The songs of Eddy Grant were all over the radio for more than a year, then he was gone just as fast as he came.
I was out yesterday and heard “Electric Avenue”, and it reminded me of those songs that took me from Electric Avenue to the jungles of South America.
In the beginning
Eddy Grant was born in Guyana and emigrated to London, England in 1960. He formed a band called The Equals in 1965, and stayed with them through 1971. Then he had a heart attack and collapsed lung, leading to his departure from The Equals. After that, he started his own recording studio and record label.
Eddy Grant was born in Guyana and emigrated to London, England in 1960. He formed a band called The Equals in 1965, and stayed with them through 1971. Then he had a heart attack and collapsed lung, leading to his departure from The Equals. After that, he started his own recording studio and record label.
In 1975, he released a self-titled solo album, and two years later, began charting songs in the United Kingdom.
His biggest hits would follow in 1982 and beyond.
“Electric Avenue”
It is a really unique sounding song, part reggae, part pop and all soul. “Electric Avenue” was released in April of 1983, and moved its way up the charts, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one in Canada.
It is a really unique sounding song, part reggae, part pop and all soul. “Electric Avenue” was released in April of 1983, and moved its way up the charts, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one in Canada.
It was also nominated for a Grammy in 1983 for Best Rhythm and Blues Song, but lost out to “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson.
The first time I heard it was at a junior high dance at St. Joseph’s School in Coaldale.
“I Don’t Wanna Dance”
“Electric Avenue” was from the album “Killer on the Rampage”, and Eddy Grant had another song from that album that hit the charts.
“Electric Avenue” was from the album “Killer on the Rampage”, and Eddy Grant had another song from that album that hit the charts.
I came across the song in two different ways, other than radio.
LA-107 FM was a new radio station in Lethbridge trying to market itself as hip and cool, compared to its biggest competition, which was a standard AM station. They aired a commercial on TV describing the standard radio station listener, who was listening to “I Don’t Wanna Dance”, and a hip, young listener on roller skates, listening on her head phones to “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie.
Around that same time, I saw a commercial on TV for one of those compilation records. One of the songs they were promoting was “I Don’t Wanna Dance”, using a video with Eddy Grant sitting, playing guitar and singing.
“I Don’t Wanna Dance” went to number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 15 in Canada.
Mystery song
“Romancing the Stone” is one of my favourite adventure movies. I remember seeing it in the first part of 1984, when I was in Grade 9, and just being so impressed by it.
“Romancing the Stone” is one of my favourite adventure movies. I remember seeing it in the first part of 1984, when I was in Grade 9, and just being so impressed by it.
A few months later, on one of the video shows, “Video Hits” after school I think, I saw this video for a song called “Romancing the Stone”, and it was by Eddy Grant. Initially, I thought it couldn’t be from the movie, because I didn’t remember hearing it in “Romancing the Stone”. Then, Eddy Grant goes walking through the same jungle scenery as Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner had.
It was definitely from the movie.
Only later did I discover, for whatever reason, the song had been cut from the movie.
Wikipedia, which provided much of Eddy Grant’s early history, reveals not having the song in the movie negatively affected its performance on the charts.
“Romancing the Stone” did not crack the top 50 in the United Kingdom, but did go all the way to number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 12 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
It also peaked at number seven in Canada, although the only time I ever recall hearing the song was on that video show.
“Romancing the Stone” was the last song Eddy Grant charted to this day.
Parting thoughts
The songs of Eddy Grant had one of the more unique sounds of the ‘80s and, for awhile, he was a regular fixture on the radio.
The songs of Eddy Grant had one of the more unique sounds of the ‘80s and, for awhile, he was a regular fixture on the radio.
Even now, after hearing “Electric Avenue” hundreds of times, I find my toe tapping and me singing along, like I am some sort of calypso singer or something.
That is the magic of the song and the singer.
No comments:
Post a Comment