The Synth Pop Wonder Women of 1984
By Eric Grigs | June 13, 2020
The trailer for the upcoming, but much delayed, blockbuster Wonder Woman 1984 uses the pounding synth beat of New Order’s instantly recognizable “Blue Monday” to great effect. Even though it seems everyone is just now catching up to the fact that 1984 was a watershed year for pop culture, the MTV generation has known it all along.
In anticipation of Gal Gadot lassoing bad guys at the local mall, let’s take a trip back to Sam Goody and dig through the record crates to find some missing tracks you may have forgotten about from that year. Synth pop music was everywhere and the only thing that made it better was a strong female vocalist to deliver the goods. Here are five powerhouses that didn’t quite get their due.
Sheryl Lee Ralph, “In the Evening”
This album should have propelled Ralph into the stratosphere as a pop star, but for some reason didn’t land. Later, away from the charts as an actress and singer on stage and screen, she found success—most notably for her Tony nominated turn in Dreamgirls. But this song can be counted among the best for describing the feeling of transformation from your ho-hum, day-job self into a nightlife diva, ready to close down the club. All the gays feel seen by this one. The music video is a true Cinderella story.
Bonnie Pointer, “Premonition”
Bonnie was a founding and early member of the Pointer Sisters, but also the sister who chose to forge her own path away from her siblings, leaving the group in 1977. Probably not the best career move, since the Pointers were unstoppable with hits in the 80s. She never found quite the same fame or success as a solo act, but this track from her 1984 album If the Price Is Right sounds like it was lifted right off the Flashdance soundtrack. It’s a shame a track this flawless only hit #84 on the R&B chart. With her recent passing, this song is a reminder that with the right material, Bonnie should have been a bigger superstar.
Rebbie Jackson, “Centipede”
This one’s another talented musical family story—yes, if you didn’t already guess, she is the older sister to those Jacksons. Her career also could have been much bigger, as evidenced by this cut co-written and produced by brother Michael. His fingerprints are all over it. Unfortunately, future songwriting wouldn’t match the quality found here and Rebbie largely gave up singing in the spotlight in trade for being a good Christian woman who led a much quieter life.
Laura Branigan, “Satisfaction”
Best known for the smash “Gloria,” this track from the 1984 LP Self Control didn’t quite crack the top ten on the charts like the title track from the album did. But it was tailor made for the dance clubs, and Branigan promoted the single heavily on TV. It’s got a relentless driving force that doesn’t let up behind the yearning lyrics—perfectly showcasing her booming and distinctive voice, which had a four-octave range.
Stephanie Mills, “The Medicine Song”
Just try to get the line “Mama’s gonna give you some medicine” out of your head after you spin this just once. Four years prior, Mills scored her highest single at #6 on the Billboard Pop chart with “Never Knew Love Like This Before.” However less-known “Medicine” is now, it topped the Billboard Dance chart upon its release. And one of the best reasons to revisit the song is for the video; it delivers on the album title’s promise I’ve Got the Cure. She starts by bringing sexy back: instead of a diving front, ladies sexy nurse Halloween costumes could take a cue from the deep V-cut back of Mills’ white leather uniform at the start. She transitions into more typical 80s-wear with a troupe of dancers illuminated by presumably big budget special effects for the time, complete with sparklers and bolts of electricity. For some reason, all this pent-up healing energy gets trapped inside a magical mood ring by the end. Go figure.
Bonus Track: Madonna on Jellybean’s “Sidewalk Talk”
Rolling Stone ranked this track #71 on its year-end list of the best singles of 1984. And it’s included here because there is a force to be reckoned with that no one saw coming—hidden in plain view among this saccharine bop that few people remember for such a popular track of the time. Written by Madonna and featuring her backing vocals on the chorus, it’s cut from the same cloth of her just released self-titled album that boyfriend at the time John “Jellybean” Benitez also co-produced. Catherine Buchanan takes the lead vocals here, but mere months later the biggest female pop superstar would change the sound, direction, and look of 80s music forever.
Dig Deeper Into the Music From This article
Listen to these songs and a few other synth gems from the era on our new Spotify playlist, 80s Synth Pop Trash. You can also hear an expanded commentary of these songs in our recent Pop Trash Playlist episode 80s Synth Ladies, exclusively on Stationhead.
Eric Grigs is a pop culture writer, artist, and co-host of the Pop Trash Podcast.