Marillion “Childhood’s End?” hit #1 on my personal chart

Childhood’s End? Marillion

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Today in Music: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first class

January 23, 1986 The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first class

The museum wouldn’t open until 1995 (“The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens its doors: September 2, 1995”), but the first induction ceremony was held on January 23, 1986, in New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria Grand Ballroom. Inductees in the first class included Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Alan Freed, John H. Hammond, Buddy Holly, Robert Johnson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Sam Phillips, Elvis Presley, Jimmie Rodgers, and Jimmy Yancey. The evening kicked off with Keith Richards’ induction speech for Chuck Berry. Richards said, “It’s very difficult for me to talk about Chuck Berry ‘cause I’ve lifted every lick he ever played.” RH After ripping off his tux jacket to reveal a leopard-print jacket underneath, Berry continued saying, “This is the gentleman who started it all!’” RH In addition to Berry, the first class of inductees included James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley in the performers category. Non-performers were Alan Freed and Sam Phillips. Early influences were Robert Johnson, Jimmie Rodgers, and Jimmy Yancey. The initial intent was a dinner with music provided by Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band from Late Night with David Letterman. Inductees were not expected to perform. As Shaffer told Rolling Stone in 2009, “"We didn’t want people to feel as if they had to sing for their supper, but we had brought in instruments just in case.” RS However, by the end of the first ceremony Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and others were on stage in what has become an all-star jam tradition. Resources: Dave’s Music Database: “History Index” for more important dates in music history Dave’s Music Database: “Music Makers’ Birthdays” Dave’s Music Database: “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees” Dave’s Music Database (9/2/1995). “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens its doors” RH Rockhall.com The 1986 Induction Ceremony RS RollingStone.com (3/10/2011). “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Greatest Moments” by David Browne and Andy Greene First posted 1/23/2012; updated 1/6/2024.

Alan Parsons Project “Stereotomy” charted

Stereotomy The Alan Parsons Project

Writer(s): Alan Parsons, Eric Woolfson (see lyrics here) First Charted: January 18, 1986 Peak: 82 US, 5 AR, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.52 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “’Stereotomy’ is the scientific term for enclosing scientific samples in wax and then cutting them into fine shavings. The word was used by Edgar Allan Poe in his work The Murders in the Rue Morgue which was the first detective novel.” APP The album, the ninth by the Alan Parsons Project, uses “stereotomy” as “a metaphor for the way that famous people…are often ‘shaped’ by the demands of fame.” WK This allows for the exploration of themes about how ‘the modern world molds the personality, the character, and the livelihood of the human being. People are but a slave to their lifestyle and their environment and they are destined to be thrown into this situation at birth.” AMG While the group had experienced success with top 20 hits like “Games People Play” and “Don’t Answer Me” as well as the top-10 “Eye in the Sky,” their commercial peak was clearly behind them at this point. They only had one album left in them before they split up. While not their strongest album, this isn’t a phone-it-in album either. The title cut is a strong rocker deserving of far more attention than it received. It reached #5 on the album rock chart, but stalled at a lowly #82 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Project used a myriad of singers over they years and in this case, they turned to John Miles for most of the vocal, although Eric Woolfson, the only mainstay in the group other than Parsons, does come in toward the end. Miles wasn’t well known in the United States, but his song “Music” did hit #3 on the UK charts in 1976. The “angriness” of his “forceful voice” makes “Stereotomy “a passable rock tune.” AMG Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Alan Parsons DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Eric Woolfson APP The-Alan-Parsons-Project.com AMG All Music Guide WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 7/6/2022.

“That’s What Friends Are For” hit #1

That’s What Friends Are For Dionne & Friends (Elton John, Gladys Knight, & Stevie Wonder)

Writer(s): Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager (see lyrics here) First Charted: November 9, 1985 Peak: 14 US, 13 CB, 12 RR, 12 AC, 13 RB, 16 UK, 11 CN, 11 AU, 4 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 1.1 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, 80.74 video, 92.71 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, two of history’s most celebrated songwriters, combined their talents for the music for 1982’s Night Shift. The five songs they wrote for the movie were recorded by Bacharch, Al Jarreau, the Pointer Sisters, Quaterflash, and Rod Stewart. Despite the impressive talent roster, the soundtrack failed to produce a top 40 hit. Sager had hopes for “That’s What Friends Are For,” the song recorded by Stewart. As she said, “It felt like Rod could put a little edge on the song that might make it very attractive.” FB However, she adds, “the record company didn’t want to consider it as a single for Rod because they thought it was too soft. The song quietly disappeared into oblivion.” FB In 1983, television producer Aaron Spelling tapped Sager and Bacharach to write the theme song for Finder of Lost Loves. At Spelling’s suggestion, Bacharach reached out to Dionne Warwick to record the song. They hadn’t spoken in ten years, but Warwick had been the go-to artist to record compositions for Bacharach and then-songwriting-partner Hal David, recording 33 chart hits from 1962 to 1971 which were penned by the duo. FB The reunion led to Bacharach and Sager producing material for Warwick in 1985. She and Stevie Wonder had just worked together on The Woman in Red soundtrack and Sager suggested the pair record “That’s What Friends Are For.” On the day of recording, Neil Simon and Elizabeth Taylor visited the studio. Sager knew what an AIDS activist Taylor was and proposed the proceeds from the song be donated to AIDS research. Warwick suggested they add Gladys Knight as a singer and Clive Davis, President of Arista Records (the company which released the single), suggested adding Elton John as well. FB In addition to singing, John and Wonder lent their respective piano and harmonica-playing skills to the song. WK The result was a massive hit, topping the Billboard pop, adult contemporary, and R&B charts and being named the magazine’s Song of the Year. It also won the Grammy for Song of the Year. It raised $3 million for American Foundation for AIDS Research WK at a time when the disease carried a stigma for anyone even willing to discuss it. SF Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Burt Bacharach DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Elton John DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Carole Bayer Sager DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Stevie Wonder FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 627. SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 12/15/2019; last updated 10/28/2022.

