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.
Joe Jackson is a versatile singer/songwriter from England who scored a handful of hits on the US charts in the 80s. His biggest chart hit was "Steppin' Out," which strutted to #6 in 1982. He also scored with "Is She Really Going Out With Him' (#21) and "Breaking Us In Two" (#18). As this song attests, Joe Jackson thought the world was filled with too many choices back in 1991. His head must be exploding these days. "It's All Too Much" comes from his underrated 1991 record, "Laughter And Lust."
