The Perfect Album Side Podcast
The Perfect Album Side Podcast
1989
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We argue our way through Rock and Roll Hall of Fame picks, then zoom back to 1989 and draft a six-song “perfect album side” using strict categories and release-date rules. The final tracklist surprises us by leaning hard into pop, dance, MTV videos, and one-hit wonders rather than rock.
• rapid-fire yes or no takes on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and next-year nominees
• quick 1989 scene setting through news, movies, TV, and everyday prices
• the category rules that shape the 1989 perfect album side draft
• best debut single showdown with Skid Row vs Technotronic
• we discuss best movie soundtracks, Madonna, Paula Abdul, Martika, Janet Jackson, Young MC, Metallica and more!
• the final 1989 perfect album side and what it says about the year
Thank you guys for listening. Check us out @perfectalbumside on Twitter, Perfect Album Side on Instagram, Perfect Album Side on Facebook.
One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...
Cold Open And Host Banter
SPEAKER_09If I don't get my Tutti Fruity Icy, then I'm not a very nice person. How could that be possible?
SPEAKER_02Welcome to the Perfect Album Side. One idea, six songs, infinite possibilities.
SPEAKER_08The Perfect Albumside Podcast. My name is Steve. His name is Windham. Here we are. Wyndham, how are you, sir? I a little jolted. Yeah, as always.
SPEAKER_09I just wasn't expecting expecting it. Uh my cardiologist might be getting a uh a little bit of a visit later. I'm great. I'm great. Looking forward to this episode. It's one of those where I had some fun with it. And I'm excited to see what we come up with. Do you not normally have fun with it, just out of curiosity? No, I always have fun with it, but I'm really I'm looking forward to it.
SPEAKER_08This one is a little bit of a hole. It took 96 episodes, but now I'm having fun. Uh well, I I'm glad you're here. I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad we are here. The Collective Week. I'm glad that. Me, you, the perfect album siders around the world. Uh thank you for joining us. Collective Soul was not here. That was on episode 22. Uh, when Will Turban of Collective Soul was here. That was an exciting day. Was it really episode 22? I just made that up, but it sounded pretty good, didn't it? It sounded like you had that in the chamber. That was ready to go. That was uh I I I truly it was early on, but I don't know what episode it was. Maybe I can figure it out while we're while we're talking, though. Um I bet I can. Anyway, uh how how's life? Everything good? Life is great. Life is great, yes. I said episode 22, it was actually episode 62. I was off by a factor of 40. Oh wow.
SPEAKER_09So I thought it was I would have said closer to 22 than 62. That's only 30 episodes ago, 35.
SPEAKER_08Strong math is windham. Look at that. Very good. Uh welcome to episode 97. Uh, we'll talk about the topic here in just a moment. I'm glad to see you. I'm glad all of our listeners have joined us. Uh, I'm ready to go. Uh, are there things you want to talk about before we get to the perfect album side or or or should we just go? Well, you know, we do this every year. Uh we do this almost every week. I've talked this particular This isn't an annual annual tradition of the perfect album side. This is uh are you an AI bot?
SPEAKER_09Do you not show up for this every week? What's happening here? Uh have you seen what's going on with uh some of these people that are getting in trouble? They are uh doing AI bots of themselves on Zoom calls, nodding. Oh, that's fantastic, and moving their head like this so it looks like they're on it. Maybe that's what I've been doing this whole time. It would be funnier if that were the case.
SPEAKER_08That would be great if if we were AI. I I do, you know, I've I've heard a few podcasts that are just AI generated. And I'm not saying they're terrible, but you know, you know it's AI. I think we know that that we are real. I'm real. There's a human element that that is, I think, absolutely a must-have for these. But I don't think an AI podcaster would just randomly go-doodle doo! But I would, you know.
SPEAKER_09Well, there we go. We were kind of worried, we were wondering, but now we know for sure it is you.
SPEAKER_08It is that's that's my international call sign for sign to start the podcast.
Rock And Roll Hall Picks
SPEAKER_09Uh every year we talk about the new inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and we've got some to talk about. And if you remember how we do this, I'm just gonna tell you I have no idea how we do it, so tell me, walk me through it.
SPEAKER_08I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you who's being inducted, and I want you to tell me yes or no. I feel uh dumb for asking this question, but uh have they they've they've given us the big list of nominees, but they haven't narrowed it down to these are the ones yet?
SPEAKER_09No, you're you're you're going in the wrong order. They absolutely have named who is going in, who's going in.
SPEAKER_08Okay, and I'm I'm just supposed to agree or disagree with it whether they should be in. Just tell me, yeah, yeah. Tell me if you think they should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Okay, I'm ready. I'm I've got I'm I'm ready. No whammies, no whammies, let's go. Okay, Phil Collins.
SPEAKER_09Yes. Iron Maiden. Yeah. That took a little bit off. I'm not so sure that that sounded sincere. Oasis.
SPEAKER_08First of all, let me go back to Iron Maiden. Yes, they should be in. I I don't want any uh any uh unclear, unclearness, unclarity, lack of clarity? I I want to be very clear. Ambiguity. Ambiguity, that's a great word. Uh no, but yes, Iron Maiden belongs in. Who is next? Oasis. Yeah, maybe not first ballot, but yes, yes, yes, okay. Yes, Oasis goes in. Luther Vandros. Uh yeah. I mean, I'm not a huge fan of Luther Vandros. I have nothing against the man, but and I don't know his catalogue that well, but I think uh it's been long and distinguished, and he probably belongs in. Okay, Queen Lativa?
SPEAKER_09No. Okay. Rick Rubin.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, I mean, Rick Rubin has had a an unbelievable impact on uh music over the last 30 or 40 years. It would be crazy to not include him. I don't necessarily uh think he's the greatest person in the world, but uh I think that he belongs in the Rock and Hall of Fame.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I I agree. Uh Billy Idol.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, yeah. Uh I'm I guess I'm being very liberal with my yeses today, but yeah, I mean, of course, Billy Idol. I mean, he's a he's a a legend, an icon.
SPEAKER_09Yeah. And this wasn't his first time on the ballot. So, I mean, he he's been told no more than once, but he's so have I. So have I. On so many topics. Sounds like me, am I right? Yes, yes. Uh Joy Division.
SPEAKER_08Um, I mean, there were people who will fight me to the death that that yes, Joy Division belongs in there, but I no, I don't think so.
SPEAKER_09Okay. Uh the original smooth operator. Sardet.
SPEAKER_08Uh, I mean I cannot speak intelligently about the catalogue of of Sade. Neither can I. You know, we everybody knows Smooth Operator is is is that one hit gonna get somebody in? It shouldn't. So I'm gonna pass because I I can't speak intelligently about the rest of her uh career. Okay. Wu Tang Clan. Yeah, I think so. I think Wu Tang gets gets in in my in my opinion.
SPEAKER_09Okay. I'm skipping over some of these. Here's one. I thought I thought this one would be in. This is the last one. Ed Sullivan.
SPEAKER_08Um I mean, I guess that's like a special, you know, a special area of something of the I don't know. I uh you know, that's I I don't get it, but whatever.
SPEAKER_09Alright, we're gonna we're gonna switch just for a minute here. These are the these are the uh nominees for next year. These are already on the list for next year. Just tell me quick yes or no, Beyonce. I'm ready. Yes. Black Keys. Not yet. Justin Timberlake. Yeah. NXS. Yes. Mariah Carey. Yeah. Alanus Morsa. No, Lenny Kravitz. No. Okay. Sound guard. Probably. Yeah. Okay. And then the last one Smashing Pumpkins.
SPEAKER_08I don't know. What do you think? I mean, you you ask me all these questions. You never give your opinion, coward. I know that's that's where I'd like to be.
SPEAKER_09That way I don't offend anyone like you did for the last 10 minutes.
SPEAKER_08I know that you know how many Joy Division fans right now and Queen Lativa fans that are just cursing my name across the world.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I just imagine like some some musty basement full of Joy Division fans and some guys standing up and saying, I don't know where he is, but find him. He will hear from us.
SPEAKER_08Somebody get my Chuck All-Stars and my Fedora and let's go kick this guy's ass. That's what they're saying.
SPEAKER_09Uh, you know, and I just said we're going all Al Capone on you.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, I I said, you know, yes, the Wu-Tang clan, just simply because I'm afraid of them.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, he uh I I don't know much about him. I hate to say it. That's that's uh I need to get more into that. But can I talk to you about today?
SPEAKER_08Are we done with the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer?
SPEAKER_09Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. Yes, please, by all means, make it your time.