Bangles Different Light released

Different Light Bangles

Released: January 13, 1986 Peak: 2 US, 3 UK, 8 CN, 2 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.3 UK, 3.66 world (includes US and UK) Genre: pop/new wave

Tracks: Manic Monday [3:06] In a Different Light [2:52] (18 DF) Walking Down Your Street [3:04] Walk Like an Egyptian [3:24] Standing in the Hallway [2:56] (38 DF) Return Post [4:22] (3 DF) If She Knew What She Wants [3:49] Let It Go [2:32] (38 DF) September Gurls [2:45] (22 DF) Angels Don’t Fall in Love [3:23] (8 DF) Following [3:21] Not Like You [3:06] (38 DF) Total Running Time: 38:48 The Players: Susanna Hoffs (vocals, guitar) Vicki Peterson (vocals, guitar) Michael Steele (vocals, bass) Debbi Peterson (vocals, drums)

Rating: 3.950 out of 5.00 (average of 28 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: The Bangles’ first album, All Over the Place, “ earned them a smattering of radio and MTV airplay” AM on the strength of the song “Hero Takes a Fall.” With their sophomore effort, however, “they were aiming for much higher stakes” AM and reached them. At least commercially. “Certainly the album’s Top 40 sound was a departure from their earlier ‘60s-style sound.” WK “Different Light turned the Bangles into bona fide pop stars” AM although the cynic, such as AllMusic.com’s Mark Deming argued that the effort “transformed a spunky and distinctive band into a comparatively faceless vehicle.” AM The Hit Singles…and Beyond Different Light generated four top-40 singles in the U.S. and had a minor hit with “Following” in the UK. Beyond the singles, the album also offered “the Doors-ish, carnival-like keyboards and quirky guitars of Standing in the Hallway and Return Post.” SL They also cover September Gurls (with lead vocals by Michael Steele), originally recorded by Big Star, the shoulda-been-big band from the 1970s whose jangly pop influenced Tom Petty and R.E.M. “Album tracks like Angels Don’t Fall in Love and Let It Go, which were written by the Bangles themselves, are the glue that holds Different Light together.” SL “The title track rollicks along with genuine pop-punk fervor. Guitarist Vicki Peterson’s voice might pale in comparison to Susanna Hoffs’s distinctive vocal, but her songwriting skills are clearly the strongest here: ‘I wanna paint your portrait / Hang your colors on my wall / Discussing form and content with my friends and drinks.’” SL Here are more details about the singles.

Manic Monday Bangles

Writer(s): Prince Released: 12/23/1985 as a single Peak: 2 BB, 3 CB, 3 GR, 5 RR, 43 AR, 2 CO, 2 UK, 2 CN, 3 AU, 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.25 UK, 0.30 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 129.25 video, 267.44 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Considering how omniprescent the all-girl group became on MTV, it’s laughable to call them “faceless.” Susanna Hoffs in particular became the go-to-crush for every ‘80s teenage boy. Sure, the album “was considered a slicker, more commercial move for the Bangles at the time of its release” SL it “sounds surprisingly fresh in hindsight.” SL Infatuation for Hoffs was actually a major catalyst in launching the success of the album. Fresh off his superstar-making-turn with 1984’s Purple Rain, Prince wrote Manic Monday for the Bangles, reportedly because he was enamored with Hoffs. AM Read more about his version here. The song’s “baroque, keyboard-dominated sound was a far cry from anything the Bangles had recorded before, and…Hoffs’ breathy voice and her bandmates’ fine harmonies fit the song like a glove.” AM The song was the lead single from the album, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

