Many different types of musical movements were colliding in 1989. The charts were heavy with rap, R&B, and heavy metal. Amidst all that newer stuff, it wasn’t easy for veteran rock acts to find their footing in the pop charts.
Videos by American Songwriter
These four well-established bands defied those odds and knocked out Top 40 hits in that iconic year. And, in some cases, they had to change up their game a bit to get it done.
“Mixed Emotions” by The Rolling Stones
It’s hard to imagine now. But for a few years in the second half of the 80s, folks legitimately wondered if The Rolling Stones had run their course. Their output in the decade had been inconsistent to that point in terms of its quality. Meanwhile, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards reached a level of personal acrimony between them that dwarfed what had come before. Luckily, they put aside their differences and came back together for the Steel Wheels album. To address the elephant in the room, they chose “Mixed Emotions” as the lead single. The song, which hit No. 5, righteously rocked. It also genuinely felt like the two men were making their cases for rapprochement in song.
“Love In An Elevator” by Aerosmith
The Boston hard rockers had already defied the odds with their 1987 album Permanent Vacation. Remember that the early 80s had been a time of commercial struggles and intra-band squabbling. But helped by the collaboration on “Walk This Way” with Run DMC, they found their mojo again with several hit singles on that comeback LP. Could they do it again on Pump? The first single from that 1989 album, “Love In An Elevator”, pretty much ensured it. These guys always did well with a little innuendo, although this track doesn’t try to hide its lascivious intentions much. While the band by that time was relying heavily on outside writers, Aerosmith leaders Steven Tyler and Joe Perry handled the writing chores on his No. 5 hit by themselves.
“Second Chance” by 38 Special
If we could hand out an award for the biggest hit by a band that sounded almost nothing like their most well-known material, “Second Chance”, which hit No. 6 in 1989, would win hands down. 38 Special gained notoriety for combining arena rock tendencies with some Southern flavor. That formula worked well on several hits in the first half of the decade. Songwriters Jeff Carlisi and Cal Curtis wrote the bare bones of this song back in 1983. Max Carl, who joined 38 Special for the Rock & Roll Strategy album in 1988, took it from there, adding his own lyrics and singing lead. The fact that the band released it as their second single from the record indicates that they weren’t sure about the soulful ballad. It became their biggest-ever pop hit.
“The Doctor” by The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers first enjoyed success in the early and mid-70s with a boogie rock sound known for its looseness and grit. When Michael McDonald joined in the mid-70s, they started to follow his lead and began relying on jazzier, more soulful studio concoctions. After that period of huge success, McDonald went solo. And the Doobies pretty much called it a day for a while, going nine years between studio albums. When they returned with Cycles in 1989, Tom Johnston, one of their chief singers and writers from the early years, returned as well. On “The Doctor”, they effortlessly recaptured the sound of the first Johnston era. And they walked away with a surprise No. 9 hit in the process.
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.