Center Of The Universe #18

Giant Sand, “Center Of The Universe”
Loverboy, “Hot Girls In Love”
Cameo, “Let’s Not Talk Slot”
Kenny G, “Hi How Ya Doin’? - Instrumental Rap Version”

Did I promise last week that there would be more new music in this episode? Well…I lied. Or didn’t realize where my head would be. Instead, I’m sharing a bunch of songs from the first half of 1983, which means they've either turned 40 this year or are about to. To be clear, they aren’t the best songs of 1983. These aren’t the worst songs of 1983. They’re just...a vibe. A vibe that is profoundly 40 years old. To prove I went deep, “Hot Girls In Love” is the biggest hit and only Top 40 song on this playlist, reaching #11 that June. Cameo’s ’83 album Style is apparently the only album the band released 1979 and 1988 not certified gold, their new digital sound not yet clicking on radio (and that song title is not a typo). While Kenny G’s “Hi How Ya Doin?” did not make the pop chart, the song did reach #23 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart, back when it was known as the Black Singles chart. I’m sharing a B side mix because…it’s a vibe.

Saxon, “This Town Rocks”
Weird Al Yankovic, “Gotta Boogie”
Europe, “Paradize Bay”
Carlene Carter, "I’m The Kind Of Sugar Daddy Likes”

New vibe! Saxon, big guys in the NWOBHM scene, getting down right thrashy musically (those drums!), if not lyrically. Then we've got some remarkable, accordion-festooned “disco” from Weird Al’s debut album (those drums!). Europe doing a little Swedish metal “Kokomo” on their debut album, and Carlene Carter dropping some remarkable, trombone-festooned “disco” on her last pop album before going mainstream country in 1990.

Frank Stallone, “Moody Girl”
New Edition, “She Gives Me A Bang”
Hank Williams Jr, “The Girl On The Front Row At Fort Worth”
Ringo Starr, “Be My Baby”

A sweet set of love songs for that special lady. First, Frank Stallone getting all torn up over a “Moody Girl” on the Staying Alive soundtrack. Then the kids of New Edition (aided by Maurice Starr and Arthur Baker!) explain how they get a bang. Hank Williams Jr gives it up for love at first sight under the stage lights (“in her boots and jeans and silk blouse unbuttoned even lower than mine”), and Ringo Starr does not cover The Ronettes, but rather producer Joe Walsh, on his beautifully titled album Old Wave, which was not released in the United States for almost a decade.

Joe Walsh, “Space Age Wiz Kids”
Grand Funk Railroad, “El Salvador”
Elton John, “Religion”
Rod Stewart, “Ghetto Blaster”

From Joe Walsh helping his elder to Joe Walsh paying tribute to the youth! And employing the talkbox both times! Walsh’s wry take on arcade life, from You Bought It - You Name It, almost made the Top 40, and leads this set of topical tracks from 1983. Grand Funk Railroad, once hypothetical leaders of a youth revolution, now stood opposite The Minutemen and celebrated “freedom” over the “communists” in “El Salvador.” The song appears on What’s Funk?, their last studio album to date (though Don & Mel have been touring under the name since 2000). Elton John, putting a melody to Bernie Taupin’s wry stance on “Religion,” and Rod Stewart, with the most earnest wish on Body Wishes (“Nostradamus gave us warning/ you will never walk away/ one neutron bomb in the morning/ may just ruin your whole day”).

Pulp, “Love Love”
Frank Zappa, “The Radio Is Broken”
The Tubes, “Drums”
Diana Ross, “Love Will Make It Right”

Woah! Too much MOR bullshit! We need some edgy hipsters in the mix. Let’s get some indie up in here! Let's hear from Pulp, already saucy and sex-minded on their debut album It. Up next is Frank Zappa, his sauciness more than established by the time of The Man From Utopia. Would you believe this song was semi-improvised?! 1983 was the Tubes’ biggest year on the pop chart (remember "She's A Beauty"?), but I’d still say this track is a edgy hipster deep cut. And while you might not think Diana Ross belongs here, what if I told you this song was written by Donald Fagen and features him on synth? Hip enough for you?!

Michael Bolton, “Back In My Arms Again”
Uriah Heep, “Lonely Nights”
Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings, “Homeward Bound”
Laura Branigan, “Squeeze Box”

From Diana Ross to Michael Bolton, our man covering the Supremes like he wants to be mistaken for Foreigner! Uriah Heep covering Bryan Adams, sounding like they could be mistaken for The Darkness! Willie & Waylon covering Simon & Garfunkel…like you could mistake them for anyone else! And Laura Branigan covering The Who like she’s made a terrible mistake! All these surprising moments now 40 years old! Where are the oral histories?!

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, “Demolition Man”
Smokey Robinson, “All My Life’s A Lie”
Meat Loaf, “Priscilla”
Little River Band, “The Net”

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band covering The Police…really the tip of the iceberg of how weird their discography gets. Then Smokey Robinson unduly worries he’ll never gasm again. Meat Loaf said “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” and “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” could have been on his 1983 album, but the record label wanted to stay clear of Jim Steinman songs entirely, instead having him perform originals by his band. Bassist Gary Jacobs wrote “Priscilla” with his wife, and the pair would eventually win Emmys writing dozens of songs for Sesame Street. Meanwhile, Loaf would reunite with Steinman. Finally, we bid adieu to the Center Of The Universe and the uncut gunk of 1983 with the title track of Little River Band’s The Net. If you thought Husker Du’s “Divide And Conquer” was prescient, check this out….

Heavy, right? If only they'd known! Happy 40th, children of 1983! You've come a long way from...this. And thanks for your time!