his 67th birthday.

Although he is physically gone now, Dad was very much alive in the 1980s, and ever ready to help me with my musical appreciation. I'm sure he was at least slightly worried that I would be hopelessly lost to new wave, heavy metal, or synthpop. He wanted me to be grounded in the classics (er, classic rock) and jazz. And genres that incorporated elements of jazz (jazz fusion, world music, etc.). Of course, Dad loved bands that straddled both the classic rock and jazz genres. One such band was Dixie Dregs. 

They released nine studio records, four in the 1980s. And their first 1980s release was Dregs of the Earth (1980). As AllMusic muses in a review of this record, the Dregs "must have been an awfully tough band to market back in the day." I mean, what with "Dixie" in their name and their obvious country influences stirred into a stew of jazz, blues, funk, prog, and more. You can hear the southern influence in tracks like "Road Expense" and "Pride o' the Farm." "I'm Freaking Out" blends jazz and prog, at least I think so (particularly with the organ riffs). But then there's "The Great Spectacular" that straight up rips the roof off your car, even if you don't have a convertible! It's certainly one of my favorite Dregs tunes. And it was one of Dad's faves, too.

Happy birthday, Dad. I'm enjoying this record once again in your honor. 

Flashback: Dregs of the Earth (1980)

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That's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Falcon and the Winter Soldier - Disney Plus

 Dangrdafne review:

First statement, I love Anthony Mackie... as Falcon ;)

I also love Sebastian Stan as Bucky/The Winter Soldier.

Put them together and Dangrdafne is a happy TV watcher.

I will admit that when this series started I was not as into it as I thought I would be and we even paused it numerous time to talk about other things. But half way through something changed and suddenly I was fully involved and when it was over I was greatly impressed with the story and I loved how it all tied together.

I was impressed how it wasn't just a superhero show and it wasn't about fighting just a villain, it was about fighting racism and supremacy of all kinds. I found myself sympathizing with the "bad guys" and villains and wishing everyone in the world would watch this show if for nothing more than just Anthony Mackie's final monologue. It was true brilliance and so many could learn from it. This show hurt and it should. People should have to look at themselves and question their motives, their ideals and how they interact with our human beings on this earth. That is a tall order for a TV show but this easily met that order and exceeded it.

I am glad we watched it over two days and not over the six weeks that the show actually ran but it did allow for one spoiler for me and I am pretty sad about it. I won't post it here but I am hopeful there will be some other reason or outcome for this item as it involves one of my favorite characters. I was also spoiled by a casting but since I am not well versed on Marvel history I did not know what it meant... and honestly I still don't LOL.

If you love the Marvel Universe, this is a MUST watch. If you want to learn more about the human race, this is a MUST watch. The acting is well done, the story is interesting and timely, the music and action are impeccable and it is part of the history, current stories and future telling that we all have come to love in the Marvel world.

4 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for May 14, 2021

[Take a Walk on the East Side] -- In May of 1981, a mere four decades ago as I write this, Squeeze released their fourth studio album, East Side Story. This was the first record to feature new, and brief, keyboardist/vocalist Paul Carrack. Even with Carrack featured on the lead vocals of "Tempted," the band's first hit in the US, and some influence from primary producer Elvis Costello, this record was still very much a Difford and Tilbrook jaunt. I'm calling it a jaunt because, though the usual elements are in place, East Side Story's songs delved into other sounds such as rockabilly, blue-eyed soul, Merseybeat, etc. According to AllMusic, East Side Story is "regarded as Squeeze's grand masterpiece." An I have to agree. The record peaked at #44 on the US Billboard Pop Albums chart and at #19 on the UK Official Albums Chart. The four singles released from this album include the aforementioned "Tempted," the snappy "Is That Love," the mournful "Labelled with Love," and the rockabillesque "Messed Around." All but "Messed Around" appear on Squeeze's 1982 compilation Singles – 45's and Under (well, at least on the US version, but that's a story for another post). All 14 tracks of East Side Story's original release are included in this week's embedded YouTube playlist. 

Flashback: East Side Story (May, 1981)

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That's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

WandaVision Disney Plus

 Dangrdafne review:

Wow!

That is where I will start.

What an incredible story, show, cast, music, visuals, and dialogue about grief.

This post may have spoilers if you haven't watched the show yet. I usually don't have spoilers but I can't not talk about the main point of this show.

Grief

I have never laughed so much at something so depressingly sad. The amount of pain and anguish that Wanda endures is overwhelming and they make sure you feel it in this show. But she tries to deal with it in the only way she knows how... family sitcoms of the 50's through current. What a clever and amazing idea and it is carried out with perfection.

We intended to watch this show over a few nights... yeah, that didn't happen... we watched it all in one night and I am so glad we did. It truly envelopes you and doesn't let go. The story is perfectly paced and put together. There is back story, there is history, there is future telling and there is pain and suffering to the nth degree. I feel so much empathy and sympathy for Wanda. She has lost so much and she just keeps moving...although maybe not always forward but she keeps moving.

