Suzanne Vega scored her breakthrough hit with the stunning song about child abuse called "Luka." It soared to #3 in 1987 and made Vega a staple at radio. She seemed poised to be a superstar, but her follow-up single (and album's title track) "Solitude Standing" barely made a dent on the chart, stopping at #94. Also on the "Solitude Standing" record was an a cappella opener called "Tom's Diner." The song was remixed by a pair of DJs known as D.N.A. and became an unexpected hit, reaching #5 in 1990. Vega retooled her sound in the 90s to incorporate more electronic and experimental elements. The formula worked and she received considerable airplay with tunes like "Blood Makes Noise" and "99.9F," although neither charted. Vega's first hit should have been "Left Of Center" in 1986. Featured in the hit movie Pretty in Pink, this is a terrific song made even better with Joe Jackson on piano.
Vega is a modern AOR band that released their first record, "Kiss Of Life," ten years ago in 2010. The throwback sound to the glory days of bands like Survivor and Journey brought them a loyal following of AOR fans, but unfortunately music like this doesn't usually find its way onto the charts these days. "Cry" comes from their sophomore effort, "What The Hell," and still stands as one of my favorite cuts from this band.
A teenage heartthrob from North Dakota, Bobby Vee was omnipresent on the radio and big screen throughout the 60s, ranking as the 20th most successful artist of the decade. His first big hit arrived in 1960 when "Devil Or Angel" soared to #6. Vee would rack up an impressive list of Top 40 hits, notably "Rubber Ball" (#6), "Run To Him" (#2), "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" (#3), and "Come Back When You Grow Up" (#3). He also landed at the top spot once: "Take Good Care Of My Baby" stayed at #1 for three weeks in 1961. Many of his songs were covers, and a large number written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. By the end of the decade, Vee was struggling to adapt to the shifting musical landscape. His last chart appearance was in 1970 when "Sweet Sweetheart" stalled at #88. Vee collaborated with many others during his hey day, and "Someday (When I'm Gone From You)" is from a 1962 album he did with The Crickets. It was featured on the "Punish Her" single that went to #20. "Someday" only reached #99. Vee passed away in 2016 at the age of 73.
Singer and songwriter Danny Vaughn first made waves in the bands Waysted and Tyketto, the latter of which would have been huge had they entered the late 80s rock scene a little earlier. Between their demise and reunion many years later, Vaughn has released numerous solo albums and led several other projects such as From The Inside, Burning Kingdom, and Ultimate Eagles, an Eagles cover band. Despite his tireless efforts in these varied projects, his talents have gone largely unnoticed by the mainstream. "Is That All There Is?" is a lost gem from his 2000 solo record entitled, "Soldiers And Sailors On Riverside."
The Vapors were an English new wave band remembered for their one and only Top 100 in the US, "Turning Japanese." The song is widely considered an 80s classic, although it only reached the modest position of #36 in 1980. The song came from their debut record, "New Clear Days." After their 1981 sophomore release, "Magnets," failed to produce a major hit, The Vapors dissolved. Remarkably, after 34 years, the band has reunited and released their third LP in 2020 called "Together." The lead single, "Crazy," picks up right where the band left off.
The first wise thing Randy VanWarmer did for his music career was to change his name (his birth name was Van Wormer). This Colorado-born singer and songwriter scored a huge hit off his debut album when "Just When I Needed You Most" soared to #4 in 1979. Strangely, VanWarmer could not come close to matching the success of his big hit and quickly faded into obscurity in the 80s. He let out a couple of whimpers before disappearing in 1981: "Whatever You Decide" and "Suzi" landed at #77 and #55, respectively. Sadly, he passed away from leukemia in 2004 at the age of 48. While remembered mostly for soft rock ballads, VanWarmer's records boasted plenty of upbeat and experimental material, such as "Down Like A Rock." It comes from his 1980 sophomore effort, "Terraform."
In the US, the English pop group Vanity Fare is typically only known for a single song: "Hitchin' A Ride," which soared to #5 in 1970. Serious music fans may also remember the lesser known hit that preceded it, "Early In The Morning," which went to #12. The group had a third and final chart entry called "(I Remember) Summer Morning," which stalled at #98. There was lots more that should have graced AM radio back in the early 70s from Vanity Fare. Why the sunny pop of "Carolina's Comin' Home" didn't make an impression on the charts is a mystery.
