This song was the inspiration for the prompt words of the Haiku Challenge this week. Getting here was a roundabout way, from watching magic/syfy on Netflix, to thinking through during my quiet time about my current book idea, and ultimately having the words he’s a magic man come to mind. Well, being a child of the 80s means I also listened to a lot of music in the 70s. And thus, here we are.
Imagine my surprise when I began my research of this song and finding a Marine’s daughter who chased after this older man who left for Canada to avoid the draft and Vietnam. Yes, a whole lot of that song is autobiographical.
Ann Wilson was that girl, still living at home and going to art college, and meeting future band mate and manager (and older man) Mike Fisher. Ann stated in a Rolling Stone’s interview that during one of those phone conversations with her mother she was even asked if she were taking birth control. The early 70s was beyond the Marine wife’s comprehension.
Now you have a bit introduction into how Ann ended up being a rock goddess and member of the hall of fame, along with her sister Nancy. The sisters even dated brothers who were both in the band. Both couples broke up in 1979. Ann is married with children and Nancy, is now married again after divorcing director Cameron Crowe ending their 24 year marriage.
Ann was the lead singer, dark-haired beauty with a voice to wake the devil and warn him she was coming. She was told by industry people that she was the face while her younger sister Nancy was the body. Ann used drugs and starved herself trying to stay thin.
When you are a young man, boy, or middle grade kid girls are a wonder. They are this fascinating creature that suddenly stirs your blood and sets you on fire. For me it was Friday and or Saturday night roller skating every week. Most of my concentration was focused on hanging onto the railing as I tried not to fall at first and also attempting to keep from breaking an arm as it slipped through the railing as the inevitable did occur.
Back then the hottest girl I knew at the rink was the one that took me there. She was my ‘babysitter’. Men, if you are reading this, you know what I am talking about. Wasn’t your babysitter like the amazing goddess in the tight jeans with that perfect hair? sigh Jeans were made so she could wear them.
Anyway, other than the ‘babysitter’ there were the girls at school who were soft and pretty to look at. But then there were the stars of the radio. Sure there were a lot of great lady singers. My parents were into country, or at least my step dad was. Sorry, but Dolly Parton really didn’t do it for me. this was when her hair was bigger than her breasts. And still I am not fascinated by her at any age.
But who did fascinate me? Two women who could kick every hard rock metal acts . . . tail.
For those of you who don’t know the group let me introduce you to . . .
HEART
I’m not here today for a complete history lesson. I’ll just say that Ann Wilson is one of the greatest Rock voices of all time, and highly underrated. A face with a voice and a body with a guitar, that’s what many in the industry thought of Ann and Nancy Wilson respectively. Rock Goddesses, fantasy of men now as old as well, you name it. Spanning through five decades, the now Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members have done it all and accomplished it all.
Let me give you just a handful of their hits:
“Crazy on You”
“Magic Man”
“Barracuda”, written by Ann Wilson, the elder sister and the face with a voice, after a reporter suggested the sisters were sex partners.
How big was Heart at this point in the late 70s? They performed at the very first Texas Jam. Who else played; Aerosmith, Van Halen, Ted Nugent, Journey, and others, that’s who. That tells you how big they were.
Some of you are wondering who Heart is. You’ve heard Ann Wilson even if you don’t realize it. Have you seen the original Footloose? Remember the song Almost Paradise? The lady singing on that, yeah, that was Ann Wilson of Heart.
They hit a slump in the early 80s but then came roaring back. Before I leave you with a song, Ann can still do it, even spanning five decades, the lady has the chops. Oh and what idiot ended up divorced from Nancy Wilson in 2010? Director Cameron Crowe.
I changed my mind about just one song. Take your pick . . . oh, pick both. It would be like pulling a Cameron Crowe to just listen to one.
10 Forgotten Male Solo Artists of the 1980s by: Ronovan
Some of you are looking at this and thinking “He really has lost his mind” because this is not my normal type of article. Sometimes you need to just do something completely different to get the mind fresh and have fun doing it at the same time. What better way to do that than to go tripping through ’80s music?
• 1 Artist Per Year of the 1980s that you may have forgotten about
• Must have ended the year in the Top 100 on the Billboard Charts
• You must enjoy grooving to the videos included
First up, he’s written and produced songs for Barbra Streisand. She hand picked some of his songs for A Star is Born. Tony Award winner, Drama Desk Award winner and his second album, self titled, led Rolling Stone to compare him to Bob Dylan as being an artist of originality and someone to pay attention to.
You know him if you like…Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain.
1980 and the #11 Hit of the Year
Rupert Holmes-Escape
You heard him as a backup singer for Loretta Lynn, and his work included assisting record producer and composer Mike Post. Even after his hit he went on to record FlashBeagle for “It’s FlashBeagle, Charlie Brown”. But you know him as the voice of Believe it or Not, The Greatest American Hero.
1981 and the #11 Hit
Joey Scarbury-Theme from “The Greatest American Hero” Believe It Or Not
He was a 1960s backup singer who served four months in prison in 1995 for a DUI, and then eventually became a film producer with a Tom Sizemore film to his credit. But you’ll know him best if you are a Humphrey Bogart fan.
1982 and the #17 Hit
Bertie Higgins-Key Largo
At 17 he was a guitarist for Stevie Wonder. And let’s not forget working with Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Chaka Khan. You’ve heard his soundtrack work in Cocoon and Independence Day but you’ll remember his best as a Maniac on the floor.
1983 and the #9 Hit
Michael Sembello-Maniac
Once a backup singer to Bette Midler, this eventual song writer and producer for No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom , Kelly Clarkson and even Christina Aguilera millions have heard him as the singing voice of Ling in Mulan, but you might know him better when when you Break his Stride.
1984 and the #27 Hit
Matthew Wilder-Break My Stride
This man worked on countless movie scores until taking a break to be a father. Foxes, American Gigolo, Top Gun, The Running Man, and Tango & Cash. But you know him for his part in making a Cop in Beverly Hills famous.
1985 and the #61 Hit
Harold Faltermeyer-Axel F
Perfect pitch? Volunteered for military service at 17? Jazz-Rock to Punk-Rock? Johann Hölzel was a man of many talents. But you might know him better by another name.
1986 and the #28 Hit
Falco-Rock Me Amadeus
He first wrote songs for the Pointer Sisters and Earth, Wind & Fire before ending up with a hit of his own. In recent times he has written songs for and produced for Babyface, Jessica Simpson and Destiny’s Child. But as for his own singing career? Well, that’s just the way it goes. C’est La Vie.
1987 and the #6 Hit
Robbie Nevil-C’est La Vie
Member of the Raspberries,70’s solo hit maker, then gone, until he got dirty and went dancing.
1988 and the #25 Hit
Eric Carmen-Hungry Eyes
Oh Danny, you went on to play Joseph and set box office records. You married Rosco P. Coltrane’s daughter and co-wrote films with Flicka. But we will always here you should, because you are always Young and Restless, Hey, Kids Rock and Roll.
1989 and the #45 Hit
Michael Damian-Rock On
Next time around it will be the 10 Ladies We’ve Forgotten About. Journey with me through the decades as I try to rediscover the music that made me.
ronovanwrites 