US release date: June 21st 1988
US album chart peak: #1
UK album chart peak: #3
Buy Forever Your Girl here (Amazon GB)
Read my Paula Abdul anniversary posts here
Granted, Paula Abdul's debut album Forever Your Girl had been making waves in the USA for a while but it wasn't until Straight Up hit the UK top 5 in March 1989 that said opus was finally released in the UK - making it 25 years old this very month. It was an album that kept on giving and, thanks to canny choice of singles, was an enduring seller on both sides of the Atlantic. There's no denying it was that initial Elliot Wolff penned ditty that made the world sit up and take notice of Ms Adbul. Straight Up was a brassy, sassy, shake your ass-y slice of exuberant pop enhanced by that glorious synth trumpet that features so prominently. Of course it's Paula that bought the song to life with a sultry, seductive vocal and making "pah pah pah" vocal riffs sound so blooming marvelous, as she berates her fella into putting his cards on the table and owning up to his true feelings. An accompanying video accentuated Paula's dance abilities in a black and white clip that was directed only by the David bloody Fincher (who directed several of her clips). In fact, Straight Up became a bit of a lightning hit and was rising up the American charts before a video had even been filmed - common place now but almost unheard of in the slick music market of the late 80s. It was a genre hopping hit (the Ultimix slayed dancefloors) that established Paula Abdul as an artist to be reckoned with - and once she was on the scene she was determined to stay...
Straight Up was followed by the more pop fueled album title track Forever Your Girl. Another US chart topper, it lyrically told how Paula is a one man woman, remaining loyal to her fella to the very end (and in a way, formed a nice sequel to Straight Up in that she now has her guy and is remaining 100% faithful). In a way, it stood up next to dreamy pop hits by Madonna (Cherish, True Blue) as demonstrating the more romantic side of the singer. A buoyant melody skipped joyfully over a percolating beat, ensuring this one remained in your head long after the song had finished. It also gave her another top 30 hit in the UK (although absolutely deserved to chart much higher) - and this led to her first two US singles being reissued in good ol' blighty. Knocked Out was actually Paula's first US single but followed Forever Your Girl in the UK (although wouldn't become a top 30 hit until remixed and re-released after the success of Opposites Attract). Penned by Babyface, Reid and Simmons, it encapsulated their style that would go onto bring big chart successes for Karyn White, Whitney and Pebbles (among others). Certainly more funky, down 'n' dirty than her previous two singles, it sparkled as an r'n'b gem with a chorus that was the real knock out of the song. Oh and that Shep Pettibone remix in 1990? EVERYTHING. Next up was (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me - a massive hit all around the world except oddly the UK. From the octave spanning opening to the verses to that indelible chorus, everything about the song was utterly charming; certainly more at home next to the title track in terms of laying out romantic intentions. America (and me) quite rightly swooned over it, with it being denied the top spot over the by Milli Vanilli of all acts. Sheesh!
UK fortunes were rightly restored with her fifth single over here. And at this point I was entirely obsessed with everything Paula Abdul was doing - so the single remix of Opposites Attract put me way over the edge. Her biggest UK hit (number 2) and her fourth US chart topper saw her team up with the Wild Pair in a song that certainly is lyrically and titularly (yes it's a word!) self explanatory. Paula & the boys ably sing of being different in every way yet still being totally in love while the middle 8 rap was courtesy of Derrick Stevens (which I can still recite perfectly on command :D) It was the video of Paula dancing alongside the animated MC Skat Kat that was the stroke of genius with this single release - in a riff on Gene Kelly's Anchors Away film. Take note Lady Gaga - no need for a meat dress, giant egg or 4 minutes of credits. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ;) The album campaign came to a close with the final UK single (and another US number one) Coldhearted. The nature of the track and a similar style to her debut hit Straight Up made everything feel symmetrical, a fitting end to the incredible run of singles that the album produced. Some corking remixes came about - none more spicy than the rapidly rap-sung Quiverin' Mix (and of course, one cannot mention this without referring to Coco Montrese's flawless lip synch of the track, pointing at her lips for each tricky lyrical couplet, on RuPaul's Drag Race. AS IF SHE WERE PAULA ABDUL HERSELF) (In fact, after that performance I had to play that track every day for WEEKS on the way to work just to relive it as often as I could :D)
So there you have it. The Spellbound album would follow a couple of years later - another album packed to the gills with gorgeous hits. But Forever Your Girl ruled 1989 and leaves a permanent legacy on the soundtrack to my life...
(Click here to read an interview with Oliver Leiber who penned some of the songs on the album - Way, Opposites and the title track!)
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