Setting The Scene For 1989
SPEAKER_08It's our time. This is our time. Up here, it's their time. If you're here and I'm here, wouldn't it be our time? Oh, Mr. Hand, right? Just Mr. Hand? Yeah, that's right. Fast Times at Richmond High. Outstanding. Uh what year was that? That was 1981, Fast Times, is that right? Maybe. Eight years later, we got to 1989, which is what today's perfect album side is all about. Let me let me set the scene real quick. 1989. We've built a few of these perfect album sides, you know, based on the year. This one's not going to be a whole lot different, except for the music's totally different because it's a different year. Uh I want to set the scene. First of all, let's talk about some celebrity births in 1989. Daniel Radcliffe, aka Harry Potter. And aka Weird Al Yankovic. Yeah, as well. As we discussed on the last episode. Uh Daniel Radcliffe. Brie Larson, uh, future Oscar-winning actress, Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel. Dakota Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, sister of Mary Kate Nashley Olson. Okay. Uh, and then the big one, uh Taylor Swift, 1989. No, no kidding. Yeah, that is a December 14th. Uh, is that right? Daniel Radcliffe is not a not a girl. He would take exception to that. Um, Harry Potter is quite upset with you now. Uh yeah, future global superstar uh Taylor Swift, 1989, which uh is the reason her album is called 1989. It was the year of her birth. Let me tell you a few other things about 1989 before we get started. Uh big news from around the world in 1989. The Berlin Wall falls. I mean, that's that's the biggest story of the year by far. Are you kidding me? Yeah. Huge, huge. Uh the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. Uh, we can all all remember the image uh of that brave man standing in front of the tanks uh in Tiananmen Square in China. Uh the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Uh, you know, the the Exxon Valdez became synonymous with uh with uh natural disaster, not natural disasters, but uh environmental disasters. Yep. George Herbert Walker Bush becomes president uh of the United States, Bush 41. Read my list. Yeah, uh no new taxes and a thousand points of light, of course. Uh the Loma Prieta earthquake strikes the Bay Area during the World Series broadcast. Al Michaels, Jose Canseco, Mark McGuire. Uh, good times were had. Well, not all good times, it was actually quite tragic. But we watched an earthquake live on television if you were watching the World Series that night, and that was pretty crazy. You remember that? Yeah, of course. And I was watching that live. Yeah, me too, me too. We didn't really know what was happening, but it was we knew something went awry. And then Al Michaels.
SPEAKER_09As far as in just amazing TV, and I don't mean amazing good, I just mean you can't believe you're watching this. Is that on the same level as Challenger?
SPEAKER_08Uh I mean, when you think about it to me, uh, you know, Challenger, uh obviously uh the events of 9-11, watching all of that unfold live, and then an earthquake, you know, live on television during uh uh a baseball game is is pretty um uh it's crazy. Must watch TV, must see TV, must watch, what is it called? Must see. Must see TV, yeah. I mean, I think an earthquake is must-ctv. Uh anyway, the game had the game hadn't actually started yet. It was it was like moments away from starting. I think they were moments away from first pitch and then kaboom. Uh I remember seeing the image.
SPEAKER_09I know it's not what we're talking about, and you're not gonna like this because I'm taking this off point, but there's there is some sort of highway where there's a a highway underneath and a highway right on top of it.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, the bridge.
SPEAKER_09And there was an image of the top part broken, but collapsing on the lower part. And that's my what I really remember about that.
SPEAKER_08And then cars just driving off the edge of that. That was crazy. Yeah. Uh a movie ticket cost three dollars and ninety-seven cents in 1989. A gallon of gasoline, check this, a buck twelve. A dollar twelve. I think mine without that. Stamp 25 cents. A dozen eggs was 96 cents. Can you imagine going in with less than a dollar and coming out with 12 meals? That's crazy.
SPEAKER_09I can't imagine going in uh starting your day with five dollars, getting two or three gallons of gas and a dozen eggs and having change.
SPEAKER_08Well, you know, it it makes sense because the federal minimum wage at the time was three dollars and thirty-five cents. So you didn't really have any money in 1989. So all you could have were were eggs and and you know, very cheap movies. Yeah. Didn't make for a good date. Hey, you want to watch Goonies 2 and have some scrambled eggs with me? Yeah. Oh man. Goonies 2, they should have made that. Uh average new car, roughly 15 grand. Uh the Ford Niners beat the Bengals in the Super Bowl, Joe Montana, uh, with that great famous late drive to uh Jerry Rice. Um the Oakland A's, we just talked about that, uh, swept the Giants. Uh the bad boy Detroit Pistons took out took out the Lakers, uh, Dennis Rodman, and uh who else is on that team? Bill Lambert, Isaiah Tommy.
SPEAKER_09Tommy, how far do you want me to go? The microwave, Vinny Johnson, James Edwards, John Spider Sally, Joe Dumas, uh Chuck Nevitt. I mean, I think you're just making up names now. No one's ever thought of Chuck Nevitt. Late 80s, early 90s NBA is my jam. And if you haven't seen Mark Aguire traded for Adrian Dantley, Mark Aguire was on that team. Uh if you haven't seen the 30 for 30 on the Detroit Pistons, uh, check that out. It's a good one.
SPEAKER_08Okay. Uh Michigan beat Seton Hall in overtime for the NCAA basketball uh championship. And then Miami.
SPEAKER_09Beautiful.
SPEAKER_08Miami Hurricanes uh finished number one after beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. I would assume 1989, Miami uh Michael Irvin and Friends.
SPEAKER_09Yes? Uh no. He was already he was already gone, but that was Steve Walsh. Oh, okay. All right, who's another cowboy? But I think Irvin was already gone. Uh Russell Maryland may have been on that team, speaking of the Cowboys.
SPEAKER_08The highest grossing movies of 1989. Honey I shrunk the kids at number five. Look who's talking with John Travolto and Bruce Willis at number four, Lethal Weapon Dose at number three, Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade, which is the finest of all the Indiana Jones movies. We would all agree on that. And the number one movie of the year, Batman. Uh Michael Keaton, Batman, 1989. Huge. Oh, is that right? Yeah. Let's do this. Let's have some fun here. Tell me the top five highest-rated Nielsen shows. Uh give me the five most popular TV shows in 1989. Wend them go.
SPEAKER_09Okay, cheers. Cosby Show, Night Court, uh, LA Law. Uh, how am I doing so far?
SPEAKER_08You've got a couple. Okay. And you've missed a couple.
SPEAKER_09Um yeah. Uh let's see. Um I'm gonna put it into this.
SPEAKER_08At number five. I did pretty good. You did, you did all right. You you got uh, you know, two out of five. Uh at number five, uh the Golden Girls. I mean, who could forget? Dorothy. Sophia, please. Uh A Different World, which was a spin-off from the Cosby show. Yeah. Remember? Uh I think Lisa Bonet went to college or something. Uh Cheers. Okay, nailed it. The Cosby Show. Nailed it. Number one show of 1989, Roseanne. Ah, so I had two of the top three. That's actually pretty good. That's not bad. I mean, you look at that. That's the NBC lineup, basically, for Thursday night. That's what I was doing. Cheers to Different World, Golden Girls. I mean, that's still on C TV.
SPEAKER_09I was just going in uh just off NBC. Was Dallas all still on the air? Were some of those good like primetime soap opera? Well, they went one in 15 that season.
The Rules For The Draft
SPEAKER_08Oh, you mean the TV show, not not the not the Cowboys? Okay. Uh I think that Dallas kind of wrapped up in the late 80s, if I remember. Was it okay? I don't know. But it wasn't in the top five. We know that. Let's talk about the perfect album side. Today's topic, 1989. We've just laid the groundwork of what's going on in the world in 1989. Now we're gonna talk about the music. Like the other episodes based on a year, we have built-in topics uh for for each uh song selection. So, best debut of an artist, the best single debut of an artist, uh, the most iconic song from a movie soundtrack of 1989, the most iconic music video of 1989, the most iconic female vocalist song of 1989, the biggest one-hit wonder of 1989, and last but not least, any song you want from 1989, uh, as long as it was the single was released in 1989, it can be on your perfect album side. Uh that is what we've got. Uh, I'm ready to start building if you are fine, sir.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I I think this the hardest part when we do these years, and it it's it's universal. Every year we do when we do one of these special episodes, finding the songs that actually were released between January 1 and December 31st of 1989. Some there's some great songs that charted really, really high in 1989. Those songs may not have been released in 1989.
Best Debut Single Faceoff
SPEAKER_08They might have been 88. Yeah, I mean, we you know, we have to put some sort of rules. There has to be some sort of time frame. It's not just what was the biggest song of 1989. That's gotta be released that year. Some sort of governance. Debut track from a from an artist or band. Uh, there were uh some f pretty decent debuts in 1989. This is the song that I chose. The song Youth Gone Wild off the album Skid Row. Uh, the single was released in April of 1989, the album came out in January of 1989. Uh, songwriters Rachel Bolin and Dave Snake Sabo, uh producer Michael Wagner off the Atlantic label. Look, this song, it's probably not their biggest hit. It's not even a huge hit of 1989, it barely topped the top 100 of the hot 100, but they announced their presence with authority with this song. I mean, it kind of kicks down the front door, throws a beer bottle against the wall, puts a cigarette out on the dog, and has sex with the girl. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's a crazy, crazy way to debut. Um, I it opened up their career. They went on to have other hits: 18 in life, uh, I remember you with the big power ballad. Um, Skid Row has been on the perfect album side on a a couple different times, has made the final cut, uh, monkey business for the screams of rock and roll at episode 41, as well as I remember you from episode 19, the power ballads. Look, this song kicks ass from start to finish. Uh, I love this band, so there might have been some heart overhead, and I love this song, I love this album. Uh, Dave Snake Sabo. He had a long history with John Bon Jovi. They were kind of neighbors, grew up together in Sayerville, New Jersey. He was briefly part of Bon Jovi when they recorded Runaway, uh, but eventually was replaced by Richie Stambora. But John Bon Jovi and Richie Stambora really hoped helped open the door for Skidrow early on. And, you know, if you're gonna introduce a singer to the world, Sebastian Bach coming in with this song, holy shit.