Watching how her decisions affect others and how some of her decisions are made for her without her knowing is difficult to watch at times but that is a good thing. It means the show is doing what it should.

I am making this sound like a complete downer of a show but it really isn't. It is a wonderful take on grief and how it can affect someone even someone with incredible powers. Grief doesn't care if you are an Avenger or a superhero. And there is so much joy and laughter in the show too. If you know your family sitcom history back to the 50s you will be treated to the ultimate in honoring the various themes. Be sure to look all around the rooms in each episode and surprise yourself in guessing what show the episode is based on... if you haven't already been spoiled before you watch... we were not spoiled and we had fun picking the sitcom we were watching. We got all but one and we were in the right area for the one we missed.

Elizabeth Olsen has been quoted as saying she didn't want to become an actress at one point and I am forever grateful for whatever changed her mind. To me she is perfect as Wanda and I feel like they have become almost one and the same. Paul Bettany has always had my heart from back in his Jarvis days. He epitomizes Vision and I can imagine no other in the role. Then put Wanda and Vision together and it is a love story to end all love stories. Pure, genuine, all consuming, and truly until death do us part.

I loved this show and I am grateful to the minds who created it. It is truly so clever and detailed and moving and funny. I love that I have these stories in my mind now and can access them when I need a reminder of love or grief. I would definitely watch this again and again.

4 paws 

Friday 80s Flashback for May 7, 2021

 

[This Flashback Will Eat Itself, Maybe] -- I cannot truly consider this week's album a Flashback, at least not for me. I discovered it in late 2020 and I've been saving it for around this time of this year. I actually emailed the links and the album graphic to myself (and then I used Gmail's "Snooze" feature to ensure I'd be prompted early this month). But, hey, maybe some of my fellow 80sphiles will recognize this 1989 release, thereby qualifying my latest efforts as a true Flashback. 

Anyway, industrial rockers Pop Will Eat Itself (or PWEI for short) released their sophomore album -- This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This! -- on May 1, 1989. That was a mere 32 years ago! Flood, a producer who had worked with the likes of Nine Inch Nails, U2, and Depeche Mode, was on production duties for this record, the second of three PWEI releases for which he had twiddled knobs and dials. Flood can be credited for pumping up the thick sound on this record, but PWEI themselves also deserve some credit for, as AllMusic reviewer Ned Raggett puts it, their "mesh and mix of U.S. and ... U.K. pop culture in with the metal riffs, disco backing, monster drum stomps, and more." If you're familiar with their influences, you might be able to catch where they ape such acts as the Beasties or Spinderella (I, however, am not as familiar, so I won't even try to point them out). 

This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This! charted at #24 on the UK Albums Chart and at #169 on the US Billboard 200. The album's UK success was likely helped by spawning two Top 40 hits (and greater local familiarity, of course): "Can U Dig It?" (#38) and "Wise Up! Sucker" (#41). Oh, and I should point out that "Can U Dig It?" is rife with comic book references, so I'm digging it a little more each time I listen to it, particularly when I watch the music video (which is linked in this paragraph and included in the embedded playlist below). 

So, you tell me: Can you dig this, or should it have eaten itself?

Flashback: This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This! (1989)

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Well, that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Mortal Kombat - HBO Max

 Dangrdafne review:

All I remembered going into this movie was playing the video game a couple of times with a friend of mine over 25 years ago. I remember the two of us going all out with hitting the buttons to just attack over and over and over - even physically pushing each other to help - until one of us would win by chance. I loved it! I miss it! LOL

I really liked this movie. It was a story that you could follow even if you had no previous knowledge of the game or other movies. It was action galore! It was funny. It was poignant. It was ultra violent - like 'oh my goodness I can’t believe they showed that' violet. It more than earned its R rating. But I loved it. I mean, come on, it’s Mortal Kombat not Candy Land.

I loved the actors chosen for all the roles, except perhaps Shang Tsung, he didn’t seem edgy enough for the role but he wasn’t bad, just not perfect. Kano was too perfect, man I hated him but really that is a good thing.  Lewis Tan as Cole was spectacular but Hiroyuki Sanada was perfection. I adore this actor and was thrilled to see him cast in the movie. He portrays Hanzo Hasashi and I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. I felt he was born to play this role and he did not disappoint.

The music was also perfection! I kept turning up the volume because I just wanted to be immersed in the sounds. Benjamin Wallfisch composed the heck out of this movie. 

There was a section where I thought the fighting was going on a bit too long and I read that they had cut some fights, which I am grateful for as it would definitely would have been too much. I normally balk at all the violence but again, this was Mortal Kombat and it was completely expected and ok overall with me.

3 paws