Skip to main content

Paula Abdul Became "Forever Our Girl" This Week in 1989



Paula Abdul’s second single entered its second week at #1 this day in 1989.

I was kicking off my last semester at Bowling Green, but I didn’t really connect with the song. I was more “alternative.” Think “120 Minutes.”

But it's sure in my head 30+ years later. Paula Abdul is like the Gen X version of Cher. Earlier this year, she wrapped a residency in Vegas, filling seats with fans of her videos, her choreography, and her iconic role as a talent show judge. Her appeal, like her resume, crosses generations.

She’s still not on any of my playlists, but I appreciate her hustle.

Check out the video for this song.  She wasn’t so big that she couldn’t pay tribute to some of the biggest videos a few years before her. Even if it was just to fuel her quest to be our girl, forever. Elijah Wood makes his acting debut here too as one of the “Boys of Summer.”

Comments

  1. Thank you, Brett. While I do not specifically remember this Paula Abdul video, I do remember MTV's '120 Minutes' and being a child of MTV.
    More importantly, each generation has its own social movement that is led by courageous people that recognize the strength they have. Your fortitude to be yourself and discover who you are is to be commended and your story shared to give others inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your kind words & encouragement. Doesn't seem significant now, but boy it sure did then.

      Delete
  2. OMg, this blog is so much fun! I love the combo of your intriguing story and the 80's nostalgia. I didn't remember that paula abdul could tap dance! Keep the story coming...I can't wait to hear about the next step in your nyc journey.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Van Halen vs. Tone-Loc

This week in 1989, Tone-Loc was blocked from the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 by Paula Abdul and her first hit song "Straight Up."  Sharp-eyed readers will note that this is the third mention of Abdul on this blog, something I never would have guessed when I launched this.  Anyway, Tone-Loc's "Wild Thing" rocketed into the hearts of music lovers around the world thanks to a classic hip hop move: Borrowing an element from something that was tired at the moment and re-inventing it for new audiences.   In this case, the song's guitar riff and drum roll were instantly identifiable from Van Halen's "Jamie's Cryin'" off their first album in 1978 (!) According to Wikipedia (the primary research resource here at "Little Brett, Big City"), the Van Halen management team allowed the sample to be included in "Wild Thing" for a flat fee of $5,000.  But apparently the band members hadn't heard anything about it. Drummer...

Book Of Love

  As my mother studiously wrote on the back, this little gem is from 1972. Look at me with that natural curl. And I wasn't even wearing any mousse!  Some of you have kindly asked how "The Book" is going. Easter eggs aside, I'm on the hunt for a literary agent for my finished manuscript. (Well, is it ever finished?) Seems like I've got a pretty darn good pitch, or "query letter" as they call it in the biz. So far, I've received 11 responses out of 25 pitches. Not bad since agents get hundreds of pitches a year, and they don't owe me a thing.  Nice replies usually, but nothing solid yet because of their current workload of projects, or my story just isn't right for them. More than one has mentioned that memoirs have been difficult to sell to publishers lately. Ruh-roh. Maybe I'll turn it into a comic book.  So if you haven't already, my Easter request to you dear reader is to sign up here for future installments of "Little Brett, B...

What's The Same In New York Since 1989

NYTix.com   As of this weekend, I have been in New York for 32 years. They say you become a "New Yorker" after 10. I suppose I am New York to the 3rd power?  Last week I had one of those sensory memories walking to a client meeting in the August humidity. While crossing 5th Avenue, the heat, the noise, and the smells transported me to another late August day back in 1989, pounding the pavement with "The World's Heaviest Briefcase" looking for a job.  It made me stop and smile. A lot has changed since then of course. I certainly have. But a few things remain the same here. I've made a list of what's the same for me since those early days:  WHAT'S THE SAME IN NEW YORK SINCE 1989  * There's another pandemic now, just as misunderstood and misappropriated by political interests.  * Rent is still "Too damn high" as one upstart political party used as a battle cry about 10 years ago. Except for rare blips, rents go up exponentially.  * You al...