pop culture

Elizabeth Taylor dropped in for Luke and Laura's wedding. Lady Diana Spencer joined the Royal Family. Nighttime soaps like Falcon Crest and Dynasty ruled the airwaves. Margaret Thatcher ruled the United Kingdom. Tom Cruise felt the need for speed. Gordon Gekko taught Wall Street whiz kids that greed was good. Material Girl Madonna made her musical debut.

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I recall reading a review of the movie "Rocky II" in Sports Illustrated shortly after the sequel's release in which the writer pegged it as an inferior continuation, nothing more than an attempt to cash in on the first film. Specifically, the reviewer referred to it as "the milking of an American hero."

Apparently, Sylvester Stallone has his hands warming the udders of the fictitious pugilist again, ready to give them a hearty tug (or would it be the udders of moviegoers?) with "Rocky 6."

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The name might be foreign to many, conjuring up images of a magician or illusionist, or maybe even a character from a science fiction story, but Zoltan Kodaly, aside from his own accomplishments, was an intregal part of one of the most popular movies of the 1970s - one which you have likely seen.

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...with a poodle under one arm, and a two-foot salami under the other. The bartender says, I guess you won't be needing a drink. Naked lady says...

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A few days ago, I pulled up the web site for MSNBC and was greeted by the sullen mug of Dick Cheney, looking as grim as ever (has there ever existed a more dour and joyless human being?). Accompanying the photo were headlines, promises of dire consequences directed at Iran. My first reaction was that he was considering taking the country hunting, but I immediately dismissed that idea as impractical. Really, I know that they do manufacture some obscenely large SUVs, but one that could hold an entire country...not yet.

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Los Angeles-born singer/songwriter Kim Carnes had spent the late '60s and the decade of the '70s flirting with breakthrough success. She had been a member of the popular folk act The New Christy Minstrels before going solo at the beginning of the '70s. Her solo career had produced some minor success before she hit the Top Ten duetting with Kenny Rogers (himself a former member of The New Christy Minstrels with Carnes) in 1980 on "Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer."

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When Australian Rick Springfield topped the pop charts in 1981 with "Jessie's Girl," many people assumed it was due to his exposure as a star on the daytime, television drama "General Hospital." The high-profile he had on the popular show no doubt helped his recording career gain traction, but he had actually been a musician for far longer than an actor (even having a Top 20 hit in the US with "Speak To The Sky" in 1972). Springfield proved to be far more than a flash in the pan, though, and throughout the early '80s was one of the most successful pop acts in the US.

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The most famous phone number of the '80s - one of the most famous in music or pop culture history for that matter - was undoubtedly the one that the band Tommy Tutone had much of the country singing in 1982..."867-5309" and we all knew to whom it belonged (some of us even tried to reach her). Although it was the group's only major hit song, twenty-five years later, a lot of people could still dial it from memory.

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"Everybody Wants To Be Naked And Famous"

Just Add Alcohol (And To Think I Overheard It On Mulberry Street)

The Beatles: "They were just like you and me"

A Waste Of Gunpowder And Sky?

Amish In The Airport, Failed Card Cheats, And My Imaginary Mail-Order Bride

"It's not everyday that you get to see a monster piñata killing teens on a paradise island"

Let's Make Money, Let's Grow Hair

The Night Sheryl Crow Wouldn't Stop Undressing Me With Her Eyes

Waking Up With Wilford Brimley

Jake, The Fat Man, And Albinos At The Equator

Today Is A Hammer Day

We All Look Alike To Most People

"I Don't Want To Make Money, Folks...I Just Love To Sell Guns."

Some People Are Just Really Dumb (Kaya Has Nothing To Do With It)

Lola, Stale Potato Chips, And The Chicago Cubs

Sylvester, Leave It Alone

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From its opening, heralded by a thumping bassline, Loverboy's "Turn Me Loose" immediately grabbed radio listeners and made for an attention-getting introduction to the Canadian band. The song, from their 1981 self-titled debut album, came less than two years after the group's formation in Toronto and launched a career that would make them one of the most successful mainstream hard rock acts of the first half of the '80s.

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Bananarama "Cruel Summer"

The Stray Cats "(She's) Sexy + 17"

Men At Work "Who Can It Be Now?"

