Once again, the car stereo last weekend brought another song ripe for Reminiscings of Youth this week. I got to hear Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven is a Place on Earth" for the first time in a while. So, of course, I started remembering when it was first released in September 1987. The Go-Gos lead singer was already well into her solo career when this one came out and both the song and the music video were long runners on radio and television respectively. Considering the context of the title, I had thought that there were religious implications although it sounded like the ultimate cool and catchy power pop song for kiddies.
The fact that there were kids bouncing globes assisted in that impression but also seeing Belinda making out with that guy made me think "OK, kids...avert those eyes!". Speaking of which, the song and that video has quite the revelatory Hollywood background. For one thing, that guy just happened to be the singer's husband, Morgan Mason, who not only was the child of actors James Mason and Pamela Mason but held a key role in Ronald Reagan's administration in the early 1980s. The late thespian Diane Keaton directed the video, and the backup singers included Michelle Phillips of the sunshine pop band of the 1960s, The Mamas & The Papas, her daughter Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips and songwriter Diane Warren. Even the actual writers of "Heaven is a Place on Earth", Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley were also behind the mikes backing Belinda up.
"Heaven is a Place on Earth" hit No. 3 on Canada's RPM and No. 1 on America's Billboard chart. It also hit the top spot in countries such as Ireland and South Africa. So, let us see what was being released at the same time in September 1987 in Japan.
Yoko Minamino -- Aki no Indication （秋のIndication）
Picasso -- Begin The Night
Akina Nakamori -- Nanpasen （難破船）
You probably already know that I am obligated to respond to this post, and I am sure you know what I am going to say as well. Picasso's 「Begin The Night」was used as the ending theme of episodes 77 to 96 (or second season episodes 25 to 44) of my all time favorite anime めぞん一刻 . The sound track to that anime simply prefect and if the powers that be were to produce a remake I doubt they make as good a sound track today although I would love for them to prove me wrong. Now, about the opening song of this blog post! Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven is a Place on Earth" was playing on the radio well into the late 1990's before I left the states. I wonder if it still gets air time these days and if it does do people call it 80's or Oldies.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably say that "Heaven is a Place on Earth" would be called both 80s and oldies. Admittedly, I'm being snarky here but anything from the 20th century is most likely considered oldies. :)
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