Don’s Top 10 From September 21, 1987

(#18 last week) Whitesnake actually recorded this song three times, originally in 1982 for the debut album, & twice here in '87, an album version & a single one. Yes, that's Tawny Kitaen, the babe from "Bachelor Party", in the video in her lingerie. She later briefly married lead singer David Coverdale.

(#12 last week) Levert's only big pop hit, it was featured in TWO movies in 1987: "The Pick-Up Artist" with Robert Downey Jr. & Molly Ringwald, & "Fatal Beauty" with WEhoopi Goldberg.

(#8 last week) Here it is, folks, the first "rap ballad" to be a hit.

(#11 last week) Movie music. Quick! Which movie? Tick..tick..tick...time up. "Disorderlies", starring the Fat Boys. Yeah, I missed that one, too. It took awhile, but by this point, the girls' fortunes were reversed: they were bigger in America than in their native England.

(#6 last week) Noel Pagan is a Puerto Rican "freestyle" singer from the Bronx. This was his only major pop chart appearance, & it was only a big hit around here.

(#9 last week) Yes, this is the same Dan Hill who had a huge hit in 1978 with "Sometimes When We Touch", so this was a pretty surprising chart comeback after nine years. Yes, this is the same Vonda Sheppard who, ten years later, sang the "Ally McBeal" theme.

(#5 last week) This had a distinct "early 60s girl group" vibe, & Lisa Lisa's 2nd #1 hit a row, after "Head To Toe".

(#3 last week) Didn't know this: It was widely speculated that the song is about Houston's relationship with then Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham.

(#2 last week) Was there an official video for this song? I don't remember, & it's nowhere to be found now. Garrett, whop wrote one of MJ's other big hits, "Man In The Mirror", wasn't his first choice to duet with him. The song was first offered to Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin & Agnetha Fältskog (formerly of Abba). All turned him down. The legend goes that Siedah had no idea she would record it until she showed up at the studio that day. Oh, Garrett did NOT go on the "Bad" tour, so Michael had one of his unknown backup singers do it live with him. Her name: Sheryl Crow.

(#1 last week; 6th week at #1) We've come to know the great Carol Kaye as one of rock's greatest bass players with "The Wrecking Crew" (or, as she prefers to call them, "the Clique"). But she also played a lot of guitar early in her career, & it's Carol who jumpstarted the Ritchie Valens version of this classic.