If She Knew What She Wants Bangles

Writer(s): Jules Shear Released: 4/14/1986 as a single Peak: 29 BB, 28 CB, 19 GR, 28 RR, 24 AC, 4 CO, 31 UK, 31 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 12.63 video, 9.05 streaming About the Song: The follow-up single, If She Knew What She Wants, was another top-40 hit. It was also written by someone outside the band – in this case, Jules Shear. He recorded it for his second solo album, 1985’s The Eternal Return. The Bangles crossed paths with Shear on several occasions in 1985, serving as his faux backing band when he performed his single “Steady” on American Bandstand, and co-writing thei song “I Got Nothing” for the soundtrack of The Goonies. Peter Bothum of the Wilmington, Delaware paper News Journal, described the song as ‘what the Byrds would have sounded like if they were chicks,” NJ effectively countering Deming’s assertion that “Manic Monday” led the band “away from the '60s-influenced pop/rock that was their strongest suit.” AM In fact, Slant magazine’s Sal Cinquemani emphasized how much the album eluded to the ‘60s: “From their Beatles-inspired moniker to their warm, Mamas & the Papas-esque harmonies, the band seemed determined to pay homage to the past. But their ‘60s-style pop melodies and classic rock references…were deftly matched with the then-current new wave and rock rhythms of the early ’80s.” SL

Walk Like an Egyptian Bangles

Writer(s): Liam Sternberg (see lyrics here) Released: 9/1/1986 as a single Peak: 14 US, 11 CB, 12 RR, 1 CO, 3 UK, 11 CN, 12 AU, 3 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.25 UK, 1.3 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 132.6 video, 187.45 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: It looked like the Bangles’ Different Light might have run out of steam after two singles. While “Manic Monday” had reached #2, “If She Knew What She Wants” peaked at #29, suggesting a third single might not even make the top 40. Instead, the Bangles emerged with one of the most iconic earworms of the 1980s – the chart-topping Walk Like an Egyptian. The “slice of ’80s-pop kitsch” SL was named Billboard magazine’s song of the year. Like its predecessors, this was another song written outside of the band. Liam Sternberg was part of the ‘70s music scene in Akron, Ohio. He worked with Jane Aire & the Belvederes and wrote songs for Rachel Sweet, but didn’t find mainstream success. “Walk Like an Egpytian” was an anomaly as it would be his only top-40 songwriting credit. While riding a ferry boat across the English Channel, he noticed that as people struggled to maintain their balance, they held up their arms like they were doing Egyptian movements. SF He recorded a demo of the song with singer Marti Jones in 1984. He offered it to Toni Basil, who had a #1 hit in 1982 with “Mickey,” but she turned it down. Lene Lovich recorded the song, but she decided to take a break from music to raise a family and the song went unreleased. Dave Kahne, who produced the Bangles’ Different Light album, got a copy of the demo and presented it to the Bangles. He had each of the four members sing the song, eventually opting to have Vicki Peterson, Michael Steele, and Susanna Hoffs each sing a verse. WK Kahne didn’t like Debbie Peterson’s vocal, so he relegated her to backing vocals. She was even more angry when a drum machine was also used instead of her drumming. WK As for the whistling in the song – none of them do it. It was done by machine. WK The band didn’t think the song would be released because it was “a goofy romp” and “too weird.” SF

Walking Down Your Street Bangles

Writer(s): Susanna Hoffs, Louis Gutierrez, David Khane Released: December 1986 Peak: 11 BB, 9 CB, 7 GR, 8 RR, 33 AC, 3 CO, 16 UK, 56 AU, 17 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 3.50 video, 2.59 streaming About the Song: After two songs helmed by Hoffs, “Egyptian” also focused some attention on the other members since each verse was sung by a different member. The album’s fourth top-40 hit, though, returned the focus to Hoffs. Not only did she sing lead on Walking Down Your Street, but she co-wrote the song.

Following Bangles

Writer(s): Michael Steele (see lyrics here) Released: 4/6/1987 as a single Peak: 24 CO, 55 UK, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.31 video, 2.19 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Different Light marked bassist Michael Steele’s first lead vocals, WK most notably on Following. It was Steele’s first original composition released with the Bangles WK and the band’s only single featuring her on lead vocals. It is “a dark acoustic ballad reminiscent of Joni Mitchell’s brand of ’70s folk.” SL Lyrically, it deals with “jealousy, paranoia and obsession that follows the breakup of a relationship” WK with the narrator stalking her ex. Steele has confirmed it was about her high school sweetheart. WK It was “radically different from the rest of Bangles’ material.” WK In an album review, PopRescue.com notes that the song “was perhaps a bit off-kilter with their other tracks.” PR It’s “softer than anything we’ve heard so far” PR but features “some great guitar work” PR and is “a nice contrasting track” PR with “a kind of ethereal drifting sound to it.” PR The song was released as a single in the UK where it was a minor hit, reaching #55.

Resources/References AM AllMusic.com review by Mark Deming FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 656. NJ News Journal (9/30/2011). “Nightlife: 25 years later the Bangles are still making us do the ‘Walk’” by Peter Bothum PR Pop Rescue SL Slant Magazine (6/30/2003). “Vital Pop: 50 Essential Pop Albums” by Slant staff SF Songfacts page for “Walk Like an Egyptian” WK Wikipedia page for Different Light WK Wikipedia page for “Walk Like an Egyptian” WK Wikipedia page for “Following” Related DMDB Links: First posted 2/3/2011; last updated 8/9/2025.