And here I thought that The Bangles' "Eternal Flame" was a mid-1980s power ballad. Actually, it came out in January 1989, just half a year before I took off on my first stint in Japan as a teacher.
In the Wikipedia article for the song, I read that critics rather had pooh-poohed it as a minor piece of sap in their discography although I believe that fans and other listeners had far more approving feelings for "Eternal Flame". I remember hearing it this all the time on the radio and with the strings and the chorus provided by the band members behind Susanna Hoffs' main vocals, I thought that there was something Beatles about it, but the article also mentioned that there was also a hint of Carpenters in there as well.
"Eternal Flame" has been treated as a power ballad and I can imagine other singers launching the title like a howitzer, but Hoffs is more measured in her delivery...more of a comfortable simmer than full boil. And to be honest, I can imagine a group of girls singing this around a campfire more than I can see a diva belt this out on a stage. The song reached No. 1 in a number of countries including the United States, Australia and Norway, while in Canada, it hit No. 2.
So, what else was being released in January 1989? Here are three singles.
Noriko Sakai – Honki wo dashite (ホンキをだして)
Hibari Misora -- Kawa no nagare no youni (川の流れのように)
Yoko Oginome -- Verge of Love (ヴァージ・オブ・ラヴ)
You have unleased the fun songs! ホンキをだして sounds like something kids making a challenge might say! 川の流れのように has got to be one of Misora's most famous songs and for good reason it's meaningful. I am found of anything by Yoko Oginome, but it is "Is it true" and "verge of love" mark kind of a change in her style I feel. The Bangles' "Eternal Flame" is simply classic!
ReplyDelete