SPEAKER_09What do you say, Window? I oh man, this this band is so good. And when you think of hair metal bands from the 80s, I know they snuck in um January of 89, but this this band is so underrated when it comes to hair bands. I I love all the songs you mentioned. What about monkey business on that follow-up record? Uh after this record, it's just this is Skid Row subtitled, right?
SPEAKER_08Skid Row off the album Skid Row. Skid Row, right. And they talk about, you know, we've we've talked about this category in the past, um, songs that were the artist uh, you know, like Skid Row, Skid Row, Skid Row, Big Country, Big Country, Big Country, you know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_08Uh the name of the band, Skid Row, the name of the album Skid Row, and then in this song they say Park Avenue leads to Skid Row. You know, it's kind of a fun one. Look, this is not Skid Row's biggest hit. Uh, I'll I'll grant that, but it is Skid Row's birth certificate, and it's awesome.
SPEAKER_09Uh it it it is, and it it's another, especially right here where the song is right now. This is a great chance to showcase Sebastian Bach's voice, one of the best voices in rock. We've done rock, we've done great rock and roll screams, and and Sebastian Bach was right there, as you just talked about. So I I love this band. Um, and I love their range too. 18 in Life, Youth Gone Wild, and then kind of switching things around with a little bit of a ballad with I Remember You, which is probably my favorite song that they have. Uh I yeah, I couldn't, I I wouldn't have been able to tell you they were 1989, but uh I love it. I think this is a great choice.
SPEAKER_08Oh my god, I'm here because that's what we do. 1989, uh Skid Row, their debut. Uh, like I said, uh had to make my perfect album side. Uh Sebastian Bach, probably uh one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time.
SPEAKER_09Uh no doubt about it. And you know, he did that uh he did that uh that Dr.
SPEAKER_08Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It was on Broadway, first of all. He was on Broadway and he had reality shows.
SPEAKER_09He did Phantom. He did he did uh Jekyll and Hyde. I thought he did Phantom of the Opera. Yeah, you may be right.
SPEAKER_08He was on Broadway and so he was.
SPEAKER_09Maybe he was Katz.
SPEAKER_08Who knows? I don't know. He might have been.
SPEAKER_09Maybe he was Hare. Maybe he did. I don't know.
SPEAKER_08He was Hamilton for a while. That was my first song on the perfect album side, the debut of Skid Row. What debut single was on your perfect album side, good sir?
SPEAKER_09Well, this is another instance of welcoming a uh a new band to the perfect album side. Here we go.
SPEAKER_03Why your feet are stumping. And the jam is pumping. Look ahead, the cry jumping. Bump it up a little more. Get the party going on the dance floor. See, cause that's where the party's at, and you find out if you do that. Iowa, a place to stay. Get your food on the board. A place to stay.
SPEAKER_09Dare I say one of the most instantly recognizable jams and grooves and beats of the late 80s. Uh let me take you back to August 18th, Stone Cold, 1989, when Technotronic introduced us to Pump Up the Jam off the album, Pump Up the Jam.
SPEAKER_08Beautiful.
SPEAKER_09Their debut single, debut record. They only released like three or four records, Stone Cold. But you know what I was thinking as I was putting this together? Let's take that one topic, six songs, infinite possibilities, nonsense, and let's replace it with a motto that really kicks, and that is get your booty on the dance floor. Wow.
SPEAKER_08Wow. Uh let's it's just an idea. It's just a revisit that at the next staff meeting about redoing, you know, one idea, six songs, infinite possibilities, or get your booty on the dance floor.
SPEAKER_09Good call. Yep, just something to think about. Belgian group Technatronic. They were called a mix of hip hop and new beats, Stone Cold, widely considered to be the very first Eurodance hit to hit the US. Billboard magazine calls this one of the best dance songs of 2025. Well, it came out in 1989. How is that possible? Well, it's apparently it's got lasting power, as they say in the music business. That's amazing. Debut single released uh, as I said, August 18th, 1989, peaked all the way up at number two, but hit number one on every possible billboard dance chart you can find. Cashbox. Now, the lead singer, Ya Kid K is the singer rapper on this song. She's Congolese, born in uh born Congolese, raised in Belgium. That makes sense. The song was obviously huge in Africa for that reason, hitting number one in Zimbabwe, and of course Belgium, number one as well. With Platinum Stone Cold, one of the most recognizable song beats grooves of the late 80s and 90s. Uh, no doubt about it. Pump up the jam technatronic. We are from the downside.
SPEAKER_08All kinds of geopolitical greatness on this on this uh episode with the Congo and Belgium. Who knew that would come up today? I mean, I just assumed that they were uh from the United States, and I feel so uh uneducated now.
SPEAKER_09Uh also played on Sunnet Live? Yes, if you if you can remember that back in uh I think 1990, but get your booty on the floor tonight. That's what we're talking about. Uh makes my perfect outside.
SPEAKER_08Let me put you on the spot. Wasn't there some controversy? Controversy about this song with like the the video, like the person they had singing on the video was not the actual singer, so like a Millie Vanilli type thing. What was the deal there?
SPEAKER_09Well, in the video, you could probably get away with that a little bit more than you can, say, in concert Millie Vanilli. Sure. There was, uh I don't have the names in front of me, but you're exactly right. Great call. There was a supermodel that played the role of the singer in the video. Um, not at all the singer of this song, right? Not at all the same person. So there was a little bit of blowback, but then they eventually changed it all out, did another video with the real singer, Yakid K, and everybody saw the real person, but you're exactly right. They put a uh and they also did that on the album cover, too.
SPEAKER_08Beautiful. Just to avoid any confusion. The face that you're looking at now, I'm not technically a supermodel. It's it's actually me talking. I'm the one here. So I just I we're not I'm not gonna pull off the mask and be like, wait a minute, this gets short and bald and ugly.
SPEAKER_09No, it's just George, I don't believe that.
SPEAKER_08Yeah. Uh yeah, look, I mean, I looked at this song too. Obviously, this was uh, you know, a huge song from 1989, uh, and and uh a debut track. It's a hell of a way uh to debut their career. You could not I've said this a lot on the Perfect Albumside podcast, but I'm gonna say it again. You just couldn't get away from this song in 1989.
SPEAKER_09Like it was everywhere. And Billboard just said this is the best dance song of 2025. You can't get away from this song today.
SPEAKER_08I don't I don't go to a lot of dance clubs, so I can get away from it. Well, I haven't seen you there, so that's your right. I've been cutting back. Um, but look, I mean, I I looked at this one, uh, I think it's a great choice. You know, I also looked at um Closer to Find by the Indigo Girls. That was their debut single, 1989. Uh, but I thought uh I like Scannerho more, and I'm glad that you went with uh Technotronic Pump Up the Jam.
SPEAKER_09Uh oh, just honorable mention quickly on my side, uh Naina Cherry Buffalo Stance.
SPEAKER_08Great song. Great song. Did Naina Cherry go on to greatness outside of Buffalo Stance that I just don't remember?
SPEAKER_09I don't remember. I think uh we've got another category coming up, so hang in there.
Best Movie Soundtrack Song
SPEAKER_08All right. Uh on the next category we have best song from a movie soundtrack. I believe you will have the con. I went first last time. You go first this time if you're ready.
SPEAKER_09Oh wow. Uh you're jumping right in. I was getting ready to hand over the con, but I can always jump in. Well, I do agree with that. Yes.
SPEAKER_08It took me 97 episodes to finally share. To finally be selfless. Yes.
SPEAKER_09Here is my movie soundtrack song from nineteen eighty-nine. Hit it. This is The Wind Beneath My Wings, Bet Midler.
SPEAKER_08Bet Middler?
SPEAKER_09I knew that was coming. You knew it was coming. I saw that coming a mile away. Uh, this is from, of course, the movie Beaches. 1989. And hey, welcome to the PAS Bet Midler. That unbelievable.
SPEAKER_08Bett Midler, welcome.