Journey "Who's Crying Now"

Johnny Lee "Lookin' For Love"

Motley Crue "Smokin' In The Boys' Room"

The Cars "Drive"

Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse Of The Heart"

Haircut 100 "Love Plus One"

Pablo Cruise "Cool Love"

George Benson "Give Me The Night"

Billy Joel "You're Only Human (Second Wind)"

Peter Wolf "Lights Out"

Men Without Hats "The Safety Dance"

The Go-Gos "Vacation"

Jim Steinman "Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through"

Irene Cara "Fame"

Tina Turner "We Don't Need Another Hero"

Scandal featuring Patty Smyth "The Warrior"

Jackson Browne "Lawyers In Love"

Melissa Manchester "You Should Hear How She Talks About You"

Greg Kihn Band "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)"

Benny Mardones "Into The Night"

John Parr "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)"

Sheila E. "The Glamorous Life"

Taco "Puttin' On The Ritz"

Crosby, Stills & Nash "Wasted On The Way"

Ali Thomson "Take A Little Rhythm"

Christopher Cross "Sailing"

John Waite "Missing You"

Martin Briley "The Salt In My Tears"

Chicago "Hard To Say I'm Sorry"

The Rolling Stones "Emotional Rescue"

Amy Grant "Find A Way"

Billy Squier "Rock Me Tonight"

The Fixx "Saved By Zero"

Blondie "Island Of Lost Souls"

Huey Lewis & The News "The Power Of Love"

Ratt "Round And Round"

Quarterflash "Take Me To Heart"

Air Supply "Even The Nights Are Better"

Foreigner "Urgent"

S.O.S. Band "Take Your Time (Do It Right)"

Heart "What About Love"

The Jacksons With Mick Jagger "State Of Shock"

A Flock Of Seagulls "Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)"

Steve Miller Band "Abracadabra"

Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight"

Tommy Tutone "Angel Say No"

Depeche Mode "People Are People"

Tina Turner "What's Love Got To Do With It"

Chris DeBurgh "Don't Pay The Ferryman"

Fleetwood Mac "Hold Me"

The Carpenters "Touch Me When We're Dancing"

Olivia Newton-John "Magic"

Sting "If You Love Somebody Set The Free"

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Like many one-hit wonders, the story behind Charlene and her lone Top 40 appearance is an unusual one that hardly follows in the typical path to pop stardom (even if it was only momentary). Originally signed to Motown Records in 1973, Charlene Duncan issued a number of singles and albums which failed to attract attention. One of those albums, 1977's Songs Of Love, contained the track "I've Never Been To Me" and though the song became Charlene's first chart hit, it only managed to reach #97. Following one final single on Motown in 1980, the singer was dropped by the label.

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Born Gary Anthony James Webb, Gary Numan first found fame in the mid-'70s with his band the Tubeway Army which combined a punk attitude and ethic with synthesized, electronic rock. Taking further inspiration from science fiction and glam fashion styles, the group became a sensation in the late '70s, scoring several hits in the UK. When Numan opted for a career under his own name, he quickly earned a global audience when the song "Cars" became a world-wide smash.

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American Idol. Smoked one and watched it. First time. Not sure what to make of it all.

Never cared about Paula til I heard she drinks. Now I find her interesting. I'd be drunk for that too.

See, I never watch the show but had heard she gets ripped on there. So I see it on tv and sure enough, she's drinkin'. That's awesome. Consistent drinker. Doesn't mind getting bombed and making an ass out of herself in front of the world. I tend to like that in a woman.

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Although it proved to be their breakthrough hit and a song that would become one of the most iconic of the decade, Simple Minds were not the first choice to sing the song and they almost turned it down when it was finally offered to them.

The group's roots were as a Glasgow punk band called Johnny And The Self-Abusers, but by 1978 they had been rechristened Simple Minds. Led by lead singer Jim Kerr, Simple Minds early albums were more in an art-rock vein influenced by Roxy Music and Euro-disco sounds. Their following was limited to cult status in the US, but each successive album had garnered new devotees by the time they were approached to sing "Don't You (Forget About Me)." Ironically, the original choice to perform the track was Roxy Music lead singer Bryan Ferry, but Ferry passed (Psychedelic Furs were also alledged considered). Kerr wasn't any more interested in the song, regarding it as lightweight lyrically, but eventually relented.

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