Today I was reminded that 2011 is the 20th anniversary of Voices that Care.

Come now… you remember. Voices that Care. The supergroup of early 90s entertainers that gathered to perform the song “Voices that Care,” a charity single intended to support the Red Cross and “boost the morale of U.S. troops involved in operation Desert Storm.”

Those are both worthy reasons to get a bunch of athletes and pop singers together, but if you’ll recall, “Voices that Care” (by Voices that Care) didn’t exactly set the nation aflame. It peaked at a modest #11 on the Hot 100, and though it sold a respectable 884,000 copies, it was dwarfed by “We Are The World’s” massive numbers.

It’s not hard to understand why. “We Are the World” and its antecedent “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” both have a  straight-forward message that everyone can get behind: Don’t let people starve to death. “Voices That Care,” however gets into the murkier waters of wars-that-aren’t-called-wars. This is the basic message of the schizophrenic lyrics: “We don’t care if the war is right or wrong, we just support you. Except the war is totally right, because honor must be defended. Except it’s totally wrong, because hurt is hurtful. Let’s hold hands!”

Which… okay. The song both agrees and disagrees with everything, so I guess it offends no one? Is that good? The catchy melody can only get you around this questionfor so long.

Twenty years later, however, “Voices That Care” (by Voices That Care) is useful for something other than dubious consciousness raising. It’s a glorious time capsule of a bygone era, when multicolored jackets were all the rage and even the heavyweight champion rocked a nice sweater.

Let’s revisit the magic together, shall we?

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By DOUG STRASSLER

Hello! Since this is the last column I’ll write before Turkey Day, I wanted to flash back to one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving movies. Planes, Trains and Automobiles, you say? Nope, though that’s a good one. Pieces of April, you might be thinking? Not that either.

The Thanksgiving flick hat I’m hoping to re-introduce into your Thanksgiving Day movie-watching repertoire is Home For the Holidays. W. D. Richter adapted Chris Radant’s short story after it ran in a Boston newspaper, and it became Jodie Foster’s second directorial effort following Little Man Tate, and clearly some major talent was eager to work with her in this familiar-but-fresh take on family warfare.

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Last week, I had such a good time reflecting on the number one single, album, and movie of that week in 2000 that I’ve decided to expand the project. For the couple of weeks, I’m going to look at the top ten movies or songs of a particular week… in the past.

Does that make sense? I’m finding it hard to explain this idea.

So… for instance, this week, I’ll be revisiting the top ten songs from this week in 2002. Next week, I’ll look at the top ten movies from a particular week in the past.

The point is to see how the songs and films have aged. It’s always interesting to reflect on whether a work of art is confined to its exact moment.

But enough intro. Let’s dig into the Billboard Hot 100′s top ten songs from this week in 2002!

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According to Billboard, the new number one song in America is “Like a G6″ by Far*East Movement featuring Cataracs and Dev. If you haven’t heard it, well… hmm. Let’s just say that I don’t get it.  I can walk pretty far down the electronic road, but this song is one robotic mile too far. But whatever. I’m about ten years too old for it anyway.

I wonder, though, if “Like a G6″ will hold up in 2020. In ten years will anyone feel good about it? It’s too soon to tell, of course, but it’s just the right time to look back at the biggest hits of 2000 and see how they’ve aged. Join me as a I revisit the number one song, album and movie  from this week back in 2000, when the world was innocent, Clinton was still president, and we were closer to Crystal Pepsi than we were to Pepsi One.

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By DOUG STRASSLER

Singer Patty Smyth occupies a special piece of real estate in my music-loving heart. Those who know her might know her best as the lead singer of Scandal, an 80s pop-rock group with two hits that are both so good – “Goodbye to You” and “The Warrior” – I still can’t decide which one is better. Each time I listen to one, I’m convinced that’s the best song. Until I hear the other. (I was beyond obsessed with “The Warrior” when I was five. The video, the song… everything. I bought the 45 single, and the record sleeve to that single is now framed and hanging in my apartment. Seriously. It’s right by the entrance to my bedroom, just above the framed sleeve to the “Material Girl” single.” — Mark)

Scandal was a minor league version of female-fronted bands like Blondie and The Pretenders, but husky-voiced Smyth was an absolute pro. That’s why Van Halen initially approached her to replace the departing David Lee Roth. She turned it down, opting for a solo career. However, it wasn’t until her eponymous second album (pictured above), released in 1992, that she scored an out-and-out hit.

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Earlier this week, Roommate Joe and I had an interesting exchange about the mysterious disappearance of certain 80s films. You’ll find our e-mails below. What are your thoughts on this mystery? — Mark

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Earlier this week, Mark wrote…

Hi Joe (Or should I say Roommate Joe? Or The Joe Formerly Known As My Roommate? Or Jolene, Jolene, I’m Begging of You Please Don’t Take My Man?),
I’m writing because last night I watched Prizzi’s Honor for the first time, and it led to a strange revelation.
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By DOUG STRASSLER

There was a time when Michael Keaton was pretty much inescapable at the movies. Unfortunately, that time was the 1980s, and while he’s worked steadily since then, the movies haven’t had the visibility of the good old days.

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Nineteen years ago this week, Roxette reached number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 with “Joyride,” their fourth (and final) chart-topper and the lead single from their second U.S. album, Joyride.

For me, the timing of this anniversary is oddly perfect, because it was just last week that I fully comprehended my love for Roxette’s music. It started when their brilliant ballad “Spending My Time” popped up while I was creating our latest iPod Quiz. Identifying the song, Critical Condition reader K. mentioned how much she listened to Roxette back in the day, and it made me realize… I did, too.

But really, I’ve never stopped listening. Unlike other acts I loved in the early nineties, I’ve never taken enough of a break from the Swedish duo to rediscover them. They’ve always been there, power popping as I drive to work, ride on the train, or cool down at the gym with some overblown ballads.

In short, based on the amount of time that I’ve spent listening to them and the amount of pleasure their music has given me, I think Roxette may be one of my all-time favorite bands.

So let’s spend some time with their music, shall we? And let’s reflect on how singer Marie Fredriksson has recently proven herself to be an absolute badass.

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Merry almost-Christmas! Are you listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You?” No? Then turn on any  adult contemporary radio station and wait five seconds.

As we zoom toward the Yule, I’m reposting the tribute I wrote last year to Carey’s contemporary Christmas classic. Read it again for the first time!

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It’s December! This is my birthday month and Christmas month. I’ve already set the DVR to record every claymation holiday special.

To kick off the best four weeks of the year, I’m making a spirited claim: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the only significant Christmas song written since 1984.

(see why…)
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Old songs. Old friends. You know what I mean. One Saturday afternoon, you decide to put those Tori CDs on your iPod, so you dig your CaseLogic out of your bedroom closet. As you’re flipping through the plastic pages—CDs on the front side, booklets on the back—you stumble across an album that you haven’t thought about in years.

And then you’re  in high school again. You’re taking the back road to Laura’s house just so you can roll down your windows and sing along with this one amazing song without shouting over the interstate.

You play the forgotten CD. You don’t expect anything, really, except a wave of nostalgia, but then… damn! The album is great. It isn’t just old songs. It’s old friends.

This happened to me when I tumbled back into Mercury Poise, a best-of collection from alt-rock singer/songwriter Michelle Shocked. If you know her music, then get ready to relive the dream. If you don’t, then let me introduce you to a lovely lady.

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