SPEAKER_09Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Uh, here we go, Stone Cold. This is a number one hit. Number one hit! Not just a number one hit. Believe it or not, this was her first number one hit. That's impossible. Really? How could that be possible? If I don't get my duties proof. Perfect. Yeah. This was her first number one hit. I can't believe that either. It also won two Grammys, Record of the Year, Song of the Year in 1989. Super recognizable, of course. Seinfeld, gotta make that reference. You already did. Kind of surprised that she's not made the deluxe PAS podcast before. But here she is now, forever engraved in podcast lore. The movie, which is what we're talking about, Stone Cold. Let's dive into it. Beaches, Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, uh, and a host of other very well-known actors. Movie was a smash success. Great love story. Honestly, here we go. Full confession. Never seen it. Uh, I just owned this movie. This song is a part of it, of course. But it's a big time feel-good music, uh movie, drama, comedy. Did 57 million at the box office, which I thought was a little bit a lot was a little bit low, but obviously very profitable. Sequel was in the works, but eventually that got canceled. But we all know the song. The song is one of those movie soundtrack songs that almost made the movie that much more popular. Uh, I know this is not on your perfect album side. I know for a fact there's no way this is on your perfect album side. And I could probably guess which one is, but I I went with You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings. And Stone Cold, really, I don't tell you that enough.
SPEAKER_08I I well, and right back at you, You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings. Uh, here's what I'll say about this song. Um, I too have never seen the movie Beaches. But I know every word to this song. And I have a feeling there are millions of people around the planet that are in the exact same boat that we are.
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_08They've they've never seen that movie. The movie wasn't like the biggest hit of all time. It was a hit movie in 1989, but it wasn't like crazy off the charts. But this song has, I mean, we're talking about, you know, 37 years later, and we're still talking about this song. You know, it's not the coolest pick in the world. You know, we just did Pump Up the Jam and Skid Row, which, you know, come in in your face, and then you have this song. You know, so it's not the coolest pick, but I'll tell you what, it is the correct pick. This is and it should be on the perfect album side. And here's what I'll tell you it will be on the perfect album side, as it was also my pick for movie soundtrack. Yes.
SPEAKER_09I swore to myself, there is no way, because I thought you picked another song, and and when we can talk about it, we'll talk about it when you're ready, because you already referenced a little something earlier, and I was like, Well, earlier I mentioned it's for sure on his perfect album side now.
SPEAKER_08The number one movie of the year was Batman. And Prince had a number one hit with Bat Dance, excuse me. Uh yeah, it was a number one hit with Bat Dance. I went back and I listened to Bat Dance and and a few other songs for this category, you know, over the last week or two. Uh, Bat Dance, although it was a number one hit, and although it was a huge hit, uh, no one has listened to it since 1989. No one. And for good reason. It's not that good. It's just a series of uh, you know, movie clips tied into one. I mean, it was cool for for a month in 1989. This song by Bette Midler has stood the test of time, whereas Bat Dance was disposable. Bat Dance is clearly the the other song we should look at. I would assume that's the one you were talking about.
SPEAKER_09Oh, hands down, it was a number one hit. Um I thought it was a big, big deal when that song hit, when that video hit, the way Prince was the perfect artist to do a soundtrack for Batman. Well, now you're making the case for Bat Dance. Well, I'm just saying, that was you're right though. It's it wasn't sustainable. No one's listening to Bat Dance anymore. It's a number one hit. But Bette Midler, this was a number one hit, her first number one hit, two Grammys, and it's referenced, it's got up and down how many pop culture references uh have used Wind Beneath My Wings. I mean, I tell you, I went with it.
SPEAKER_08Bat dance is probably more fun to talk about. It's it's you know, it's Prince, he's got makeup, it's the movie, all that. But Wind Beneath My Wings is the one that people used in real life: funerals, tributes, weddings, goodbye montages, parent-child moments. It's a tearjerker of a song. You're the wind beneath my wings. Holy crap, what an what an amazing lyric. Now, she didn't write it, and it had been a hit on the country charts, you know, maybe 10 years before that. Although she didn't write it, she discovered it and claimed it in the name of Bette Midler, and it is forever hers. And now it will forever be on the perfect album side of 1989. So congrats to Bet Midler.
SPEAKER_09Gosh, I feel so validated right now.
Most Iconic Video Madonna
SPEAKER_08And her entire team. Uh, I know they're they're gonna be excited about this. The only other other one that I really looked at was uh It Had to Be You by Harry Connick Jr. from when Harry met Sally. But uh these were the two bigger hits went with that one. Uh all right. That was a it was on mine, it was on yours, hence it is on the. I think I'm taking the con back at this point. I just gave it to you. It's all you can say. Let me do this. Let me click click click a little bit click a couple buttons, and I will be ready to go. Uh the category, the most iconic music video of 1989. I have a sneaking suspicion. Suspici one? Suspicious. Is that a is that a meal? Do I order that? Suspicious. Is it called rice? Oh my gosh. Suspicious one.
SPEAKER_09Oh my gosh. Beth Medla. If I don't get my 2D fruity icy, then I'm not a very nice person. How could that be possible?
SPEAKER_08This is the most iconic video of 1989, bar none. You don't even need to nominate one, Windham. Speaking of Prince, that guitar riff was Prince.
SPEAKER_06Life is a story. Everyone must stand alone. I hear you call my name, and it feels like.
SPEAKER_08The video director, Mary Lambert. And I mention her because it's obviously it's the video category. Let's be really clear. This is a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It is probably one of Madonna's defining songs. A signature tune, if you will. It may not be the signature tune, but it's pretty damn close. It is also by far my favorite Madonna song. It's not even close. Uh this video, released in again in March of 1989, hit like a thunderbolt. Um, religious imagery, burning crosses, stigmata, interracial love affairs, a gospel choir, Catholic symbolism, and Madonna standing in the middle of this explosion with complete command of the situation. Um, it's an unbelievable uh visual and one of the most controversial videos ever made for the reasons I just talked about. I mean, you can't have burning crosses and stigmata and interracial stuff in 1989, just it was pushing the a pushing the envelope. Um you know, you know your song or your video is controversial when the Vatican comes out against it. When the Pope weighs in on your music, you've done something terribly right or terribly wrong. You know, but if the Pope's weighing in, you've made it. Another thing to talk about. Pepsi. Big, big sponsorship deal with Madonna right around the time of this album. Pepsi had signed Madonna to a massive endorsement deal, and they use this song in a Pepsi commercial before the video came out. So they give her five million dollars to use this song in a Pepsi commercial. They make the Pepsi commercial, it comes out, they run it during the Grammys, they run it during the Cosby show, and then she releases this video. And Pepsi went, wait a minute, hold everything. Burning crosses? Absolutely not. And they pulled the they pulled the the commercial off the air, and Madonna said, Well, F you, I'm keeping the five million dollars. And so she did. So this, I mean, this video's got it all. Uh all the things I just described, uh, a$5 million sponsorship deal. Uh Pope John Paul II weighs in against it. The Vatican's upside- you know, crazy. What what say you? Let me give you a chance to talk here.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, not on my perfect. Let's end the no let's end the mystery. It's not on my perfect albumside, but I I you know I love this song for all you uh perfect outside archivists out there. Episode 45, controversial songs. I nominated this song. It made the final cut. And uh I like I I think it's a great song. I never got into the I never got into the religious stuff. Like, I'm not Catholic, but I never really got into and I'd have to go back and look at the video again. But there was a shitload of controversy surrounding this song. I remember when it came out. You know, it was one of those things like, oh, well, you're not allowed to watch this this video. Like, we won't you know they can only play it at night, that kind of kind of stuff. Yeah, absolutely remember it. Um, I don't remember the Pepsi stuff as much, uh, but I do remember the video.
SPEAKER_08I don't think Pepsi wanted you to remember that. You know what? Let's go with Michael Jackson again. He's not he'll never do anything wrong. And then they went, wait a minute.
SPEAKER_09Uh Kid, at least all we're doing there is burning his hair off.
SPEAKER_08Right, right. Uh a couple of things. Uh on the last episode of the Perfect Albumside Podcast, we talked about uh the Michael Jackson tune Man in the Mirror and the Andre Crouch choir that appears in that song. They're the ones singing in this song as well. Uh the the African-American gentleman that that plays her lover in this video, his name is Leon Robinson. You probably remember him better, Wyndham. I mean, how could you forget that in 1993? What a resume. Incredible, incredible. Uh Madonna talked about the controversy. She said, art should be controversial and it should make you think. If it just lies down flat, it's not doing its job. I knew like a prayer would push buttons. That was the point. I grew up Catholic and I was mixing the sacred and the profane deliberately. People got angry, people protested, but they also talked about it, and that's what I wanted. Madonna, uh, she's a smart lady. Smart lady.
SPEAKER_09She knew what she was doing, and that's always been her shtick. Okay, and a lot of people have tried to pick up on this. She says something controversial, right? Who knows? She does something controversial. Who knows if she means any of this? She gets the attention, and everybody, there's no such thing as bad PR, Stone Cold, and Madonna invented that.
SPEAKER_08There's no such thing as bad PR. This podcast's gonna take off, Wyndham. We're gonna be making money hand over fist sooner than later. I wonder if we're baby. Um, couple more things about this one, and then I'll uh turn it over to you, good sir. Um yeah, like I said, I mean, it obviously a huge hit, but you know, she kind of went from this blonde, bubbly, material girl like a virgin dancer, and all of a sudden she had the dark hair, all the imagery we talked about, and became a quote unquote more serious artist, uh, less of a bubblegum pop, more of a hard-hitting artist. Um, you know, it's it's it's a rare music video that that comes with a hit song, uh a Pepsi scandal, a church fight, uh, and a five million dollar check that Madonna still gets to cash. Yeah, so maybe my perfect jobside.
