[Be Your Bad Guy] -- I have not featured a two-fer flashback since the end of February, so I think I'm due. And even though we've just entered the month of May, I'm still not finished featuring April releases. So, both of this week's albums are from the end of April. We have a duo and a solo act this week. And both records were successful, though you might be more familiar with one than the other. I'm just guessing.
Be Yourself Tonight – Released 40 years ago this week (April 29, 1985), Be Yourself Tonight is Eurythmics' fourth studio album. It was their most commercially successful album. So, of the two albums featured this week, this is the one that most 80sphiles recall, at least when compared against this week's other album. That's my guess and I'm sticking with it. And I'm sticking with that guess because, in addition to that commercial success, Be Yourself Tonight is "one of the best rock/pop albums from the 1980s and one of the grandest, most creative albums delivered by the ever-appealing and innovative" duo known as Eurythmics [per Jose F. Promis on AllMusic]. This album was nominated for two Billboard Music Awards and the Brit Award for British Album of the Year. And two singles were nominated for Grammy Awards in 1986. Speaking of singles, there were a total of four released singles – "Would I Lie to You?", "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)", "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (a duet with Aretha Franklin) and "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" – and three of the four did really well on the charts. In fact, I'll bet you're singing one of them, probably "Would I Lie to You?", in your head as you read this, right? Oh, and as I recall, "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain" was not a single, but it did get some airplay, and rightfully so.
Mr. Bad Guy – During a proposed break from band activities starting in 1983, Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury started dabbling in recording sessions. Or, perhaps, he did more than merely dabble, depending on how much free time there was as other Queen activities did pop up (The Works and The Works Tour in 1984, for example). Anyway, Mercury's recording sessions stretched from early 1983 through January 1985. After Mercury completed 11 tracks, all of which written solely by himself, he was ready to release his first solo studio album. So, after 15 years of fronting Queen, Freddie Mercury released Mr. Bad Guy. The UK release occurred 40 years ago this week – on April 29, 1985 – while the US release occurred about a week later, on May 7, 1985. As Mercury's voice is instantly recognizable, and he had been working with Queen for 15 years, some aspects of Queen's sound do slip through. Mercury also worked with synth-pop, dance music, and disco influences, making this a decidedly post-disco record (in my estimation, YMMV). And a good one at that. Mr. Bad Guy barely made it into the Billboard 200, peaking at #159. But it peaked at #6 on the UK Albums chart, and it also made it into the top 40 of several other countries. Mr. Bad Guy was by no means a chart-topper, and even the four singles had middling chart success. Still, I think it's always a pleasure to listen to a singular vocal talent like the late Freddy Mercury. Fave tracks of mine include "Let's Turn It On", "I Was Born to Love You", "Made In Heaven", "Living On My Own", and "Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow".
Did you have either Be Yourself Tonight or Mr. Bad Guy? Or both?
Flashback #1: Be Yourself Tonight (April 29, 1985)
Flashback #2: Mr. Bad Guy (April 29, 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!
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