Roll with it steve winwood billboard11/22/2023 ![]() ![]() Even the bloated synths that I detested so much in the intro to “The Finer Things” seems to have found their place in the brief chorus before the final verse/chorus – now I love them. And once that soaring chorus comes in, it all just falls into place. This one leans way more on the synths, but with enough breathing room to let these poetic lyrics really shine ( “So cool, she was like jazz on a summer’s day”). With this one, though, it all seems to come together. He’s definitely talented, but his songs tend to consist of a bunch of great elements combined with some ill-fitted ones that bring the whole thing down (“Higher Love” immediately comes to mind). I’ve listened to a few of Steve Winwood’s hits along this challenge, but somehow this is the only one to have left a notable impression on me so far. “Valerie” – Steve Winwood: And now for a different brand of 80s bigness. I still can’t say I’m big on Diamond Dave, but this is an improvement!ĩ6. The end result is a pretty decent party rock track that celebrates the decadence of the era in huge sincerity. While his “California Girls” cover was just atrocious, this is much better – those guitars shimmer along quite nicely, and while his personality is a bit more toned-down here, this actually works to the track’s benefit. David Lee Roth, in particular, is one of the genre’s poster boys, particularly for his embrace of the more hedonistic parts of the culture. ![]() “Just Like Paradise ” – David Lee Roth: In case you haven’t noticed… yep, we’re in the hair metal part of the decade. Nonetheless, this is one of the most 1988 songs I think I’ve ever heard.ĩ7. Still, this is a pretty big, stupid song about partying way too much ( “They say I spend my money on women and wine / But I couldn’t tell you where I spent last night”) and the ankle-deep pretense gets old pretty quickly. This is also the definitive sound of Poison and other hair metal bands of their ilk: big guitars, shouty melodies, lyrics about excess and hedonism… did I mention the big guitars? While I’m generally pretty lukewarm on Poison as a whole, to me this is one of their more charming cuts – the melodies in the verses and chorus are catchy as hell and I love the way Bret Michaels sings “same ol’, same ol'” in the pre-chorus. Though in that review I somehow never even mentioned this song, which was the band’s biggest hit before their chart-topper. “Nothin’ but a Good time” – Poison: Welcome back, Poison! Although I’ve already reviewed “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, I do believe this is the first time I’ve encountered Poison for the Hot 100 challenge. I’ve certainly heard worse power ballads, but there’s sadly not much I can enjoy about this particular one.ĩ8. It’s clear that this guy has no intention on leaving his ex alone, and it shines through in these lyrics crystal clear ( “Wait, just a moment and tell me why / ‘Cause I can show you lovin’ that you won’t deny”, “So if you go away, I know that I will follow”, “Wait, wait, I never wanna be without you”). Nonetheless, these lyrics are pretty insufferable and whiny. There’s some nice guitar strewn here and there and the overall structure piques my interest pretty well for a power ballad. It does get a little better as it goes… but honestly, not by too much. “Wait” – White Lion: This song is problematic from the very first line: “I never had a chance to love you / Now I only want to say I love you one more time”. The melody is a bit stiff, especially in the chorus where it matters most, and not even an ending key change could elevate this into anything resembling greatness. There’s even a guitar solo! Unfortunately, none of this ever really gels together into a cohesive, truly distinct and memorable end product. ![]() “Prove Your Love” – Taylor Dayne: We’re starting off a new year with one of the big names of the late 80s/early 90s pop scene! One thing that first comes out at me is how huge this song is, both in Dayne’s vocals and the glitzy, nightclub-ready production. ![]()
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