SPEAKER_09You know what's interesting about this year, and I looked up, I almost went with this video. I didn't I ended up going with something different. But obviously nominated for I think Video of the Year. Um I'm I'm positive. I I know it was. I looked at it. But okay. Thinking of the Pepsi controversy, do you know what video did win video of the year this year in 1989? DMA? Uh I don't. If we're talking about brand controversies, don't forget Neil Young had Neil Young his right.
SPEAKER_08I don't sing for Coke, I don't sing for Pepsi, yeah.
SPEAKER_09Which is which did win video of the year, but also pissed off a lot of people, and I think MDV ended up uh they refused to play it because of its corporate uh shenanigans and blah blah blah. So I I think this is a great song. Uh obviously a lot of controversy. So that was my choice.
SPEAKER_08What is your choice for most iconic video of 1989?
Most Iconic Video Metallica
SPEAKER_09Uh okay, so when we started this episode, Stone Cold, you went with a little bit of heart overhead, you said you might have leaned in a little bit on the heart with um uh not 18 in life, youth gone wild. Youth gone wild. It was youth. I kind of did the same thing here, although I think it's justified. Um this is a good one, one of my favorites, and uh I think it's justified. Here we go. Is pretty long, so I'm gonna go ahead and jump in. But even before the lyrics hit Stone Cold, uh, you may recognize this is one by Metallica and Justice for All 1989, and of all their hits before the Black album, to me, this is the one that put them on the map, right? Cliff Burton had just passed away, Jason Newstead came in as the bassist. This song right here, to me, is what put them on the map as a legitimate heavy metal rock band. And in the essence of this category, Stone Cold, here's a video that possibly made this song more popular. I mean, uh uh, like a prayer, I don't think anyone can deny that video and everything that went with it made that song more popular. No doubt about it. And I think this one is uh falls in that same category, 100% qualifies. Grammy winner Stone Cold for best heavy metal performance, the very first winner of that.
SPEAKER_08I was gonna say, I was surprised there was a metal category in 1989, but okay.
SPEAKER_09And this is the first one. Uh the song, barely making the cut for this episode topic, released on January 10th, 1989. It's the last single off of Injustice for All. Harvester of Sorrow was first, Eye of the Beholder was second, and then one. The video, Stone Cold, this is why we're here, was absolutely legendary. The song itself is about a World War I soldier who was severely wounded by a landmine. He's left blind, deaf, unable to speak. So the video portrays that story. And it's honestly, if you remember this video of Stone Cold, and I don't know if this one crossed your mind or uh crossed your YouTube as you were looking through some uh videos for this category, but I mean the video is kind of sad. You know, you don't get too many heavy metal, I mean hardcore heavy metal songs that have a video that's kind of heartbreaking. This one is. Uh that black and white lighting, if you remember, now the movie clips from the video. Uh movie clips were from a movie called from 1973 called Johnny Get Your Gun. Well, to use that movie in this video, Metallica had to pay royalties. Well, problem solved. Metallica decided to buy the rights to the movie. That settled that. Uh if this is true or dream. That's what the guy keeps saying if you remember. Yeah. We should I I think that would solve a lot of our problems. Let's just buy the rights to all this music.
SPEAKER_08Yes.
SPEAKER_09Uh the video, and I say it's heartbreaking. It's it's just a lot of images of this guy on an operating table, and he can't talk to anyone. He can't communicate with anyone. They've got a mask over his face, I guess so he can breathe, but he can't be seen. And so eventually he starts to jolt his body a little bit to send Morris code. Yeah. All right. And in and in Morris code, do you remember Stone Cold what his message is in Morris code? SOS. Kill me. Kill me. Over and over and over again.
SPEAKER_08It's hard to watch. Uh yeah. It's uh That's right. That is interactive.
SPEAKER_09And so I watched this video. Go ahead. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08Go ahead.
SPEAKER_09We're get you're getting there. Uh I was gonna say, I watched this video about six or seven times. Uh so two solos. This is let's get back to the music for just a minute. Two solos. The first one is a little bit pedestrian, if I do say so. But the second one hits after that what I call machine gun bass drum and the snare, which I know you're you're dying to talk about. Uh but that double bass drum. Here we go. There it is. Perfect timing. There it is. This is where the song really starts to kick. And it's a longer song, but that second solo, that Kirk Hammett solo is the tapping solo. Very Eddie Van Halen like.
SPEAKER_08I hate to talk over.
SPEAKER_09Again, I'm gonna go back to what I said when we started. This song put Metallica. Yeah, hit it. Go for it. I want to hear your take on this.
SPEAKER_08Well, I I hate to talk over uh the guitar solo and the and the drums. Yeah, I mean, first of all, this song didn't really cross my radar this week when thinking about videos. I locked into the Madonna video and I was done. Um this one, you know, I remember vividly being a kid and seeing this for the first time and just being absolutely haunted. Haunted by this video. Um for a couple reasons. One, because of the content of the video and everything you just talked about. Two, I'd never heard drums played like that before, ever, in my life. I had never heard, you know, that that that hammering bass drum, like that machine gun sounding bass drum, you know, just the those unbelievable notes that Mars Olak was playing, uh, just really shocked me. The second guitar solo, like you talked about, um, and then kill me over and over again. Uh very haunting. Uh, this song has been nominated twice for the perfect album side. Yeah. Uh it was on the Power of Four episode, which was the fourth out fourth song off the fourth album. Uh and then it was also on episode 13, Band 2.0, a band that reinvents itself after they've lost a member. Um so good to see Metallica's one back in there.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, and in this case, two members.
SPEAKER_08That's right. That's a great good point. Uh look, this is a fantastic selection. It's a it's a video that has stood the test of time and still haunts me to this day.
SPEAKER_09Uh 100%. Now, one thing I'm going to point out as we listen to that uh second, even a third solo, Kurt Hammett. He replaced Dave Bastain, who was an original member of Metallica, went on to start Megadeth. Uh Megadeth is famous for the MTV News. Since we're talking about MTV and videos, if you remember that MTV News intro, that's actually a Megadeth song.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, that's right. Kurt Lincoln.
SPEAKER_09I didn't know that till recently. Uh but Kurt Hammett is the guitarist here, youngest member of the band, almost like a kid in this band. But this to me is the song where he said, All right, guys, here I am. I'm not the new guy anymore. Watch this. So I I, you know, I I love this song. I think it's good. I'm not a huge Metallica guy, but this is a song that everybody remembers, 1989, like I said, January 10th. But the other side's about to end. I'm just making sure it doesn't bleed over. But when I looked at this and I was like, oh my gosh, this lost the best rock video or best heavy metal video to Sweet Child of Mind. And I'm like, ugh, it didn't even win an M a VMA, it didn't chart super high. But I said, this is a video, this is a song that I've got to include on here. Um and I I did. I went with it. I, you know, he was going, it was going up against Paul Abdul straight up, GNR, Michael Jackson. I mean, these were the these were the other videos nominated in the 89 VMAs. Madonna. There you go. Living color, Death Leopard, pour some sugar on me. How many times did you see that on MTV? So I went with it anyway. Um I don't count any of that against Metallica. I think this video was massive, and I think this song is incredible. The musicianship in this song is amazing. I'm going with the Stone Cold. Absolutely win by Metallica makes my perfect outside.
Female Vocalist Showdown
SPEAKER_08And I I think it was a great choice. Like I said, that the it didn't win all the awards. Oh, it did win a Grammy, like you talked about. But uh it has haunted me to this day. Uh great selection. Uh I'm glad you picked it. All right, we are on to the next category, which I believe is female vocalist. I don't know who has the colour. Is it me or you? I think it's you. Okay.
SPEAKER_09I'll I'll be glad. Take it. We're taking we're going female vocalist. I just mentioned one of the videos and one of the artists that what uh Metallica was up against in that last category. Well, it wasn't an accident, Stone Cold. Not Stone Cold, but Cold Hearted by Paula Abdul off her debut record Forever Your Girl, Stone Cold. That's 1989. The record debuted, the record came out in 1988, but this was the fifth single released June 15, 1989. I said, I think one of your songs was the day before your birthday in 1989. This is a day before mine. Outstanding. This was a number one hit. Fifth single.
SPEAKER_08Number one hit.
