[Who's Watching?] -- I know we are midway through February, but I just had to reach back to the end of January for this week's Flashback. Rockwell's debut album, Somebody's Watching Me, turned 40 years old on January 30, 1984. The title track had been released about a month earlier, and thanks to its catchy hook, and those guest vocals by Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson, it rocketed up several charts. In the US alone, "Somebody's Watching Me" peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the US Hot Black Singles (Billboard), #2 on the US Cash Box Top 100, #3 on US Dance/Disco Top 80 (Billboard), and #31 on US Top Tracks (Billboard). The song also reached the top 40 on charts around the world, if not the top 20. The follow-up single, "Obscene Phone Caller," also reached the top 40 in the US. The third single, a rather forgettable cover of the Beatles' "Taxman," did not chart very well.
The rest of the album fits somewhere between rock and pop, very much of the times. In fact, I'm surprised unreleased tracks like "Runaway" or "Foreign Country" never got tapped for TV or film. They might not have worked lyrically, but if you take away Rockwell's singing, the remaining instrumentals would be tailor made for cinema ... or maybe video games. There's some really good keyboard and studio work here!
Flashback: Somebody's Watching Me (January 30, 1984)
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!
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