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CellarDweller:
Tomorrow (Tuesday, 10/4 ) I'll be in NYC, to see Nena at the Playstation Theater. I know everyone considers Nena a one-hit wonder, but in honor of the show, I'm posting a few videos, so come here, listen with an open mind, you may hear something you like. We'll start with the song everyone knows the group for, "99 Luftballons".
Nena had already had a Top 10 hit in German with their song, "Just Dreamed", when the label decided to follow it up with "99 Luftballons". The song went to #1 in Germany, and Top 10 in various other European countries. An American DJ from Los Angeles was in Germany at this time and was hearing "99 Luftballons" everywhere. He got a copy of the single, and took it home and played it on his station in LA. "99 Luftballons" became a hit, and the group recorded an English version (99 Red Balloons), but radio stations focused on the original German version, which went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 99 Luftballons
Nena's second single in America was "Just a Dream", the English version of Nena's first German hit, "Nur Getraeumt" (Just Dreamed). While some video outlets played the video, radio pretty much ignored the song, and it didn't chart in America.
https://vimeo.com/107804945 - Just A Dream
The last release from Nena's CD was "Kino/At The Movies", much like "Just A Dream", the single failed to chart.
Nena went back to the studio, and released their second American CD, "It's All In the Game". The first single was the title track. While the original German versions were hits in Europe, Nena wasn't able to crack into the American market with these songs.
https://vimeo.com/108001930 - It's All In The Game
The second (and last) single that Nena released in America was "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime".
- "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime"
After two American CDs (99 Luftballons & It's All In The Game) and 5 European CDs ("Nena", "? (Fragezeichen)", "Feuer und Flamme", "Eisbrecher", and "Nena Die Band.", Nena broke up, and lead singer Nena Kerner continued on as a solo act.
In 2002, she celebrated her 20 years in the music business by releasing the CD "Nena ft. Nena". The CD was cover versions of all of Nena's songs. When it was released, the single "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", now recorded as a German/English duet between Nena & Kim Wilde (Kids of America, You Keep Me Hanging On) got Nena back onto the European pop charts.
- Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime ft. Kim Wilde.
Nena's most recent CD was released the end of last year, and is called "Oldschool". Her current single, "Genau Jetzt" took Nena back to the charts, putting her into the Top 30 in various countries.
- Genau Jetzt
CellarDweller:
Pete Burns, Dead or Alive Singer, Dead at 57
Pete Burns, lead singer of the Eighties goth new wave band Dead or Alive and their smash "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)," died Sunday after suffering cardiac arrest, his management said Monday. Burns was 57.
"It is with the greatest sadness that we have to break the tragic news that out beloved Pete Burns of (Dead Or Alive), died suddenly yesterday of a massive cardiac arrest," Burns' Facebook alerted fans. "All of his family and friends are devastated by the loss of our special star," the message read. "He was a true visionary, a beautiful talented soul, and he will be missed by all who loved and appreciated everything he was and all of the wonderful memories the has left is with."
Boy George, who weathered comparisons both musically and stylistically to Burns, tweeted of the Dead or Alive singer, "Tearful about the passing of @PeteBurnsICON he was one of our great true eccentrics and such a big part of my life! Wow. Hard to believe!"
The androgynous Burns, who began cross-dressing as a six-year-old, emerged in the late Seventies as a member of the goth band Nightmares in Wax, which released their lone EP Birth of a Nation, highlighted by the single "Black Leather," in 1979 before adopting the name Dead or Alive.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/pete-burns-dead-or-alive-singer-dead-at-57-w446467
While Dead of Alive managed to hit the Billboard Hot 100 twice, they managed to get a few more songs on the Billboard Hot 50 Dance Singles charts.
"My Heart Goes Bang" - #15
"Love Come Back To Me" - #13
"Baby Don't Say Good-Bye" - #6
"You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) " - #4
"Something In My House" - #3
"Come Home With Me Baby" #1
"Brand New Lover" - #1
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: CellarDweller on October 24, 2016, 06:12:34 pm ---Pete Burns, lead singer of the Eighties goth new wave band Dead or Alive and their smash "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)," died Sunday after suffering cardiac arrest, his management said Monday. Burns was 57.
--- End quote ---
I don't think I ever knew who did that song, but I remember it.
brianr:
60s teen idol Bobby Vee dies
Vee (73) died early on Monday (local time) of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He had been in hospice care at a facility in Rogers
I remember his songs especially "The night has a thousand eyes" although it was before I really got into pop music with The Beatles.
He seemed a very decent guy, sad about the Alzheimers. His wife of 50 years died a year ago. He was just a year older than me.
CellarDweller:
that's sad. RIP Bobby Vee
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