Primitive Radio Gods - "Standing Outside a Broken Telephone Booth with Money in My Hand"

Primitive Radio Gods
"Standing Outside a Broken Telephone Booth with Money in My Hand" #10 (Airplay; September 14, 1996)

"Standing Outside a Broken Telephone Booth with Money in My Hand". That's a very long title, though they never actually say it on the song.

I like the song. Chris O'Connor's bluesy vocals fit the overall atmosphere of the track. And that B.B. King sample really works well.

Unfortunately, B.B. King trousered most of the royalties for the track, so Chris, an ex-air traffic controller, still had to save up while the song was rising high on the charts. (got this info from YouTube).

The song peaked at #10...on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. Chart rules prevented the track from reaching the actual Hot 100 chart, since no physical single was released. Though this rule was overturned in 1998 with the downfall of the physical single, this fate still befell many songs, the most famous being No Doubt's "Don't Speak".

Roachford - "Cuddly Toy (Feel for Me)"

Roachford
"Cuddly Toy (Feel for Me)"
#25 (June 10, 1989)

A pure slice of cake straight from the 80s.

Apparently Roachford was Columbia Records' biggest selling artist in the UK in the 1990s. Strange, considering I haven't really heard of them.

From the look of Roachford's image, lead singer Andrew Roachford looks more like someone who would sing new jack swing or soft R&B music. The title makes it look that way too. But "Cuddly Toy (Feel for Me)" is full of electric guitars, synthesizers and loud drum hits. Not your typical new jack swing. In fact, almost nowhere near that.

It even made room for a keyboard solo, much like other 80s one-hit wonders like Saga's "On the Loose".

"Cuddly Toy" isn't really my type of music, and I have a mixed opinion it. Some of the lyrics are really campy, but the instruments really keep the song strong. Though I won't become a professional music reviewer, so I'll end here.

Steve Forbert - "Romeo's Tune"

Steve Forbert
"Romeo's Tune"
#11 (February 23, 1980)

Forbert reached #11 in 1980 with "Romeo's Tune", a 70ish love song aided by the piano. Compared as the "new Bob Dylan", he released 14 studio albums and still performs to this day.

(Sorry for the short post, words can't say what I feel about this song...for all of you who like Steve, enjoy the embed below.)

Tom Johnston - "Savannah Nights"

Tom Johnston
"Savannah Nights"
#34 (January 12, 1980)

In 1977, Tom Johnston left the Doobie Brothers to pursue a solo career of his own. He went on to release his first solo album, 1979's Everything You've Heard Is True. It was this album that spawned a trumpet-filled, upbeat 80s number, "Savannah Nights", that would go on to reach #34 on the Hot 100 in 1980.

Later, in 1982, Doobie Brothers member Patrick Simmons would score his own solo Top 40 hit "So Wrong". In both cases, it would be their only one.

After one more solo album, Still Feels Good (1981), Johnston eventually returned to the Doobies in 1987. And "Savannah Nights" remains his only solo Top 40 hit.