Friday 80s Flashback for April 25, 2025

[Around the World in 40 years] -- Nine years ago this week, we lost the creative force known as Prince (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016). Also this week, but forty years ago, Prince had released his seventh studio album, Around the World in a Day. This LP, the third with the backing band known as The Revolution, was quite the departure from 1984's Purple Rain, the album (and movie) that had pretty much made Prince a worldwide sensation. Prince and the Revolution took their collective musical vehicle, cranked hard on the steering wheel, and careened directly into a world of psychedelic and textured pop. 

That seemingly abrupt style change might have bewildered the vast array of newer fans, but those who stuck around were rewarded. Yeah, Prince was experimenting here, but he did so with flair and purpose. 

Commercially, the album succeeded, reaching the #1 spot on the Billboard 200. This made it the second outing by Prince and the Revolution to do so. And two of the album's four singles topped the charts, too, with both "Raspberry Beret" and "Pop Life" reaching the Billboard Hot 100's top ten. 

Other standout gems on this record include the title track, the serene "Condition of the Heart," and the perfectly and politically charged "America." 

Flashback: Around the World in a Day (April 22, 1985)

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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 80s Flashback for April 19, 2025

[Love Not Money] -- Fifteen years ago this week, British band Everything but the Girl released their second studio album, Love Not Money. This album represented a stylistic change as the band – primarily the duo of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt – embraced serious themes and politicized lyrics driven by the polish of sophisticated pop. It is perhaps a more dour listen than their jazzy debut, but it is rewarding, at least in my opinion. 

Love Not Money peaked at #10 on the UK album charts. The album's two singles, "When All's Well" and "Angel," peaked at #77 and #93 respectively on the UK Singles Chart. In addition to the two singles, "Trouble and Strife" is also a standout. 

Flashback: Love Not Money (April 15, 1985)

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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!

Prez Was Prescient

 

"With the election in chaos and a Congress mired in corruption, Twitter sensation @corndoggirl becomes the first teenaged President of the United States!"

Damn if that just doesn't mirror politics-as-reality-TV that we've suffered through since 2016. Interestingly, the above quote is a description of the second Prez comics series (Prez, Vol. 2), which ran from August 2015 through February 2016. The 2015-2016 series was an update of the 1973-1974 comic series (Prez, Vol. 1). Both series were published by DC Comics. Probably the most direct connection between those comics and modern day politics, whether the 1970s or post-2016, is the shady businessman Boss Smiley, a political boss with a smiley face for a head who appears in both series.  

Sure, the second series is a more direct satire on modern politics, what with it intertwining social media, particularly the former bird app, with elections. Considering the past few months, that take kinda makes the second series feel prescient, no?

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Image description (for collage at top of post): Starting in the top left and moving clockwise, we have the cover for Prez, Vol. 1 #1 (1973); a panel from that issue featuring Boss Smiley; cover of Prez, Vol. 2 #2; and the vol 2 version of Boss Smiley. 

Friday 80s Flashback for April 11, 2025

[Fin(ished) 40 Years Ago] -- Crispy Ambulance is a post-punk band out of Manchester, England. And, aside from a few gaps, they have been active since 1977. Their 1980s catalog includes one studio LP and two live albums. And one of those live albums was released 40 years ago this week!

Fin was released in 1985, three years after Crispy Ambulance first disbanded. It is a live album of the songs from their later period (that is, the late period of their first incarnation, 1977 - 1982). These songs were all recorded as live performances around Europe and the UK between 1981 and 1982. The album's title comes from the fact that the band had already called it a day by the time this record came out – that is, they were fin(ished), get it? 

In addition to playing their own songs, most of which were previously unrecorded, they also perform a great cover of Throbbing Gristle's "United." One of the standouts here is their own "The Plateau Phase," which oddly does not appear on the album of the same name. "Deaf" is also great, and I love that vocalist Hempsall introduces it by saying, "Here's a song you might just know...It's Howdy Doody time!" 

Last year, Crispy Ambulance re-released 12 of Fin's tracks on the combo live album, Fin + Frozen Blood, on Bandcamp. 

Flashback: Fin (April 9, 1985)

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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!

That's So 90s: Yakety Yak (Take It Back)

That's So 90s: Yakety Yak (Take It Back)

When Earth Day rolls around this year, it will be celebrating its 55th anniversary. Less auspicious, perhaps, is that 2025 is also the 34th anniversary of "Yakety Yak (Take It Back)." MTV premiered the music video on National Recycling Day, April 10, 1991 (34 years ago today!). For this music video, the Take It Back Foundation retooled the classic Coasters song, "Yakety Yak," and created a public service announcement with a message about recycling.

Video Links:

• Music video (3:38)
  
• Clip (0:55)
  
• Full promo video (46:20):

More info about "Yakety Yak (Take It Back)"...

• Looney Tunes Wiki
• Lost Turntable
• Wikipedia Entry
• Muppet Wiki
• IMDb

Image description (for image at top of post): Screen capture from the music video showing the animated Yakety Yak character.

Friday 80s Flashback for April 4, 2025

[Strawberry Switchblade] -- We are kicking off the first weekend of April 2025 with an all but forgotten relic of 1980s synth-pop. 40 years ago this week, the new wave duo Strawberry Switchblade released their eponymous debut album. It is also their only studio album. While it did peak at #25 in the UK, and it featured a top ten single in "Since Yesterday," this record plummeted rather quickly and remained in the basement for much of its shelf life. 

In addition to Strawberry Switchblade's spotty commercial success, it also received mixed reviews. Some critics disdained it as too lightweight and overly sweet. Others praised the duo's talent and compared them favorably to, though not in the same league as, Cocteau Twins. Maybe it just got lost in the rush of other records released in the same year. I mean, there are catchy tunes to be found here, and I think this debut shows promise. Buried beneath the synth riffs and bubbly keyboard notes are hints of darkness, heavy longing, and sadness. So, I feel that it's too easy to just dismiss Strawberry Switchblade. Other bands with weaker debuts went on to release really great art. This duo just didn't get a similar chance to develop and evolve as musicians and lyricists. 

The single is the standout, of course. But I also recommend "Who Knows What Love Is," "Let Her Go," "Another Day," and "Deep Water." (Maybe even in that order). 

Flashback: Strawberry Switchblade (April 5, 1985)

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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!