Let's not jump ahead! There will be lots to talk about with these two in the upcoming years, especially Billy.
I liked Pat Benatar quite a bit, but in the Debbie vs. Pat matchup, I was a Debbie Harry fan all of the way. Loved “Heartbreaker” and “We Live for Love”
Never, ever liked Rush. The screeching vocals were definitely one of the reasons. Sorry, but some of us just don’t like those kind of vocals.
I was never that into Benatar, and she came to annoy me towards the end of her main run, but this song was one I did really like. Never saw it performed before; it's so eighties it hurts, and this was filmed in 1979? If so, it shows you how quickly the look and sound of that decade came together. I take issue with the notion that Benatar wasn't making it as a singles artist. In my neck of the woods, she was on the radio constantly for about four years with a bunch of songs. I can't speak to how many actual hits she had, but as far as getting radio play, she had no problem there.
Interesting, thanks for sharing! Yeah, my hometown was as white bread as they come, and rap was just not a thing at all when I was in high school (I graduated in 1984). I vaguely recall a small smattering of rap songs (maybe three or four), but it was mostly classic rock and/or early MTV for my class (we did have two or three punkers, including Jon Spencer, who later became an underground rock star himself). I bet if I went back now, things would be mighty different!
Styx - Babe I'm not a Styx fan either so it's always a little painful when I have to hear them. This song is total vanilla. There's no fire in this and it's completely possible to have fire in slow ballads. I don't hear any passion here. Pass. I hate the term, but it's interesting how so much of this late 70's rock was called "corporate rock" and all these groups lumped in together. Styx, Foreigner, Journey, Kansas, Boston and then I've heard some lump in groups like Rush, Yes and Supertramp. Some of those groups I like a lot, some of them I absolutely detest. In a very broad sense I can get why people will lump them all together, but they all have their own sonic identities and they don't sound like clones of one another. We'll see this kind of thing in a few years when (and I hate this term too) "hair metal" becomes a thing. So many bands get lumped into this derogatory umbrella term because it's music that a lot of folks don't like. It's easier to put things you don't like into one category and say "I hate all those xxxxxxxx groups."
I can see the irritation with DeYoung's voice, but I think that Steve Perry had an amazing rock voice! Oh well, good thing we're not all boring clones. "Babe" has a mood to it that I quite like, actually. DeYoung's singing doesn't enhance it, but it's strong enough tune that I like it anyway. But number 1? Kind of surprised at that.
I agree about Steve Perry having a great voice. He actually sounded a lot like Sam Cooke. Cooke's family even contacted him about doing an album of Sam Cooke songs. I kind of liked Journey on the 'Infinity' album before they went too corporate rock in the 80s. They'd still have some good singles, though ... "Walks Like A Lady", "Who's Crying Now", and "Faithfully" was a great ballad. They were just coming into their popularity right about the point we're at in the thread now.
The elasticity in his voice, at those kind of pitches is nothing short of amazing and I do think he has soul. I don't see him at all in the same league as DeYoung, much less Geddy Lee! If anything I'd put Steve Perry as a sort of inheritor of the "tough soulful street guy with the unique high voice" throne of Frankie Valli. (I'm mainly just a singles guy when it comes to Journey though, could care less about their albums!)
"We Live For Love" is probably my favorite Benatar cut. One of the great New Wave singles - should have been a much bigger hit. She had lots of charting singles, but - at least in the US - only 4 Top 10 placements and only two Top 5, right toward the end of her prime commercial run when she veered in a more pop direction. While she was huge on the radio, those plays prompted album, not single sales. Also, her harder-rocking style got very little play on pop radio. "Heartbreaker" only made it to #23 for example. Surprisingly, some of her harder rocking cuts barely made a dent, even on the US Mainstream Rock charts. Pat Benatar discography - Wikipedia
I liked "Who's Crying Now", but radio kind of ran it into the ground. I still like "Lights" - hard to believe it only charted at #68 given how much the radio played it. "Wheel In The Sky" is alright for what it is. "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" is ridiculously obvious, but it's still amusing. Come to think of it, Journey were another early act to blend hard rock and New Wave with a single that comes out a few weeks into 1980, "Any Way You Want It". Amazingly, it only got to #23 - again, felt like a Top 10 or even Top 5 hit (and I loved it). Their first Top 10 didn't come until 1981 with the aforementioned "Who's Crying Now" - I guess I wasn't the only one who found it atmospheric and a nice change of pace. Anyhow, they were moving multiplatinum units of their albums by 1978, so here's another example of an act where the singles chart and album chart performance is somewhat decoupled.
Wow. Wasn't familiar with her chart placements. Some of her rockers would've made the U.S. Main chart, which rated rock songs. But that chart didn't start until 1981. Again, it shows you how relatively unimportant the Hot 100 charts were becoming.
Have we discussed "Please Don't Go" by K.C. & The Sunshine Band? It was a huge hit, and the last under the Sunshine Band billing. It was unusual for a ballad to be released by K.C., though it wouldn't be his last. The next one would be a duet.
RE: Nick Lowe.... ... and his only U.S. Top 40 hit single. He did, however, have another U.S. Hot 100 single, but scored better in the UK. His discography shows a lot of songwriting and producing credits. Nick Lowe discography - Wikipedia
I hated "Please Don't Go". Really whiny piece of work. Was never big on ballads in general, especially ones I found annoying. It was a huge hit though, after a couple of years (almost) out of the limelight for K.C. I thought this one came up earlier in the thread. It was a #1 hit - his last chart topper. His last Top 10 hit - a #2 that I far preferred to "Please Don't Go" - would come out right about now, early December, 1979. It entered the Top 40 the week of December 29th - it always takes me right back to this period whenever I hear it.
You and I are opposite on this. I greatly prefer "Please Don't Go" and really don't care for his duet with Terri DeSario. I prefer the original 60s R&B hit by Barbara Mason.
"Please Don't Go" hasn't been brought up yet, at least not by the OP. Before we get to it, there's still another song about liking a particular drink and being rained upon.
This is my fault! I once again got this thread and the Billboard R&B thread mixed up where we are at the end of the decade. Sorry!
"Give It Up" was a hit, and was originally from the album All In A Night's Work which was actually credited to "KC and the Sunshine Band". However he later released the song credited to just "KC" on his own label when Epic refused to release a US single.