[Flashback Times Two] -- There was no Friday 80s Flashback last week. Rather than focus on the multiple factors that led to me missing a post, let's focus on the fact that, this week, you get a twofer. That's right, two Flashbacks in one post! And just in time for Memorial Day Weekend!
Both of this week's records were released 40 years ago last week. So, let's take them in release order.
Chicago – the band, not the city – completed their transformation from rock (or jazz-rock) powerhouse into soft/pop rock hit machine with their fourteenth studio album, 17. Released on May 14, 1984, 17 released four singles, all of which were top 20 hits and three of which ("Stay the Night," "You're the Inspiration," and "Hard Habit to Break") had music videos in heavy rotation on MTV. Seriously, how many times did you hear "Hard Habit to Break" in the mid-1980s? (And how many times did I use it for an audition song? Um, that's a story for ... maybe never).
Well, thanks to that hit and the other singles, 17 remains one of Chicago's most commercially successful albums. It's also the most David Foster of Chicago albums, with its decided lean into power ballads and the adult contemporary market. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 and it reached the top 40 in many countries. It certainly logged many hours on my turntable – and I still own my vinyl copy. On the other hand, 17 ended up being the last album with Peter Cetera, Chicago's founding bassist/vocalist, who went on to focus on his solo career.
My favorite non-single track from this album was "Remember the Feeling." What was yours?
Flashback #1: 17 (May 14, 1984)
Next up in our two-fer weekend is Couldn't Stand the Weather, the sophomore album by blues rockers Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Released on May 15, 1984, Couldn't Stand the Weather peaked at #31 on the Billboard 200 album chart. MTV put the music video for "Couldn't Stand the Weather" into regular rotation, which helped drive album sales. Reviews were mainly positive, but there was criticism for the lack of original songs – Vaughn wrote only half of the original release's eight tracks.
Anyway, while "Couldn't Stand the Weather" and Vaughn's cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" got most of the attention, or press, I recall being more interested in "Cold Shot," the song written by W.C. Clark and Mike Kindred. At least, I remember that one a whole lot more.
Flashback #2: Couldn’t Stand the Weather (May 15, 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!
By the way, in case it's not clear in the post, let me say here in the comments: I unironically love Chicago's "Hard Habit to Break" and I don't care who knows that.
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