Today is a big day. It marks the start of college football season - more namely the Wisconsin Badgers. I'll be at the game tonight, and quite pumped. So yeah! That has nothing to do with Ms. Abdul here though - and her pop music straight out of the 80's. Follower janis! asked that I run through 1988's 'Forever Your Girl', which was her first studio release. Paula comes from a mixed background and grew up in a Jewish family. She took to dancing early in her life and knew it was something she was passionate about. She was a cheerleader and honor student in high school - and ended up getting a scholarship to Cal State - Northridge. Her freshman year she was selected to be a Laker Girl and became head choreographer for the University. So obviously the dance side was there and solid. It was 1987 when she first tried out the singing thing, even through her voice was raw and she'd never had any training. It took 62 weeks after the debut for her album to hit #1 - which sets a record in length to reach the top. It then spent 10 weeks at number one. She won a grammy for the video for 'Opposites Attract', and things seemed to be going nowhere but up. Her decline is something for a different post though, I'll focus on this album. So - we all know how I feel about pop music. And this is the ideal review to display how I feel about it. This music is absolute garbage. It's catchy as hell and makes you want to dance if you're into it. But lyrically, it's awful. The beats are fun and the 80's synth is worked in well. But when the day is said and done - the music doesn't hold up over the years. You could easily listen to this and feel nostalgic and love it again - but I think if you played this for today's pop crowd, they'd laugh. I'm laughing. You should laugh too.
TRACK LISTING:
1. Way That You Love Me, The
2. Knocked Out
3. Opposites Attract
4. State of Attraction
5. I Need You
6. Forever Your Girl
7. Straight Up
8. Next to You
9. Cold Hearted
10. One or the Other
Listen To Samples
Top 3 Tracks:
1. Straight Up
2. Opposites Attract
3. Forever Your Girl
FINAL RATING:
2 out of 5 stars
oh, the dance routines and sing-alongs... I would have to give this one a 5 just for nostalgic reasons! :) When are you reviewing Amy Grant?
ReplyDeleteA young JenInTosa with jelly shoes on, slap bracelets and a 'do the bartman' t-shirt dancing along with Paula Abdul. Priceless.
ReplyDeleteHaha, drop her in the box! Baby, baby!
swap that "Bartman" tee for a NKOTB tee and you pretty much got it! Oh! and don't forget the neon green leggings! Looking forward to the Amy Grant review!!!
ReplyDeleteLeggings. Was there anything sexier? Oh wait, modern day jeggings. How could I forget about those?
ReplyDeleteAmy Grant should be fun. I love poppy jesus music!
hater. paula abdul and color me badd were my first concert ever in 1992. did you know that paula also did some choreography for another one of your favorites - janet jackson?
ReplyDeleteYou're right. I am a hater of mediocre pop music.
ReplyDeleteMaybe her and janet should have a stopped being cool 15 years ago party together.
You are wrong. Opposites Attract is the best song, then Cold Hearted, then Forever Your Girl. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteWhatever. Arrange them in any order you'd like. They still suck.
ReplyDelete