In Square Circle is not awful and based on what we know of your taste, I'd go as far as to say that you might even like it.
jasonhare
· 1 year ago
I don't think this is a good thing, but thank you.
twostepcub
· 1 year ago
Hey, great post...as always...
I actually bought the vinyl record of "In Square Circle" when it came out, then eventually the CD (at that time, since CDs were so expensive and new, I picked and chose what i bought). I thought (and think) "Part Time Lover" was the worse song of the bunch. Maybe because it was the sing-song melody, maybe because I feel it didn't jive with the rest of the tracks on the album..
BTW I think In Square Circle is the Steely Dan of Stevie Wonder albums. take that as your guide whether to get it (though either way "Go Home" and "Overjoyed" rule)
Cheers Ernie
JonCummings
· 1 year ago
That alternate 1984 version of "Take On Me" sounds distinctly like early OMD, much more than the eventual hit does. The keyboards are plinkier, the droning background synths more pronounced, the vocals more effeminate. (These are all GOOD things in my book, at least when it comes to OMD--not so much on a-ha's imitation.)
The 12" version of "Freedom" is worthwhile just for the piccolo-trumpet arpeggios...
"Dress You Up" carries the added distinction of being Madonna's opening song at Live Aid, at the beginning of which she yelled, "I ain't taking shit off today"--a reference to her recently unearthed nudie pics.
Eric S.
· 1 year ago
Thanks for "plinkier"; that's absolutely the right adjective for those keyboards. The whole instrumental break in the middle is terrible. That break alone probably stopped this version from taking off, with or without the video.
drcastrato
· 1 year ago
"If I hear one of his songs, I won’t turn it off..."
I will. My wife and I banned Mellancamp from our house and car a couple years ago. Nothing good can come from listening to Mellancamp; there are only various levels of annoyment (if annoyment is not yet a word, it should be.) It's not that we really hate him, but he's saturated the radio and commercials enough that we felt he needed to be put in his place, at least at our place.
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
You didn't like his last hit, "This Is Our Chevy"?
JonCummings
· 1 year ago
I find that what's important to do with Mellencamp is to focus on the stuff that wasn't a huge hit, that didn't enter the "canon." Except for "Lonely Old Night" and "Paper in Fire," Mellencamp's most popular songs also tend to be his least interesting.
I couldn't imagine life without the occasional airing of "Rain on the Scarecrow" or "Check It Out" or his late-80s covers with the fiddle band. Also, "Trouble No More" is a fantastic album.
Mike
· 1 year ago
"In Square Circle" is not a bad album. It's a little too synth-y and tinny, but the songs are strong enough. Certainly worth getting. Actually, the only post-"Music of My Mind" Stevie album I DON'T own is "The Woman in Red", which, honestly, I really don't miss not having.
Damn Wham! for remixing "Everything She Wants" and "Freedom" and making them both sound a million times better than they sound on "Make it Big". And thank heaven for the Greatest Hits album that's available on import and contains both of the single versions.
This was a great Top Ten. I remember in 5th grade when everyone though "Oh Sheila" was a Prince song about Sheila E.
Bob L
· 1 year ago
Recently discovered your blog and Chart Attack and love reading it. Here is a strange duet of Part-Time Lover. Stevie really outsings Boy George.
Anything Stevie Wonder-land from the 80's and beyond should be approached with caution. None of it rivals his earlier stuff but there are some nice upbeat tunes to fill up your ipod full of golden oldies. Even Stevie's worst stuff is better than most people's best.
Yes, David & Mick are gay to a supersonic degree in the DITS video. Lots of people could see it even when it first aired. Plus it's just lazy.
George Michael still performs Freedom in concert so it must be one of the few Wham! tracks that don't make him want to meet strangers in a public bathroom. Oh, snap !
Kool (and the gang, too) had really lost their funk by the time Cherish dropped. The less said the better.
Those old Whitney Houston clips are just proof of how talented she is and that she's very likely to make a nice comeback. As long as she stays away from those Tyler Perry movies.
Drew
· 1 year ago
You can really hear Morten's vocals much clearer in the 1984 version. In the '85 single version, he elides some of his verse endings. This is a great file to have--thanks!
Old_Davy
· 1 year ago
The costume designer for the Jagger/Bowie video certainly took the line "It doesn't matter what you wear" to heart.
All Comments
I actually bought the vinyl record of "In Square Circle" when it came out, then eventually the CD (at that time, since CDs were so expensive and new, I picked and chose what i bought). I thought (and think) "Part Time Lover" was the worse song of the bunch. Maybe because it was the sing-song melody, maybe because I feel it didn't jive with the rest of the tracks on the album..
BTW I think In Square Circle is the Steely Dan of Stevie Wonder albums. take that as your guide whether to get it (though either way "Go Home" and "Overjoyed" rule)
Cheers
Ernie
The 12" version of "Freedom" is worthwhile just for the piccolo-trumpet arpeggios...
"Dress You Up" carries the added distinction of being Madonna's opening song at Live Aid, at the beginning of which she yelled, "I ain't taking shit off today"--a reference to her recently unearthed nudie pics.
I will. My wife and I banned Mellancamp from our house and car a couple years ago. Nothing good can come from listening to Mellancamp; there are only various levels of annoyment (if annoyment is not yet a word, it should be.) It's not that we really hate him, but he's saturated the radio and commercials enough that we felt he needed to be put in his place, at least at our place.
I couldn't imagine life without the occasional airing of "Rain on the Scarecrow" or "Check It Out" or his late-80s covers with the fiddle band. Also, "Trouble No More" is a fantastic album.
Damn Wham! for remixing "Everything She Wants" and "Freedom" and making them both sound a million times better than they sound on "Make it Big". And thank heaven for the Greatest Hits album that's available on import and contains both of the single versions.
This was a great Top Ten. I remember in 5th grade when everyone though "Oh Sheila" was a Prince song about Sheila E.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p2KW4jDzrA
Yes, David & Mick are gay to a supersonic degree in the DITS video. Lots of people could see it even when it first aired. Plus it's just lazy.
George Michael still performs Freedom in concert so it must be one of the few Wham! tracks that don't make him want to meet strangers in a public bathroom. Oh, snap !
Kool (and the gang, too) had really lost their funk by the time Cherish dropped. The less said the better.
Those old Whitney Houston clips are just proof of how talented she is and that she's very likely to make a nice comeback. As long as she stays away from those Tyler Perry movies.