Bookended by Cats: February 2025

Friday, February 21, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for February 21, 2025

[Don't You Forget Breakfast - Redux] -- The Breakfast Club, the second of John Hughes' teen coming-of-age films, hit theaters on February 7, 1985. Later that same month, on February 19, 1985 – 40 years ago this very week! – The Breakfast Club (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) hit stores and charts. British pop musician Keith Forsey produced the album, in addition to writing and performing on several tracks. This soundtrack album peaked at #17 on the US Billboard 200 chart, probably propelled by Simple Minds' recording of the song "Don't You (Forget About Me)." I mean, that one track practically leapt from the soundtrack and became the anthem of the film itself. The tune is an aural bookend, with Keith Forsey's demo playing as the film opens and the Simple Minds version playing over the close and end credits.

And, yet, I have to ask: Do you recall any other songs from this record? Here are 10 tracks, in order, with their artist:

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" — Simple Minds
"Waiting" — Elizabeth Daily
"Fire in the Twilight" — Wang Chung
"I'm the Dude" — Keith Forsey
"Heart Too Hot to Hold" — Jesse Johnson & Stephanie Spruill
"Dream Montage" — Gary Chang
"We Are Not Alone" — Karla DeVito
"The Reggae" — Keith Forsey
"Didn't I Tell You" — Joyce Kennedy
"Love Theme" — Keith Forsey

When I wrote a Flashback post about this album four years ago, the only other artist here with name recognition for me was Wang Chung. Even now, Wang Chung's contribution ("Fire in the Twilight") leaves as much of an impression on me as it did back in 1985, which is not much of an impression at all. It sounds like average TV theme fare from another decade. Other tracks on The Breakfast Club might have me recall specific moments of the film, but they have no real staying power; I mean, I never find myself humming them later.

The Breakfast Club (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) just might be one of the okay-est soundtracks ever.

But I have to admit that, in re-exploring the album again, I do find the entire effort to be worthy of, at least, background music. It is nice to have playing while doing other reading or work. It is pleasant, barely taking any attention while not quite folding away to nothingness in the recedes of my mind.

Let me know what you think. Just don't forget about me, OK?

Flashback: The Breakfast Club (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

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: This Flashback was repurposed from the post I wrote for February 19, 2021.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for February 14, 2025

[How Will I Know?] -- Forty years ago today, February 14 fell on a Thursday. And on that Thursday, Whitney Houston (1963–2012) dropped her solo, self-titled, debut album: Whitney Houston. After a slow start, Whitney Houston ultimately climbed to the top of the Billboard 200 in 1986, and it stayed in that top slot for 14 weeks. Seven of the album's ten tracks were singles, and three of them – "Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," and "Greatest Love of All" – all shot to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. So, her record was the first debut album, as well as the first album by a solo female artist, to have three #1 singles in the US.

Between 1986 and 1987, Houston received five Grammy nominations, including two for Album of the Year (once each in both '86 and '87). Houston did win a 1986 Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. Just the beginning for Whitney Houston's remarkable career.

Flashback: Whitney Houston (February 14, 1985)

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.

See you in seven!

Friday, February 7, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for February 7, 2025

[Hole in my memory] -- Heads and Hearts was the fourth album by UK-based post-punk rockers, The Sound. I don't have a specific release date, just that it came out in February 1985. Still, that means the record turn 40 years old at some point in this month. And that is close enough for me to celebrate its anniversary.

Heads and Hearts received some critical praise and appreciation, but nothing that really helped it generate sales or even extra air time. Like several of The Sound's records, it didn't even get a US release. Seems it was limited to mostly European countries. Maybe US record execs didn't expect them to fare well across the pond. Maybe they were too much of a niche act in their native England. Whatever limited The Sound's international audience, it must not have prevented some import sales, otherwise I would not have discovered this album in the mid-1980s.

And this album caught me at the perfect time, being in college and wondering about life. And although I'm now no longer the demographic for lyrics describing problems facing young adults, I still find the vocals and the instruments compelling. I would say this album is, today, just as perfect for cranking up the headphones and zoning out for 40-odd minutes.

Favorite tracks: "Total Recall," "Restless Time," "One Thousand Reasons," and "Mining for Heart."

Flashback: Heads and Hearts (February 1985)

See you in seven!