94.5 The Edge was the greatest radio station I have ever heard. It debuted in Dallas in the summer of 1989, and for five years it exposed me to more new alternative music than I could have ever imagined. In this continuing series, we’ll take a look back at the songs that made the Edge required listening for anyone with a musical pulse in North Texas in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Songs From The Edge: 1989, Pt. 2
Depeche Mode: “Dangerous” [7″ Version] (Gore)
From the 12″ single Personal Jesus
Sire Records, 1989
It’s hard for me to even believe this now, but there was actually a time when I didn’t like Depeche Mode. Hated ’em, in fact. The Edge changed all of that for me. “Personal Jesus” received a ton of airplay on the station in 1989, but the b-side “Dangerous” was the song that really caught my ear. By the time Violator was released in early 1990, I was no longer making fun of my little brother for his extensive Depeche Mode import single collection.
Howard Jones: “Everlasting Love” (Jones)
From the album Cross That Line
Elektra Records, 1989
It was almost the ’90s, but Howard Jones managed to take us all right back to 1985 with the effervescent “Everlasting Love.” The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of Jones’ most-successful singles in the U.S. Surprisingly, “Everlasting Love” wasn’t even a hit in Jones’ native U.K.
The Primitives: “Secrets” (Court)
From the album Pure
RCA Records, 1989
I’m a sucker for bands with bubbly female singers, so I absolutely adored The Primitives. “Sick Of It” was the big single off of Pure, the band’s second album, but the insanely catchy “Secrets” was also very popular on The Edge (and on my stereo).
Adrian Belew: “Oh Daddy” (Belew)
From the album Mr. Music Head
Atlantic Records, 1989
Adrian Belew spent a lot of time in the ’80s working with Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, and he put that experience to good use on his first solo hit single. “Oh Daddy” reached #5 on the Modern Rock chart in 1989, and featured an adorable vocal (and video appearance) from Belew’s 11-year-old daughter Audie.
Audie is now 36. Ugh, I hate math.
Public Image Ltd.: “Disappointed” (P.I.L.)
From the album 9
Virgin Records, 1989
I may be one of the few longtime P.I.L. fans to readily admit that the band’s late-80s “commercial” era was my favorite. 1987’s Happy? was my first P.I.L. purchase, and that led me directly to the amazing Album (and the rest of the band’s earlier work). I love all of it, but “Disappointed” will always be my favorite P.I.L. song. It deservedly reached #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart in July of 1989.
Johnny Lydon and P.I.L. were responsible for one of my all-time favorite concert moments. It was early 1988, and P.I.L. was opening for INXS at Dallas’ Reunion Arena. INXS was exploding in popularity at the time, and the venue was full of teenage girls all ready to go crazy for Michael Hutchence. Johnny took the stage with multi-colored cornrow hair and proceeded to absolutely terrify the poor young ladies in the first few rows.
“It’s sing-a-long with Johnny time, little girls! Don’t be afraid!!”
But they were afraid. They were very, very afraid. I think most of them were in tears by the time the band encored with “Holidays In The Sun.” I eventually saw the Sex Pistols live in the late ’90s, but that night in 1988 was my favorite Sex Pistols moment.
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Bonus Tracks!
The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.
The Primitives: “Sick Of It” (Court)
From the album Pure
RCA Records, 1989
Public Image Ltd.: “Seattle” (P.I.L.)
From the album Happy?
Virgin Records, 1987
Public Image Ltd.: “Home” (Lydon/Laswell)
From the album Album
Elektra Records, 1986
Sex Pistols: “Holidays In The Sun” (Sex Pistols)
From the album Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols
Warner Brothers Records, 1977
INXS: “Devil Inside” [Remix Version] (Hutchence/Farriss)
From the 12″ single Devil Inside
Original version from the album Kick
Atlantic Records, 1988
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