SPEAKER_09Somewhere in the analytics of Perfect Albumside Podcast Stone Cold, how late into somebody's single chronology off of an album? I don't even know if I'm saying that right, when they hit a number one single. Fifth single, okay? Knocked out was the first single, peaked at 41. The Way You Love Me, number two, well, second single, peaked at 88. Straight up, you remember that song. Oh, cool. Went to number one. Forever Your Girl, title track went number one. Cold Hearted came out at number five, also number one, followed by Opposites of Track. The sixth single from this record went number one. MC Scat Cat and Friends. Oh man. And uh Arsenio Hall was also in uh straight up. So first two singles kind of flopped from this record, but the last four singles all went number one. You see where I'm going. You know there's a nugget in here somewhere. It tied, right? Talking about the album now, tied a record for second most number one hits by a solo female artist, and tied for the most off one album, and tied for the most number ones for a debut album by a female solo artist. So Abdul is only one of three artists, George Michael, Mariah Carey to be the other, to have four number one hits from a debut record. Okay, in 1998, Billboard said this record for Every Your Girls, the biggest album ever produced by Virgin Records. A little bit of hyperbole, but maybe they're right. Here we go, Stone Cold, the dancing. Paula Abdul was known for her dancing. Again, videos that helped boost the popularity of songs. I remember a friend of mine's dad that I went to high school with, close friend of mine, his dad was a doctor, he's an orthopedic doctor. When she was in Atlanta to perform, she hurt her ankle or foot, and my friend's dad was her doctor. And I can't tell you how swarmed he got when he got to school that day. All the girls were wanting to make sure she could dance. That was the I just remember that just like yesterday.
SPEAKER_08Do you not remember the the time that we got sued for HIPAA violations on a previous episode? Now you're discussing Paul Abdul's medical records on air? What? I mean, have you learned nothing?
SPEAKER_09I kept things pretty quiet. I'm keeping it very vague. Have you learned nothing? Have you learned are you are you out of your mind? Uh I I even wrote in here, I'm keeping names to myself. Uh Dan Huff plays guitar on this song. Where else have you heard him? No easy way out by Robert Tepper on Rocky IV soundtrack. Uh Paula Abdul and her filthy good debut record Forever Your Girl. And Stone Cold, one thing else I've got on here, you think about the amazing solo female artists and their debut records, Whitney Houston, Jagged Little Pill. Whoops, almost had a little technology issue there, but Jagged Little Pill, Brittany, uh Baby One More Time, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa. Why doesn't Paula Abdul get enough credit? I mean, that's a pretty amazing debut record. That is, I'll die on that hillstone call.
SPEAKER_08Well, I'll tell you, I looked at Paula Abdul when we were talking about 1989, and I was looking at straight up, and I saw that it came out in like mid-1988 or early 1988. So I just kind of brushed aside Paula Abdul thinking that was 1988. But like you said, it's her it was her fifth single from that album, so it came out in 1989. Beautiful, well played, man. I remember that video very well because if if you remember, which I'm sure that you do, I mean, it was a really, really sexy video. I mean, scantily clad. The the dancing was you know very dirty dancing-esque, but you know, I don't remember it, but I'm gonna I mean I still watch it to this day on a regular basis. It was that good. Uh no, I remember the video really well. Uh, you know, was there an audition or something in the video? My is that something like they were like they were like in a dance studio, kind of like an audition type scene. But yeah, Paula Abdul was uh a choreographer before she was a pop star. Um a Los Angeles Lakers girl, uh a choreography coach and instructor, and she also was the choreographer for my next artist. If you're ready.
SPEAKER_09Oh, I'd throw it back to you. I gotta hear this.
SPEAKER_08Okay, here we go. Paula Abdul, the first video that Paula Abdul was ever in was in a video by this artist. You probably recognize the voice at this point. Janet Jackson missed you much off of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 album, released in August of 1989. Writers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, they were also the producers. Uh, like I mentioned earlier, uh Paula Abdul, you know, got her first appearance in a Janet Jackson video that Paula Abdul choreographed. I believe it was Nasty Boys. Does that sound right, Wendow? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_09Well, that's I would know because I am one.
SPEAKER_08Yes, yes. Uh I think she was in the Nasty Boys video. She was like sitting in a movie theater with uh Janet Jackson's friends. Anyway, or with Paula, you get it. Uh Miss You Much. Is Janet Jackson in command or in control, which coincidentally was the name of her album before this one? Uh she could have played it safe uh after the control album, which was a pretty big album, but she came out with Rhythm Nation 1814, which was a sharp, physical, rhythmic, completely confident record. She's kind of stepping out of the shadow of her older brother Michael with this record and just starts kicking ass and taking names with this record. Um, this song spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It became Janet's one of her signature tunes by far. Uh, it launched the Rhythm Nation 1814 era, which she had a series of black and white videos with incredible choreography, including this song. If you remember at the end of this song, there's a whole chair sequence where she dances with a chair, which sounds absurd. But then Usher, Justin Timberlake, uh Beyonce, all of them went on to mimic that video and later uh dance routines. Uh the 1814 in the album title uh refers to the year that the Star Spangled Banner was written, uh, giving uh Jackson's pop campaign kind of a hidden civics class detail there. Um like I said, the video is part of a larger black and white rhythm and nation rhythm nation uh short film montage, if you will. Uh, but that that Miss You Much chair routine became her signature choreography moments. Uh, you know, it was a huge hit, number one hit. Billboard called it the top Hot 100 single of the year. Uh, the American Music Awards and Dance in RB lanes, also Grammy nominations. Janet said about the song, I wanted to make a statement about what was happening in the world. We were dealing with homelessness, racism, violence. The album had a message, but Miss You Much showed we could still have fun and dance while making people think. The choreography became as important as the vocals. It was all part of the same vision. Uh, this is one of the songs that gets in your head, and unfortunately for all of us, or fortunately if you love the song, it's gonna be in your head for the next seven days. You won't be able to stop singing M-I-S-S-MUCH. Uh Miss You Much, Janet Jackson, Rhythm Nation 1814. What do you think about it, Wyndham?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, so you know, this was only her second number one hit. Uh it's the lead single from this record. Spent four weeks at number one. It was the longest-running number one hit from 1989. Here's the thing that I take away from this song, though, Stone Cold, and really from Rhythm Nation, Rhythm Nation 1814 is her thriller, right? MTV did a 30-minute special on this video and how it relates to the short film of Rhythm Nation. So I kind of got thriller vibes from this. Not the not the scary stuff, but the intense dancing, the choreography, uh, the song, the album itself had a number of uh big hits, right? And as you mentioned, it was the number one radio hit of 1989, uh the biggest selling single uh of 1989, all that. Billboard said this is her biggest number one hit. Uh, but you see the influence of this song, and especially the choreography in the video from Britney Spears, Usher, Baxtery Boys, NSYNC. Uh nominating you.
SPEAKER_08You know so much about this song, Windows. How is that possible?
SPEAKER_09I was I was just I was wondering how long were you gonna let me rattle off these sick stats without stopping me saying how on earth is on your perfect album side in some fashion? It is. It's in the category that's also something I'm known for.
SPEAKER_08Oh my god, I I this this one almost didn't even make my perfect album side. I can't believe it's on yours too. It's on mine, it's on yours, hence it's on V. This song Miss You Much by Janet Jackson, Rhythm Nation 1814, makes the perfect album side. This is Janet Jackson with the clipboard, the whistle, the headset, and the whole team coming behind her. She is the coach, she is the leader, and I think the thriller uh reference is is damn near perfect. This is her this is her thriller.
SPEAKER_09Don't you see a lot of similarities there? So much similarity. I mean, it's how this was treated six years later. Totally. How it was released, how it was MTV did a whole special on it. Um yeah. Uh and we've had 1814, that reference to Francis Scott Key. We've had we've had some fun with Francis Scott Key on this podcast.
SPEAKER_08I mean, who hasn't had fun with Francis Scott Key? I've always said that.
SPEAKER_09I mean, Fort McHenry, please.
SPEAKER_08Please, it's the War of 1812. Uh miss you much. It was on mine, it was on yours, hence it will be on the. I'm I'm literally.
SPEAKER_09Two different categories now, though, before we get to pitchforks and torches. Two different categories.
One Hit Wonder Debate
SPEAKER_08In one way or another, uh, this song is making the perfect album side. Uh, I think I probably have the con to go uh as we move on to one hit wonder of 1989. There were some pretty good songs to choose from. Uh, this is the one that I went with.
SPEAKER_05It wasn't my intended to display to it never should have been displayed.
SPEAKER_08Martika. Toy Soldiers from Martica, April 1989, writer, Martika, producer, Michael J off the Columbia record label. Uh this is this one-hit wonder that has stuck with me for 37 years now. I liked the song when it came out in April of '89. I've liked it all 37 years since then, but it wasn't really until this week that I truly started paying attention to the lyrics and realized this song is Dark AF, as the kids would say. Yeah. I always thought it was just kind of a cute little song, whatever, Toy Soldiers, and it's got this little kid back, you know, uh choir. It's all about addiction and drugs, and when you listen to it through that vein, it's a totally different song, and now I like it even more. Uh, let's be clear on a couple things. A number one hit. It is Martika's signature song. Obviously, it's a one-hit wonder category. She did have some other stuff later, but I think the majority of the world would consider Martika a one-hit wonder. Um, and then it was later used by Eminem uh on a song called Like Tour Toy Soldiers using that hook again. We have talked about this song on the Perfect Album Side podcast before on episode 65: Songs with famous backup singers. And the choir that you hear uh consists of several of Martika's former Kids Incorporated castmates. If you remember the TV show Kids Incorporated, uh the one we've talked about on this on this podcast before, Stacey Ferguson, aka Fergie. Fergie. Jennifer Love Hewitt sings backup on this. Incredible. Rasan Patterson, Devin Pewett, Renee Sands. But I was just. Floored. Fergie and Jennifer Love Hewitt apparently are part of the uh children's choir that sings along with this one. Um, and again, uh Eminem brought it back years later uh by pulling off the hook. It's a great song. It was then, it is now, and now that I know it's all about uh, you know, addiction and specifically cocaine addiction, I believe is what it's about. You know, it's a one-hit wonder pick with a nursery rhyme hook, but with a rehab center heart. That's my take on this song. What do you say about it from that?
SPEAKER_09I I mean I like this song. I don't know it terribly well if we're gonna be really honest with each other about this. Please, let's be honest with each other about our feelings. Um, I I don't know a whole lot about this song to be I mean.
SPEAKER_08I mean, I just told you 72 different facts about it. What do you mean you don't know a lot about this song? You know everything about this song.
SPEAKER_09I meant before you downloaded uh the bio of Marquita. Uh I so yeah, I think this is a great song. To me, it is dark. It's got a dark sound to it with a little bit of the kids' choir in the background. That's to me, it sounds a little darker. Umber song. But yeah, I think it's a good song. Yeah, number one head. Can't argue with that Stone Cold.
SPEAKER_08Well, nothing's more convincing than a grown man saying, Yeah, it's it's it's a good song. That's that's what he had to say about it, folks.
SPEAKER_09That's why the listeners show up every week.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, uh look, I like I said, I like this song. Um It made my perfect album side. It has been nominated for a perfect album side once before. This is the second nomination. Let's see if it makes the final cut for the perfect album side. What song will it be going up against today? Going up against today, fine, sir. What song have you selected for yours? I hand you the con, my man.
SPEAKER_00This here's a trampoline, all the fellas. Try to do what those ladies tell us. Get your eyed down, cause you're overzealous. Play hard together. Females get jealous. Okay, smarty, go to a party. Girls are dancing, cloud is showing body. Your chick walks by, you wish you could text her. But you're standing on the wall like you was point next to Next Day function, high class luncheon. Food is served in your stone call lunchin'. Music comes on, people start to dance, but then you ate so much, you nearly split your pants. A girl starts walking, guys start gawking. Sits down next to you and starts barking. Said she wanna dance because he likes the groove. So come on, fat so and just bust the move. Just bust the move.
SPEAKER_09There it is. I I think this song qualifies, no doubt about it. Uh, we'll get more into that later, but I think this is a such a fun song to listen to. It's Bust a Move, Young MC. But you want to know the real reason why this one made my perfect album side, Stone Cold? Yeah, we all do. That's why we're here. The album, debut album, Stone Cold Ryman. No.
SPEAKER_08Oh yeah, Stone Cold Ryman. Please. Beautiful, beautiful. I'd like to reverse my Martica thing and go with uh with that then.
SPEAKER_09It's just a fun song to listen to. The song peaked at number seven, third single released. Dressed in yellow, she says hello. The song takes samples from a ton of different songs, uh, but uh mostly Found a Child by Ball and Jack, which happens to be my nickname. But the breakdown segment, as we get to in just a minute, it's sampled from another song called Daytime Hustler by Bet Midler. No, yeah, that's right, no kidding. No Bet Midler? After listening to Daytime Hustler, it's far and away my favorite Bette Midler song. It's a really good song, great groove. But back to Bust a Move. The bass guitar is Stone Cold. Do you have any guesses?
SPEAKER_08Um I tell you, obviously.
SPEAKER_09I think you're right. Yep. I knew that. And I guess we're just throwing all PG ratings out the door.
SPEAKER_08Sorry. Sorry, I got excited.
SPEAKER_09Uh I knew that, but I had forgotten it. But uh cool little nugget there, Stone Cold. Song stayed on the hot 100 for 39 weeks. That's pretty impressive.
SPEAKER_0839 weeks?
SPEAKER_09Yeah.
SPEAKER_08That's incredible.
SPEAKER_09For a one-hit wonder. That's a big deal. Far and away, his biggest hit. It won a Grammy for best rap performance, beating out De La Sole, Me, Myself, and I. Uh DJ, Jazzy Jeff, and the Fresh Prince. Fight the uh, I don't remember that song, but uh what song they did. Fight the Power by Public Enemy and Funky Cold Medina by Tone Lok. That's some heavy competition, Stone Cold. Yeah, that is. Single went platinum. Uh, lots of other songs sampled in here, but it's a great song. Now, the follow-up song to Bust Up Move was Principal's Office, and it did chart for about a week, uh, 33.
SPEAKER_08I think it's fair to say that that Young MC is a one-hit wonder.
SPEAKER_09I think it's absolutely fair. Now, I will say this too: putting the song on here, uh, I got a chance to listen to a lot of Stone Cold Ryman. And let me tell you, that that is a good record. There are some really, really good songs uh on that record. I I I'm being totally serious.
SPEAKER_08May I ask a couple of questions? Uh is Youngman season is he still among the living? Is he still with us? Do you know? Is he still alive? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I've so young. I wonder if if his entire gig is playing this song at corporate parties now. Like he just shows up and busts out this song and they're like, hey, here's 80 grand. Uh maybe.
SPEAKER_09But yeah, he's uh he's about seven or eight years older than we are. But he's still around. He's near death, then. These are his final moments. Uh yeah, I mean, I'm sure I'm sure he doesn't get m many gigs much more than the Saperstein Bar mitzvah and maybe an office party or two.
SPEAKER_08Or Wyndham Pridgeon's 15th birthday, like Dream So Real did.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_09But the Busta Move was busy that night, so we went with Dream So Real. Uh yeah, did you have another question? You had two follow-up questions, and I'll now take your questions.
SPEAKER_08I I don't remember what the other one was. I got so enamored with Busta Move, I forgot.
SPEAKER_09Well, that's what we're here to that's what we're here to do. But uh, that wraps up my perfect album side because we took uh It wraps up.
SPEAKER_08It took some it takes what you did there. Beautiful. I mean you really brought that one full circle. It had both Stone Cold uh as well as what was the other uh really cool nugget you had in there, Stone Cold? Oh, Ben Midler. Ben Midler, of course. Fantastic way to take it full circle. That's what this is.
SPEAKER_09But don't you think I mean that song that song was huge? Your Toy Soldier was too, but uh soldier's, but bust a move, that was a really, really big song. Here's why I made my list, my perfect opposite. 39 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, which is insane, and a Grammy Award winner, beating out Tone Loke, Public Enemy, DJ Jazzy Jeff. And Fresh Prince.
SPEAKER_08Don't forget Fresh Prince when you say DJ Jazzy Jeff, of course.
SPEAKER_09And TFP, hashtag the Fresh Prince.
SPEAKER_08Oh, nice.
SPEAKER_09Uh yeah, that makes my one-hit Wonderstone call, bust a move. Marvin Young, aka YoungMC.
Wild Card Tom Petty Pick
SPEAKER_08Outstanding. We have one category left. I believe you.
SPEAKER_09I've already given you mine.
SPEAKER_08Oh, okay. Then this is the final song on the Perfect Album Side podcast for today. It was my wild card. I thought we would have crossover with this song. I guess I am wrong. I'm shocked by you, Mr. Pridgin. Here we go. This is the song that I chose uh for the wildcard spot, and I can't believe you didn't pick it one.
SPEAKER_01She's a good girl. Loves her mama, loves Jesus in America too. She's a good girl. What's crazy about elves? Loves good. And her boyfriend.
SPEAKER_08Great drum fill. Free fallen, Tom Petty. Who you're a huge fan of Windham. I really thought this song would make your perfect album side in some way, shape, or form, but it does not. Uh Tom Petty off the album Full Moon Fever, one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Uh the single released November of 1989, the album released in April that year. Uh songwriters Tom Petty and Jeff Lynn, produced by Jeff Lynn, Tom Petty, and Mike Campbell. So a few of the uh the heartbreakers in there, although this is considered Tom Petty's first solo record without the heartbreakers. Um this look, this one is my wild card. It's a straight-up rock song. There's no gimmick to it, there's not a whole lot of amazing parts to it. It's just an unbelievable song. Three chords and the truth, somebody once said. And this song paints a beautiful uh picture of life in Southern California in 1989, in my mind. Uh it became one of Tom Petty's most enduring and widely recognized songs. Maybe his signature song. We throw that phrase around a lot, I'm gonna throw it around now. Um it helped it helped help make Full Moon Fever one of the great late 80s classic rock records. It absolutely is one of the best ever. Um Petty and Jeff Lynn wrote and recorded this song in two days. It was the first song completed for this album. Uh, you know, two days for an immortal song. It's it's kind of rude of them, in my opinion. Some of us work our whole lives, they did it in two days. Uh Mike Campbell plays the 12-string electric guitar, Phil Jones handles drums and tambourine. It's a small band, but a huge song. Um look, I know you're a big Tom Petty guy. I know it clearly didn't make your perfect album side, so something's wrong with you. We've established that, but tell me your thoughts on this song.
SPEAKER_09Well, I mean, this is this is uh first song side one, right? Song one, side one. I love this record. And there isn't a bad song on here. I could probably go out, do away with facing the crowd, or alright for now. This is an amazing record. This is another one of those songs, Stone Cold, that it got thrown into a movie. And look what happened to it. That's you know, I don't know if the movie made this song more famous or if the song made the movie more famous, but this is an amazing song. Let me tell you one thing about Full Moon Fever. Um, and and we've mentioned this on the Perfect Albicide podcast before, but this was when CDs were, you know, came out in October of 1989. This is when CDs were starting to just catch some catch some wind, right?
SPEAKER_08They were really they were starting to become mainstream at this point, but they were still newish.
SPEAKER_09If you remember this CD Full Moon Fever, they're right after uh feel a whole lot better. Yep. Yeah uh they have the famous hello CD listeners. Uh we've come to the point in this album where those listening on cassette or records will have to stand up or sit down and turn over the record or tape. In fairness to those listeners, we will now take a few seconds before we begin side two. And I am just like, that is so Tom Petty, so genius. Uh, but I love this record start to finish. This is one of those records you hear that question all the time, Stone Cold. Give me a record right now. You could listen to first track through the last track without skips. This would be one. Full moon fever. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_08If 1989 has one song that sounds like it has it escaped the calendar, it's this one.
SPEAKER_09It's it's it escaped it like like was put in a like a hyperbolic chamber for 10 years?
SPEAKER_08Something like that. It just doesn't fit with 1989. Like, you know, we have uh a lot of uh Skid Row, hair metal, Bon Jovi stuff going on. We've got a lot of uh techno dance stuff like you know, technotronic and and choreography with Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson and and who could forget Bette Midler, of course, but then you've got Tom Petty just with a straight-up acoustic guitar and a small band with uh arguably one of his biggest hits of all time.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, it it totally was. And the funny thing about it is you mentioned some of the, you know, George Harrison is on this, uh uh you mentioned Jeff Lynn is on uh a lot of these songs. Uh you've also got Roy Orbison on this song, you've got Del Shannon, right? Don't forget uh the world famous song Runaway, which was a number one billboard hit. He's on this record. Um but at the same time, and I don't have my dates together, but at the same time, the traveling willberries were just starting to get picked up. So you know he's putting this record out. The Willberries were getting their record put out, uh, volume one. And I mean Tom Petty even first solo or first record without the heartbreakers, he was doing just fine.
Final Perfect Album Side Results
SPEAKER_08Absolutely. That was the final song on my perfect album side. We have heard all of yours, we have heard all of mine. It is time to build the perfect album side of 1989. Are you ready for that, good sir?
SPEAKER_09I am ready. Let me put on my lab coat and my safety goggles, and I am ready to get into the laboratory.
SPEAKER_08Okay, here we go. Uh, best debut single of an artist. I went with Skid Row's Youth Gone Wild. You went with Pop Up the Jam by Technotronic. Um, as much as I love Skid Row and whatnot, I mean Technotronic, that was one of the biggest hits of the year by far. Whereas Youth Gone Wild uh gets a spot in my heart, uh Technotronic gets a spot in my brain. I I would concede to Technotronic.
SPEAKER_09I I'll take that concession and I agree with you wholeheartedly. I like uh Youth Gone Wild much better, but it's hard to argue with a record or a song that was released in 1989 that is considered the 2025 best dance club music, uh best dance club song. That's pretty hard to argue against.
SPEAKER_08Movie soundtrack. I went with Wind Beneath My Wings from Beaches. You went with Wind Beneath My Wings from Beaches. Hence it is on the perfect album side for uh most iconic song from a movie soundtrack. Uh as for the video category category, I said like a prayer by Madonna, you said one by Metallica. Uh, what do you think?
SPEAKER_09I'm I'm I'll give you a concession back. I don't think you can argue with the controversy that went along this song with this song. Um I love one by Metallica. I love the video, as sad as it is. I love the music, I love the finger tap solo, but I'm gonna go with Madonna like a prayer. Um number one hit. Uh can't argue with that.
SPEAKER_08All right, as far as song sung by a female vocalist, uh it's Janet versus Paula Abdul, uh the choreographer versus the dancer, uh both huge hits. Uh what do you think?
SPEAKER_09I mean, it's hard to turn down uh Janet Jackson and with what she was doing. Although I will say this, I don't want to dismiss Paula Abdul. Debut record four number one hits, singles three through six were all number one hits. I don't know. That's a tough one. Well, we've got Janet Jackson on the wildcard too, if we need to come back to it.
SPEAKER_08Um petty to be clear.
SPEAKER_09She would. I don't I'm not prepared to do that just yet.
SPEAKER_08Uh let's come back to that one. Let's move on to one hit one hit wonder. Uh Martika Toy Soldiers one hit uh versus bust a move by Young MC. If you'll allow me, I have something to say about this. Uh I I love the Martika song, but I mean 39 weeks on the Hot 100, uh Young MC bust a move. And I promise you, uh, you know, this weekend he's gonna be busting a move at some party. Uh I I would concede to uh to Young MC there. If you're gonna be able to do that.
SPEAKER_09Okay, I'll take it. Yeah, I I just again I'm set for the millionth time. That's such a fun song to listen to. Um put some earbuds in. It really kicks, but I'll take it.
SPEAKER_08As far as the wild card, again, we we've got Janet Jackson nominated in two different categories and then Tom Petty. Um what do you think? Oh, and then you've got uh what what was your wild card? Oh, it's Janet Jackson. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. How do you want to?
SPEAKER_09We have three songs to choose from for two songs.
SPEAKER_08We have three songs. Uh Janet Jackson, uh, uh Paula Abdul and Tom Petty.
SPEAKER_09Well, really, it's just one song or one spot, two songs, because uh tell me, uh I I need to pull out the uh perfect outside constitution to make sure I'm interpreting the laws right. But we both chose Janet Jackson Miss Use.
SPEAKER_08She's gotta be on there somewhere. We could put her in wildcard and put Paula Abdul in uh the female spot if you want to. Rule out Tom Petty.
SPEAKER_09Uh it's hard to rule out Tom Petty, but yeah, I'll do it. I think both those songs. What was Tom Petty? Did we did we get a chart number on that three fallen song?
SPEAKER_08I don't think it hit number one. I don't even think it was a top two.
SPEAKER_09I'm gonna side, I'll side with the number one hit.
SPEAKER_08Paula Abdul. The perfect album side of 1989 looks something like this. For the debut single Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic, um, for the video Madonna's Like a Prayer, for the movie soundtrack Wind Beneath My Wings from Bet Midla. Uh, the best or most iconic song by a female, Cold Hearted, by Paula Abdul. The biggest one-hit wonder of 1989 was Bust a Move by Young MC, and the wild card would be Miss You Much by Janet Jackson. This one took some surprising turns in my mind. I didn't think it would be filled up uh with some of these big dance hits like Janet and Paula and Madonna and Technotronic, but hey, welcome to 1989.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, a hundred percent. And and I, you know, looking at some of the lists of songs, like Richard Marks had two massive hits in 1989, right here waiting and satisfied, neither one made the perfect album side. What about if we went with Skid Row? What about heaven with Warrant?
SPEAKER_08Right? Dirty Rotten Philosophy. The perfect album side has been determined, Wyndham. It's over. Stop selling. It's over. The episode is over. It's time to say our goodbyes and listen to the outro music. Yes. You're here selling new songs. Have you ever even listened to this show before? I mean, if you wanted to nominate Warren, not shitty song Heaven, you should have done that. I'm sorry.
unknownGod.
SPEAKER_08I mean, 97 episodes in, and he doesn't know what's going on here.
SPEAKER_09I'm sorry I said anything. It's just interesting to me and to some listeners somewhere that there are big artists from this year that are that never made the perfect album side. And I'm just finding that interesting. That's all I want to do. I just want to relate to the people.
Wrap Up And Where To Follow
SPEAKER_08I would be willing to bet this is the first perfect album side we've ever had. Maybe not ever, but pretty darn close. To not feature a rock and roll song. Not one. Wow. Great pickup. Put that in your pipe and smoke it warranty. Oh, don't worry, I'm going to. Uh 1989, dude. This was fun. Thank you, man. It's great to see you and your beard. Yeah, well, it's here. It goes with me wherever I go. We just finished episode 97. We got two episodes to go until we hit episode 100, and big things are coming with episode 10. I think that's a good question. I don't want to give away too much, but we got some fun stuff happening coming up over these next few episodes. Thank you guys for listening. Check us out at Perfect Album Sid on uh Twitter, uh Perfect Album Side on Instagram, uh Perfect Album Side on Facebook. Uh more to come. Good to see you, sir. Uh good perfect album side, my man.
SPEAKER_09Great perfect album side. Good nothing. Good is for peasants. Great perfect album side. Beth Medler.
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